Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Anya: October 1 (Monday)

Dear Damian,

Mr. Henderson said to write “Damian” even if I call you Sy-on Boy. He said that it is the proper and elegant way to do it. And he likes elegant things so I'll do that.

He also said to write about my favorite things, so I’ll write about the bestest dog ever, Bond! He’s a big, fluffy boy, and he’s sooooo fun to ride on. Papa sometimes gets worried when Bond runs while I'm sitting on his back, but nothing bad ever happens so it's okay. I trust Bond with my LIFE! Bond will always protect me because he's done it before.

Bad guys were causing trouble for Papa but Bond helped me find them and stop them before they could get to Papa. Papa did not get hurt because Bond was with me.

HE SAVED PAPA SO HE'S THE BESTEST FRIEND I COULD EVER HAVE!!!

Mama said that it’s good to always ask people what they think so I’ll do that.

What’s your favorite thing, Sy Damian? Do you have a dog like Bond? Is your dog your best friend too?

Sinsir

Sinseerl

Sinserely

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: October 2 (Tuesday)

Dear Anya,

I like my dog, too. His name is Max. He lives at home, and he gets taken care of by one of our servants. His name is Jeeves. He sends me letters about Max every other week.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 3 (Wednesday)

Dear Damian,

You wrote so little! Mr. Henderson said that we should write more if we want to get a good score on this project. Can you tell me more about Max? What type of dog is he? What do you like to do together? I can tell you about what I like to do with Bond—it might help you!

I can tell you about the time I went to the park with Mama and Bond. Papa had a special mission important job at the hospital, so he didn’t come. But that’s okay because I know that he’s helping people! He really helps people. And he's doing it for WORLD PEACE!!

I played fetch with Bond. Mama just watched. The last time she threw a ball, it broke a tree!!! It was really scary but really cool at the same time. Mama decided that it was safer if she didn’t do that anymore. I think that I agree with her.

When I threw Bond a tennis ball, he zoomed after it like a rocket! I tried to run as fast as him, but he's way speedier. Most of the time I cannot keep up with him. I always get tired but Bond is a nice boy so sometimes he waits for me. He is so cute when he does this. He watches me and wags his tail. 

We played fetch for so long that I got tired, but Bond looked like he could play forever.

Later, we had a picnic. Mama said that Papa made us peanut butter sandwiches in the morning before he went to work. He used chunky peanut butter because I like it better than the smooth kind. Mama doesn’t cook good, but Papa and me don’t tell her that. We don’t want to hurt her feelings. 

Anyway! We shared the sandwiches with Bond. He wagged his tail like crazy every time he got a bite. I even gave him some of my apple slices, but he didn't like them as much as the sandwiches. That's okay—I ate them all!

After our picnic, we all went home, and I took a nap. Bond curled up next to me, and Mama said that we both snored a little. It was so nice and warm. I felt like I was in a big, fluffy cloud.

Please write more, Sy-on Damian! Tell me about Max or Jeeves or anything else that you like!

I want us to do good! Maybe we can even get a Stella!!!

Write more please!

Please please please please please! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!

Sinseerl

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: October 4 (Thursday)

Dear Anya,

I’m only writing more because I need to. A Stella would be nice.

It’s not like I like doing it…

Max is a German Shepherd. He was actually my older brother’s dog first, but I love him anyway. 

It’s too bad because I don’t see Max all that much because I live in the dorms, but I always play with him when I go home. Max is a loyal boy and loves to play tug-of-war. When he was a puppy, I always won. But now he’s a big dog, so I don’t win anymore. But it’s still fun.

I call Jeeves during the weekends when I miss Max. Sometimes he also sends me photographs of Max in his letters.

Even if Max can’t stay at the dorms with me, I still like it here. Ewen and Emile are alright. We share the same room, and we like to hang out after we finish our homework.

They are talking about space and cosmonauts while I’m writing this. They’re lucky that they are partnered for this project because they already talk to each other so much. 

I think that this is good for now. I’m done writing.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 5 (Friday)

Dear Damian,

Why did you ignore me the entire day?! I tried to spend time with you and to talk to you more today because of what you wrote in the diary, but you kept avoiding me! I wanted to spend time with you, so that this diary project could be more easier. 

Becky says it’s because you are a mean, stupid guy.

Sorry, Mr. Henderson! I know that you are going to read this. I didn’t mean to write that about Sy-on Damian. Please don’t get mad at Becky! She’s REALLY nice to me. She's my favorite person after Papa and Mama! She's also my best friend after Bond!

Okay, Damian. Promise me that you’ll spend time with me on Monday! I want us to eat lunch together—you need to do that with me NO MATTER WHAT! You wrote that you want a Stella too!

Papa asks Mama out to lunch sometimes, and they always seem happier when they come back. Maybe, it can be the same for us. We can even eat the same food. I really like omurice, but I can try the fancy stuff that you always order. Mama told me that it’s good to try new things. Plus, if you like it, it can’t be that bad… Right?

Anyway, Papa has funny thoughts whenever he comes back from dates with Mama, but I don’t really understand them. Do you know what it means to sway a woman’s heart? Unkie Franky (he’s Papa’s friend) tells me that buying flowers or necklaces or chocolates for a pretty lady usually does the trick, but I think that he’s wrong. Mama always seems happier when Papa just tells her nice words.

Last night during dinner he thanked her for cooking her stew. It’s one of the few things that she can make that tastes good. (But, we don’t tell her that—we don’t want to hurt her feelings, remember?)

Mama looked sooooo happy, and she blushed. She looks really pretty when she blushes. Papa thinks so, too. But, he never tells her that. I think that Mama will be REALLY HAPPY if he says it though. 

Anyway, Damian, I’m think that I will make a gift for you this weekend. Mama and Papa said that they’ll help me make it. But I need to wake up super early for it.

You will have the diary on Monday, so can you tell me what you think of it? I promise that I'll try my best to make it REALLY NICE for you! 

I’m going to stop writing now. Spy Wars is going to start soon. Do you watch the show? Bondman is the best! That’s why I named Bond (THE BESTEST DOG EVER) after him!!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: October 6 (Saturday)

Dear Damian,

I woke up really early today to work on your present! The sky was still dark, and I was able to count the stars! I counted up to 43! How high can you count?

I even beat Mama at waking up early. She was spending time with Unkie Yuri (thats Mama's younger brother) last night so she didn't come home until after I fell asleep. That's what Papa told me.

I think that Mama had a fun time eating dinner with Unkie Yuri because Papa was thinking happy thoughts when he talked about it. I think that Mama did something funny that made Papa laugh because he was smiling a lot when he was telling me. Mama was probly probably being silly and Unkie Yuri most likely told Papa to take care of her. Unkie Yuri always tells Papa that.

Anyway I'm happy that Papa was happy last night because he made extra special omurice for brekfast breakfast. It's special because he made fancy demmy demi-glass demi-glace sauce. 

It’s too bad that I can never beat Papa at waking up early, though. I wanted to cook with him. Sometimes I don’t think that Papa even sleeps…

When Mama woke up, Papa and me were done eating but we waited for her to finish her food before we went to the park.

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: October 6 (Saturday - Later)

Dear Damian,

Papa, Mama, and me just came home. I went to my room right away because I wanted to write about what I saw at the park! We went to the one next to Mama's work.

