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It was a perfect day for a walk; the sun was streaming through the trees, their branches so full of leaves that they formed a canopy of glowing green overhead and a light breeze whispered gently through the park. Many people were out enjoying the fine weather, walking and biking their way down the paths. León and Violetta strolled together down one of the few quiet walkways, arms wrapped around each other as if to ward off a chill that wasn’t even there. Violetta had her head resting on León’s shoulder, occasionally closing her eyes, perfectly content to let León lead her where he wanted to go.
“Are you asleep,” The chuckle that came out of León’s mouth rumbled under Violetta’s ear and she smiled to herself.
“Maybe,”
“I guess I’ll just have to carry you, huh?” Violetta felt him stop and bend to scoop her up and quick as a whip, she jumped out of reach, giggling like mad.
León grinned, holding out his hand and Violetta drifted back, shaking her head. “Fine, I’m not sleeping.”
“I can see that,” León murmured into her hair. They stayed silent for a moment, meandering out of sight from joggers and bikers, just enjoying each other’s company.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Violetta was instantly standing straight as could be, her attention focused solely on her boyfriend. León fought to keep a nonchalant look when he wanted to smile at Violetta’s wide brown eyes boring holes into his head.
Violetta forced him to stop walking and laid both hands on his chest. With a bright and cajoling grin, Violetta asked, “Where is it?”
León’s lips quirked in a smirk as he leaned down into her face, “It’s-” here he paused to tap his finger on the tip of her nose- “not ready yet.”
Violetta took the collar of his shirt loosely in both hands and ever so gently but ever so insistently tugged, her beautiful smile transforming into an equally enchanting pout. “León, you can’t tell me you have a surprise and not be ready to give it to me! Can you at least tell me what it is?”
“Then what’s the point of it being a surprise,” León asked, finally allowing himself to fully grin at his girlfriend’s pouty face.
“Please,”
“No, no,”
“Please,” Violetta tried once more.
“Nope,”
Seeing that León was not budging anytime soon, Violetta dropped the issue with only a small venomless glare, roughly scooping up his hand to hold as she tugged him further down the lane. León merely laughed at her and followed along. They walked for five minutes in companionable silence, admiring the blooming flowers and the warmth of the sun when León spoke.
“Next week you can have your surprise.”
Violetta flashed a mild scowl. “I’m trying to forget about my very distant surprise, please.”
“Okay, sure,” León put his free hand in the air to surrender, but when Violetta turned back to watch a butterfly land on its flower of choice, León leaned close and whispered in her ear. “It’s pretty big. You’ll love it. Totally worth the agonizing wait you’ll have to go through.”
“León!” Violetta whirled around on her snickering boyfriend and fought back her disbelieving laugh.
“That was your hint,” León defended himself. She raised her hand to lightly hit his arm and León only snickered harder. Violetta covered her mouth to hide the laughter that was escaping, allowing León to tug her back into his embrace.
~~~~~~~~~
“Someone’s in a good mood today,” Olga crowed from where she was leaning in the doorway. “Could you have seen a special someone; a Mr. You-Know-Who?”
Violetta grinned so hard her cheeks felt like they were splitting as she tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible. But it was no use; León had her so besotted with love that it was impossible not to enter the house after spending time with him without the whole house taking notice of her giddy happiness.
“Well I have something that’ll fix that,” Angie said as she descended the stairs, a chipper smile on her face which foretold doom. Hoisting a textbook into the air, Angie spoke the dreaded subject’s name: “Geography.”
Violetta sagged, “Oh no, Angie, please, not now. I won’t be able to concentrate.”
But Angie was not to be swayed. “Nuh-uh, let’s get up to your room and get busy so your dad doesn't have a reason to ban your little dates because of schoolwork, okay?”
Violetta trudged up the stairs after Angie and they cracked open the textbook, pouring over its contents for a good hour before Angie finally declared they could take a break. Violetta fell back against her mattress with a sigh and stared blankly at the ceiling, willing the maps that danced across her vision to dissipate.
