A few days later, Debra continued to receive love letters in her locker. She still didn't know who was the man behind the letters but she pretty much ignored that fact to enjoy getting her notes more. When she left her fourth period class for lunch, she walked down the hallway with Kyle, who just came back from his lunch period, for a chat.
"Do you pack a lunch?" asked Kyle.
"Nowadays," Debra answered.
"Did you pack one today?"
"I feel like I did."
"Good. I think. You will not believe what is being served in the cafeteria."
"What?"
"Cheese-fish."
"What is that?"
"A lot of sharp cheddar cheese smothering baked trout fish."
"I do not believe it."
"Told you."
"That sounds disgusting."
"It does sound disgusting but it's actually quite appetizing."
Debra smiled. "Ew."
"Yeah, I'm not proud of myself."
"Well, I'm glad that I can take food from home and eat it here instead of eating gross and unhealthy cafeteria food."
Kyle chuckled.
"Plus, I don't eat fish like that."
"I love fish. You're such a yogi."
"A proud, committed yogi. You wish you were me."
"Ha, I like you but I do not wish that."
"Good because I'm the only one in this school who can rock a pair of fringe boots. Actually, I'm lying. I am not the only one who can rock them. Some girls here wear them better than me.
"You are too nice."
"I'm just not cocky; that's all."
"Trust me, you would feel much better cocky."
"Oh! Didn't I tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"For more than a week, I have been getting love letters in my locker, like, daily."
"Love letters?"
"Yeah, like four a day since last Thursday."
"And they're for you?"
"Yeah. Most of them are signed 'Dear Debra'."
"Are you sure that they're not for a different Debra?"
"Shut up! No, they're for me. The letters are written in a poetic form and they describe my characteristics and style."
"Um, ick! Who is writing you the letters anyway?"
"I don't know. They are all signed 'Anonymous'."
"So your boyfriend could be Casper the Ghost?"
"Uh, Casper is a friendly ghost. Anybody would be lucky to date him."
Kyle rolled his eyes playfully.
Just in time, Debra stopped by locker. "Anyway, I usually get them before lunch and before the end of school." She put in the combination on the lock of her locker and soon opened the door, with only one letter falling out from the top. "Aw, there's only one," she frowned. She kneeled down and picked up the thick white note from the floor. She stood up and unfolded it, revealing a new letter entry. She held it up to Kyle's face. "Look, read it and weep."
Kyle took the letter from Debra's hand and started skimming through it. "Wow, this is a big deal," he commented.
"Told ya!"
"And you have no idea who this could be?"
"No idea. My friend, Madeline, thought it was my friend, Darrell, who was sending the notes. But it is not him and that is why I had to apologize to him earlier because Madeline wanted to go all Bruce Willis on him. I hope Darrell can past this and give me direct eye contact like he used to do."
"Well, good luck with him."
"I wish this wasn't made a big deal out of. I might seem crazy but I believe that I'm infatuated with this guy. And I don't care who this guy is -- whether he is short, tall, skinny, fat, healthy, sick -- he makes me feel beautiful every day. So if I have to wait days or weeks or months or years to know who he is, then it would be worth the wait."
Kyle relaxed his shoulders along with his eyes. "Maybe you don't have to wait."
"Why?"
Kyle quickly grabbed Debra's shoulders and crushed his lips against hers. After a second, Debra pulled away and gagged.
"Uh, cheese-fish," she groaned, covering her mouth until she started retching. She put her hand on her chest and took deep breaths, thinking she was going to vomit. "Sorry about that," she sighed. "I can taste your-- yeah, sorry. Um, what was that?"
"It's me."
Debra broke eye contact. "Me?"
"I'm 'Anonymous'."
Debra's eyes widened. "You're 'Anonymous'?"
"Yeah, it was obvious from me kissing you and telling you that I'm Anonymous a second ago."
"I don't know what to say but... it makes so much sense!"
"What makes sense?"
"I don't know. I just say things to give me closure. On the other hand, I don't know what 'closure' is so I'm just weird."
"It's okay; I'm weird, too."
Debra giggled. "I just can't believe it's you. I could've sworn that you make it clear that you don't like me that way."
"It's called teasing. It's something you do when you like someone."
"It's also something you do when you don't like someone."
"Yeah, whatever. The point is I liked you forever and I can never stop thinking about you."
Debra slowly smiled.
"You're nice, funny, and pretty. I didn't know how to tell you so I kind of told you in letters. I've been reading poetry lately and been trying to write my own. I'm shy, what can I do? Do you like me... in that way?"
Debra lost her smile and bit her lip. "Kyle, I've always liked you... but as a friend. I just never thought about you in that way. I'm relieved that I know it's you but you're like my little brother. And I can't date my little brother, with the laws and stuff. I'm really sorry but I just don't feel the same."
Kyle looked down. "You just had to drop the 'B' bomb on me."
"I wanted to leave that part out but I wanted to be open. I'm really sorry."
"It's okay. I sort of saw it coming."
"At least we now have closure... whatever that is."
Kyle chuckled. "I hope nothing's going to be weird after everything."
"Oh, no. We can just forget that everything that happened ever happened."
"Yeah. But keep the letters, please. They're special to me."
Debra grinned. "Okay."
Soon the bell rung, barely startling the two.
"Oh, I'm going to be late," said Kyle.
"You're already late for class. And Kyle?" Debra took off her dream-catcher necklace and put it over Kyle's neck. "Have sweet dreams tonight."
Kyle lifted up the necklace and looked at it for a while. "I will. Thanks." He turned around and walked away to his next destination.
Debra sighed and relaxed her shoulders. "I kissed cheese-fish and booger lips," she said to herself calmly. "You just made a goal for yourself, Debbie."
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