The park was mostly empty because it was still really early. The sun was only peeking out from the montans mountains but it was really pretty because the sky looked like a mix of yellow and pink and gray. The grass and flowers were wet with what Papa called do dew. But it was okay because Mama had a blanket for us to sit on so we did not get wet. She is so smart!

I was able to start and color most of my present for you. Papa said that we can come back to the park tomorrow so that I can finish it. I'm so excited! Maybe we can even bring Bond with us.

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: October 7 (Sunday)

Dear Damian,

Papa, Mama, Bond and me went to the park REALLY EARLY in the morning to work on your present. It was so cold that I could see my breath. It was like little mini clouds coming out of my mouth.

Anyway, the sky was really pretty today again. The sky was all pink! Like my hair!! ← That's a hint for the type of present I made for you!

Bond sat near me while I worked on your present. It was nice because he was warm like the toast that Papa made for breakfast.

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: October 7 (Sunday - Later)

Dear Damian,

I just finished your present! Papa and Mama said that it was really pretty. I really really really hope that you like it!

Please tell me what you think of it in your diary entry!

Sincerely,

Anya

"Pink Sunrise" - Anya's First Gift for Damian

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Damian: October 8 (Monday)

Dear Anya,

I got your drawing. I guess it’s alright… It’s really really pink. Not my taste, but it matches you. And I guess that the mountains and trees in the background look nice. It’s not good enough to hang in my house (Father would never allow it) but it’s not so bad. 

It wasn’t bad having lunch with you today either. Omurice is pretty good. I think I know why you like it so much. The ketchup that you put on my plate was a bit too much though. I’ll have less ketchup next time.

You looked really ugly funny when you tried my carrot cake. You should have told me that you did not like carrots. You didn’t need to force yourself to eat it.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 9 (Tuesday)

Dear Damian,

I’m going to ignore what you write about me being ugly. Mama and Papa and Becky call me cute, so I know that I’M NOT UGLY!!! I just think that there is something wrong with your eyes. Like how there’s something wrong with your taste. Carrots are YUCKY! I don’t know why you want a vegible vegeta veggie in your cake. CAKE IS DESERT DESSERT!

But when I told Papa and Mama about it, they said that I shouldn’t be mean to you. I think that it’s really hard to do that when you’re so mean to me, but I’ll try. IT’S FOR THE MISSION PROJECT!! 

You like carrots (even if they are gross!) and I like peanuts! It’s okay to be different. I’ll bring you some peanut butter (with the chunky spread) sandwiches tomorrow to try. Papa said that he will make some extra tomorrow morning. Papa is really good at making food. Maybe you will like peanuts too.

Papa doesn’t really like peanuts, but he always buys it for me when he gos goes to the goserry grossery grocery store. I like peanuts for as long as I could remember. Even boiled peanuts are good, but I really like roasted peanuts the best. I can bring you different types of peanuts for you to try too.

Sincerely,

Anya 

PS: I really worked hard on the drawing. Even if your papa does not want to put it up, thats okay. The drawing was not for him. It was for you!

Damian: October 10 (Wednesday)

Dear Anya,

Don’t misunderstand! I only put your drawing in my folder because it was your gift. What do you take me for? I can’t throw away a gift, especially one that you said that you worked so hard on… Jeeves taught me better than that.

Anyway, thanks for the peanut butter sandwiches. I've had better, but the food wasn’t that bad. It was pretty nice actually. Your dad is good at making food.

I also wanted to thank you for sharing the macaron with me today. You deserved it for winning no matter what Ewen and Emile tell me. Plus, I think that you need it more than I do. I can get Stellas without it. I can’t say the same about you though…

Whatever… I’m done writing now. You better be happy that I’m writing more now.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 11 (Thursday)

Dear Damian,

I am happy! If you write more and more, Mr. Henderson could give us a better score!

Im also happy that you like Papa’s food. He was really happy when I told him. He’s really silly when he hears good news.

Im also happy that you are taking care of my drawing. Remember that I made it for you! You need to take care of it! I worked really hard on it.

Aniwae Anywae ANYWAY! Today was a special day because Mama and me went shopping together for the first time in a long time! Mama was busy with work so I usually went with Papa. But going with Mama was really fun! 

Mama and me took a bus to the grocery store. When we got off the bus, she held my hand, and we were swinging our hands back and forth. 

Mama is so silly. She even showed me how to skip backwards without tripping over my own feet! It was so much fun.

When we got to the store, Mama said we had to make a plan, just like spies do. I think that Mama is also a fan of Spy Wars… She always watches it with me even if Papa judges the show's athentisity authentisity authenticity. Anyway, we made a list of all the things we needed to buy. Mama wrote it down on a piece of paper with her pen, and I held on to it VERY tightly, feeling REALLY important. I didnt want to lose it after all. 

When we walked through the ailes ails aisles, Mama taught me all sorts of things. She doesnt no know how to cook but she knows how to pick good quality food. She said that she learned a lot from her brother. His name is Yuri remember! They had to take care of demselvs themselves so they needed to know what tipe type of food was good, not spoiled or espired expired. 

Mama showed me how to pick the ripest froots fruits and veggies and how to read the labels on the cans. She said it's like reading a code, just like Bondman does. I felt like Bondman, picking each item carefully.

But the best part was when Mama let me pick out my own snacks! I chose different types of peanuts for me. I got roasted ones, boiled ones, spicy ones, and sweet ones. But I also got extra to share with you. I hope that you like at least one of the snacks. I’ll give them when I give you the diary tomorrow. Try them and tell me what you like the most! Mama laughed and said I’m really nice and that I had good taste.

After we paid for everything, Mama surprised me with a little treat. She bought us both ice cream cones! OF COURSE, I asked for crushed peanuts on mine. We sat on a bench outside the store, licking our ice cream and laffing laughing about all the fun we had.

Shopping with Mama was even better than I imagined. She made me feel smart, just like Bondman. I can't wait to do it again!

Do you do erans errans errands with your Mama or Papa too? Maybe you do it with Jeeves? I really want to know!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: Becky said that she wants to go shopping with me on the weekend! I told her that Sunday is good. Saturday is when I walk Bond with Papa and Mama. I wonder how different her shopping is from Mama’s shopping.

Damian: October 12 (Friday)

Dear Anya,

Thanks for the peanuts. I also like the roasted ones.

Today, I met your dad. He apologized to Father for you when you hit my face. Father said that it was fine, and if I am honest, I wanted him to be more mad for me. You hit me, and my face really hurt. But Father sighed and I think that I was just disappointing him. 

Don’t misunderstand! I don't want pity. I am only writing this because I want to let you know that it looked like your dad was more sorry than you. Who am I kidding? You’re not the type to apologize. The one time you said sorry to me doesn't count.

Anyway, I just want to let you know that your dad is pretty cool. You should be more careful about how you act. He seemed really stressed by you. You know what he said? He said that raising children is hard. I can’t imagine how hard he has it considering how annoying you are.

Your dad talked to Father about you and said that you talk about me at home. He said a lot of good, nice things to me, and I felt really happy. Your dad is really nice and it was shocking to see Father act kindly to him. I saw Father smile a little bit, and it made me feel weird inside, like happy and sad at the same time. Father doesn't smile much when I see him.

But I think that I was more happy than sad because Father told me to keep striving and to not ruin the Desmond name. 

Sincerely,

Damian

PS: I will write again tomorrow and on Sunday. Don’t worry. It’s late now so I will go to sleep now.

