To Zion

1

I was in the middle of trying to figure out why on earth someone would name their character Prince Humperdinck, when something hit the back of my head. It's wasn't like I was paying attention to anything, but the distraction annoyed me. I rubbed the back of my head angrily, and looked around behind me to figure out what had hit me.

Everyone was looking down at the work on their desks. How the hell was everyone actually studying? No one was even paying enough attention to notice who it might have been.

"Zee, it's under your chair."

Cooper, by best friend, whispered, and I looked down to see what he was talking about. And there, on the ground behind my chair, was an object so unusual that looked around to see if this was some kind of joke.

A paper airplane?

I picked it up carefully, wincing when my chair scraped against the hardwood floor. Looking up, I caught Mr. Phillips eye, and he sent me a warning frown. I wasn't usually someone who was obviously not paying attention.

"What the hell is this?"

"Looks like a paper airplane to me." Cooper whispered, tapping his pencil against his desk. An annoying habit that I still hadn't gotten used to.

"No shit. I mean, like, what is it?"

I turned the airplane around in my hand, noticing the careful folds and and the bent end. That's probably where it hit my head.

I couldn't help but admire the simplicity of it. Nothing held it together except for the way it it was folded. The way everything lined up perfectly.

"It has your name on it." Cooper pointed out, leaning halfway onto my desk, his head inches from mine.

"Where?"

He pointed with his pencil, blue eyes trained on the little white plane.

And there, on the underside of one of the wings, where the messy words, "To Zion,".

"There's a comma, Zee. That means it's an introduction to something. There has to be more."

You'd think the note was for Cooper. He was hanging out of his chair, leaning on my shoulder to see the paper in my hands, his curls bobbing slightly as his head moved in excitement.

"So I just...unfold it?" I asked hesitantly, unwilling to ruin this creation.

"Yeah! I think there's something on the inside." He looked up at me, blue eyes shining with excitement.

I glanced up at Mr. Philips, to make sure he wasn't watching me. When I was sure that he thought I was studying, I slowly started to unfolded the paper, careful to make as little noise as possible.

I flattened the paper against my desk, looking down at the crooked lines written haphazardly across the middle.

Zion,

I know this is ridiculous, but I can't help it. I've been trying to work up the nerve to talk to you for so long, and as you can see, I still haven't. This is as close as I can get right now. Ever since I met you, I've admired you - been attracted to you. I mean, how could I not be? I don't think you realize just how attractive you really are. If you did, you'd never be as humble and friendly as you are. This isn't a practical joke. This is just me telling you that I love you.

- your secret admirer

I met Cooper's wide eyes, my own probably as wide as saucers. I whipped my head around, scanning the rows of desks behind me. Looking at all of the faces, and trying to see if anyone would give themselves away. No one even looked up at me. No one acted like they had just confessed their feelings for someone who didn't even know them.

Why didn't the person who sent my heart racing at least look at me? Why where they leaving me to wonder?

"Who the hell wrote this?"