Dear Joseph,

You might not remember me but last year after the Athletics Carnival you clobbered Cameron because he pulled me off the monkey bars and pushed me down on the ground and stole my blue ribbon (I won the high jump, in case you want to know). You were my knight in shining armour when you kicked him in the stomach and he started crying and ran away.

I said thank you when you gave me my blue ribbon back and you stared at me and then started eating an Uncle Tobys Roll-Up. I asked if I could have a bit and you gave me some. It tasted good even though your hand was kind of dirty when you ripped it and it got all sticky. It looked gross actually but I wasn’t scared of the dirt because it was from your hand and you saved me.

I want you to know I wouldn’t have eaten that dirty, sticky Roll-Up from anybody else because that’s just not how I am.

It’s embarrassing but I’ve had a big crush on you ever since then. You often sit kind of near me at assembly because you’re in Year 7 and I’m in Year 6. I can hear you singing Advance Australia Fair and you sing it pretty well. I know there’s an age gap but my parents have a 12 year age gap so it’s not really a big deal. It would only be a year.

When is your birthday? Mine is before school even starts. I like that though because nobody knows.

I really want to be your girlfriend even though I heard you say to your friend with red hair that you don’t like horses and also I’m 95% sure you’re emotionally unavailable. It's okay though because in the Japanese classroom I saw a drawing on the wall of a cat and it said “Joseph” underneath. Did you draw that? I’ll still love you even if you didn’t but if you did draw it then I’ll love you even more because it’s really good and realistic. I always stare at it.

You are so talented and cute and dreamy!! I wish we could get married.

The word for cat in Japanese is neko. You probably know more Japanese than me because you’re in Year 7.

Neko suki?

I have two cats. They were both strays and we took them in. I’ve drawn pictures of both my cats but they’re not as good as yours (if it is your drawing which it might not be and that’s okay). I’m scared because this will be your last year at this school before you go to high school. When you go to high school I won’t be able to hear you singing at assembly anymore. I might never see you again. I don’t know why life is the way it is.

That’s why I had to write this letter. I had to let you know that you are the cutest boy in the whole school. Not in terms of looks because obviously Patrick is the cutest in that way but I promise I don't like him and you are the cutest because you saved me and I love you and maybe you drew the cat picture. It’s fine if you didn’t.

Do you ever get worried about stuff? Sometimes I get scared and worry after school. I go over and over things. You saved me from Cameron but you probably can’t save me from that.

I wish you could. I wish you could just clobber all of it but I guess I have to find a way to clobber it myself. Mum says when you’re older things don’t worry you as much so maybe when I’m really old—like 30-35—it’ll be easier.

Mrs Casey said I'll probably be a writer by then.

Let me know if you drew the cat picture (not that it matters if you didn’t).

Happy Valentine’s Day!
With undying love for eternity,
Daisy (from Year 6)
The End