Damian: October 13 (Saturday)

Dear Anya,

I should not have went to sleep late last night. Because of the journal I wrote for you, I woke up late and got punished by Mr. Henderson. I’m not allowed to leave dormitory grounds and have to help Dorm Mother with chores. I’ll stop writing now. She just asked me to help with the laundry.

Sincerely, 

Damian

Damian: October 13 (Saturday - Later)

Dear Anya,

It’s nighttime now. I was supposed to spend the entire day helping Dorm Mother and studying, but Ewen and Emile also got in trouble. So they were with me. Then we were playing with the laundry and Mr. Henderson punished us again. But now, I don’t think that it was a good punishment because I had a lot of fun. 

Mr. Henderson told me, Ewen, and Emile to go on a field research trip with Mr. Green. It was crazy! Mr. Green said that it was a picnic but it was more than that! I’ve never been to a picnic like the one he took us on. 

I still can’t believe that Mr. Green took us on a boat and went down a river. I almost died! You can ask Ewen and Emile! I’m not lying. I saw a waterfall and fell in the river! But I survived! 

Anyway, after the river, Mr. Green showed us how to light a fire. Can you light a fire? Mr. Green was really cool. He only used sticks, rocks, and something called a flint to make the fire. It was nice to warm my hands and body after falling into the water. 

Then, Mr. Green taught us how to go fishing. It was really hard, and Ewen and Emile were messing with me. I’m not going to tell you what they did! You’ll only make fun of me about it later. Anyway! He showed us how to fish with a pole and a net. I was able to catch a fish quickly. Mr. Green said that I’m really talented! We cooked the fish over the fire that Mr. Green made. Mr. Green used salt and pepper for the fish, and it tasted really good. 

The last thing I want to write about is the night sky. It was really pretty. Emile and Ewen were saying something about how nice it looked reflecting in the water and how it looked like we could touch the universe. I didn’t really understand, but I think it’s because they want to become cosmonauts. They know more about space than I do. If you want, maybe you ask your mom and dad to see the night sky too. I think that it’s hard to see it in the city because it’s bright (that’s what Mr. Green said) so you might have to go on a nighttime picnic too.

Sincerely, 

Damian

PS: Mr. Henderson, I know that you are going to read this, so I didn’t write much in the report that Mr. Green said that we had to write. You can read about what we did during the field research trip here instead.

Damian: October 14 (Sunday)

Dear Anya,

I woke up sneezing and coughing today. Mr. Henderson said that I need to rest today so I won’t write more than this. Anyway, I hope that you have a good day shopping with Becky today.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: October 14 (Sunday - Later)

Dear Anya,

I got better from resting. I stopped coughing. I still have a runny nose, but I wanted to draw something for you too. It’s not as pretty as the night sky I saw with Ewen, Emile, and Mr. Green, but I think it's close enough. I hope you like it.

Sincerely,

Damian

"Night Sky" - Damian's First Gift for Anya

Chapter Text

Anya: October 15 (Monday)

Dear Damian,

I had fun over the weekend! Shopping with Becky was the best AND now I have a matching keychain with Becky. Its a really cute sheep.

Im so happy that you wrote a lot. You had a lot of fun! I also REALLY REALLY LIKE YOUR DRAWING. I asked Papa about what you wrote. He said that your correct and we cannot see the stars from our home. But we can still see some when it’s really really late. Not a lot but its still nice.

One time I was watching the stars with my Unkie Franky while my Papa and Mama were on a date. He was babysitting me and letting me stay up later than Papa or Mama would ever alow allow me. To be onest honest, I don't really know what a date is, but I think it's when grown ups go out to have fun together. Papa and Mama always come back in a super good mood and laugh a lot. When they flirt its REALLY CUTE. If Im still awake when they come back, Papa and Mama tell me they had a great time, and sometimes they even bring back yummy treats!

If dates are so fun, I wonder why Unkie Franky does not go on any. It doesnt make sense because Unkie Franky is so nice and fun! Even if he doesnt always agree with me or let me eat peanuts until my tummy hurts, I like him a lot. He has the fluffiest hair, like a big, soft cloud. Like Bond! I love when Unkie Franky lets me play with his hair. One time I told Papa about it and he bot bout bought me butterfly clips to decorate Unkie Franky’s hair. Unkie Franky says that he hates it but he lets me put it in his hair anyway!

ANYWAY! Unkie Franky told me all about the stars. Did you know that stars are like giant balls of fire in the sky? I dont believe that but Unkie Franky has never lied to me. Plus I never saw a star up close so I cannot argue with him. I trust him so if says that stars are fires then okay! He also told me that sometimes, stars make shapes called conselashuns constellashions constellations. It's like connect-the-dots, but with stars!

My favorite constellation is Piggasis Pegasus. It looks like a flying horse, just like the grifine griffin you made in class once. Unkie Franky says that Pegasus is a magical horse that can fly really fast. I want to see a horse with wings someday.

Do you have a favorite constellation? Maybe we can look at the stars together and find them sometime!  I dont know if we can go on the same type of picnic like you did with Mr. Green but it would be really fun if Papa, Mama, and me can have one together. Maybe Unkie Franky and Unkie Yuri can join us too!

I’m so excited that school break is almost here! Maybe we can go on a picnic then. We only have a few more days left, and then no more school for a whole week! I can’t wait.

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: October 16 (Tuesday)

Dear Anya,

Thanks for liking my drawing. I knew you'd think it was cool because I'm good at drawing stuff like that. The night sky is easy to draw if you know how to do it right.

Your Uncle Franky sounds kinda funny with his fluffy hair and all those jokes. I guess that's cool if you like that kind of stuff. My family is always serious and talks about important things, not just silly stuff.

Dates are just when grown-ups go out without kids. My parents do that too when they have to show up at events, but I don’t really see the big deal. They always come back acting weird. My brother, Demetrius, doesn’t tell me about it either. He’s not a grown-up yet but he looks like one to me. I even see girls talking to him. He can go on dates if he wants to.

I know about constellations too. Pegasus is okay, but I like Orion better. It's easy to see if you know what to look for. Focus on his belt. Orion is a hunter, and he looks tough. The griffin I made was hard to do, but I think it turned out great. It was better than whatever you made during that class.

Maybe if you get better at making stuff, you can make a Pegasus that looks as good as my griffin someday. I can even help you with it.

Sincerely, 

Damian

Anya: October 17 (Wednesday)

Dear Damian,

WHAT HAPPENED? You wrote so much before. BUT now you didnt write as much! Im a little sad. Remember what Mr. Henderson said. We need to do good on this project!

Are you feeling okay? Are you feeling tired or sad too? I hope that you feel better soon.

Try harder again okay?

I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN!

Guess what?! I have the most exciting news ever! I won tickets for a cruise! Can you believe it? I still can’t! It’s like a dream.

It all happened when I was out shopping with Papa. We were buying groceries, and we were almost done when we saw this big raffle going on. They had a big box full of tickets, and everyone was pulling papers out of it to see what they can win. I asked Papa, and he said I could try, so I did.

The man by the box was not nice and I didnt like him. He pretended to be nice but he was tricking people. He acted like what Unkie Franky calls fake. So I didnt smile at him when it was my turn. Anyway I was lucky and pulled out the correct paper. Papa was so shocked that I won but I was more happy at looking at the mean man’s supprized surprised face.

We’re going to spend the whole school break on the croos crouse cruise ship. Its going to an island and I can’t wait to visit the beach and splash and play all day. I’m going to build the biggest sandcastle ever!

