Puppy Love PV Jack Burnett Finished

Interacting with: @Winnie Harper

Jack could hardly sleep anymore. If friendship had been a fear of his, being crushed on was an absolute nightmare. Sure, he had had experience being Erin's pretend boyfriend, but at least he'd known she wasn't really in love with him; just that she'd mistaken him for someone else due to his face. This, however, was a whole different situation entirely.

What to do? It was far worse than anything he'd dealt with before, including having been punched in the face, spat on, backhanded, and kicked in the groin. Even being confronted with Opeila's and Flash's tears rivaled being faced with this. He hadn't realized it at first, but Winnie seemed to think she was absolutely mad about him. If only he could make her realize what a jerk he was! But how could he show her that side of himself when she was so sweet to him?!

Finally, an idea came to him. Ironically, it came in the form of a letter from Winnie herself. Upon reading her heartfelt, cavity-causing poem, Jack knew what he had to do: fight fire with fire. Or, in this case, respond to her poem with one of his own. Immediately, he grabbed his writing supplies and nearly upturned an inkwell in his haste to pen a reply.

Dear Miss Harper,

I'm flattered by your thoughts for me
But please consider this
if this is truly your first love
then shouldn't it be bliss?

Instead, infatuation is
what I fear has you sick
because you fell too fast and hard
and true love isn't quick

We hardly know each other and
I doubt you want to learn
the things I've done and people hurt
would surly cause concern

I have no clue to taking care
of fragile things like hearts
I'd hate to break yours clumsily
into so many parts

As lovely as you are, sweet nymph,
your heart is not for me
Please keep it safe and locked away
for he who has the key.

Sincerely,

He considered sending some of the ivy leaves he had worn with his own costume but eventually decided against it. It seemed too romantic a gesture, especially in reply to her flowers, and the last thing he wanted to do was encourage this insanity.

Heaving a great sigh, he turned to the snowy white owl who had delivered Winnie's poem to him and requested that it send his own poem back, adding a bit of jerky for its trouble.

Interacting with: @Jack Burnett

When Jack's letter arrived, Winnie honestly thought she might faint. Quivering hands accepted it from the snowy owl, who hooted as she passed it a treat in return. Her heart was hammering against her chest. She held the letter up to her nose and inhaled deeply.

She carefully opened it, preserving the envelope for later. She unfolded the letter and almost squealed when she realized that Jack had written her a poem back. Despite the letter's comments, she kept her giddy smile the entire time. "He's worried about hurting me." She said, almost out of breath. "He wants to get to know me better!" She excitedly bounced on her bed, her red hair flowing around her. The snowy owl gave her a strange look, as if even it knew she was way off.

Winnie tossed herself back onto her bed and grabbed her quill and parchment, with a happy sigh she began to write a response.

_____________________________________ [font=Lucida Console] Though it may have happened quick, It is not you who has me sick, Fear not, my dearest satyr, For you're no mad hatter, And even if I must convince, You will be the crown prince, I'll give you the lock, So keep an eye on the clock, I'll give you the key, And soon... You will see. [/font]

Winnie sighed happily and practically skipped over to her school bag. She kept an extra key to her trunk inside of it, and now she knew what to do with it. She pulled off the pink ribbon that had been tied around her head and carefully attached it to the key instead. She then slipped it, along with the poem, inside a new envelope and addressed it to Jack. The snowy owl looked less than pleased when she returned with the heavy letter, but it fluttered out of the window nonetheless.

Interacting with: @Winnie Harper

The sight of the same owl who had delivered Winnie's letter to him and sent his own to her caused Jack's heart to catch in his throat. Surely she would hate him now, yes? Or, at the very least, she could understand he had no intention of allowing this madness to continue.

However, when he carefully opened the new poem with shaking fingers, a dark knot of misery manifested itself in the pit of his stomach. She seemed to only want to see and read and hear what she wanted to; not what he meant. How was he meant to get through to her if she was going to be this hard-headed about it?

With a heavy sigh weighted by his heavy heart, Jack set to writing a new poem; one he tried to be more careful with regarding his wording.

Miss Harper,

Though you seem certain, you must see
that this key isn't meant for me.

I fear that what I try to say
keeps somehow being swept away

And so I must request of you
the chance to meet with just us two

An errand seems the perfect chance
and so I'll thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

With an apology to the owl and an extra treat for its extra trouble, he sent the short poem back with the key he had been given along with the information for the The Shovel Revolution errand he had seen put up the other day by the Hogwarts Grounds Keeper. Hopefully, at the very least, the invitation for her to meet him there would put an end to this silly exchange of poems.

His chest tightened, however, at the thought of what he would have to tell her when he met her there. It would not be easy, but it would be necessary. Ruka was right. He couldn't just keep going around hurting people and just praying that the pain of his caused injuries would be enough to keep them away. He couldn't keep leading them on, either. It was time to end this one way or another. Jack just hoped Winnie wouldn't be too upset in the end.