ali and calla

[[deleted user]]

So hi! How are you?

[Alice]

Haha I'm good. You? :)
So about your pen pal romance, I've never done one before but I'm interested in what you were thinking it could be.

[[deleted user]]

I'm great, thanks! Enjoying my summer. :)
Aaannd for the RP I was thinking our posts would be their letters back and forth to each other.

[Alice]

Ahh ok... Interesting. Can we expand the pen pal rp to the real world as well, or do you want everything to be in letters? If we have a mix of letters and reality, we can expand it so that they actually meet

[[deleted user]]

Well I imagine they'd probably eventually end up meeting. But I think I'd like them to be strangers at first, and they get to know each other through their letters. Like they end up being really honest and telling each other things they wouldn't normally tell people because they're strangers and don't expect to meet each other in reality. And then we could eventually have them in the real world where they meet for the first time and from there. What do you think?

[Alice]

Yup sounds good
Do you want it to be a shy girl/popular boy romance?

[[deleted user]]

How do you feel about it being between a shy, smart boy who has a relatively comfortable life and he's hesitant to try new things and challenge his parents' heavy expectations, and a girl with a reckless sort of personality and a messed up home life? Like the guy could be doing it for extra credit, and the girl could be doing it because she needs it to pull her grade up so she can pass.

[Alice]

I like that. Who do you want to be?

[[deleted user]]

I kind of want to be the girl in this one, if thats okay with you?

[Alice]

That's fine

Here's my character:

Name: Leone "Leo" Woolard

Appearance:


Personality:
He's shy and intelligent. Doesn't let anything bother him because he's wise and knows it will only beat him down. He's quiet around people because he doesn't know how to connect with them. In his own mind, in his own little world, everything is safe and perfect.

History:
Leo's always been a fighter. Ever since he was little, he loved watching boxing matches on television, and wrestled his big brother for fun. That all ended when his brother died of heart failure when Leo was twelve. Leo became withdrawn, a shadow of his former self.

[[deleted user]]

[Name] Scarlett Monroe
Nicknames: Scar, Lettie, Star, Starlet, Red
[Age] 17
[Appearance]

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]
▹ 5'2"
▹ bright red hair, pin-straight, shoulder-length
▹ fair skin, freckles
▹ blue-green eyes
▹ thin, wiry, strong
[Personality/Background] Scarlett's had a rough life, thanks to her self-absorbed junkie mother with her many failed relationships and revolving boyfriends, each seemingly worse than the last. Scarlett has two brothers: Johnny, who's nineteen, and baby Maximilian, who she calls Mouse, still three years old. All three of them have different fathers, but that's never mattered. Scarlett's fiercely protective of her brothers. They stick together, Johnny and Scarlett, and they watch out for each other, and together they take care of their baby brother, because their mother definitely doesn't. Scarlett works long hours at her after-school job in an auto repair shop and helps keep the family afloat. Some of her money goes towards funding her chronic smoking habit, which started about three years ago and has only gotten worse.

[[deleted user]]

There's my girl :3 sorry for the delay, I've been at a friend's house almost he entire day.
Anyway, I think Leo's great :D let me know if you think I need to change anything with Scarlett. I hope you're okay with age 17. I figured they could be in their senior year and Leo wants extra credit for college apps or something and Scarlett needs this to graduate high school, but if you'd like to change the age it's not a problem.

[Alice]

Yeah 17 can be Leo's age too. Thanks and cool character! I like her appearance
Can you start so I know how you want to format this rp?

[[deleted user]]

Okay, and thanks!
Sure, I can start us off :)

[[deleted user]]

Okay, so question: where do they live? Same city, different cities close together or far away from each other?
Maybe like one of them lives on the east coast and the other on the west coast? Do you want your character to be outside of the U.S.?

[Alice]

How about they actually both live in the same city but don't know it? And US is good

[[deleted user]]

Wouldn't they figure it out when they're writing addresses to mail it?
We could have it so their teachers mail the letters for them and the students are kept anonymous on purpose. Like they go to different schools so they don't recognize each other from the letters at first. Does that work?

[Alice]

Yeah sure

[[deleted user]]

Hey stranger.

I'm not sure how exactly I'm supposed to do this. I've never written anyone an actual letter before, unless you count that one time in kindergarten when they made us all write letters to the president and mail them to the White House. Pretty sure those letters went straight into the trash. Who would voluntarily spend their time trying to decipher little kid scribbles? Deer Misster prezedent I think yoo arre grate. I wish I can be prezedent too wen I am biger. Pleeze rite bak. Yeah, sure. Mister Fucking Prezedent probably has better things to do.

But yeah. Writing letters instead of emailing or texting or whatever. I kind of thought that was something people only used to do, back when there was no such thing as the Internet and our parents were little kids and dinosaurs were still around.

Kidding. Sort of.

So anyway, just bear with me. I'm not going to lie, the only reason I'm doing this letter-writing thing is because if I don't my English teacher's (I'm not even kidding, I'm like ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure she's secretly a basketcase baby-sacrificing witch and the whole teacher thing is a front to fool us) going to fail me. And then I might have to redo senior year, or do summer school to make up for it or some shit like that. So yeah. It would be really helpful if you wrote back, because I need to graduate. No fucking way I'm spending one more day in high school than I absolutely have to.

I feel like I should introduce myself? I mean, all they told me about you was that your name is Leone (I kind of suspect the Witch was messing with me, because is that even a name?) Woolard. And that you're my age, a senior, and that you go to some fancy ass school on the other side of the city somewhere. I guess your teacher's making you do this too, and I don't know what they told you about me, so here goes.

I'm Scarlett Monroe. You probably knew that, but whatever. I've got a million and one nicknames, because apparently it's the funniest thing that someone with red hair would be named Scarlett. Ha ha ha, so. Fucking. Hilarious. I'm seventeen. I'm failing high school. I'm a bit of a rambler, which you've probably figured out by now from this letter. Short attention span. I love all sorts of cars and all kinds of music (except country, that shit burns my ears). I have two brothers. Half-brothers, if we're being technical. Same mom, three different dads–don't even ask. There's Johnny (Jonathan), he's nineteen. There's me in the middle, obviously. And then there's Mouse. He's only three. His name's Maximilian, which is a long ass name for a tiny baby, so Johnny calls him Max and Mom calls him The Baby, capital T capital B because she's an idiot, and I call him Mouse. Johnny says he doesn't know any better now, but he'll hate me for it when he gets older. But I mean, when he was born he was so quiet, and he had this soft white fuzz for hair, and bright dark eyes, and just–he was Mouse.

Anyway. That's me, I guess.

Oh, and sorry about the terrible handwriting. Hope you could read it.

– Scarlett

(view spoiler)[okay I hope that was alright. I'm not the best at first posts. (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[No your post was great... one of the better ones I've seen in my days as a GR rp-er, in fact :) My turn now I guess... here goes nothing (hide spoiler)]

Dear Scarlett Monroe,

I am delighted to meet your acquaintance. I am Leone Woolard, currently a senior in a high school that is, unfortunately, not a "fancy ass school" as you put it, but rather a pretty small public school filled with students who are struggling not to drop out due to their disadvantaged backgrounds. Suffice it to say, I am one of those students. I would appreciate it if you did not assume anything about me in future letters, because they are not always true.