When Papa and I got home, we told Mama about it. Mama said that it was coinsidens coincidence because she has to work on the ship. I cant tell you what her mission she will be doing but its super important. Im just happy that Mama will be with us even if she has to work.

Anyway Im so excited to see the ocean when I wake up when Im on the ship. Papa said we might see dolphins and maybe even whales from the ship! Im really excited! Im going to have a lot of fun and watch the ocean and explore the island. I will miss school and spending time with everyone, but I promise to tell you all about the cruise when I get back.

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: Did you go on a cruise before?

Damian: October 18 (Thursday)

Dear Anya,

I’ll try to write more again. It’s good that you won tickets for a cruise. Yes, I was on a cruise before. I like cruises too. They're nice. The most recent one was when Mother took me and Demetrius on a cruise. It was over the summer break and we visited a lot of Greek islands. It was nice. I wasn’t able to see dolphins or whales from the ship but I hope you can see them during your cruise.

My parents probably have something planned over the break this time too. We usually travel somewhere on our school breaks, but I don’t know where we’re going this time. Once, we went to Paris. It was really fun, but I didn't spend a lot of time with my parents because they were busy with work. Demetrius was busy too. He focused on studying, telling me that it was a waste of time to do other things. I don’t agree with him but I also didn’t want to argue with him.

Instead, I hung out with Jeeves. We weren’t able to bring my dog Max with us, but me and Jeeves still had a good time. Jeeves is great. One day he took me to a big park in Paris, and we played catch there. He had a baseball and he gave me a baseball mitt to catch his throws. After that, we ate lunch at a restaurant facing a river. We could see boats pass, and it was really cool to watch while we ate. Jeeves is really nice, and I laughed a lot at his stories. It was one of the best parts of the trip.

Since we’re going on break soon, I’ll also let you know what I actually do when we come back to school.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 19 (Friday)

Dear Damian,

We just talked about this during lunch but I want to write it in the diary too. So that we dont forget. 

This is the last diary to write before Mr. Henderson collects it. I want to write more but we dont have a lot of time left before he wants our diary. I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope that we can get a good score for our work so far. 

I'm excited about the break, but I’ll miss school a little bit. I’ll miss playing with Becky at recess and drawing pictures in art class. Ill miss listening to stories during language class. But I think that I will miss having lunch with you and Becky the most. Even if Ewen, and Emile always want to talk to you and are sometimes mean to me, Ill miss them too.

Im really excited for the cruise that my family is going on. I promise to tell you about it when we come back to school. I hope you have a fun school break too! 

Sincerely,

Anya

Chapter Text

Damian: October 29 (Monday)

Dear Anya,

Why did you lie to everyone about your cruise? Talking about octopeople is really stupid even for you.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: October 29 (Monday - Later)

Dear Anya,

At least you became honest and told us that the octopeople are fake. Tell me more about what you actually did with your family during your break.

Anyway, since you were being so annoying asking me a lot of questions at lunch, I’ll write about what I did.

If you must know, my family went to Switzerland over the break. Father couldn't come because he had important meetings to attend, so it was just me, Mother, and Demetrius. Jeeves came with us too. Demetrius didn't really want to explore nature, but Mother made him come with us anyway. She said that he needed to spend more time outdoors, away from his books.

I had a lot of fun fishing. I really liked it when Mr. Green taught me, Ewen, and Emile. So I was really excited that Jeeves was with us because he knows how to fish really well. Mother wasn't good and Demetrius didn't even want to hold the net. Jeeves told me that he learned how to fish when he was younger to catch food for his family. It was pretty cool hearing about that and learning from him.

We also went on a hike together. At first, Demetrius complained a lot, but he ended up enjoying it too. He didn’t really talk to me, but he stopped frowning the longer we were outside. When we got to the top of the hill, we saw so many beautiful flowers. It was really nice up there, and we took lots of pictures.

I have pictures of the lake and the hill for you to look at. If you have pictures of your trip, can you share it too? 

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: October 30 (Tuesday)

Dear Damian,

Your trip to Switzerland sounds amazing! Im happy that you got to spend time with your Mama and your brother! Its really lonely to not be with family so Im so happy that you spent time with them over break! Next time it wood would be nice if your Papa can go with you too!

Fishing with Jeeves must have been so cool, especially with him teaching you his fishing skills. Jeeves sounds like a really good friend. Im so happy that you can spend time with him alot. The hike with your family sounds really nice too. The flowers at the top of the hill look so pretty in the picture!

I wanted to tell you more about my cruise, now that Im being honest. Me and Papa ate good food, went shopping and explored the ship while Mama was working.

Papa, Mama and me went to really pretty beaches with white sand and clear water, and I had so much fun. The best part was building sandcastles. He built the BIGGEST and most AWESOME sandcastle ever. It had towers, a moat, and even a little flag on top. Everyone on the beach thought it was amazing, and it made me really proud. We also swam in the ocean and snorkeled and surfed and found lots of seashells. 

We also rode bikes and walked around the town and petted sheep. It was really relaxing and fun, and I was so happy spending time with my family.

I also have pictures! Nice people from the cruise helped us take them. Mama had the pictures developed at a shop. She was really embarussed embarrassed about the last one BUT I convinssed convinced her that it was really cute! I'll show them to you at school!

Anyway! Tomorrow is Halloween! Mama bought me a really cute costume. It looks almost like my chimera plushie! Do you know what a chimera is? Its a animal with horns like what I like to wear. I’m SO EXCITED to go trick or treating. Papa and Mama said that they were both going with me around the neighborhood. 

Do you celebrate it? If you do, can you tell me what your going to dress up as? Becky told me that she was going to dress up like Sonia from Berlint in Love. I know that we are not supposed to dress up for Halloween at school, but I STILL WANT TO KNOW!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: October 31 (Wednesday)

Dear Anya,

My family celebrates Halloween, but we never dress up in costumes. Most of the time Father and Mother would be hosting an event that Demetrius and me are not allowed to go to. So I’ve never dressed up for Halloween and I won’t be dressing up this year either. Father says it’s immature and a waste of time for children to dress up, and Demetrius thinks the same thing. They both told me that costumes are a waste of time and that Desmonds shouldn’t do things that waste their time.

By the way, I wanted to ask you something. Why were you acting so weird during lunch today? More weird than usual. And why did Becky keep staring at me? She kept smiling and smirking at me like there was something that she knew that I didn’t. Is it because of Halloween? 

I don’t know but I didn’t like it. It made me feel really strange, like she was making fun of me. Did I do something to make her look at me like that? Do you know what’s going on?

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 1 (Thursday)

Dear Damian,

I think that Becky was acting funny yesterday because she remembered something from her favorite show. Yesterday morning I told her about what I watched on Spy Wars and how Bondman treats the many pretty ladies he knows. Becky says that she learned a lot about romanss romance from Berlint in Love. Becky said that its normal for a man to act debellish ← Papa wont help me spell this word - Is it a bad word?

Becky says that a man falls in love easily. Bondman falls in love with a lot ladies really easily. She says that hes a spy so he does it for work so its okay for him to have a lot of ladies. But Bondman got in trouble in that episode.

PLUS Papa said that its not true. Good men dont fall in love with a lot of ladies at the same time. He said that a man like Bondman is dangerous. I dont know what he really means since Bondman saves the world but I trust Papa ALOT. So Ill listen to Papa more than Becky.

