Go back 10 years

Why do I love you

“The crab is peeling my shell

The note is writing me

I fell onto a maple leaf, a snowflake

And you are missing me.”

Bonnie wrote this new note and taped the maple leaf she found yesterday to the post-it notes, put it together with a box of milk and a banana in Noah’s drawer.

She thought, if you can understand this note, that means when I shell the crab, when I see the maple leaf fall on me, when I write the notes, I’m thinking of you. There is no other way around, like this poem. Could you love this time?

She ran back to her desk and started to wait for Noah to arrive. Will he like today's food? Bonnie thought, hope he won't throw it today.

Bonnies knows Noah is from a poor family. His school uniform is so worn out, even though he always kept the clothes clean, you can still notice that the logo on his clothes was faded due to repeated bleaching. Even the size is too small. He is so skinny, even though he is one of the tallest men in the class, you can still tell he is haggard. His skin was as pale as a vampire in a medieval novel.

Maybe it's been a long time since he had a healthy breakfast. Bonnie never saw him go to the school canteen for lunch either. He always brings his own meal and goes to eat on the rooftop.

The first day Bonnies met Noah was in 2010, when she was still in 9th grade.

She was looking for a thrift store to buy a birthday gift for her friends. Her sense of direction was so bad and she was lost in the alley. Her phone signal was bad. She started to get more and more anxious as the sky was getting dark. She remembered that there was news that there were exhibitionists in this area.

Bad things happened in a row. A strange man stopped in front of her and suddenly flashed his c**k. Bonnie was so scared, she covered her eyes and started screaming. She was so frightened that her feet were pinned to the ground and she couldn't move, that man was standing there laughing. A teenager suddenly rushed out and took pictures of this exhibitionist.

"Get away!" Bonnie heard his deep voice, "I've taken a picture of you. I'll give it to the police. Don't you dare come here again! " His calm voice miraculously soothed the panicked bonnie. She looked up and saw that man flee in a hurry. He turned to look at the boy who had just rescued her. He was breathtakingly handsome. He was young, but he had already got a carved flinty jawline, the street lights shined on his face gently so she could see his obsidian-black eyes twinkling.

"Thank you, I really don't know what to do if you don't come and save me". Bonnie's eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"I'm just on my way home, it's getting late, it's not safe here." He looked at her.

"Well...I want to go home, but I'm lost," she replied cautiously.

"Which street?" he asked.

"2100 Gold St"

"There is a bus stop nearby, go straight here and turn left at the next block." He turned to leave.

"Wait! Can you tell me your name?" she asked hastily.

"No need"

Bonnie was surprised she had been rejected, she knew how pretty and popular she was, and she was always the one who said no.

She watched him leave. After that, she dreamed of Noah several times. He showed up at sunset, held her hand, and ran in the alley. They kissed under the street light, and then he walked her to the bus stop and waited for the bus to come. But she never saw her in her life, until she went to New High School two years later.

Bonnie noticed him the first second she arrived in the classroom. Noah noticed her gaze, he glanced at her and looked away.

He didn't remember me, Bonnie thought, only I had to try so hard to look placid and act expressionless as a doll.

"Ding-a-ling, Ding-a-ling, Ding-a-ling,"

The school bell stopped Bonnie from reminiscing. It's the fate that bought us together again, she encouraged herself.

Noah is also back at his desk. Bonnie looked back and checked what Noah was gonna do. He saw the notes, he looked at the post-it notes for a long time. He still didn't show any expression, but this time, he didn't throw the notes and snacks, instead, he stuck the Post-it note in the book and started eating bananas.

Bonnie couldn't believe what she saw. OMG, he likes bananas! I'll bring him a banana every day.

She smiled, she took a big sip of her strawberry milk, hm, so good, even the air around her smelled like cotton candy.