On a slightly different topic, I think you made a good point when you mentioned that you've only written two letters in your entire life, and that you personally did not even know that letter-writing is still a "thing," as teenagers nowadays call it. Have you heard that the U.S. Postal Service has been suffering a decrease in business, caused by the current predilection of people to email instead of send letters? I think that is one of the saddest things I have ever heard. This ever-changing world that we live in is full of future wonders and great potential, but I am afraid that we might lose sight of our old traditions in our attempts to embrace the new. Writing letters is a beautiful art. My brother always said that the power of words has been lost to the world, and I think that is true. I never much liked typing on my cellular phone. I am grateful that you have taken the initiative to write me such an enlightening letter.

I am currently falling a bit behind in my Advanced Placement English Language class because, unfortunately, I was not born with the greatest talent for analyzing and writing rhetoric (Who knew that logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies could be so hard to extract from Uncle Tom's Cabin? I got a 90% on that test, which caused a significant dip in my first quarter average, because my grades are usually well into the A-plus range), so I need this for extra credit. I would say this is one of my greater hopes for achieving a higher grade point average, which--I am sure you very well know, being that you are most likely undergoing the college admissions process as well--is critical to the admission counselors' assessment of ongoing high school performance.

Speaking of which, have you started the early admissions process yet? I find this topic excites a significant amount of dread in the very few conversations I have had with my peers at school. I am planning on applying to Yale University myself, which is where my brother George used to attend. Although I am pretty sure that champions such as Muhammad Ali or George Foreman never placed much emphasis on higher education, George always told me that boxing was a hobby and not a career.

I am not a rambler, so I do not have much to say to you other than that. I hope to hear from you soon so that I can get this extra credit and we can both achieve a good grade on this assignment.

Sincerely,
Leone Woolard

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[ haha thanks! :D same to you! I literally started laughing when I read your post, it was awesome. when I said polar opposites I wasn't expecting to get an RP partner who'd do the polar opposite thing so perfectly <3
I'll reply soon! (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[ Yayyy I'm glad you liked it! I took AP Lang this year so it was cool to integrate that knowledge into here. Writing this was actually so fun :D (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[omg me too! it sucked there was so much homework and i had other APs too and basically junior year killed me and I'm recuperating during the summer yeah
and I'm glad it was fun, i had fun writing mine too :3 scarlett and leo are going to be so hilarious XD (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[Hahaha my AP Lang teacher was chill and gave us homeowork like once in a blue moon. Thank jesus--I took freaking four APs and it almost killed me. I swear I'm so like Leo it's not even funny. I'd do this pen pal thing in real life if it were extra credit (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[Oooh lucky. my ap lang teacher only pretended to be chill but she was way too obsessed with homework. Like, pages and pages and pages. it was awful.
And no man, I'm totally more like Scarlett, I'd never do extra work. I'm laaaaazzyyy. and pen pals, i'd think it was interesting at first but i'd never get around to writing letters back on time :3 (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[That's so cool that we each got characters so similar to ourselves! And oohh that sounds sucky. I'm taking AP lit next year and I'm sort of dreading it. I've got a feeling senioritis is going to kick in for me majorly by the second semester and then I'm going to regret signing up for APs, but oh well -.- (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[she's not actually much like me, just in that aspect I think lol. And yep it totally was. I'm taking ap lit next year too! And a bunch others unfortunately. Not looking forward to that. Senioritis so has my name on it. Oh well. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Leone:

Damn. I think if I'm going to actually go through with this pen pal thing the dictionary's going to be my new best friend. Fallacies, okay. I know what that is (only because this guy used it in some movie I watched a few weeks ago with my best friend Perry, who told me what it meant). But predeliction? I've totally figured out the Witch's secret master plan. She's an evil genius. She's paired me with you because she thinks you'll get me to improve my vocabulary.

The Witch: 1
Scarlett: 0

So do you talk like this normally, or is it just a thing you do while writing? I mean, I think it's pretty cool that you know all this stuff off the top of your head. I mean, solid A plus in AP Lang, huh? And you say you're not talented at it. I would totally kill for a 90 every now and then. (You think the Witch might be looking for recruits? I could help her in one of her nighttime baby-sacrificing, virgin-killing rituals.) I wasn't kidding about the dictionary, I actually did look up what predilection means. You just taught me a new word. Yay. Also, I think you're the first and only person to tell me you're delighted to meet my acquaintance in a non-mocking way. Usually people seem less than happy to meet me. Unless you meant it to be mocking and I just couldn't tell, in which case, right back at ya señor.

Note taken, by the way. This girl will try her best not to make assumptions in the future. Word of warning though, I'm not the best at thinking about what I'm saying writing. Johnny says I haven't got a filter. Truth, I guess. Either way, your school doesn't sound terribly different from mine (told you I was failing), except we've got more than our fair share of rich-bitch types.

I did actually know that about the U. S. P. S. thing because Johnny tried to get a job there a few years ago and they told him they were already laying off people, basically something like what you said. And I don't know about writing letters being a beautiful art, but I kind of think emails and cellphones are so much more convenient. Mainstream of me, I guess, but I'd much rather send a five word text than a long ass letter. You say what you need to and you're done, in a text, but in a letter it feels so formal.

I told my teacher what you said, by the way. Our conversation went something like this:

The Witch: You are taking this seriously, Scarlett? It's important that you keep up with writing your return letters. This assignment is your last chance for passing this class. You remember what we talked about? If you fail English, you won't be able to graduate-
Me: Um, yeah.
The Witch: Well, as long as you understand how important this is for your own good. It's your life, Scarlett. Your responsibility.
Me: He said my letter was enlightening, actually. And he said he was delighted to make my acquaintance.
The Witch: (raises eyebrows) Mmhmm.

You know, I don't think she believed me. But whatever. I still get a point in this battle.

The Witch: 1
Scarlett: 1

Yale, huh? Color me impressed. Shoot straight and shoot well, I guess. And you're a boxer, or just a fan? Pretty cool, either way. But god, early admissions. Nope. Nope. Not for this girl. I am not in fact undergoing any sort of college application process, and I do believe, señor, that you just falsely made an assumption about me. Hah, now we're even.

Leone: 1
Scarlett: 1

Bye for now.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[Haha loved the dictionary thing, great post! Mine will be up soon (or maybe not so soon, because these things take me so long to write XD) (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

Dear Scarlett,

I will be rooting for you in your ongoing battle with your English teacher, but it seems to me that she just wants the best for you and is hardly one who would ever harm a virgin, much less an infant. Teachers are the beacon of the next generation. In other cultures around the world, say, Thailand or China, for instance, teachers are heavily revered in society despite not earning that much money, whereas here in America, we treat them often with disdain for their profession. The expression "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach" is a deplorable testament to how our modern society views our teachers. I think that we, as their students, should open our eyes to appreciate them more often and--as the progenitors and mentors of the upcoming generation--teach our children to do the same.