PLUS Bondman’s relashunships relationships with the ladies is so different from what I see with my Mama and Papa. So I think Papa is more correct than Becky. When I see Papa and Mama flirting, they look akward awkward and say that they are not flirting but they dont trick me. I know that what they feel is real. Papa said that I should not belib believe Bondman, but Becky still thinks that he’s dreamy.

SO I think Becky was looking at you funny because she’s a huge fan of romance shows, and I think she has some funny ideas.

I'll ask you to double check. DID YOU FALL IN LOVE?

Becky told me that she thinks you had a crush on someone and that you were a shy boy. I dont believe her. Thats really silly because you dont really talk to anyone but me, Becky, Ewen, and Emile?

Wait wait wait. WAIT!

DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON EMILE OR EWEN? 

You always talk to them. You share food with them. You laugh a lot with them.

YOU SHARE A ROOM WITH THEM! 

I share a room with Bond and I love him. When Mama and Papa share a room they act more flirty.

I think its nice that you have someone you like. Just dont be like Bondman. Damian, tell me what you think about love. Do you agree more with Becky or my Papa?

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 2 (Friday)

Dear Anya,

You’re so stupi dumb idio

Ewen and Emile are just my friends! I dont have a crush on either of them!

You stupid girl

I don’t want to write more.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: November 3 (Saturday)

Dear Anya,

I’m only writing because Mr. Henderson read the diary. I don’t know how he knows when something is weird. 

Mr. Henderson said that this is okay to write to you about it so I’ll tell you what happened. This morning I greeted him when I saw him walking in the hallway. I didn’t talk more but he noticed something and asked me to show him the diary. It was like he already knew that something was bothering me. So he came with me to my dorm and lectured me after reading it. 

It was weird that he knew something was bothering me so I asked him if he could read minds. He said that he didn’t, but I told him that I think he has a superpower. After that he just chuckled and said something about “the innocence of youth.” I don’t really get it. Do you know what he means?

Anyway, he said to apologize to you so I’m sorry.

That’s it.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: November 4 (Sunday)

Dear Anya,

Mr. Henderson reminded me to write. It’s already late. The sky is dark and I can see the moon outside my window. 

I finished my homework. Ewen and Emile are talking about cosmonauts again. I don’t know what to say to them. I don’t know a lot about the universe. They really like talking about the universe.

I think that I’ll go to sleep now.

Sincerely,

Damian

PS: If you ask me why I did not write a lot, it’s your fault. You ask really weird questions. Why do you need to worry about love? We’re only six!

Chapter Text

Anya: November 5 (Monday)

Dear Damian,

I’m really confused why you were mad at me in the diary. I didnt know that you had to be a grown up to be in love. I’m sorry that I upset you for asking about love. I dont think that its bad. Isnt love a good thing? When Papa and Mama hug me I feel happy. When Papa cooks my favorite hamburg steak or omurice, I feel happy. When Mama teaches me self defence defense Im really happy because I think that I can keep myself safe from the bad guys.

BUT I can stop talking about love if you dont like it. Its okay if you dont like it.

I did not mean to make you upset. I just wanted to know what you thought about it. If talking about love and crushes makes you uncomfortable, we can change the subject. Its okay if you dont want to talk about it. I really didn’t mean to make you feel bad.

How about we do something fun instead? We can talk about the Stella Stars that we can get from Mr. Henderson. I saw a really cool older kid with a cape and alot of Stella Stars! He looked so COOL! Papa said that I need to earn more Stella Stars but its really hard! 

I know that your brother is a Imperel Imperial Skollar Scholar! I bet hes really smart! Maybe we can come up with a plan to get even more stars. What do you think we should do? I’m sure if we work together, we can get stars for both being great at school!! I know that you want to make your Papa proud too! Let’s make a list of good things we can do and share our ideas!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: November 5 (Monday - Later)

Dear Damian,

When I went home, I told my Mama and Papa about our plan to get more Stella Stars! Papa said that its a good idea to work with a friend becuz because we can come up with more ideas or help each other do better! He said its like how he always has Unkie Franky to help him with his missions work!

Mama also said that it was good and she told me about something that she did with Unkie Yuri when they were chillren children. She said that they wished on stars for their dreams to come true. Its hard to see stars where I live so I wanted to draw a super Stella star for us to wish on! I think that I can finish drawing him by the end of the week. I hope that you like him. I think that I'll draw a smile on him too!

Good night! Papa said that I need to go to sleep early if I want to get more Stella Stars!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 6 (Tuesday)

Dear Anya,

When you talk about how you love your family I think that it’s okay that you talked about love like that. I just think it was a bit weird because we’re still kids and I did not expect to talk about that stuff. It’s not a big deal or anything. I guess it just caught me off guard. I don't like-like Emile or Ewen like that, but I like them as friends.

Sometimes I think about stuff that’s not really about being a kid, but I try to focus on things that are fun and easy to understand, you know? Love is too hard.

I think that working together to get more Stella Stars is a good idea. Your drawing sounds like a good idea, but a smile is a little weird? Stars don’t smile. But it's okay if you like it.

Anyway, we could come up with different things we can do to earn more stars. Mr. Henderson really likes elegance, so we can try to be more elegant? Maybe if we help each other with our schoolwork or do extra good on our projects or help our classmates, we could get even more Stella Stars.

Let’s talk about it tomorrow at lunch. I’ll bring some peanuts for you.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 7 (Wednesday)

Dear Damian,

Oh no, I can’t believe I got in TROUBLE! I thought that I had extra hankychiefs! Papa said that good people always need to be prepared but I wasnt!! Im not as good as a real spy yet. I told Becky that Bondman would always be prepared and that he probably has at least 10 hankychiefs so even if his lady friends need them he has enough for all of them.

I was really trying to help you do good by giving you my hankychief, but I didn’t mean for things to go wrong… I just wanted us to both do well and make sure you did not get a Tonitrus Bolt. BUT I didn’t have mine!!!

Even though I’m in trouble, I think that it was okay because I wanted to see you to make your Papa proud. My Papa will be mad at me but I think that it will be okay… I think? He was mad at the other Tonitrus Bolt I got but he never got REALLLLLYYYY MAAADDDD at me for it before. So I think that I will be okay? 

Don’t worry Damian! I don’t blame you at all. 

I just hope we can still be okay and work on earning those Stella Stars together. We had good ideas at lunch! Thank you for the peanuts! I really like the caramel flavor you gave me today!

Maybe next time we can figure out a way to do it that won’t get us into trouble. I’m going to ask Mama if we can buy more hankychiefs so I wont get in trouble again! Maybe I can even help you again if it happens again! AND this time I wont get in trouble.

I’ll make sure to be more careful next time and not do anything that might get me in trouble again. I DONT WANT MORE TONITRUS BOLTS!

AHHHH!!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 8 (Thursday)

Dear Anya,

So, I just wanted to say thank you for trying to help me out. I really appreciate everything you did to make sure I did not get a Tonitrus Bolt. I feel bad that you ended up in trouble because of it. I did not want you to get caught. I thought that you really had an extra handkerchief so I was really surprised when you got in trouble. You said that your dad won’t be too mad but I really hope you're also not too upset about what happened.

You mentioned something about cake as a payback for helping me. I’m not exactly sure what you meant by that, but I don’t know if I can do that. Maybe you meant we could have cake together at lunch or I can give you cake as a treat. I think that’s a good idea, even if I’m not entirely sure how it will work out. But I think it would be a nice way to make up for the trouble you got into.