“So, how was your date,”
“Great,” Violetta couldn't stop the dreamy sigh that escaped her lips, nor did she care. It was Angie, her tutor was like a mother - well, no she was too young to be her mother, perhaps her aunt - and Violetta had never felt safer with another woman, like she could tell her anything and trust it would be kept in confidence.
Violetta sat up in bed, that special smile that peeked its way through when anything involving León came up forcing its way across her lips. “He said he has a surprise for me. Next week. He won’t tell me what it is, though.”
Angie smiled, “That does ruin the whole point of them, doesn’t it?”
“That’s not my point, Angie,” Violetta groaned good-naturedly. “Anyways, it’s not too big of a deal. I’m excited about the surprise now, but I just really wanted him to tell me earlier.”
“Well, you’ve never liked surprises,” Angie's eyes went distant before she shook out her waves and leaned forward. “You’re really happy with León, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Violetta’s eyes shone with her happiness in tandem with her response.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was a little surprised when you said you liked León. Only because I knew León before. But, I can see why you love each other so much. All the teachers think you’re precious, by the way.” Angie patted Violetta’s knee, her smile still firmly in place.
Violetta scrunched up her shoulders, almost shy, her fingers looping around the loose thread on her bedspread. “León takes such good care of me, Angie. I didn’t even think it was possible to be so cared for and not feel smothered, but León doesn’t try to control me, he just supports me and respects me. I feel so safe with him.” Violetta looked up to ensure that she wasn't boring Angie and Angie nodded encouragingly.
“I love all the little gifts and things we do. Even when I’m upset, he finds a way to make me feel better.” Violetta’s hands sought her diary out of habit. “Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough for him. He does so much for me.”
“Well, you could think of something to give him. What about flowers? Even boys might appreciate some flowers every once and a while. Or a card? Something that really tells him how much you appreciate him.”
“Oh, I could write him a song,” Violetta burst out, delighted with herself.
Angie nodded approvingly. “You definitely could.”
Violetta suddenly deflated. “But it’ll take a while. What can I do in the meantime?” She sat in deep thought, geography forgotten.
“What about a note?” Angie suggested. “You write a lot so it shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Angie, that's perfect!” Violetta pulled Angie into a tight hug and scrambled to grab her pen. Angie laughed quietly to herself and left her charge to her project. The last sight she saw before her mind swarmed with words all begging to be expressed was Angie’s fond look as the door closed.
The next day, Violetta had held tighter to her diary than usual, her precious note to León tucked safely within its pages. It had taken her far longer than she’d thought to compose it, all her inner thoughts that she couldn’t find a way to say vying for a chance to be put pen and paper, but in the end, her desire or conciseness won out and she was able to fit a rather meaningful letter onto one page. All morning, Violetta had been near giddy with excitement and nerves, her mind conjuring scenario after scenario of how León would react to her little gesture.
She finally had her chance to slip into his locker before dance class. She had changed earlier than most and was happy to see that León was nowhere in sight - most likely getting his dance clothes on. With silent steps, Violetta crept up and slipped the note between the slots. Then she hid behind the door, partially peeking to watch for León.
He was not long in coming, Andreas by his side as they chatted. Violetta watched with bated breath as he waved Andreas on and unlocked his locker. The letter fluttered to his feet and León stooped to pick it up, examining it and opening it.
“Vilu!” Cami called; she and Fran all but rammed into her with a chorus of giggles. “Come on, you’ve gotta start stretching.”
“But-”
“Come on, girlie. Girl Code. We need to talk.” Camila pleaded and Francesca let out a nervous giggle that signified something erring on the important side. With a sigh, Violetta allowed herself to be dragged away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
León flipped the piece of paper over for any identifying marks but found nothing. With a shrug, he opened the letter and was met with handwriting he was getting more and more familiar with each day. Violetta’s neat, loopy words greeted him.