As for your question about whether or not I speak like I write, my answer is as follows: I write how I think, but I speak what I know what others want me to say.

Perhaps my love for writing letters stems from its long-windedness, its ability to allow one to pour his (or her) heart out on a page without worrying about the immediacy of the response. Texting, in my opinion, is too robotic, so devoid of emotion or genuine human thought. I can insert a smiley face here :), but what I really feel might in fact be this >:( or this :'(. One can never tell. With letters, however, one can extract deeper meanings from the writer's heart. There is something raw about reading a handwritten letter. It is almost romantic. It touches the heart like nothing else, excite emotions that a simple "lol" or "ily" may never achieve.

Then again, those are just my thoughts on the matter. What do I know about romance, anyway? :)

I am not going to lie to you: I was quite disappointed to hear that you do not plan on applying to college. I have never met you in person, but I can tell that you have a voice that seems to be reaching out of you and I would be loathe to know that I am the only one in the world who will ever hear it. College prepares you for the world, provides a safe ground for you to hone your voice and develop your own character in a way that high school never will. My brother met his love in college. I hope to do the same.

Perhaps you should think about community college, if you are worried about your grades (I hear community colleges are typically much cheaper than high-end schools like Harvard). Or, if you raise your grade point average enough, apply to a school known for giving generous merit and financial aid. There are options; you just have to explore them.

Also, about your boxing question, I do not box anymore. I used to, when I was younger and more careless, but nowadays my boxing gloves are stashed in my closet, gathering dust. They remind me too much of Geo Sorry about that.

Of course, I have always admired the grit and determination of master boxers--characteristics that I think have unfortunately been lacking in my current generation.

Thank you for responding to me in such a timely fashion. I am slowly getting used to reading your handwriting, so this letter was far easier to respond to than the last.

Yours truly,
Leone

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[thanks! Leone is hilarious he's so mature and unamused it's awesome XD (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[haha yeah that's a good way to describe him (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Leone:

Wants the best for me, sure. The Witch hates me. I'm her most uncooperative disappointing student. Just trust me on this. Teachers never like kids who flunk their classes, because it makes them think they must be doing something wrong, and also the principal comes and checks on them. Gives them a bad rep, you know? They tried talking to my mom about me, but that worked out terribly. It's a long story, but let's just say meeting my mom did not make the Witch any more of a Scarlett fan. Every time she talks to me it's like she thinks I'm stupid and need her to talk slowly for me to understand. You need to work on your attitude, Scarlett. And, I know you can do better than this, Scarlett. This is for your own good, Scarlett.

Okay, truth? I can kind of be a smartass. So I don't exactly blame her, I guess. I would probably irritate me too if I was the teacher.

I'm one of those kids who cuts class all the time and when I don't I sit in the back of the room and sleep and forget to turn in my homework. Teachers never like me, and I don't like them.

On the topic of whether you write how you think, that's where we're different, I guess. I say exactly what pops into my head all the time, even when it would be a lot smarter to smile and nod and keep my mouth shut. I mean, yeah it gets me in trouble, and Johnny's always telling me to think about what I'm saying before I blurt it out, but I kind of feel like it's better than not saying what I really think. Don't you think that's kind of sad, though? Only saying what others want to hear? They'll never get to know what's actually in your head, and I don't know you or anything but your head seems like an interesting place to be.

You're right about the fact that texting doesn't actually tell you how the person is feeling, because it's so easy to add a smiley face or an exclamation mark even if you're depressed as hell. But I like that. I like that it's simple and easy and if you want you can keep people from figuring out how you really feel.

I totally saw what you did there :)

I'm right with you there on the romance though. My knowledge of romance extends about as far as all the stupid romantic movies I've seen, and I doubt those were terribly accurate. My best friend Perry has a girlfriend, though, and he's been with her for an entire year and he's really into her. Her name's Leila and we're not very close, but she's alright, mostly. And my brother Johnny got dumped a while ago, and he was really broken up about it for a long time, which sucked because I had no idea how to make him feel better. The whole thing seems more trouble than it's worth, to be completely honest.

Johnny wants me to go to college too. He's been telling me that I should at least apply and see what happens. But I just don't know. I told him there was no way. You're right, I guess, but I just can't see myself continuing school after finishing this year, going to college, living in a dorm, sitting in classrooms and studying and doing homework. If I can't handle high school how am I supposed to handle college?

But that's like the nicest thing anyone's said to me, about my voice, so–thanks. Maybe I'll think about what you said, taking classes in community college. Also, I hope you do find your love in college, and I hope it's everything you wanted it to be and better, even.

I don't think boxing is careless, but I don't know much about it. I've only ever seen a few matches on TV. I suppose you could get seriously injured, but a little risk is always worth it. That's what I think anyway. Did you love boxing? Or was it just a hobby that you outgrew?

Hah, yeah sorry, I always try starting out neatly but it's too much work and somehow my writing turns into a scrawl by the end of the letter. Your handwriting's perfect, by the way.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

Dear Scarlett,

I envy you and your outspokenness. Imagine what it would be like to be trapped in my body, all thoughts and no words. The words I have get stuck in my throat like bile and I have to swallow them down. People tell me to speak up more, but when I do, they look at me with eyes that seem to appraise me and judge me and tell me silently that I am not good enough. At least, when I write letters, I never have to worry about your reaction because I don't know you and I will never meet you. At the end of all of this (how many weeks do we have left? 10? 12?) you will probably know more about me than anyone else ever will, but to you I will always be a character on a page.

And I'm fine with that. But I hope that we can at least pretend to be friends because, if you really want to know, I don't have anybody else to turn to. You have two brothers and a mother and a best friend and a teacher, but I have a gravestone. A cold hard rock bearing the name of my dead brother who will never come back and tell me things like "my head seems to be an interesting place to be" or that he hopes I will find love in college. Thank you for that, by the way.

And, yes, I think I did outgrow boxing. I never thought of it that way, but when you phrase it like that, I suppose it's true. I outgrew boxing because life caught up with me, I think. The gravestone I mentioned before? It's my brother's. He used to be my sparring partner, and now he's gone, and I don't feel right boxing with anybody else. Loss affected me in funny ways.

One more thing: I don't know if this is usually what pen pals do, but I need your advice on something because you're the only other girl I know besides my mother. There's this girl in my English class. Her name is Camille and she has this long blond hair that extends down to her waist and these big green, emerald eyes, and these delicate hands that are always blotted in paint because she loves art and takes it three periods out of ten. And I don't know how to talk to her, but I sit next to her and she always says hi to me. Says hi to me even though no one else does. I am at a loss on what to do. Because if I talk to her, she will never like me. Not the way I want her to.

Disregard that last paragraph if it makes you uncomfortable. Believe me when I say I have no one else to turn to.

Your friend(?),
Leone

[[deleted user]]

Leone:

People are always telling me I say too much, that I shouldn't be so blunt because it seems rude. You're the first person to tell me you envy me. But I get what you're saying. It sounds kind of awful, the way you describe it, exactly like being trapped. I know that feeling, when people look at you and judge you and decide you're not good enough. They don't even know you but they think they can decide whether you're good enough. It's fucking stupid.