Anyway, I hope you’re okay and not too upset about the Tonitrus Bolt. Even if you are kind of annoying, I want us to keep helping each other. Mr. Henderson will like that too. I think that’s why he put us together for this diary project. I mean… Emile and Ewen seem like they’re getting closer and they are sharing their interests a lot. 

Okay. Thanks again for your help. 

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 9 (Friday)

Dear Damian,

Thanks for understanding and being so nice about EVERYTHING!!!! You are still kind of annoying too, BUT you are more nice now than you were at the start of the school year!

After school today, when my bus was late, I talked to Mr. Henderson. He told me something about slacks and asked why I want Stella Stars, and I told him that they look cool. I don’t think he liked that.

Anyway, he listened to me and then showed me this hallway full of pictures of sooxedssfull suksesful successful Imperial Scholars from our school. It was really interesting, but I didnt get everything he was saying. I just know that I want to be like them too. I want to be a Imperial Scholar and I want to work hard to do it.

Plus, Mr. Henderson said that someone had 6 Tonitrus Bolts so I think that Im still okay. I only have 2 so I can still do good, I think!

He talked about how these people worked hard and succeeded in different areas of their lives. He mentioned things like dettermenashun determination and learning from mistakes and it made me think a lot. Even though I didn’t understand all the details, I can see that being a good student means more than just getting good scores on tests. It’s about trying your best and learning from everything that happens. Helping people even if i get in trouble is okay. So I think that its okay even if I got a Tonitrus Bolt because i helped you.

I think what Mr. Henderson was trying to say is that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them and keep trying. I guess that’s why he didn’t get too mad at me, even though I was in trouble. I think he thinks that trying is more important than just being perfect all the time. Its like what Mama tells me.

But I’m still not sure about everything he said. But I know that I want to be a good student and make Papa proud. 

Also, I’m really looking forward to having that cake with you. You CAN’T forget about it! I really like the tea cakes that Mr. Henderson gave me. Maybe you can get me tea cakes too!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: November 10 (Saturday)

Dear Damian,

Guess what! I wanted to let you know that my Mama met your Mama today, and it went really well because my Mama looked happy when she came home. She was supposed to buy me the tea cakes that Mr. Henderson gave me but she brought home ALOT of cakes that your Mama gave to her. 

Mama said that they had a nice chat and seemed to get along really well. Mama even played bolleball bollyball volleyball with her and had tea with her. Mama said she was happy to meet a new friend and wanted to meet your Mama again. She also said that your Mama also wanted to us to be friends and I think that that is true because we have this diary project. We are talking more and you are more nice.

Papa also said that its good for Mama to make new friends. For me Im excited to see how our families get along and maybe have some more fun times together. I think it’s nice when our parents can get to know each other too. Your Papa met my Papa a long time ago and now our Mamas know each other! BUT I also think that we can be better friends than our Mamas because we know each other more! I can make my Papa proud and show him that I can be good friends with you for the mission!!!! I can make my Papa proud!!!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: November 11 (Sunday)

Dear Damian,

I know that I wrote a lot about friendship yesterday but I wonder how we can be friends faster! Do you think that its possible? I think so but when I tell Papa, I dont think that he believes me.

Anyway, I finished drawing my Super Stella Star! I gave him a cute smile because I want our friendship and wishes to be happy! It's okay if you think it's weird, but I think that he's cute!

Im going to think about it more so I will stop writing here. I will do something tomorrow when I see you!

Sincerely,

Anya

"Super Stella Star"

Chapter Text

Damian: November 12 (Monday)

Dear Anya,

Thanks for the extra handkerchief. Your mom gave you a lot, didn’t she? I think that I counted 5 in your bag this morning.

Anyway, what do you think about that field trip coming up? It’s weird that we don’t get told about these things ahead of time. Maybe the teachers talk to our parents ahead of time and get permission from them before. I don’t know. You already know that my parents don’t really talk to me. Did your parents mention anything? 

Anyway, I think that I’m excited about this trip. I mean, it’s not every day I get to go somewhere that isn’t the Eden Academy buildings, dorms, or those same boring school grounds we see all the time. It’s different for you because you go home at the end of the day, but I live in the dorms.

Don’t get me wrong, I know Eden is supposed to be the best school and all, but sometimes it feels like I’m just stuck in the same routine, day in and day out. I’m actually looking forward to seeing something new for a change. I heard the place we’re going to is supposed to be really nice, with lots of open spaces and interesting things to see. I guess it’s nice to have something different to focus on, even if it’s just for a day.

It’s not often that we get a break from all the pressure and expectations, so I’m going to try to enjoy it. I hope you do, too. Maybe we’ll even find something cool to do while we’re there. Or not. Whatever. I guess we’ll see.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 13 (Tuesday)

Dear Damian,

Im excited for the field trip too. Papa told me about it last Sunday, but a lot of things happened. You already know about how crazy last week was! So I didn’t think about the trip much, but I’m SOOOOOO happy that we finally get to leave school and go somewhere fun! 

I can’t wait to see all the cool places and maybe even find something super exciting like a hidden treasure. Bondman always finds something cool or expirinces experiences something cool when he’s on a trip. 

Maybe we can have something like that?

But you know what? I’m even more excited about spending time with you. I know we don’t always get along, but I mean what I said. I really, really want us to be friends. Papa wants us to get along. Plus, you are really smart, even though you pretend you dont care about stuff sometimes. It kinda annoying but at least being smart is a good thing.

We could do a lot of friend-things like explore together and see all the cool things and maybe even find something we both like! Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?

Becky and me always do that when we spend time together. Maybe we can do it too?

It’s just 2 more days before! I cant wait!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 14 (Wednesday)

Dear Anya,

I know you want to be friends with me but… I didn’t expect you to say that you wanted to spend time with me on the trip. I thought for sure that you were going to stick with Becky like usual… But I’m not saying that we can’t spend time together. It’s just that it’s kind of surprising.

I guess it’s nice that you’re excited about the trip. I am too, but I didn’t really think about it as a chance to spend time together. It’s just different, you know? Only Emile and Ewen talk to me at school. You and Becky talk to me too but I thought that it was just because of this diary project. I’m not used to people wanting to hang out with me like that, especially someone like you.

I know I’m not always the easiest person to get along with, and I can be a little… Well, you know. But if you really want to, I guess we could try spending some time together on the trip. I’m not making any promises or anything, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to see how it goes.

Just don’t get any weird ideas, okay? It’s just a trip, and I’m not saying we’re suddenly best friends or anything. But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try and get along for once, like you said. We’ll see what happens.

Anyway, I guess I’ll see you on the trip. Let’s just take it one step at a time.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 15 (Thursday)

Dear Damian,

Are you okay? You were really brave today. Thank you for caring about me!

I saw your Mama take you home. I hope that you are okay.

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: November 15 (Thursday - Later)

Dear Damian,

I wanted to tell you about something that happened after the bus hi jaking hijacking. When I got home, I was still feeling kind of scared, even though I tried not to show it to Mama and Papa. I didn’t want to scare them because I knew that we were going to be okay. 

But, even when I knew that we were going to be okay, I still had bad feelings. It’s like the type of bad feelings that dont want to go away, you know? 

But Mama and Papa helped me feel better, and I wanted to share it with you because it made me really happy.

So, when I got home, Papa could tell that I wasn’t my usual self. That’s what he said. I guess I’m not as good at hiding things as I thought. Anyway, he asked me if I was okay, and I told him that I was, but then I accidentally said that I was still scared. Papa didn’t get mad or anything. He just smiled and told me that it was okay to feel that way after something so scary.