Dear León,
I wanted to show you how much I love you, even if it’s just a letter. I am happy that I chose you when it comes to love. You came into my life like a knight in shining armor, a blessing, and I will forever be grateful to you for making it so easy to fall in love with you. I just know that every love song I ever write from now on will be inspired by you and your beautiful smile.
Mi amor, you have my heart.
León’s lips stretched into a wide grin of their own accord. He reread it before folding it back up and slipping into the pocket of his jeans which lay rolled up in his duffel bag; already he knew that he would be rereading it many times throughout the day. Heedless to the lovesick smile he word, León entered the classroom that was filled with students in various stretching poses. He spotted Violetta immediately, like a bright light shining through the foggy night, and his heart flipped in his chest when she laughed at something Francesca said. She caught his eye and his heart went from flipping to racing.
Without a thought, León strode up to Violetta, leaned in close, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He was faintly aware of Camila and Francesca squeaking and the fact that it was fairly close by, but in the moment, nothing else mattered but Violetta’s soft warm cheek against his lips, the swift intake of breath to her lungs, the hand that she laid to rest on his waist.
“What was that for?” Violetta asked when he pulled away, her eyes sparkling like stars, and it was all he could do not to pull her into his arms and hold her all class.
“Nothing much,” León’s cheeks hurt from smiling but he could do nothing else.
Violetta nodded, nibbling on her bottom lip to keep her smile from stretching from ear to ear. León gave her hand a quick squeeze, nodded to Camila and Francesca, and moved to do his stretches as if floating on a cloud.
It wasn’t until the end of the day that he brought up the note. As they walked along the path that led towards Violetta’s home, León said, “Thank you for the letter.” Violetta turned her face into her shoulder and grinned, clinging tight to his arm.
“I’ll write you more if you’d like.” She promised, her sweet, expressive eyes falling on him in such a way that León felt for a long time that no one else in the world existed but the two of them.
León smiled, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed her knuckles tenderly. “I’d love that.”
~~~~~~~~~~
León was attempting his tie for the fifth time, hoping that one of his groomsmen would notice and take pity on him and his shaking hands but also hoping that they wouldn’t. It was his wedding day, he should be allowed to have nerves without being ridiculed. Somewhere in the same hotel, Violetta was surrounded by her bridal party, fussing and primping to the last minute, waiting for the moment when they would finally walk down the aisle and become husband and wife. Just the thought of her sent his heart racing faster than ever. Was she as nervous as he was? All day long, León had a bundle of nervous energy pooling in the pit of his stomach as the minutes ticked away like hours. Why was it taking so long? And why couldn't he tie his tie correctly?
“León,” Andreas sidled up next to him nonchalantly, his eyes flickering from side to side before he slipped a piece of paper into his hand. With a firm pat on the back, Andreas turned to face León’s front and fiddled with the tie around his neck, leaving León to examine the paper.
It was a letter, Violetta’s loopy script as familiar as home now after so many years. Peace flooded his body as León unfolded the letter, only remembering the outside world when Andreas tilted his head for better access to his collar.
Mi amor,
Today is the day. It is such a special day that I thought I would do something for old time’s sake. You don’t know how much I’ve longed for this time to come, where I can walk down that aisle as the wife of León Vargas, the love of my life. Knowing you has been the adventure of my life. This is our beautiful love story and we are never meant to be apart. And I want you to know that although singing is who I am, so is loving you. Throughout the years, you’ve been my support and my strength, I have flourished with you by my side and I can’t wait to continue this next step of life with you. I will never regret choosing to love you, my prince, my precious love. There is no one I feel safer with than you. Let’s walk hand and hand forever. Be the lyrics to my melody.
Te quiero mucho,
Your soon-to-be wife, Violetta
León folded the letter, his eyes misty, his mouth beaming, and looked up when Andres patted his shoulders. “Tie’s done.” He said before leaning closer. “Feel better now?”
León laughed, his nerves replaced or perhaps revealing themselves to be overwhelming excitement, and said, “Yeah, let’s not keep the bride waiting.”