A few weeks later, I found a note in my gym locker. Shortly after that, another was left on my desk in form, waiting for me in the morning. Every note left me a little red and it certainly didn't help that they were getting more and more personal.

They wrote about the smallest mannerisms not even I realised I did,

How about the way you mess with the corners of your books when you're concentrating – cute – and you sometimes puff your cheeks up too. I'm still trying to figure out why you do that. 

It felt like I was being stalked, but somehow in a romantic way. I've gathered, from this experience, that I'd be very fuckin' easy to kidnap if you flatter me enough.

And d'you know what, I'm cool with that. 

"Elvis," Dan cut my thoughts, waving his hand over my face. 

I snapped back to the present, blinking while the busy chattering of the food hall trickled into my ears. 

"He's back! Welcome home." Dan sarcastically commented, still wearing a smile. 

"Sorry, what were you talking about?" 

"How you've been super distracted lately." Jacie butts in, her hand comfortably in Dan's. 

I looked between the two of them, holding my mouth tightly shut. Is this a good time to tell them? Maybe they could help me figure this out. I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and took a quick peek at my notebook. 

"Hey, what's up?" Jacie scooted closer, eyebrows furrowed in worry and a warm hand held out for support. 

I pursed my lips and scanned her trusting eyes before smiling. "You're gonna freak out." I said quietly. 

She shook her head. "Nope. Not if it's bothering you. We're gonna take this super seriously and you're gonna feel sooo much better afterwards. Right Dan?"

"Right." Dan nodded, though I couldn't tell if he actually heard her question – he was back on his phone.

But Jacie was right. I knew it before I even said a word.

"I've been getting these…notes." I started, reaching into my bag to pull my deep purple notebook out.

"Notes? What kind of notes? Is someone threatening you?" Jacie butted in again, growing more and more concerned. I ignored the excitement etched in the corners of her eyes. 

"No! Let me finish! They're…" I couldn't finish. I couldn't say the word. So I flipped the book open and pointed to the pages with purple paper clips holding the notes in place. "Read 'em."

"Elvis, you're hot–" 

"Quietly!" 

She smirked and took the book, curiosity oozing out of her. She took her time, scanning over each word multiple times and her smile grew with every note. By the end, she was shaking my arm with a death grip, an excited "Aaah!" leaving her lips. 

"Elvis!" She looked up. "You're getting love letters! Who's it from?" 

"I don't know." I mumbled, embarrassed. I tried to release myself from her vice to no avail. 

Dan looked up, confusion plastered on his face. "What?" 

"Elvis has an admirer! Who do you think it's from, Elvis?" Jacie slid even closer, hugged my arm and rested her head on my shoulder, gazing up at me with a sparkling wonder. 

I could feel Dan's intense stare burning into me from across the table.

"Uh, honestly. No clue. All I got is that they're probably in my maths." I said. 

"Well, at least that rounds it down by like 100 people! Good start!" She declared, stopping for a second to sip her hot chocolate. "We should start an investigation or something. Let's meet up tonight and start planning!"

Dan shuffled, put his phone in his pocket. "I'm coming."

“Coming to what?” Said an intrigued Lucas as he placed his pasta cup on the table and climbed onto the stool.

“Jacie's house after school– I do not want to know what for.” I quickly injected myself before someone else could spill the truth. 

Lucas grimaced. “Gross. How about we go catch that Marvel movie instead? I still get discounts on Wednesdays!” He spread his free hand out in suggestion.

“Sorry, we'll pass.” Dan shook his head.

“I think your opinion should be void, the only movies you like are zombie and racing ones. And both suck.”

Lucas's words sparked a quiet argument, one that Jacie couldn't stop laughing at. It drew the attention of teachers and we soon fled to the school fields, finding the rest of our friends already kicking a ball from one broken football goal to the other. It was a calming break and, for a while, I felt at ease with the world. 

Until Jacie and Dan arrived at my house that evening and the butterflies returned to my stomach. They sent nervous tingles down my arms and to my fingertips, even made me feel a little sick.

I wasn't ready to figure out who had been sending these notes.