Then he did something really AMAZING! He surprised me with a brand new Bondman comic! When I was playing with Bond and Mama in the living room, Papa went out to buy it for me. It’s the latest one and I didnt even know it was out yet! 

He said he got it because he knew how much I love Bondman and that it might help me feel better. And it did! As soon as I saw the comic, I felt a little less scared and a lot more excited.

But that’s not all! Papa actually sat down with me and helped me read it. Usually, I like to read it by myself, but this time it was different. Papa explained all the tricky words and even did the voices for the characters! He’s really good at that, and it made the story come to life. It was like I was right there with Bondman, fighting the bad guys and saving the day.

Reading with Papa made me forget about the bus hijacking for a while. It felt like everything was back to normal, like all the scary stuff didn’t matter anymore. I think that’s why I love Bondman so much. BECAUSE no matter how scary things get, Bondman always finds a way to win, and everything turns out okay in the end.

Anyway, I hope you’re feeling okay after everything. Maybe we can talk more about it sometime. It might make both of us feel a little better. Maybe?

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 16 (Friday)

Dear Anya,

I got your diary entry, and… Well, I wasn’t sure what to write at first. The bus hijacking was intense, to say the least. It’s weird to think that something like that actually happened to us. I guess I never really expected to be in a situation like that, especially not with you.

You’re right. It was terrifying. I tried not to show it, but inside, I was really scared, too. I didn’t want to panic because I knew that if I did, it would only make things worse for everyone. I’m glad that you thought I was brave, but honestly, I was just trying to keep it together. I really didn't want to be blown up or die. 

I guess I should say thank you, too. You didn’t freak out or make things harder, which was unexpected, coming from you. I mean, you did but you were really brave about it too. When they put the bomb around your neck I was so scared for you. But you were brave. You even made that stupid face that you make sometimes. Sometimes I think you're crazy.

It’s strange, but I think you’re right about us being on the same team that day. You said that at lunch today and I was thinking about it since.

It felt like we understood each other at that moment. I’ve always thought of you as just this weird, annoying girl, but maybe there’s more to you, too. It’s like maybe we’re not so different when it really matters.

I don’t know if we’ll ever be what you’d call “friends,” but after what happened, I think I can at least respect you more. You didn’t just rely on others. You did your part and I appreciate that.

Anyway, let’s just hope nothing like that ever happens again. But if it does (I really hope it doesn't though), I guess it’s good to know that we can handle it. 

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: November 17 (Saturday)

Dear Anya,

It’s been a couple days since the bus hijacking, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. I woke up from a nightmare today.

I stayed at my house again last night. I went to school this morning after spending 2 days at home with Mother, but she didn’t really talk to me on both days. She did a lot of things for me like cook and eat dinner with me. She also stayed beside me while I did homework, but she was mostly quiet.

Anyway, even if Mother was quiet, at least when I was home, I wasn’t alone. I had Jeeves and Max and Mother.

Right now Emile and Ewen are not back at campus yet so I’m alone in my dorm. I was thinking a lot.

I was trying to figure out why things like that happen, especially to kids like us. It doesn’t seem fair, you know? We’re supposed to be safe, just going to school and doing normal stuff, but then something really scary happens, and it makes me wonder why the world is like this.

I don’t get why people want to hurt others, especially kids. It’s not like we did anything wrong. I keep thinking about what could have happened, and it makes me feel scared. But I don’t like admitting that.

It's easier when I write it down though. Does that make sense? Whatever.

I just don’t understand why everything feels so dangerous lately. It’s hard not to worry about what might happen next, even though everyone keeps telling us that we’re safe now. But what if we’re not? What if something else happens?

I don’t really know how to talk about this stuff, but I thought you might be thinking about it too. Maybe you’re feeling the same way, or maybe you’ve got it all figured out. I don’t know. I just thought I’d ask if you’ve been thinking about it too.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: November 18 (Sunday)

Dear Anya,

After I wrote yesterday's diary, Mr. Henderson took me to his office. There was an older lady waiting for me. She had brown and gray hair and wore a dark blue dress. Mr. Henderson said that the school set up these counseling sessions after the bus hijacking, and the lady was there to listen to me talk about it. Then, he left the room and I was alone with the lady. It was awkward. 

At first, I didn’t want to talk to her. It felt weird talking about what happened, especially with someone I didn’t know. She was pretty nice, though. She didn’t push me to talk if I didn’t want to, which made it easier. She just asked how I’d been feeling since everything happened. I didn’t say much at first, but then she said it was okay to be scared, and that kind of made it easier to admit that I was.

So, I told her that I’m still scared sometimes, even though I try not to think about it. I still have nightmares and bad thoughts. I don’t like feeling that way, but she said that it’s normal after something like what we went through. She gave me some ideas on how to deal with it when I start feeling scared, like focusing on things that make me feel safe or talking to someone I trust. It actually helped a little, even though I didn’t think it would.

I’m still not totally okay, but I feel a bit better knowing that it’s okay to be scared and that I’m not the only one who feels that way. It’s weird to talk about this stuff, but I’m glad I did. I think it’s helping, even if just a little.

I just wanted to let you know how it went in case you were wondering. Maybe they’ll call you in to a session too. If you do go, I hope it helps you feel a little better, too.

Sincerely,

Damian

Chapter Text

Anya: November 19 (Monday)

Dear Damian,

I think that it's good that you are getting conselling counciling counseling from the school after the bus hijacking. I think that’s really important, especially after everything we went through. I also went to see a counselor, and I wanted to tell you about it.

The counselor I talked to was a young woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She was really nice, and she listened to everything I said. But, you know what? She seemed really stressed out like how my Unkie Franky gets sometimes. It was like she was worried about all of us. I could feel it even though she was smiling and trying to be calm. It was kinda sad.

At the end of our session, I kind of felt bad for her. So, guess what? I gave her a hug! I think she needed it more than I did, to be honest. She seemed surprised but really happy. I think adults sometimes need hugs too, even if they’re supposed to be the ones helping us.

Anyway, I hope your counselor is helping you feel better too. We’ve all been through a lot, but I know you’re strong, Damian. Take care of yourself!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: If your counselor looks stressed, maybe you should try giving her a hug too!

Damian: November 20 (Tuesday)

Dear Anya,

I don’t know how you can stay so positive after everything that happened. You just went through a hijacking, and now you’re hugging counselors? I don’t get it.

Most people would still be freaked out, but you’re acting like it was nothing. You’re weird sometimes.

And no, I’m definitely not hugging my counselor. That would be unprofessional, and Father always says it’s important to act properly, especially in situations like this. You’re supposed to keep things professional with people like that. They are doing a job to help you, not the other way around. Father says that people should not get in other people's way especially when they have a job to do. Plus, it's probably weird. I don't think that she'll like that.

Hugs? That’s just weird… It's not right.

I’m glad your counselor helped you, though, even if she needed help herself. I guess that’s something.

Anyway, I hope you’re doing okay. Things have been… I don't know, weird lately, and it’s hard to figure out what to think about it all.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 21 (Wednesday)

Dear Damian,

It’s up to you if you want to hug your counselor or not. I guess your Papa knows a lot about being professional, but hugs are still nice!

I really like getting hugs from my Mama and Papa. They make me feel warm and safe, even when things are hard. But if you don’t want to, that’s okay too. You do what feels right for you.

