The Letters that were marked with a heart

Letter 9 (Lea's Pov)

(museum lea - 9th)
'Dear Lea,
After all these years I am proud to say you are going to be happy in your own body and I wish you the best of luck. Maybe I should stay but I can't. I'm proud of you Lion, stay strong and keep caring about the people around you. I love you bestie. And just to tell you I'm pretty sure Dodge does too, I hope you all live happily after all this. Today was great and I'll never forget half of the facts you taught me.
From Pandora x'

Dear Pandora,
It's the next day and I can barely think straight. Because next to me is a barely clothed Max. And I am not wearing much either. To explain how this all happened I have to tell you what happened when I got home yesterday.

I opened the door with my key and walked through into the lounge where Max was sat his eyes surrounded by dried tears, I sat next to him and hugged him. From there we talked for a long time and had dinner before my mum went out to meet the girls for drinks. So we were alone for the night. And Max asked "how about we sleep in the same room? I don't want to be alone tonight." I looked at him and smiled "sure, your room though it's a king-size." Then we went up and talked then played truth or remove an item of clothing. Hence how we ended up practically naked. We were tired but I couldn't help but snuggle into his bare chest because I felt safe there. Despite all that had happened. Maybe I'm not ready yet but I will be one day. And now all I can think of is his goofy smile and the way he seemed nervous about taking off his shirt. And the way he smiled when I took off mine, revealing my scars and yet he seemed to glow in the dark air of the room. Then the socks came off and he laughed as I mimed my feet being smelly and said 'they aren't that bad Leo, watch.' Then he disappeared under the covers and tickled my foot down the centre then I heard his mouth pop open and he licked my foot then seemed to laugh a little before wriggling back up. I must admit I was blushing and he saw it. 'One day Lion.' And I know exactly what he means, so I turn away and bite my lip to stop myself making an odd sound just from that thought alone. Then we kept playing and I chose truth, so he asked me what my most sensitive body part was. I had to reply, but I won't tell you what I said. For obvious reasons, because that leads onto how I ended up in boxers. And I'm pretty sure you don't want that level of detail. Then Max answered remove and he was down to boxers. Then we just talked and I was nervous but he said 'we will only ever go as far as you are comfortable with Lion. I mean it.' And I laid there with my head on his chest, it's not flat but it is somewhere near there. He is slightly bulky and muscular but not fat. I love the way his skin looks in the moonlight it's beautifully soft and it looks golden. Dodge is a quarter Spanish and in the moonlight it shines through his skin.

I get up and throw on a bra one of the padded ones I feel feminine today so I grab a dress from my room and get changed. Then I write a note to Max and leave it next to him being careful not to disturb him in any way. Then I make breakfast because mum is still at Catherine's having bacon sandwiches and water by now before getting a taxi back and having paracetamol before going out to meet someone else later. Little did I know what was really going on and if I did I would have hugged the pair of them right then and there. I leave a plate for Max on the desk and smile as he whispers my name sleepily. And his face blushes cutely in the sunlight. Then I go to the cafe where we are meeting today.

I stroll in and sit down, "Max is still asleep, so he'll join us later." Jodie looks at me with did you eyes, and I say "we just slept in the same room so don't get any joedears." Jodie frowns. We all know where we need to go next but none of us want to go there. So we decide to go to the park and sit in a small circle instead. It's at this point that everything starts to sink in again and I see everything go glassy before even realise I'm crying. Then Jodie is hugging me and she is saying something but I can't work out what. Then everything seems to spin and it stops when Max runs towards me out of the trees. "Lea, it's going to be okay." Then I realise that Jodie was holding something shut, my stitches have popped again. Before I know it I'm asleep and I wake up in my mum's car on the way back to the house. Max is worried looking, and I ask "What happened?" Except my lip is wobbly and I'm half asleep so it's barely audible. "Your stitches popped again, they are supposed to stay until next week but they have taken them out and bandaged you up. We are going to go out later but only if you want to." Max looks at me concerned. "Um sure where to?" He smirks back at me and chuckles to himself, "That is for me to know and you to find out." My mum smiles and I instantly realise that she is in on it. "Fine but what am I wearing?" I ask my mum. She says, "I have already picked it out for you." I lean into Max's shoulder and everything is peaceful again.