My advice? Don't let all the judgy people suffocate you. Do your thing, and if someone has a problem, tell them–Fuck you.

I'm not saying it works, but it's what I do, except I can't really imagine you ever swearing (maybe I'm wrong, but you seem too polite to), so maybe in different words.

Also, I don't even know how many weeks of school we have left. A lot.

Camille. Camille. It's a pretty name. She seems cool. Makes me think of a graceful faerie of a girl who likes to wear long skirts and who's nice to everyone and stops and smiles and talks to the homeless people with their signs asking for money, and maybe she gives them whatever change she has in her pocket and she asks them their names and when they tell her, God bless you, she smiles and says You too back and she really means it.

I don't know either if this is what pen pals do, and I've never been good at giving advice, really. I mean, I guess I help Perry when he needs it, and Johnny of course, but he's older so usually he's the one telling me what to do. Mouse is too little to need advice. And people say I'm not really like most girls, and I've never seriously dated, but I'll do my best. Obviously I don't know Camille, but you said she loves art and so I think you should talk to her about that. If you're worried she won't like you if you talk to her, I think you should just try listening to her instead. Ask her a question about her art, maybe, and just listen. Girls like it when guys pay attention to them and actually care about what they're saying.

And if you think she won't like you the way want her to, maybe you should try just getting to know her and being her friend first.

What was your brother like? He sounds pretty amazing, if you loved him that much. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose Johnny or Mouse. I think I'd go crazy. I've never lost someone that important to me, so I won't pretend I know how you feel. But I'll tell you the truth: I wanted to cry when I read your letter, even though I never cry and I've never met you and I don't know anything about your brother except that he liked boxing too, and that he found his love in college. Is that stupid?

Leone: I think I'd like to be your friend, if you would like to be mine, but I think first we should make a deal not to lie to each other in these letters. Like you said, we don't know each other, and we'll never meet each other, so I feel like I can tell you things and not worry about what you think of me. Don't tell the Witch this, but I've kind of started to look forward to reading your letters, and I think I'd like to be honest with you if you'll be honest with me.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

Dear Scarlett,

I'm writing this in the janitor's closet because I just had English last period and I did it. I did it! I talked to Camille. She said hi like she always does, and then I said hi back, but then she didn't hear me so I said it again, and ten minutes later, when Mr. Feroci was outside answering an office call and the whole class had started talking, I thought I was going to die, Scarlett, I really did. Because Camille was sitting next to me--she had on this coconut shampoo today, and I love coconut--doodling a fairy in her English binder, and then I did it. I said, "I like your artwork. How long have you been drawing?"

And we were both so surprised. She was surprised because I had never said anything to her besides "Can I borrow your pen" and "Hello." I was surprised because the words just came out. I said fuck you to the world just like you told me, Scarlett, and I did it.

:DDDDDDDDDDDDD

_____

I'm sitting in my room, now, rereading what I wrote in the janitor's closet, and I sincerely apologize for the incoherence and terrible grammar of the beginning of the letter. I normally reread what I write and plan my responses carefully, but I just wanted to tell someone about what happened today at English, and you were the first person I thought of in my post-Camille elation.

I neglected to mention in my ramblings what Camille actually said to me afterward. We had a cordial conversation about her art and about the chemical composition of graphite as opposed to acrylic paints. It was undoubtedly the highlight of my day.

It's odd how, when we first started this, I thought of you as a stranger whose sole purpose in my life was to help me achieve a good grade on the assignment, but now you're the first and only person I think of when I have something to say. I promise to never lie to you, Scarlett. I promise I will never judge you. Sometimes, I think you might be my only friend. I haven't had many in my life, but if there's one thing I've learned from reading Harry Potter and Huckleberry Finn, it's that it's best if friends don't lie to each other or judge each other.

In keeping with today's theme of honesty, there are a couple of things I should mention about myself that I have been keeping at bay.

The first is that I actually hate the name Leone (it feels good to get that off my chest!). I've always called myself Leo--short for "Leonardo," like Leonardo da Vinci or Leonardo Dicaprio, and my brother always called me Leo. I'd like it if you called me that as well.

The second is that my brother George died of heart failure when I was twelve, which is partially the reason why I've stopped boxing. He was the one who bought me my first boxing gloves when I was four years old and taught me the basics. We used to have two-man tournaments and I always won, even though I was younger than him, but he didn't care. Boxing wasn't a way for him to demonstrate his dominance or manliness or anything like that; he boxed for the pure rush. He boxed to fight against his very nature, since he was born with a weak heart and the doctors told him he needed to take it easy. After his death, the doctors told us that his secret boxing sessions with me contributed to his early demise.

Another thing you might be interested to know: I used to be one of those "rich-bitches" you talked about in your second letter. My father used to have a high-paying job as a neurosurgeon, but George's illness crippled our family both financially and emotionally. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the best doctors he could find. After he died, my father resorted to alcohol to ease the pain, and he lost his job after a fatal blunder on the operating table. My mother is still trying to keep us afloat and works double shifts, two jobs, seven days a week.

That's the cold hard truth. You wanted to hear it.

Yours truly,
Leo

P.S. Other than today's conversation with Camille, the only other highlights in my day are when I receive your letters. I look forward to them, just like you do!

[[deleted user]]

Leone Leo:

I don't really like Leone much either, to be honest. I feel like Leo sits better on you. Remember how I told you I have a lot of nicknames? My brother Johnny calls me Lettie, usually, and Mouse calls me Lee-Lee because he couldn't say Lettie when he was younger. And Perry calls me Starlet, or sometimes Star. It's kind of a joke between us. When I first met him and he asked me my name, he thought I said Starlet. I corrected him later of course, but it kind of stuck. Some people call me Scar, but I don't really like that one much because all it makes me think of is Scar from The Lion King, and he freaked me out when I was a little kid. And then, obviously, people are always calling me stuff like 'ginger' and 'Red' and 'Carrot Top' because I'm a redhead. Stupid stuff like that. I think I kind of like that you just call me Scarlett.

And hey, I think it's really awesome that you finally talked to Camille! Did she really know about the chemical composition of graphite as opposed to acrylic paints?

Do you often sit in the janitor's closet inside your school? Doesn't the janitor ever find you there and ask you what you're doing? When I want to be alone at school, I like sitting on the roof of the school. It's really peaceful up here and I can think. Our school isn't one big tall building, so it's really easy. It's more like this sprawled network of low connected strings of classrooms that all open to the outside, and there's this one tree that grows at the back of the campus right next to the edge of the roof. It's really twisted and knobby and easy to climb, but far as I know no one but me ever does because it makes this sticky sap stuff and it's got spines. The roof is kind of flat-ish, with this dip in the middle, and if I lie on my back no one can see me from the ground. That's where I am now. It's actually the lunch period, but my only friend here is Perry, and he spends lunch with Leila. These days he's always with Lei Sometimes it makes me mad when he Never mind.

I'm really sorry about your brother, by the way. He seems like someone I would've liked to know. I guess he was just the type of person who'd rather live the way he liked for a shorter time than live a life he didn't enjoy for a longer time. And I think there's something to that, because what's the point of living if you don't get to do the stuff you love to do with the people you love, like boxing with your little brother?

