If the other people in my year level found out about me…if my friends knew…
I shake my head. No.
I make myself wait until the bell rings between period one and two. My next class is Literature, and on the way to class with Ethan and Ricky, I pretend I left my copy ofTwelfth Night in my locker and tell them to go on without me.
I chose Literature as one of my subjects because I figured assessments would be easier if they were based on coming up with ideas and arguments rather than memorising facts. I’m not very good at it, but our class is very small, and my teacher is enthusiastic, and it’s not like I have to get good grades anyway. Ijust need to pass. As soon as I finish my last exam in November, I’ll leave this town.
As I hoped, the Year 12 locker area is deserted. I speed walk to Locker 99 and reach for the combination lock.
Code: the date we met.
That was the 21stof April. I put in the number 214, and with a click, it unlocks.
The locker, its brown walls covered with graffiti and suspicious burn marks, is bare — except for one item. A piece of lined paper, its edges frayed, like it’s been ripped. It’s neatly folded in half and placed on the floor of the locker.
I pick it up. The first thing I see is writing, lots of it, in the same neat hand used on the note from the bathroom.
I thought it would be safer and easier to communicate like this. Hope you don’t mind. No one uses this locker anyway, and I had a spare lock.
I was surprised when I saw your message, but I want to talk to you again. But it’s going to be tricky while remaining anonymous. And that’s what I want — to stay anonymous. I’m guessing you do, too?
-F
P.S. F is not the initial of my first name, by the way. It’s of my middle name. I thought we should have some way to address each other instead of just ‘dude who was hiding in the closet at that party.’
I’m smiling. He wrote and —
“Aaron? Why aren’t you in class?”
It’s Mrs Ferguson, looking at me with one brow raised, her arms filled with paperwork.
“Sorry, I’ll, uh — I’m going there now. Just grabbing some notes.” I wave the letter.
“Go on then,” Mrs Ferguson says, thankfully not noticing that I’m standing in front of an empty locker that doesn’t belong to me.
I nod and secure the combination lock before rushing to Lit class.
He wrote to me! I can’t believe it. It’s my turn to reply; if I’m lucky, he’ll see it and respond by the end of the day. That way, I’ll have another letter to read this evening.
I write a response in Lit class, pouring over every word. We’re supposed to spend the class writing a practice essay based on how mistaken identities and disguises function inTwelfth Night, so my act of scribbling on paper doesn’t look out of place. However, my friends have probably never seen me write so enthusiastically before. Luckily, Ricky and Ethan don’t involve me in the conversation as they discuss whether it’s gay for Duke Orsino to fall in love with his homie Cesario even though she’s actually a woman disguised as a man. Ricky thinks yes, a hundred percent. Ethan decides it’s fifty percent gay, but a hundred percent sus.
By the end of class, I’ve finished my letter.
To F,
I don’t mind at all! Using a locker is a good idea. But wouldn’t it be easier to use technology? We could email each other using email addresses that don’t include our names. I still have access to this one:[email protected](don’t judge me; I made it when I was 11).
You’re right. I want to stay anonymous, too. That’s what made me enjoy talking to you so much. I felt way less self-conscious than usual.
Although it’ll be difficult to keep our identities hidden, I think we can do it. We can try our best.
-R
P.S. R also stands for my middle name, which is the worst middle name that’s ever existed.
P.P.S. Good idea for us to use initials, by the way. Although, I never called you ‘dude who was hiding in the closet at that party’ in my head. Instead, I used “my stranger.”
P.P.P.S. Also, I can’t wait to hear back from you. Not that I want to pressure you to write a response quickly; I’m just really happy this is happening. Okay, bye for real now.
