Dear Hannah,

You were quite a known face in our school. Talk about being popular.

You were one among the popular clique and I was the new guy.

Everyday in the hallway, I would watch you walk by with your girl friends, big smiles plastered on all your faces and gossiping about unnecessary things that most girls like to talk about.

Then the jocks would arrive and talk to you girls. One or two would even flirt with you. But a certain guy would then ask his peers to back off. He would wrap his arms around you and give you a kiss.

I would mentally cringe but my face would lack emotions. Everyday the same scene would unfold before me. I never did anything about it though. You were not a property that I could claim to be mine. You were independent and 'he' was your choice. Not me.

I liked you and that's about it. But you were not mine to keep. That's why I went on with my life, trying not to get bothered by the closeness that you and your boyfriend shared.

I was a coward who was too afraid to admit his feelings. So I let you go.

For days I sulked and my parents got worried. Whenever they were home, they tried to cheer me up but I had completely shut them off. I felt bad for doing that but I had no mood to deal with lecturing parents.

We still texted each other and that was the sole thing that kept me going. Although our conversations hardly lasted for slightly over twenty messages in total, it made me smile. Sometimes you would merely clarify your doubts about some History lesson but it made me happy. Happy, because texting each other was slowly inching towards becoming 'our thing'.

You know, I always wanted to join you for lunch. But you had a huge group of friends waiting at the table for you. I didn't have the guts to approach you because I was scared you'd reject me. So I never did.

I guess you took pity on me as I had no friend to eat my lunch with and you invited me to your table to eat with you and your friends. But there's one thing you now know, I hate pity. I was angry on you but I agreed nevertheless. It was better than sitting lonely anyway.

I had always been very lonely. My parents would leave me home all alone, under the charge of our maid who paid zero attention to me and watched TV instead. Back in Maine, I didn't have many friends. A few only but I was contented.

Then I had to move to Sussex and I absolutely hated it. New place, new school and new neighborhood. I blame my parents for it. Their jobs changed and so did my home. I hated everything about it. On top of that, I had no friends at school because apparently, no one likes new students.

So when you showed me your sympathy or pity, whatever you call it, I was livid. And also a bit hurt.

Later that evening, I had sent you an angry message, complete, with the angry emoticon.

You apologized profusely but I was not having it.

And then you offered to take me out on coffee. Honestly, it felt weird. Because girls usually don't ask out for coffees. I agreed though.

Turns out, it's difficult to be mad at someone and enjoy a coffee date at the same time.

So I forgave you.

Partly because your apology sounded sincere. And partly because of my crush on you.

Thanks for that day.

It was nice. For the first time in a long time, I felt I was not alone in Sussex.

And I love you for that.