And I kind of think, you're lucky to have had such a great brother, even if it was only until you were twelve and he's gone now, than not have had him at all. I know that doesn't make it any easier or anything, but...just my two cents.

Your mother sounds really different from my mom. I don't normally tell people about this, but here goes: my mom does nothing with herself except sit in the shithole we like to call a home and shoot whatever she can get her hands on into her veins. So I can kind of imagine what it's like with your dad, I guess, even though it's probably different. Mom gets the stuff from her boyfriend. Boyfriends, more like, because every few weeks or months there's a new guy, and they're always assholes, and they're always disgusting. Some of them are perverts and creeps, too, so Johnny and I have to make sure Mouse is never home alone with Mom. It's also why I stay outside of the house as much as I can.

I only know three things about my father:

1) Like me, he had red hair and freckles.
2) Unlike me, he was a drug addict. (Cocaine, to be exact.)
3) His name was David. I don't know his last name. (Monroe is my mom's last name.)

My mom was married to Johnny's dad, whose name is Michael, when she cheated on him with David. After I was born, I guess Michael found out I wasn't his, because they got divorced. And so this is what it's been like as far back as I remember. I remember that she was better when I was a kid, but after Michael left she kept getting worse.

Anyway, Johnny and I work because she doesn't, except Johnny screwed up and lost his job four months ago when his boyfr he was going through that bad breakup. So right now we're not doing so well either. Remember I told you I like cars? I have a job at an auto repair place from four to nine, but it's not really enough, and I know for a fact Mom takes some of my money to pay for her shit.

The only person who knows all of this is Perry, but the thing is, we don't really hang out much anymore. He's really annoyed and distracted all the time and I think Leila gets mad when he's with me because he's always busy doing something or going somewhere with her. I don't want to be a problem between them, but he's been my best friend since the third grade and I guess it gets lonely without him.

So I guess what I mean is, I'm glad I can tell you.

Guess the Witch won this war. Oh well. At least I'll get a good grade in exchange for my tragic defeat. Hopefully.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

Dear Scarlett (I'm glad you want me to call you that, because I very much like the name as well),

I'm trying to picture you lying on the roof, notebook in hand, scrawling your letter to me, but all I can see is a shock of red hair and the rest is a blur. What do you wear to school every day? What does your face look like? Do you wear glasses? I'd like very much for you to send me a picture of yourself so that I can put a face to the name. I hear your voice and your words sometimes in my mind and it's so frustrating not to know what you look like.

I suppose if I ask it of you, I should be the first to make the move. So, here's me:



That was me two years ago, when George was still alive. He loved taking photographs of things, and I remember him telling me before he took this picture to pose like I was some sort of model. I like the boy in this picture; he was a boy who wasn't afraid to look in the camera and tell people "fuck you" (sort of like you, Scarlett, now that I think about it). I look different now. I'm taller. I wear black-rimmed glasses most of the time. I don't stare at people like that anymore.

Also, the janitor's closet for me is what I think your school's roof is to you. It's where I eat lunch every day and where I run when I need to find a quiet place away from my bustling peers. The janitor, Mr. Clenly, found me once hiding away in the closet after George died. It was the day after his funeral, when his presence seemed to fill the halls, reminding me of who I had lost. I suppose Mr. Clenly took pity on me when he saw me crying, so he cleared a space for me in the tiny closet behind the soap rack and told me I could sit there as long as I didn't mess anything up.

I don't know what my life would be like without my brother, but--like you said--it was better for me to know him during the time that he had, than not know him at all. I think that's a very positive way to look at it. I've never viewed his death that way before, so I am grateful that you said it.

I think that your brother and you are very brave. It seems to me that you have become more of a mother to Mouse than his actual mother. Is that part of the reason why you aren't planning on going to college, because you're afraid of what will happen to Mouse? You are much too bright to be stuck working in an auto shop forever, Scarlett. I mean no disrespect to the profession, but I know you can do so many great things if you try.

On a happier note, I had another conversation with Camille today. I asked if I could see something she drew, and she showed me a drawing of a garden that she had been working on. Your advice was actually very effective. She lit up when I said I loved the art (and I really did, it was extremely well-composed and had a very impressionist feel, like she was a blossoming Monet). In answer to your question about how much she knew about the chemical composition of paint, she actually knew much more than me. I get the feeling that she's so much more than an artist. She's a thinker, too, like you. It's surprising how, once you get to know someone, there are layers underneath their outside appearances that you could never expect to see.

Also, I'm sorry to hear that Perry has been getting distant from you because, if I were by your side, I would never hurt you in a million years, and I can tell that you're hurt by his actions. Best friends should never abandon each other.

Your friend,
Leo

P.S. I was cleaning my room the other day when I saw my own "Mouse," a little gray-haired stuffed animal, which you can see wrapped in the package that I've attached to this letter. It was one of my favorite stuffed animals as a child because George gave it to me. I'm giving it to Mouse as a gift. View it as a token from a secret friend. I hope that you can give it to him for me (and don't worry; I washed it thoroughly before I packaged it).

[[deleted user]]

Leo:



That's me. I went to find a picture of myself but I realized I didn't actually have any, so I asked Johnny. He has albums and albums full of photographs. He might be a nineteen-year-old boy but he's kind of like a middle-class van-driving soccer mom that way, because he thinks important and unimportant moments should all be documented and kept so we don't forget them. I was looking though them and I realized I look upset and angry and annoyed in a lot of his photos, but then I found this one. It's like nine months old I think. Johnny took it on Mouse's third birthday when me and him took Mouse and a little friend of his to this fun park place where they had games and rides and things. It was fun, even though all me and Johnny did was eat popcorn and talk and follow Mouse and his friend Ethan around the park.

I don't have glasses, and I don't really pay attention to my clothes. I guess I wear a lot of black and white, and greens and blues. Other colors just make me look weird. Right now I'm wearing jeans with holes in the knees and a black shirt that I stole from Johnny's room. It's kind of big on me, I guess, because he's about a foot taller than me, which isn't an accomplishment because I'm only 5'2". How tall are you?

I'm not sure what I imagined you as before, but now I can picture you clearly when I read your letters, almost like I can hear you reading them out to me. I like how you look in that picture. That Leo's still around, even if you can't see him. I'm on the roof again, even though I'm supposed to be in calculus class. The calc teacher is really old and I don't think he can see very well, so he probably won't notice I'm not there. Unlike English, calc isn't very hard for me, but last period was lunch and I found Perry when he was leaving the cafeteria and I wanted to talk to him, but he was with Leila and their friends. I walked up to him and for a few seconds it was like he was looking straight through me. So then I just left. And I didn't want to go to class after, so I came up here.

I don't want you to think the wrong thing about Perry, because he's not a bad person. He's helped me out a lot and he's always been there when I really needed him. He can be a little obtuse, but he's sweet and a good friend. He's the type of person who can make anyone laugh, and he's always cheerful. Well, he used to be anyway. Not so much anymore, and I think it's because of his girlfriend, but I don't know how to talk to him about it without pissing him off. I don't want to be one of those clingy, jealous girls who won't let their guy best friends be with his girlfriend.

