Hello darlings! Please enjoy!
Annabeth glanced around the courtyard as her friends, Isabella and Claire, chattered behind her. In her hand nestled a small, neatly folded note bearing the words meet me out front. There was no signature but, then again, it didn't need one. Ann knew exactly who it was from. After his last suspension, Jim wasn't supposed to be on school grounds but he hadn't exactly been one to follow the rules these last few years.
"Ann, are you listening?" She heard Isabella ask, the sound of her name drawing her back to the conversation.
"Sorry, I was distracted, what?"
"We were talking about hanging out tonight. The karaoke bar is open again. It's got new owners so we thought we'd check it out." Claire filled her in quickly.
"Oh, sorry guys, I think I've got plans tonight."
"You think you have plans?" Isabella asked skeptically.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with the love letter you found in your locker would it?" Claire asked with a smirking grin.
"Love letter!?" Isabella squealed.
"It's not a love letter!" Ann denied hotly, even as she felt her cheeks heat up in a blush.
"Oooooohhhhh!" Both girls teased.
"Someone's got a secret admirer!"
"Someone's got a crush!"
"Someone doth protest too much!"
Annabeth groaned and hid her face as her friends teased her and broke down into loud giggles.
"Who's it from?" Isabella wanted to know when they had gotten their breath back.
"Yeah! Who? Who?"
"It's just a note from Jim asking me to meet up with him. It's probably nothing." Ann clarified quickly. As if speaking his name caused him to materialize, Ann felt someone's eyes on her. Turning her head, she spotted his leanly muscled form slouched slightly against one of the entry pillars. The other kids were giving him a fairly wide berth so Ann was able to see that he was indeed watching her. She shot him a small smile and wave to acknowledge that she had seen him and he responded with a casual jerk of his chin.
"Wait a minute! Jim? As in Jim Hawkins?" Claire grabbed Ann's hands to bring her attention back to them.
"Steaming hot, ultra smart, bad boy delinquent Jim Hawkins?" Isabella squealed.
"Um...yeah. You guys do remember when I said I grew up with him?"
"Well, yeah! But we figured it was more of a "live in the same general vicinity" and "drool from a distance" kind of growing up!"
"Yeah! Not a "love note" and "clandestine meeting" growing up!"
"It's not a love note! Sarah probably wanted us to run to the market after school today. It's not that big of a deal!"
"Sarah?" Claire questioned sharply.
"His mother." Ann mumbled, cursing herself inwardly. Her friends didn't know that she had spent the majority of her life living under the same roof as Jim. When she had entered the same high school as him he had told her it would be easier on her if everyone just thought they were childhood friends who lived close to each other. Had she just given herself away?
"Is it true Mrs. Hawkins uses her Inn as a front for a big crime syndicate?" Isabella whispered, looking around as if she expected to see gang members surrounding her as she spoke.
"What!?" Ann couldn't help but laugh at the thought of kind, sweet Sarah Hawkins running a mafia of some kind, "No, of course not! Look, I've got to go guys. I'll see you on Monday, kay?"
"Alright, sure." Isabella replied, looking vaguely disappointed.
"Can't leave Lover Boy waiting, now can we?!" Claire called after her, causing Ann to blush hugely and pick up her pace. She really hoped Jim was too far away to have heard Claire.