“Call it old-fashioned, but I still think it’s cute when someone cares for you enough to think about you and write you a love letter.” - Rituparna Darolia.

“Caleb, please,” Amelia McGrath said, frustrated at her older brother. “I don’t need you to give me a lift to school. I’m sixteen, not six.” She rolled her eyes at him, although it had no effect on her older brother.

She was disappointed with her family and the old-fashioned rules, which seemed to be applicable only to her. Where all her friends enjoyed freedom at sixteen, Amelia’s life sucked. Her three older brothers made it their mission in life to protect her from anyone and everyone. Her good looks, which she inherited from her mother, attracted a lot of unwanted attention. She would have preferred to be invisible if that helped improve her situation. She wanted what her friends had. Freedom! Her waist-length, blonde hair and light grey eyes, and perfect figure made her stand out in a crowd. So, her brothers adopted such protective measures, although she always refrained from getting into trouble. It was uncalled for when she could look after herself.

While Caleb was two years older and in his senior year at Redwood High, Brandon was in his second year at Cornell University pursuing architecture. Her oldest brother, Leo, was in his final year doing an MBA in finance from Columbia University. He was also doing an internship at their own billion-dollar worth multinational architectural firm. With headquarters in New York and offices all over the world, they were quite renowned in their field.

“No Amy, we go to the same school. So, I will drop you, no more arguments. Get in the car.” Caleb ordered sternly, and she knew she didn’t have any choice but to go with him.

Heaving a sigh, Amelia opened the door of the passenger side and climbed into her brother’s black Wrangler jeep. The entire drive to school was silent, and she preferred to look out of her window instead. Her brother smoothly parked in the school’s parking lot and Amelia jumped out to rush to her locker, where her best friend, Nicky Stewart, would wait for her. Every day, they met at the lockers and caught up with each other. It was the best way to start her day at school.

She rushed to her locker only to find Tristan Jayden Henderson leaning against it. He was busy making out with the desperate Mary Ann, the bitch of the school, who was in her year but preferred senior boys. A fit of strange jealousy gripped Amelia’s heart. She stormed toward them with her hands formed into fists. Her eyes met with Tristan’s jade green ones and she seethed with anger.

Amelia muttered curses in her mind for meeting her brother’s best friend and playboy of the school first thing on her Monday morning. She stood before them with her hands on her hips. “Get off my locker, you man whore!” she said, gritting her teeth.

Tristan looked at her lazily, his eyes wandering over her from head to toe and back up, with a smirk on his face. “Jealous much, baby doll?” he drawled, his smirk getting bigger, if that was even possible.

“In your dreams. Now move your lazy self. I don’t have all day,” she spoke, irritated by his signature smirk. If only she could erase it permanently from his face. Where was Nicky when you need her the most?

Mary Ann scowled at her, being interrupted by her favorite pastime - making out with boys. “Bitch,” she said with a scowl and enough malice to last a week.

“Wh*re,” Amelia retorted, mimicking her tone.

“Jealousy killed the cow,” Mary Ann said with a malicious glare directed at her angrily.

“Did you make that up?” Amelia clutched at her torso and laughed heartily at her stupid, self-made proverb. “I thought it was ‘Curiosity killed the cat,” she said, laughing more as Mary Ann reddened to a deep shade of red, ready to escape. “Whatever! Are you coming, Tris, baby?” she asked, flipping her hair as she walked away to lick her wounds with her bimbo friends.

“Later,” Tristan said, shrugging his shoulders as he tried to contain his laughter.

Amelia ignored them and opened her locker and sure enough, a pale blue envelope fell into her hands. Since her sixteenth birthday, six months back, she had been finding these anonymous love letters every Monday in her locker. She didn’t have the courage to disclose her secret to anyone except Nicky. The truth was that she loved to read them. They gave her confidence and made her feel special. She silently slipped it inside her backpack to read later.

As she turned, she came nose to nose with none other than Tristan. “Ow,” she said, rubbing her nose and glaring at Tristan, who stood close to her staring intently into her eyes with a smirk. Amelia’s heart sank, wondering if he had seen her hide the letter. What if he complained to her brother?

“What are you doing here near my locker?” she asked nervously, trying to escape his scrutiny. Although she was 5ft 6 inches tall, she still had to look up at Tristan, who stood at 6ft 3 inches.

“Why? Don’t you want me here? Are you hiding something from me, babydoll?” he drawled, peering into her eyes as if to read her soul. Amelia felt flustered and shook her head vehemently. He shouldn’t at all know about her secret admirer or about his love letters to her. If he told Caleb, he would complain to their dad and she would be punished for no fault of hers.

“Why should I hide something? You should mind your own business,” she retorted, ready to go. “You are my business,” he stated, his eyes gazing at her with a strange intensity that took her breath away. “Excuse me?” she asked. Did she hear him correctly?

“I’m just looking out for you, babydoll,” he stated on a softer note.

“No thanks. I have three horrible brothers for that.”