You're right, though. I couldn't leave home to go to college, even if wanted to, because even though Johnny's told me he'll be fine taking care of Mouse and Mom, Johnny's already really stressed and I'd feel terrible dumping more on him. And anyway, unless Johnny gets another job, I can't quit mine. His dad used to send him child support, but that stopped a year ago when he turned eighteen.

Anyway, it's not that bad. I actually really like my job. It's fun and cars are not difficult to deal with like people are. Have you ever been to any auto shop and just stood there and listened? It's always loud and there's music and the guys who work with me are pretty cool. We talk and laugh about stupid stuff and they leave me alone when they know I'm in a bad mood. Sometimes there'll be people who come in and say things to me because I guess I'm not what they expect in an auto shop, but it's really fine. If I don't scare them off myself, the guys will set them straight. And I can smoke whenever I want without people making a big deal out of it.

I don't think I told you that before, but yeah, I'm a smoker. I know it's a bad habit.

I gave Mouse your present. I told him it was from a friend of mine and I told him a little about you. He thought it was just the best thing. He doesn't really have a lot of toys, so he was really happy. Thank you, Leo.

Camille seems really cool by the way. I don't know what a Monet is (a painter?) and I don't know shit about the chemical composition of paint, but I kind of think good artists are always thinkers, because they know how put on paper the stuff the rest of us only feel. Are you going to ask her out?

– Scarlett

P.S. I think your school's janitor Mr. Clenly seems like someone worth getting to know. Everyone makes fun of the janitor at our school because he's a little cross eyed, and he limps, and his voice is kind of low and growly, but I talk to him sometimes and he's really pretty nice. His name is Eugene (like the guy from Tangled, have you seen that movie?).

[Alice]

Dear Scarlett,

I've attached a packet of research I've done on the harmful effects of smoking to the human body. Here are some key facts:

Smoking causes age-related macular degeneration, ectopic pregnancies, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancers that can form in any part of the body--acute myeloid leukemia, colorectal, pancreas stomach. It's estimated to increase the risk for coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times, stroke by 2 to 4 times, and women developing lung cancer by 25.7 times. Of the more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have classified secondhand smoke as a human carcinogen.(view spoiler)[http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/ca... (hide spoiler)]. You've got your whole life ahead of you. It's not too late to quit.

And there are options, Scarlett! Nicotine patches, electronic cigarettes, Cystisine--a cheaper drug to quit smoking, according to TIME magazine. I will help in whatever ways I can if you promise to at least try to quit. I felt obligated to at least lay out the facts, plain and simple. It may sound distant coming from a health teacher, but coming from a friend, I hope you will see the extent of the damage smoking can cause on the human body. Save the money you use on cigarettes for a college education, or for some new toys for Mouse.

Speaking of Mouse, I'm very relieved and happy to know that he enjoyed my present. How does he do in school? If you and Johnny are too busy to help him with any school-related questions he has, he can send me an email at leobox21511@fakemail.com and I will try to help him as best I can.

As for the Perry situation, I'm sorry if I offended you with my judgment on his behavior. I just don't think what he's doing is right, ignoring you like you're meaningless and like you're just an object he can throw away. I think that--after all your time being his best friend--you have the right to want to stay his friend. It wouldn't be "clingy" at all if you stuck up for your friendship. But, then again, this is just my opinion. You know him better than I do. I don't think I could stand it if you or Camille suddenly started to ignore me just because you found a better person to talk to.

How can you not know Monet??? Have you never seen these beautiful paintings?

I suppose Monet to you is like "Tangled" to me because I have never heard of that movie before. The only movies I've ever watched are Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Rocky V.

I haven't had the courage yet to ask Camille if she has a boyfriend. She's such a wonderful person that I'm almost certain she does, but I'm afraid to ask because if she confirms my suspicions, then they will be true. We talk even more, nowadays. Two days ago, she asked me what I got on the test, and whether or not I would be glad to tell her why she got question #9 wrong. I ate actually ate at the cafeteria yesterday for the first time in a month (the conditions in that room are just deplorable; litter everywhere and sticky residue on the tables!) and I saw her eating with her friends. I must have been staring at her too long, because one of her friends saw me and gave me an odd look, like she thought I was stalking them or something.

Your friend,
Leo

P.S. I like your picture. Your eyes remind me of Camille's and I think you might be one of the most attractive people I've ever met. I'm saying this purely as an outside observer, of course.

P.P.S. I'm 6'1''. Haven't been to the doctor's in a while due to insurance issues, so I might have grown.

[[deleted user]]

Leo:

God you're so tall. Like a foot taller than me. If you were standing next to me I'd have to look up at you all the time, and you'd be looking down at me. We'd both always have achy necks. Then again, everyone's super fucking tall next to me. Johnny's about as tall as you, I think, and Perry's like 5'10" (I haven't been to the doctor in years but me and Perry used to measure each other when we were growing up), which is so unfair because he used to be short and I was taller than him until high school hit, and snap, puberty strikes and suddenly everyone shoots past me. The creature people like to call The Miraculous Growth Spurt skipped right over me. It's kind of fun sometimes, though, cause I can do stuff some tall people can't, like climb trees really easily up to the super thin bendy branches at the top, and I can slip through crowds fast. Also, I never have trouble hiding.

And I think it's really sweet of you to say that about me, so thanks, Leo. This guy named Brett once told me that I'd be hot if it weren't for "all the weird spots on your face." That's literally what he said. We were in the basement in Perry's house, watching a movie, and I just looked at him and said, "Oh, really?" because I mean, he was clearly an idiot (freckles, dumbass, freckles), but Perry got really mad and he told Brett to shut his stupid fucking mouth and get the fuck out of his house. Those exact words. And Brett tried to laugh it off but Perry was serious, and they're not friends anymore. I told Perry I didn't care, but he had this look on his face and he told me, "No. He doesn't get to say that to you." The thing is, I kind of used to have a crush on Brett for the longest time, which Perry knew about, but it didn't take me a long time to figure out he was a complete douche. So, good riddance.

See, that's what I mean about him. That's the kind of thing he's always done for me, even when I didn't ask. It's just what we both do for each other. But of course you didn't offend me, Leo, I like talking–writing?–to you and reading what you think. And you're right, anyway. It's just that I don't know how to stick up for our friendship. It used to be that I could tell Perry anything, but now I have no idea how to talk to him. (By the way, I would never ignore you.)

Mouse is almost four, so he's too young for kindergarten. He goes to preschool though, and he seems to like it. He has friends, and he loves his teacher, so I think he's alright. I actually need more school help than Mouse. We just got assigned a big project in calculus, we have to work in groups of three and pick a mathematician from history, any mathematician, and write a report about him. I hate group projects. Our teacher had already picked groups for us, and I'm supposed to be working with this girl named Rory and a guy named Theo. I don't know either of them very well.

Do you have any ideas for which mathematician we should pick? I don't really know of any.

