Chapter Two

A Secret Lover

"…My heart feels like it's about to burst because I cannot see you up close, or let you know my true identity…."

"..Ooo, how romantic! A faceless lover!" interrupted Cameron.

"Shh! Let her read it all!" scolded Shayla. Carly returned to the letter.

"…The first time I laid eyes on you, my breath was stolen away, and my eyes filled with tears. Love at first sight only happens ever so often, some never experience it. But the day I saw your gentle brown eyes and your long, dreamy blond hair, I fell into a fantasy of the most beautiful angel that ever existed stand before me, and I wanted you to take me into heaven. But I had to keep away, with a broken heart. The answer is too heartrending for such a delicate and beautiful soul to be instantly crushed. I must know your feelings, though you do not know me. It's too painful to look at you everyday, not able to show my heart to you, or for you even to know my name. I want to tell you in person one night beneath the willow tree by the pond, under a full moon. Maybe we can wait, and get to know each other by letter, or before the current full moon ends. Please, don't say no, my heart is too fragile for such a burden. Send me an owl. Address it to "the boy who walks by the pond at midnight". I await your response, my love, until then, take care. Love, Yours Truly." The room remained silent. Everybody were surprised at the letter.

"So," said Jade as she broke the long silence, "what are you going to do, Carly?"

"I don't know, what should I do?"

"Write him back and tell him that you'll meet him tomorrow night," said Cameron, "He deserves it after he just poured his heart out to you."
"No, he is hiding something," said Laura, "It's too suspicious. What is so bad about him that he can't see you or reveal his identity?"

"I agree, he could be setting you up," said Jade.

"Oh come on! You need to write this guy back!" said Shayla, "He obviously is a bit shy and wants you to be by yourself when you first meet him. It's kind of a blind date, except he sets it up, and you are the only one who is blind. I think it's romantic."

"Just because it's romantic sounding doesn't mean he could be planning something on the side," said Laura, "He said it would break her heart if she were to find out who he is!"

"Stop being so paranoid!" said Cameron, "Who would want to kill Carly? She's certainly not on You-Know Who's top ten hit list! Carly, just write him back on how you feel, not what we think."

Carly looked down at the letter. She noticed teardrops staining parts of the gold ink. He was really crying, she thought. She immediately grabbed a quill, ink, and a blank piece of parchment from the stack that littered her desk.

"What are you doing?" asked Jade. "You are not writing him now, are you? It's too late."

"No, I don't know what to say at the moment. I'm just writing the opening as a reminder."

"Oh, well, good night, Carly."

"Good night, Jade." The rest of the girls joined in. The lights went off, and Carly slid onto her bed. She was asleep the minute her head hit the pillow and almost instantly floated off into a dream.

It was nighttime, the full moon flooded the school grounds with luminous white light. Carly made her way towards the glimmering pond. She looked down to see herself draped in a marvelous white dress, that floated behind her in the breeze like a gentle river and glowed intensively in the radiant moonlight. She could feel the cool night air on her face as she walked towards the little willow tree by the pond. She squinted into the darkness, but no shadows that resembled a man could be seen. She continued forward, hoping that it wasn't a set up. She began to breath nervously, until….a tall figure appeared from behind the tree.

"Hello?" she said, hoping not to get a teacher's voice.

"Carly," said the man. He sounded like he was only sixteen or seventeen years old, "I'm glad you came. Come, my love, sit down." Carly moved forward. She saw the man's face was hidden in his robes. She sat down beside him.

"Why are you hiding in your robes? Can I at least see your face or learn your name?"

"No, I'm sorry, Carly. It hurts me too. This is something that cannot be discussed. It's too painful and too dangerous. Carly I have brought you here to spend one night here with you, because I cannot be with you, I can only love you. It's the only thing I can do, for us." The man pulled a red rose from his robes. He leaned forward towards Carly. Carly leaned towards him until her lips hovered over what she could see of his. Then….

"Wake up, Carly!" shouted the familiar voice of Cameron. "It's time for Transfiguration! Professor Dunken is going to give us detention if we are late again, come on, get your robes on!"

"Alright, Alright!" Carly jumped out of bed, half asleep. She slid her robes on and grabbed her wand and walked out the door behind Cameron. "Oh wait, I forgot my book!"

"Hurry up, then!" Cameron shouted at the base of the stairs as Carly ran back to her desk for her book. She moved many papers around before she found it. Something in her vision was moving outside. She looked up and out the window, to the pond. Nothing. She rolled her eyes thinking that it was just a left over of her dream and walked out the door, a mysterious boy watching her window from behind the willow tree.