Axial Johansen stood at his locker and waited for Caleb Miller to come around the corner and open his locker. Axial had been secretly leaving notes in Caleb's locker for a five months now. He still remembered the first one he wrote.

Dear Caleb,
You know who I am, but we never truly speak.
I'd love to be open with you but my dignity is weak.
I have grown feelings for you that I can not explain.
I just can't seem to get you out of my brain.
I'm trying to figure things out, and wait for a sign from above.
But for now I will just call you , My Love
                              Sincerely,
              Your secret admirer
                                       xoxo

He remembered when he opened that first note. That cheesy poem he wrote. It wasn't a great poem, heck a second grader could have wrote it, but Axial was still confused at that point. He was still dreading the fact that he felt feelings for another guy. It had been tearing him apart, but now was different. He had begun to accept himself, and realized that falling for this boy was not a bad thing. And he was falling HARD! Except he remembered when Caleb did read the note. Afterwards he had laughed. HE ACTUALLY LAUGHED! Then he crumpled it up threw it in the trash, and said;

"Oh ha ha very funny. Let's all send the faggot fake love letters; to make a fool out of him." And then he walked away...

Axial had remembered that, and he remembered thinking, how could he think like that? How can he think that everyone is out to get him? I'll prove him wrong. I'll prove to him that I actually care about him.

The day after that Axial had written another note and put it in his locker.

Dear Caleb,
Why? Why do you doubt me, my love? I watched you yesterday as you mocked my note and threw it in the trash. You took my feelings, and crumpled them like the piece of paper I wrote them on. Yet still, I am not angry. I can't be. You have every right to be doubtful the way people treat you just because you are gay. They do not matter to me, my love. I told you before and I will write it again. I care about you, and I will prove it to you even if I have to write to you everyday.
                              Sincerely,
              Your secret admirer
                                       xoxo

That time when Caleb opened his locker, and the note fluttered down he had looked surprised. Axial had sworn that he had seen his mouth hang open as he bent down to pick it up. Then he read it, and smiled. Axial couldn't tell if it was a good smile or a bad one.

Then something surprising happened. Caleb took out a piece of paper and wrote something down. He wrote for a short while and then flooded the paper, gathers his stuff, put the note in his pocket, closed his locker, and stuck the paper on the outside of it.

Axial watched and waited until he had walked all the way around the corner and to his next class. Most everyone was clearing out of the hall when he actually got the courage to take the note and open it.

Dear secret admirer,
If you truly are who you say you are, and aren't just some jerk looking for something smaller to mess with, then I am sorry if I hurt you're feelings. However, I still don't fully trust you, so prove it prove to me that you are not messing with me. Tell me why you picked me.
                            Signed,
               your 'love' Caleb

Axial smiled at the note, and then carefully put it in his pocket, and walked to class.

-&-

The next morning he put another note in his locker.

Dear Caleb,
You asked my why I chose you? Well frankly I don't really know. Why does anyone choose to care for anyone? I believe that they don't choose to care, they just do. Like some fate that picks out the people that you want to spend every loving moment with. But you didn't ask me what I believe did you? You asked me why I chose you. Like I said I'm not sure, but maybe it's the way you're raven covers your left eye like a mysterious mask, or maybe it's how even through everything your deep blue eyes sparkle with joy, or it's how everyday I dream about the day my lips finally get to meet yours in a sweet kiss. Or the fact that your smile makes my melt, and I just want to spend every moment with you. Now that I am writing this down I think I realized something, but that would be another story, my love, and I don't know if I'm ready to confess that to you. Still I have a question for you. Have you ever been in love?
Sincerely,
Your secret admirer
xoxo

When Caleb had read that note his face had turned red and he wrote a response again before walking to his class. Axial took the note and read it.

Dear secret admirer,
I've never been complimented like that before in my life. I've never been in love, but my parents said when you talk to the person you're heart will just know, and everyone else just doesn't seem to matter at that moment because you finally found the person you don't ever want to let go. You said that my hair made me look mysterious, and yet I don't even know who you are. Tell me why are you hiding your identity?
                                     Signed,
                        Your love Caleb

Axial had responded;

Dear Caleb,
I am surprised you deserve to be complimented like that every day. You're parents sound lovely, and it is so nice that they accept you. If my parents found out, about me falling for a boy, I don't even know how they would react, but it would not end well. That is why I am not revealing my identity. I guess I'm scared. It is selfish but, If anyone were to know I would loose everyone. Well except for you my love...
Sincerely,
Your secret admirer
xoxo

Caleb wrote back;

Dear secret admirer,
What you are doing is not selfish. I had the same fears before I came out, and yes not everyone I cared about excepted me, but if your parents and anyone else truly love you then they will except you. And if they don't then they don't deserve you. It's funny I don't even know who you are, and yet the thought of anyone hating you angers me. Is it possible for me to care about you without even knowing who you are?
                              Signed,
                 Your love Caleb

Axial sighed to himself when he read the note. "I wish it were that easy for me." Axial was one of the most popular kids in school. He never really talked to many people, but everyone knew his name and talked to him. He did have a few close friends and the thought of them leaving him, and being treated like Caleb terrified him. I guess I am pretty selfish. He thought.as for his parents, well they expected him to be their perfect child. The perfect athlete, the perfect scholar, have perfect grades, go to a perfect college, and then bring home the perfect girl....

days had gone by, and notes where they just talked about each other, and got to know one another were written. One morning Axial wrote another note.