I guess I don't really pay attention to paintings. Those are nice, though. But, oh my god how can you not know about Tangled? Don't you watch Disney movies? I've actually watched the first and third of the Rocky movies with Perry. He likes old movies. I don't really remember much, except that it was kind of scary whenever someone got punched, and people kept getting punched.

Your cafeteria sounds just like ours. I hate the cafeteria because it's so crowded and loud and disgusting, and it always smells terrible, and there are al these who-sits-where and who-talks-to-who rules that I can never keep up with. I can't eat in peace there. I usually eat on the roof by myself these days. It's really very nice. Sometimes I feed the pigeons.

Maybe you should try sitting with Camille at lunch? Do you think she'd mind or would she be happy about it?

About the smoking thing. I read all the stuff you sent with your letter (dictionary use was needed). I can't believe you spent all that time researching the harmful effects of cigarettes. The thing is, I know I should quit but I don't really want to. Smoking makes me feel better, Leo, and it's not like I'm really addicted to it, so it's not that big of a deal. Johnny hates it, but I think he's mostly just glad I'm not doing something worse like, say, meth.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[Hey, sorry for the late response! (hide spoiler)]

Dear Scarlett,

I got rejected from Yale last week.

I didn't have the heart or motivation to do anything for the last couple of days, so I'm sorry for the lapse in time from your last letter. If you've been worried that I suddenly stopped being your pen pal, I'm sorry for causing you distress and I want you to know that I would never ignore you, just like you said you would never ignore me. Other than the fact that I've been particularly snappy, dejected, and pessimistic for the past week, nothing about me has changed, really. People have always told me that college admissions is a harrowing process, full of heartbreak and joy, but so far I've only experienced heartbreak and I'm almost glad that you don't have to undergo this pain. Rejection from Yale has always been this remote, vague possibility in my mind, but I think that I've always believed that I had the right credentials to get in. I guess not.

I haven't been to the cafeteria since the last time I told you about. I've been eating and hiding out in the janitor's closet so often now that even Mr. Clenly has expressed concern about my reclusive habits. Maybe I should talk to Camille at lunch, like you said, but I don't think she deserves a Yale rejectee like me. She deserves someone like George Kinikin, who notified almost the entire grade that he got in after he got his acceptance letter. I've been mulling it over in my head, his acceptance. He's one of those athletic, popular boys who talks more than he thinks. Perhaps colleges like those sorts of people, those extroverted, secretly-intelligent people, over my sort of people, the introverted, outwardly and awkwardly intelligent types.

My brother would probably be disappointed in my rejection as well. And that's the worst part of this whole thing, that I've let my brother down.

Tell Mouse to choose Euclid or Pythagoras. They're Greek mathematicians. Quite famous and influential.

And I've never watched Disney movies because I was either studying or boxing with my brother. After his death, mostly studying. But I guess that didn't pay off. Maybe I should have watched more Disney, now that I think about it. I'm sure George Kinikin did.

Yours truly,
Leo

P.S. I read my letter over and I regret my statement about being glad you're not applying to college. I think you should still apply regular decision. Don't let my sorry story fool you into thinking that college isn't for you.

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[pshh this isn't late, you're fine! Had a pretty busy weekend anyway. How was yours?
and poor Leo XD maybe now he'll have to settle for duke or brown or some second-rate school. Honestly, though, since I'm going to start applying to colleges soon I totally sympathize lol. (hide spoiler)]

Leo:

I'm really sorry. I know Yale was important to you because your brother went there. It's their loss, though. But just because the admissions people at Yale were too stupid to see how good you are doesn't mean everyone else will be. There's still a lot of great universities you could go to, right? What other colleges did you apply to?

Leo, you haven't let your brother down. I know I never met him, but from what you told me I think he'd be proud of who you are regardless of which college you go to. Don't let this one rejection letter depress you. Just think, when you're famous twenty years from now for making some spectacular breakthrough, the suckers at Yale who turned you down will be shaking their heads wishing they'd done different. They don't know what they're missing right now.

George Kinikin sounds like a douche. Believe me, if Camille knows what's good for her, she won't care whether you're a Yale rejectee or not. I know this sucks right now and you're really disappointed, but one rejection letter isn't going to define you.

Disney movies are awesome. They're kind of stupid and cliche, but they're also fun and hilarious and I don't care what anyone says. I'm never going to outgrow them. I'll be old and still watching them in my rocking chair. No joke. Assuming I live that long.

Maybe you should try taking a bit of break from all the studying every now and then. Find something else you like to do. I think it might help you.

On a different subject, I picked Pythagoras because he has a better name. My group partners Rory and Theo were fine with it because they didn't have any ideas anyway.

I thought about what you said. And I've started on my application for the state college nearby. It's so damn long though. Maybe I'll look at a few others and apply to those as well, just to see. I don't know if I'll get in, but like you said, I guess there's no reason I shouldn't at least apply.

Three days ago, Johnny got a call from his dad. I told you about Michael, remember? Anyway, Michael invited Johnny to come stay with him and his wife Cora for a month. They're going on a trip to Europe and he wants Johnny to come with him. The thing is, Johnny hasn't seen his dad in a long time and I know even though they're not very close Johnny does miss him sometimes. He hasn't been doing so well the past few months and I think it would be good for him to go for a while, get away from here and relax for a while maybe, but I don't know if I'll be able to handle everything without his help. He asked me what I think and I didn't know what to tell him.

– Scarlett

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[My weekend was great! Yeah busy, like you said. Thanks for understanding. I've had my fair share of crazy rp partners who stalk me until I respond :/
And actually part of the reason why I had Leo rejected from Yale is because I'm like mentally prepping myself for college rejection... If Leo survives it, then so can I, right? Mwahahahahaha :P (hide spoiler)]

Dear Scarlett,

I just finished watching Mulan five minutes ago and I've got to say, I'm impressed at Disney's ability to craft a good story, create compelling and nuanced characters, and portray important themes that can be comprehended by children and adults alike. The movie was far better than I ever thought it could be--probably on par with Rocky. Mulan reminds me of him in a lot of ways, believe it or not. Tomorrow, I'm going to go back to the public library and take out Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (which I hear is a classic) and Frozen (which supposedly is one of the most popular Disney movies of all time, which I'm a bit dubious about, seeing as there's a talking snowman in it. Don't worry; I promise to go into it with an open mind nonetheless).

Disney has possibly done the impossible in that it's cheered me up from this atypical downwards mental spiral I've been experiencing for the last two weeks. I've been getting used to the fact that I won't be going to Yale next fall, but it's been a painstakingly slow process and I'm not sure I will ever truly get over it. I've applied to Georgetown, Harvard, and Brown, but am doubtful that I will get into any of them. If Yale rejected, me, there must have been something wrong with my application. I spent hours redoing my essays last week and barely got any sleep.

And, of course, I'm positively ecstatic that you've decided to apply to a state school. I think George (my brother, not the Yale acceptee George Kinikin) would be happy to see that someone at least benefited from my ramblings about college.

The other day, I finally talked to Camille again and told her about being rejected, and she actually said something similar to what you told my in your letter, about those "suckers at Yale" shaking their heads and wishing they had admitted me (not in those exact words, of course. I can't ever imagine the word "sucker" coming out of Camille's mouth. She's like me that way--doesn't like to curse or say semi-curse-like words like "suckers").

