Scott Appleton is a simple country boy. He rides a mule everywhere he goes and lives on a farm. Though he's never been good at interacting with girls. So when his best friend Ezekiel gets a record deal and dumps his girlfriend Ann Maria, Scott write...
For some reason I could hear the screaming voice of my best friend Zeke getting closer to my house. I yawned sleepily and told myself I imagined his loud voice when I heard something patting up my window. I got up and opened my window to see the excited brunette standing smiling outside looking excited.
Ezekiel was my best friend and neighbor who I had been close with since we were kids. We both live and work on farms. We're both extremely messy, awkward, and love rolling around in dirt. It was a shock the guy had a girlfriend.
"Guess what homie!" He said grinning excitedly.
"You and Anne Maria do it or something?" I asked yawning. Ezekiel turned red and shook his head.
Anne Maria was his girlfriend who lived next door. Her father owned a horse farm and raised exotic horses. She was from New Jersey but her father decided her family needed a change of pace after a bit. She was a tan Italian with big poofy black hair and wore heavy makeup. Anne Maria was extremely gorgeous and fun to be around.
"My news is way better than that!" He said flustered. "I'm going to LA. Chris McClean signed me to his record label." I looked up him stunned.
"HELL, YEAH BUDDY." I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"SHUT UP." My thirteen-year-old sister Albertha screamed.
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Even though I knew I'd be separated from my best friend I felt happy. Anne Maria seemed proud that her man would finally be famous and Shawn was so happy he canceled his plans to build his zombie bunker for the day and we went to a diner to celebrate. Albertha came with us. She adored my friends and they adored her right back.
"I can't believe my baby is going to be famous." Anne Maria said kissing Zeke on the cheek. They were on one side of the booth. Me and Shawn were on the other. My sister was sitting at a separate table with her best friend Malu Barlow.
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"You too are gross." Shawn said looking at the two of them disgusted. "Kissing is definitely not going to be good during the apocalypse, especially if people spread nasty germs like that."
"At least someone is getting action." My sister said spitting her tongue out at Shawn.
"Shut up." I said turning towards her.
"It's true." She yelled. "You and Shawn are pathetic."
The six of us ended up going to hang out at the dumpster after eating. Malu watched as all of us dumpster dived.
"Can't wait to visit you in LA." Anne Maria giggled as she and Ezekiel sat on an old fridge together.
"Oooh if you meet Olivia Rodrigo, please get her autograph for me." Albertha begged Zeke.
"Sure, I will! I'll definitely be bigger than her and she'll beg for my autograph yo." Zeke said wrapping his arm around his girlfriend. I looked away feeling a ping of jealousy.
After hanging out for a bit Zeke and Anne Maria went off alone. I took my sister home and talked to my pappy and momma about how epic today was. I was in my room about to get ready for bed when my sister screamed for me to go outside. Zeke was on my front porch. He seemed quieter than usual as I sat down next to him.
"Hey buddy." I said looking at my friend. He was quiet for a bit longer before speaking.
"I dumped Anne Maria..." He said.
"WHAT?" I asked loudly.
"Today was fun. But not every day can be like today can it." Zeke said smiling sadly. "I'm going to the United States bro. I won't be in Canada anymore. I won't see you all everyday... It's best to let go of Anne Maria before things get more serious between us. Plus, all the babes are going to want me." Ezekiel said making me chuckle.
"You sure you want to dump her." I asked looking up at the stars. "I know you love her."
"That's why I'm letting her go." He sighed. "Have you ever loved someone?"
I love Anne Maria.
Anne Maria moved from New Jersey when I was 13. She and Zeke were 14. She was a lot like she was now. Loud, bold, and beautiful. I remember my pappy taking me to her farm to meet her family. I held a pecan pie my mother worked hard to make as my momma rang the door. When it opened, I saw a tall Italian man with a gentle smile. Behind him was a girl about my age in a dark blue sundress.
From then on, she became a part of my crew. We'd watch reality tv shows at my place and hung out constantly. Shawn's worst fear at 13 was girls. Though he was still scared of zombies. So, it took him a while to come around. Ezekiel was kind of sexist towards her but she laughed it off thinking he was joking. The more and more I hung out with Anne Maria the more I loved her.
One day we hung out alone stargazing in her father's flower field. It was around two years ago. She laid next to me in the flowers giving the stars names of celebrities. I looked over and blushed looking at how adorable she was as she joked around. She looked back at me and I could see she was slightly blushing. I could tell then she wanted to kiss me. Or maybe I was imagining it.
I never would've expected her and Zeke to get together.
"What do girls like?" Zeke asked me a couple of days before Maria's sixteenth birthday.
"I think they like flowers and rings or something." I shrugged as we walked around town together.
"Hmmm yeah." He said thoughtfully.
At Maria's sweet sixteen he got her a giant diamond and sang a song he wrote for her. Since then, they've been together.
That night I cried and cried feeling heartbroken. I probably sounded like a dying mule. As I tried to fight off my sadness, I decided the best way was through words. I wasn't the best writer or most romantic guy but writing down how I felt about a girl usually helped me understand myself.
Dear Anne Maria,
I know that your heart belongs with Ezekiel now but I've fallen for you. Being with you every day makes me wish that you were mine. I love your beautiful laugh and your gorgeous black hair. You always know how to cheer me up and I wish we'd be together forever.
Love Scott
If Maria was mine, I would never do what Ezekiel did. I'd hold onto her forever and never let her go. But she wasn't mine. She was just my friend. And we'd never cross that line.
As I read the letter the night Zeke dumped her, I smiled to myself. I got out a pen and wrote ps. I still love you. I placed the love letter into a fresh envelope and put it in my lucky hat. Along with notes to other girls I would never confess to.
