After Dunkirk [Discontinued]

Six ~ Letter

"Won't you tell me what we're doing already? I don't think I can handle the excitement much longer."

"For the kazillionth time, Dottie, I'm not going to spoil the surprise," I look back at my girl with a smirk while unlocking the door to my parents' unused barn and she pouts. "That's not gonna work."

"Pretty please, Al," she purrs, carding her hand through my unruly brown curls, "with a cherry on top."

Stay strong, Alex.

"N-no," I stutter and peck her pouty lips, earning a giggle. "Now close your eyes and keep 'em closed. Good. Are they closed?" I make a silly face at her and she doesn't laugh, so I know she's not peeking. "Okay, we need to get inside before it's completely dark out here."

Dottie makes a nervous-excited sound, tightening her grip on my hand. Her reaction is just like I anticipated and I smile to myself while taking a second to just look at her.

She's beautiful, as always, with her long brown hair in front of her shoulders and she's wearing a pink dress that is by far my favourite on her.

Stay calm, Alex. Oh great, I think I'm sweating.

"Would ya hurry up?" Dottie impatiently asks and I roll my eyes at her.

"Just for that, I'm gonna take my sweet ol' time, Miss Meikle," I tease, earning a little whine. "I'm just kidding," I sigh and open the door. "Okay, I'll guide you. Stop!"

"Ah! What is it?"

"Nothing," I chuckle and she swats my arm.

"You're such a jerk, Alex."

"Am not. I just need to close the door," I explain with a cocky smile and she hums doubtingly. "Okay, all joking aside, you can open your eyes now."

Dottie's eyelids flutter open and she looks around the barn with her wide brown eyes.

"What's the surprise?" she asks and I can tell she's getting annoyed, so I decide to further annoy her.

"You'll see," I wink at her, grabbing the lantern that I prepared earlier and I lead the way.

With every step that we get closer to the stables, my heart begins to pound. It's where we had our first kiss as naïve thirteen-year-olds and now that we're fifteen-year-old adults, I figure she'll appreciate the sentiment with what I have planned.

"Okay, here we are," I nervously say and she gasps.

"What is this?" she asks with a smile teasing her lips.

"Have a seat on the hay bale, go on now. I've already laid out the blankets for us."

"This is so sweet of you," she says, leaning up on her tiptoes and she kisses my cheek. "Will you sit next to me?"

"'Course I will," I reassure her, setting the lantern down and I take the seat next to her.

"This is cozy. Thank you for my surprise," Dottie gratefully says and I can't help but smile.

"There's more," I say, feeling my stomach begin to churn nervously. "I uhm, I wrote you a letter."

"What? How-"

"I had some help," I sheepishly admit, taking the folded paper from my pocket. "Here you go, and please don't laugh at my handwriting."

"I'd never, Al," she kisses my cheek and settles back in her spot on the hay bale. As she opens the paper, she dramatically clears her throat and she becomes serious all of a sudden. "'To my darling Dorothy. I love you. Yours truly, Alex.'"