Sometimes I think you two talk together behind my back about what to say to Leo. I'm lucky to have friends like you.

I've also thought about what you said about finding something else to fill my time, and for the first time ever, I'm considering going to a high school party on Friday night, after the hockey game at Joe Lee's house. It's open invitation, of course. I overheard Camille talking about it with her friends in the cafeteria two days ago, when I dared walk past their table for the third time that period. I hope she goes. I'm too afraid of what she might think if I ask her directly, so the only way to find out is if I attend myself.

Michael, the father who left your mom? I hope that he takes good care of Johnny. Europe sounds great (I've always wanted to visit the Louvre; Camille's been there and her face lights up whenever she talks about it, like it's the best thing in the world. I'd like to take her there, someday), but an entire month is a long time to go and leave you alone to take care of Mouse.

I don't know if this is overstepping a line, and I hope you don't feel like I'm intruding, but if Johnny wants to leave and you need extra help, I would be happy to step in to aid you. Here is my home phone number: 123-456-7890.

Don't feel pressured into calling. If you want to stay pen pals, I will do whatever you wish.

Best wishes to Johnny, Mouse, and to you,
Your friend,
Leo

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[Awesome! And I know man, I hate it when people do that. Sometimes life takes precedence over RP, god XD
ahh cruelty to poor Leo
and his home phone number is awesome lol (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Leo:

I've converted you to the cult of Disney fans! I'm just congratulating myself here and celebrating this memorable occasion. Initiation ceremony: lose sleep over the hilariousness that is Mushu the travel-sized dragon in Mulan, because you're too busy watching and laughing to go to sleep. Literally he is the best thing Disney has ever come up with (even though that crazy horse in Tangled is pretty great himself). You should totally watch Tangled too! You don't even know how exciting this is for me. Little kid animated movies are like my secret favorite thing to watch. I'm always making Perry watch them again with me. But hey, he secretly likes cheesy romances and makes me watch those with him–old black and white ones! So I'm totally the saner one here.

I'm rooting for you to get into all three and I think you'll do fine! Your essays are probably killer. They'll love you. And sleep is important, Leo! How can you write at night? I literally stop functioning normally and homework is impossible if I haven't slept.

Johnny got into Georgetown, last year. He's a much better student than me. But back then Mouse was only two, and I didn't have this job yet, so Johnny ended up turning them down. He does take a few classes in the community college nearby but I'm not sure how those are going, to be honest. There's just always so many other things to worry about that writing and turning in your essay about Shakespearean plays or whatever just doesn't seem very important, and you haven't even read the stupid play yet, and bam, suddenly you're failing.

He still hasn't found a job. I don't know what we're going to do when the end of the month rolls around and there are bills to pay and all that. I've started looking for nighttime jobs I might be able to work after I finish at the auto shop. No luck so far, but it's a big city and we have some time before shit hits the fan, so fingers crossed.

And see, Camille agrees with me. Promise we didn't get together and decide to say that to you! If both of us say it, it has to be true, yeah? Trust me, it's going to happen, and then I can write both you and Yale nice I told you so! letters. I'm getting the hang of this letter writing thing. It's really very fun. Now when something happens I think about telling you and what you'll say.

But oh my god you've never been to a high school party before? I totally think you should go. House parties are terrible but they're also great and it's just something you need to do at least once. I've been to more than my fair share, usually with Perry and his friends who are also kind of my friends, the key words being kind of. Not so much recently. Oh if you want to stay sober DON'T EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING ANYONE GIVES YOU. It's all always spiked. Also do not go into any of the bedrooms without knocking to make sure the coast is clear. Trust me. Tell me how it goes?

What is the Louvre?

And yeah that's Michael. He's okay, I guess. Not my biggest fan, but I don't really blame him. He's decent to Johnny, and his girlfriend's really sweet.

I wrote your number down. I think I'll be okay, but thanks a lot, Leo. Knowing I can call you actually makes things feel okay. Here's a confession: I memorized your number without meaning to.

Mine is 098-765-4321. (view spoiler)[omg we are comedic geniuses (hide spoiler)] I felt like you should have it if you ever need to call me too.

– Scarlett

P.S. Leo, the truth is I can't tell anyone else this stuff and I'm lucky to have you. Getting your letters is the best thing in my day. Today after English class I stayed late to talk to the Witch the teacher Mrs. Somers and I told her thank you for making me do this pen pal thing. She seemed really surprised and also like she wasn't sure if I was kidding, but I really wasn't.

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[hahaha her number is such a weird coincidence ;) Guess they were just meant to be! (hide spoiler)]

Dear Scarlett,

Surprisingly, the party wasn't so bad.

I think I might have gotten a little bit drunk (thank god my English teacher doesn't read these letters; otherwise I'm afraid of what he might think) but it was a good feeling. Odd, but good. The party was tamer than what I had pictured in my mind--filled with people laughing and drinking, but not the crazy parties that sororities and fraternities are rumored to host. Joe Lee himself was, I found, a quite cordial host and pleasant sort of person. Perhaps I've just been too enveloped in my own diffidence to notice that people around me.

Camille was there, too. The night was a bit hazy, but I'm pretty sure I spilled my drink down her shirt once, in the middle of our conversation. I'm writing this letter on Sunday and I'm almost terrified to meet her in the eye tomorrow in English class.

Johnny must be pretty smart, if he got into Georgetown. He seems like a very bright, compassionate, and brave person, for turning down university to take care of Mouse and you. Is there honestly no one else to relieve this pressure from him? What about Michael and Cora? As his parents wanting to connect with their son, the least they could do, in my opinion, is to help Johnny get a good education.

Speaking of them, has Johnny left for Europe yet?

And, how can you not know of the Louvre??? I grow continually astonished at your ignorance in the subject of art. Someday, Johnny or Perry should take you to the Met (another art museum) or the Guggenheim museum.

I've memorized your number but I haven't had the courage to pick up the phone.

You haven't called me and I haven't called you. I feel... odd, knowing that you are a real person and that I could potentially hear your voice instead of picturing it in my head when I read your letters. But I think there's this magic to the letters we've been writing, sort of like we are two abstract concepts that haven't truly become real to each other, yet.

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm scared to call you.

What will happen to these letters if we call each other? Would that still make us pen pal friends, or real life friends?


Yours truly,
Leo

P.S. I'm adding this post-script three hours later because I just finished watching Tangled, and it might have been the best movie I've ever watched.

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[your post was awesome as always by the way! I'll try to respond sometime soon but I wanted to let you know that I'm leaving for canada tomorrow and won't be back till the thirteenth of August. I'll have Internet but I'll be busy and my posts may be a while between. (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

(view spoiler)[Thanks!
And thanks for letting me know. There's no rush so feel free to take your time... and enjoy Canada! I went to Montreal last summer and it was amazing (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

(view spoiler)[^^ thanks! I'm going to the Toronto area so it's pretty much just like America but it'll be fun cause of my cousins :) (hide spoiler)]