Chapter 6 Draco Valentino

(Flashback Chapter)

12 Years Ago

It was still morning, but the sky looked very gloomy today. While other students were chatting outside the classroom, waiting for the bell to ring, I chose to stay inside with my own little project.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't have friends or that I'm a troublemaker at school. It's just that there's something important I need to work on right now.

Okay, maybe it's not that important, but it's pretty significant for my own little life. I smiled as I read over what I had just written on a piece of paper. Then I folded it and put it in a light blue envelope.

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but yes... this is my first love letter to my first crush. Honestly, I still don't really understand what love is, I just like seeing him and talking to him. Is it puppy love? Who knows...

Just a little info about him, he's a transfer student. He's only been here for four months, but he's already very popular among my friends. Why? Because he's handsome, good at basketball, and pretty smart too.

Yet, for some reason, he loves teasing and mocking me at school. And strangely enough, I don't hate him for it; I've actually fallen in love with him. I can overlook all his teasing and just see it as part of his charm.

Is that weird, or am I just half crazy? But maybe that's what love does to you. Or maybe I'm just blinded by love at such a young age? Poor me.

"Hey, what's this?" A familiar student suddenly appeared and snatched the envelope from my desk. It was him-the one who had been on my mind all day.

I had been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice he and his two friends had arrived.

"Draco, give it back!" I pleaded, trying to grab the letter from his hand, but I kept failing.

I really wanted to give him that letter. I wanted him to read it, but definitely not like this. Not in front of his friends.

"Do you want this back?" he asked with a mischievous smile. I nodded eagerly, my face full of hope.

"Guys, what do you think is in this envelope?" he asked his equally mischievous friends.

"It's probably a romance, a love letter," one of his friends, who was quite big for a middle schooler, replied.

"A love letter? Allison's in love again," he teased, raising one eyebrow.

I could tell he was trying to figure out who I had a crush on. Draco flipped the envelope and then pulled out the letter inside.

"Stop!!" I shouted, trying to stop him from opening it.

Draco gave me a sharp look after slipping the letter into his pocket. Instead of handing it back, he just kept it without feeling guilty.

His gaze made me nervous, and my heart raced uncontrollably.

"P-please give me that letter back, Draco," I stuttered.

"Nope," he replied, stubborn as ever.

Ah, he really is stubborn.

"Guys!! Let's go!" he said to his two buddies.

They walked out, leaving the classroom. I felt like I was out of words, I could only stand frozen at the door.

I tried to think. How could I get that letter back?

The letter had reached the right person, but not in the way I wanted. Draco had no idea it was for him, and he could do anything with it without needing to read it first.

"Allison, why are you standing around here? Let's go to the canteen."

Wendy's voice broke my thoughts, but I didn't pay attention. My mind was still focused on the letter that had changed hands.

"Alli!!" she called again, louder this time, tapping my shoulder. This time, she succeeded in getting me to turn quickly.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Wendy... This is bad. Really bad!!" I started to show my panic about the letter.

"What's so bad?" Wendy asked, confused. Of course, she was confused because she wasn't there and didn't know anything about the letter.

I whispered to her about how I suddenly got the idea to write that love letter, and then Draco snatched it without knowing what it was or who it was for.

"Well, that's good. It means you don't have to struggle to give him the letter," Wendy said casually after hearing my story.

"Oh Wendy, the problem is, He is incredibly mischievous. He could do anything with that letter before he reads it and finds out what it says," I explained, getting more anxious. Yes, he could do anything to that letter.

"Like what?" Wendy asked, but honestly, I didn't know the answer. The way his mind worked was hard to predict.

(Tap... Tap... 1-2... Tap 1-2-3)

The sound of someone with a megaphone pulled my focus away. Wndy and I exchanged glances, both wondering what announcement was coming next.

"Okay, everyone, it's time to find out what's in this letter!"

Wendy and I both stared wide-eyed, because we knew exactly who that voice belonged to and what he was about to do with my letter.

Draco... you better watch out!!

Without further ado, I rushed out of the classroom toward the source of the voice. Wendy followed closely behind me.

I found Draco standing on a chair in the yard, flanked by two of his friends like bodyguards.

Did he think he was at a podium? So annoying.

