The Letter: Part Six

Kuwabara stretched his legs underneath the table and yawned. It was already 10 o'clock in the evening and he is still awake trying to study for an exam tomorrow.

Now, that is something he doesn't do everyday. And to tell you the truth, he isn't really doing it tonight. He was just there, sitting with a book opened in front of him. He wasn't reading anything; he may look like he's reading something but of course he isn't. He was just staring at the book with a goofy grin on his face as he keeps on replaying the whole conversation he and Ana had had yesterday.

Okay, so more than 24 hours had passed - but that doesn't mean he had to get over the high of actually conversing Ana. Not just 'conversing'. He was able to see Ana in a different way. A way nobody has ever seen her before. And it makes him feel giddy all over.

It may probably mean nothing to her. She didn't even go to school today. - For what reason, he doesn't know. He wanted to know why, but he can't. And it was his entire fault. He could have asked her phone number yesterday, but he didn't. Why? Because he was too stupid to even remember such an important thing. Important? Of course, important! He may never speak to her that way again. And all his dreams would go down the drain.

"Kuwabara" A knock sounded at his door.

Kuwabara's thoughts were interrupted by her sister's voice. He quickly got up and opened his door.

"What is it"

"Someone is waiting for you downstairs." Shizuru said.

"This late" Kuwabara asked.

"I told her you were probably asleep but she insisted I wake you up. She said it's really important."

"Her"

"Yes. And kindly hint that it isn't proper for girls at her age to go wandering around the city and visiting male friends at this time of the night."

"Okay, I'll be down in a sec." Kuwabara said as he closed his door again.

It could be Ana. - But she doesn't know where he lives. And besides she isn't the type to go out late in the night to go to some guy's place. - Or is she?

Heck, if it's Ana. - Then he needs to wear something more presentable than the worn out white t-shirt and the boxer shorts he was wearing now. He quickly changed to something and went down to his visitor.

"I'm sorry to bother you this late." Ana apologized as she stood up.

"It's okay." He gestured for her to sit down again.

"So why did you come here"

"Can we talk outside? Please" She said a little uncertainly.

"Sure." He stood up and led her outside. He closed the door behind them.

"It's kinda chilly tonight." He commented.

"So why are you here" He asked again.

"Well, I actually don't know why I am here. I just felt like saying goodbye to the only person who came as close to being a friend."

"What do you mean" He asked frowning.

"I wanted to say goodbye to you, Kuwabara. That is why I came here." She said sincerely.

"Goodbye" He asked a little dumbly.

"I'm going to run away. I'm going to my aunt's place. I've been planning to do this a long time ago. I said to myself that if I don't get expelled from your school within a month, running away would be my next option to get away from my father. Well, you were the one who ruined my plan on getting expelled with that excuse letter." She explained with a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were trying to get out of the school."

"It's okay. I think it is better this way. It's better I just run away. Getting expelled for the third time wouldn't really guarantee that my father would start listening to me."

"But you just can't go like that." Kuwabara said. Reality finally sinking in to him. This is probably the last time he will ever see her.

"Oh, no. Don't try talking me out of it." She said with a laugh. "I actually thought of this twice because of you. - Now don't let me think again or I'll probably stay."

"What do you mean" Did he hear her right?

"Actually, I'm not good with explaining things. But I will try. Yesterday when I talked to you. You made me feel a lot better. I never talked to anyone like I talked to you yesterday for the past years. - It made me feel really good. Sort of like - Like I found a home. And I felt like staying because I felt like this is my chance to finally find a friend."

"Then why do you have to go"

"I have to. I want to compete professionally - in martial arts that is. And my aunt could help me do that. I have always dreamt of that. And if I don't do anything about it, I'm afraid that that dream would slip away from me." She explained.

"But your father will find you. And he'll just come and get you again."

"Yes, he probably will. But I'll make sure he wouldn't get me back."

Silence.

Kuwabara doesn't have any clue what to say. He just found out that he meant something to Ana. So, it isn't the girl-likes-boy kind of thing. But still, he meant something - a friend. And he also found out that she would be leaving. But leaving for a good cause - for her dreams. But what about his dreams? She was everything he ever dreamt of in a girl and more.

"I probably should be going." She broke the silence.

Silence.

He watched her pull out something from her backpack and handed it to him.

"What's this" Kuwabara said as he looked at the pink envelope with his name scribbled on it.

"It's a letter." She thought of leaving something to Kuwabara to remember her by. A gift wouldn't do - She would buy it and then she would let them wrap it in some silly paper and it would remain like that, a gift. But a letter would be different. She hadn't written any letters before and she had carefully thought about what she would write in it to convey what she really feels towards him and their little time together.

"I thought… I thought you never liked the idea of letters." He said.

"I never liked the letters I've received so far. Words on them were overrated and exaggerated to make it all sound more like lies."

"But my letter to you is different - Or I think it is. I didn't use words that I don't mean. Letters are given so the receiver will know he is thought about in a special way. And I've thought about you in a special way. I hope this letter will constantly remind you of that. Please keep it."

"Don't worry, I will." Kuwabara assured her, his knees feeling kind of watery from hearing that she had thought of him in a special kind of way - maybe even more than friends.

"You know what? If I weren't leaving, I would have asked you to be my boyfriend." She said with a little laugh, her eyes soft with genuineness.

Kuwabara was too shocked to speak.

"I should go." She said as she turned, ready to walk away.

"Goodbye, Kuwabara. And thank you." She silently said and then she started to walk away.

Kuwabara was left dumbfounded in front of his house, unable to believe what had just happened. Did Ana said what he thinks she just said?

He felt the letter in his hand. Slowly, he opened the envelope and pulled the pink scented paper out. He unfolded it and started to read its contents.

It was the sweetest letter he had ever received, filled with meaning. Real, honest emotions Ana have for him. No overrated words. No lies. Just a sincere and honest confession that she had thought of him in a special way.