Dear Caleb,
You would be so proud of me. On Friday night, after keeping him up all night, I told my best friend I came out to him.... He was surprised at first, but then smiled, and said that we were still going to be friends, and nothing would change. I do not regret telling him, except when he tries to set me up all the time, but don't worry my love. I will remain faithfully your secret admirer.
Sincerely,
Your secret admirer
xoxo

Dear secret admirer,
That is wonderful to hear! I am so SO proud that you had the courage to come out and tell him that. But tell him to stop playing matchmaker. The thought of you being taken by someone else makes my blood boil. It's kinda funny how much I'm learning about myself by talking to a stranger. I never thought I'd be the jealous type. You asked me a while back if I had ever been in love. My answer hasn't changed but... I think I may be falling for you.
                             Singed,
                Your love Caleb

Dear Caleb,
Have I done something wrong, my love? I write this to you in great sorrow. I tried to tell my father. The moment the words came out of my mouth he threw me down, and beat me. I have bruises all over my body, and even though I hide them it hard to hide the physical, and mental pain they cause me. I'm too terrified to tell anyone about it. When my mother saw what he was doing she kicked him out, but I know she doesn't accept me either. Every time I try to bring it up she changed the subject, or just stops talking all together. You said in your last note that you were falling in love with me. I can't tell you how much that means to me now. I feel broken and unloved, and I never let anyone see                        Sincerely,
Your secret admirer
xoxo

Dearest secret admirer,
It pained me to read your last note. You may feel that way now, but your parents do not matter. If they were truly good parents then they would except you, and want you to be happy. You are always loved, never believe that you aren't. I love you, and that will never change.
                               Signed,
               Your love, Caleb

Dearest Caleb,
I love you too, and I do not care who knows it anymore. I just want to shout to the world; I LOVE CALEB MILLER!
                              Sincerely,
              Your secret admirer
                                       xoxo

Dearest secret admirer,
And I would shout back, I LOVE YOU TOO! It's funny how I keep forgetting that I don't know your name. I find it strange, you said I know you yet surely I would be able to tell who you are. Oh well I will love you despite that.
                          Signed,
            Your love, Caleb

Dearest Caleb,
I wrote to you again barely able to see through my tears. My father broke into my house last night and beat me again. This time was worse. He had taken the hot fire poker, and burnt my stomach. There are now three long scars to never let me forget. I guess some good did come out of it though because my mother actually talked to me about it. After the police left, and took my dad to prison, she hugged me, cried, and told me not to worry about him because she'll always love me.
Sincerely,
Your secret admirer
xoxo

Dearest secret admirer,
I could kill your dad for hurting you, and I'm glad he's in prison. I hope he rots in there for as long as he deserved and think about how he hurt such a perfect human being. I wish I knew who you were, so I could finally hold you in my arms and promise it will be ok.
Signed,
Your love, Caleb

So now Axial stood there 5 months latter, and waited.

Caleb came around the corner. Someone tripped him uttering the word "fag" but he ignored them and kept walking. He opened his locker and smiled brightly as the paper fluttered down from his locker. He opened it my and his eyes widened.

Dear Caleb,
Meet me by the lion statue during 4th period today. I can't wait to finally see you, and hold you my love.
                              Sincerely,
              Your secret admirer
                                       xoxo

-&-

Axial smiled as he walked to the lion statue. He saw Caleb already there waiting anxiously. He turned around when he heard him.

"Oh Axial it's just you." He sounded disappointed.

"Ouch, that hurt." Axial smiled smugly.

"Sorry it's just I'm waiting for someone." He replied.

"Who." Axial asked deciding to play with him a bit.

"It's kinda embarrassing, but..." He trailed off blushing and looking down. "My secret admirer."

Oh gosh he's so darn cute. "And uh- how do you know it's not me." Axial asked.

"I didn't mean any offence by it it's just well because... You're you, and there's no way Axial Johansen  is in love with me." He explained.

"Are you sure because," he moved closer to him. "I like the way you're raven covers your left eye like a mysterious mask, and how even through everything your deep blue eyes sparkle with joy, or how everyday I dream about the day my lips finally get to meet yours..." He stoked Caleb's hair, looking into his eyes before pressing his lips softly against his.

Caleb was surprised but then kissed him back happily. He wrapped his arms around him and held him tight. There lips never parted until they pulled away desperate for breath. "It's gonna be ok." Caleb whispered holding him in his arms.

"I know that now." Axial responded resting his forehead on his. "I love you Caleb Miller."

"I love you too my dearest secret admirer."