Not only that, but the other students looked eager for his show. They were standing in a circle, waiting for him, to continue his performance.

What should I do now? I was too embarrassed to push through the crowd and grab that letter.

(Since the first time you appeared, Slowly, I began to feel something change. I became quieter. I changed into someone less stubborn. But what changed the most was my feelings. My heart races uncontrollably whenever you're in front of me.)

Draco read the contents of the letter out loud. He looked so confident and proud, as if he was reading an important script that was a matter of life and death for everyone. The audience cheered every time he finished a line.

Did you know I was there, blushing from embarrassment because of that boy's antics? I just hoped he would stop his silly act right now.

Don't ask why I was just standing there, I really didn't know what to do. Honestly, I never imagined Draco would make such a spectacle out of it.

My face was now flushed, holding back my embarrassment.

(Every day I spend feels amazing, Especially with your smile shining there. Though your teasing can sometimes be super annoying, believe me... I'm not mad at you at all.)

Oh my God, he kept going. The audience grew more enthusiastic, cheering him on as if it fueled his determination to read the entire letter.

I really felt like I was losing face. Even though they didn't know who wrote the letter yet, I was already mortified. Ahh... I just wanted to disappear.

"Come on, Drac. We're still curious about what the letter says," one of my seniors said with a beaming smile. Right now, I wanted to throw my shoe at him.

"It's okay. This is the last paragraph," He replied, agreeing.

He acted like a seasoned orator. He had no idea how I felt right now. So frustrating.

(My friend says I'm weird. Weird for liking someone who often, even too often, teases me. I don't know... I don't understand why those feelings suddenly appeared. I believe you're a good person. And because of that belief, I gathered the courage to write this letter for you. Love You....)

His excited expression suddenly faded. The doubt about reading the letter to the end was clearly visible on his face. Draco, who had been aware of my presence since earlier, looked at me with a guilty expression.

It's too late, Drac! I shot him a sharp look.

His gaze, as if wanting to convey an apology, had no effect on me; my anger was through the roof.

I was sure he only felt guilty because he realized who the letter was for at the last line. Who knows... maybe it wasn't guilt but just embarrassment because his name was mentioned.

"Why did you stop? Keep going," shouted a curious girl.

"What's there to continue? I've read the whole letter," He replied, a bit stammering as he folded the letter back.

"But we're still curious about who the letter is for!!" someone else chimed in, just as curious.

"About that." Draco stuttered, unsure of what explanation would come next.

I still silent, watched him from a distance, suddenly startled by Wendy's voice.

"Alli, let's go! I know you're not comfortable here. We should leave before things get crazier because of that crazy boy," Wendy suggested, wrapping her arm around mine.

I wanted to do just that, but after seeing what happened next, I froze again.

"Let me see that." The letter quickly changed hands, ending up with one of Draco's friends.

"Hmm... what's this, Drac? There's still one line left. It says... 'I like you, Draco.'" With confidence, his lanky friend read the last line of my letter.

Draco looked back at me, showing his guilty feelings. His friend's foolishness caused an uproar among the crowd. Especially after they learned who the letter was meant for.

"What?! So the love letter is for Draco!" shouted one girl from my grade.

I knew she had liked Draco since he arrived at this school. She didn't hesitate to show her feelings openly.

Her name was Sonia. She was indeed pretty and quite popular, but unfortunately, she was a bit arrogant and had a sharp tongue.

"Wow... looks like Draco has a secret admirer. Nice..." others chimed in, greeted by enthusiastic cheers.

"Enough... enough... disperse," Draco commanded firmly.

"Wait!!" Sonia shouted, stopping them. Who knows what she planned to do next. "Don't you want to know who wrote that letter?"

Sonia's words made me panic. They couldn't know about this. I'd be the laughingstock if they found out.

To my surprise, others joined Sonia's curiosity.

Oh God... what should I do now? If Draco or his friends spill the beans, it's over for me.

"Hey, lanky, you must know who wrote that letter, right?" Sonia asked, approaching the three annoying boys standing in the yard.

Sonia definitely didn't want competition in her efforts to win Draco's heart.

I could only hope Draco would shut his friends up.

"Al-Allison. Allison Valerie."

"...."

***