I hope you’re feeling better now.

Oh, I noticed something during lunch today. You were smiling more when you were with Ewen and Emile! It was kind of nice to see. I bet they were telling you something funny, huh?

Anyway, this weekend I’m going to the zoo with Becky! We’re going to see all the animals, and I’m really excited. I want to see the penguins and maybe the lions too! Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Hope you keep feeling better!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: If you change your mind about the hug thing, you should try it! Maybe even Ewen or Emile would appreciate one.

Damian: November 22 (Thursday)

Dear Anya,

Knock it off about the hugs already! I’m not going around hugging people, okay? Let’s just drop it.

Anyway, since you brought it up, during lunch the other day, I was telling Emile and Ewen about something we’ve been talking about lately. After the bus hijacking, they started joking that we must be superheroes since we got out of it unharmed. Emile said he’s "Super Muscle" and Ewen's "The Human Shield," which is pretty dumb but… It's kind of funny, I guess. I told them I’d be the leader, of course. It's ridiculous, but it actually made me feel a little better thinking about it like that.

Even my counselor said it’s not a bad way to cope. She told me that it’s normal to make jokes or imagine things like that when we go through tough stuff. I guess it’s better than thinking about how scary it actually was.

So yeah, things are alright, I guess. Have fun at the zoo with Becky or whatever. Don’t get too close to the lions.

Sincerely,

Damian

PS: No more hug talk!

Anya: November 23 (Friday)

Dear Damian,

The zoo is going to be so fun! Don’t worry, I won’t get too close to the lions (even though it would be cool to see them up close)! Me and Becky are going to have the best time. I’ll make sure to tell you all about it when we see each other at school again!

And about the superhero thing… That sounds amazing! Can I join? I could be “Super Stella Spy,” and I will be really good at getting Stella Stars and saving people and helping Mama and Papa! It sounds like a really really fun game, and I think we’d make a great team. You as the leader, me with my secret spy abilities, and Emile and Ewen as the muscle and shield—no one would stand a chance against us!

Maybe we could play at lunch sometime? I bet we could come up with some awesome superhero adventures. Plus, you seemed really happy when you were talking about it, so why not do it more?

Have a great weekend! Don’t forget to take some time to relax.

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: I promise, no more hug talk. For now!

Anya: November 24 (Saturday)

Dear Damian,

I just got back from the zoo, and it was AMAZING!!!!!

There were so many animals—penguins, lions, elephants, everything! The penguins were my favorite because they waddled around like they were super fancy. They totally reminded me of Mr. Henderson! I kept thinking, “Elegant penguins, just like elegant teachers!” I wish I could’ve shown you, you would’ve laughed for sure.

But the lions… WOWWWWW!!!!! They were so cool and really big! I even bought a lion stuffed animal to bring home. It’s my new favorite, but I won't tell my other toys that!

I was thinking… Wouldn’t it be awesome if Bond could look like a lion? I tried to ask Mama about it, but she said that Bond looks fine just the way he is. I guess she’s right, but he’d make a pretty great lion-dog, don’t you think?

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: I forgot about the pictures that I took with Becky's camera!!! I can show you ALL of the animals we looked at school!

Anya: November 25 (Sunday)

Dear Damian,

Guess what I did on Sunday? I spent the whole day with Mama, Papa, and Bond! It was really nice to have a quiet day after all the exsitment excitement at the zoo. We went for a walk with Bond in the park, and I tried to imagine him as a lion again, but I guess Mama was right. He’s perfect just the way he is. He’s such a good dog, even without a lion mane!

After that, we had lunch together, and Papa made my favorite food! He also made peanut butter cookies and brought roasted peanut snacks to munch on.

Bond kept looking at me like he wanted some too, but Papa said he shouldn’t eat people food.

Then, we played games at home, and I even read a little bit. Well, I pretended to read… Papa was watching, so I had to look serious! But I had fun just being with them.

How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting or fun? Let me know if you want to play that superhero game we talked about sometime!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: Bond wanted me to tell you "woof." I think that means "Hi!" 

PS: Hugs are fun! Sorry not sorry!!!

Chapter Text

Damian: November 26 (Monday)

Dear Anya,

I knew you wouldn’t listen to my warning about the lions. You probably got way too close to take that picture, didn’t you? You never listen. Just be more careful next time, okay?

As for my weekend, it was alright. My counselor suggested I spend time with someone I trust, so I spent the day with Jeeves. He let me do whatever I wanted for the day. We went to my favorite restaurant for lunch, and I actually got to drive around the estate in one of my father’s cars. It was a nice change of pace, and Jeeves didn’t argue at all. Well, he never does that anyway. He's too professional. Anyway, it was kind of relaxing, I guess.

I also spent some time with Max. He's my dog, remember? He’s not as ridiculous as Bond, but he’s still a good dog. We played fetch for a while, and I think Max was even more excited than me. He ran all over the place, trying to catch the ball. I haven’t played with him in a while, so it was nice. He even listened to me better than you ever do. I gave him a hug too, and I have a picture that Jeeves took. I can show it to you if you want me to. You better be happy that I even thought of that. It wasn't just for you though. I did it because it will make Jeeves happy, and Max is a great boy.

That’s all, I guess.

Sincerely,

Damian

PS: Max says hi back. Well, if he could talk, he would.

Anya: November 27 (Tuesday)

Dear Damian,

I love the picture of you and Max! I told you that hugs are the best! Even if you didn't take the picture for me, I'm REALLY REALLY happy that you were able to hug somebody. It made you feel better, right?! I'm right, aren't I? Hehe!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: November 27 (Tuesday - Later)

Dear Damian,

Today was intersting interesting, I guess. I still can’t believe you wanted to give me tea cakes. You were acting all weird about it, but I knew something was up! I didn’t expect that, though.

But then, of course, Mr. Henderson had to catch us right when you were handing them to me. I thought for sure we were going to get in huge trouble! I guess we kind of did, but at least we didn’t have to clean the whole dining hall or something. I was this close to getting caught in the worst mess ever!

Anyway, the tea cakes were actually pretty good. I wasn’t expecting that. It was kinda nice eating them together, even if we got in trouble first. Just don’t make a habit of it, alright? I don't want to get in trouble again. Not for a while at least! I might make my Papa sad and scared and worried all at the same time again. I love him, so I don't want him to be feeling bad things because of what I did. You understand that too, right? You don't want to make your Papa sad and scared and worried too, right?

Anyway… Yeah, thanks for the tea cakes. It took you long enough to pay me back after I helped you with the hankychief!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 28 (Wednesday)

Dear Anya,

Yeah, yeah, no big deal about the tea cakes. I just thought you might like them, that’s all. Ewen and Emile keep bringing it up, though. They think it’s hilarious we got caught. They even said I should “own it” or something, but it’s not like I’m going to make a habit of sneaking treats in class.

But, um, about that hug you gave me… Ewen and Emile have been asking me about it. I think that Becky said some weird things to them. They think it’s a big deal, and honestly, I’m curious too. I mean, why did you do it? I was thinking about it a lot since it happened.

Not that it matters or anything, but they’re making it sound more important than it was. I just want to know why you felt the need to hug me.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: November 29 (Thursday)

Dear Damian,

I’m a bit confused about why you’re asking about the hug. I only hugged you because I wanted you to give me the tea cakes! That was the whole point, remember? I thought it would help convince you.

But if you want a REAL hug, I can give you one! I mean, I like you like a friend, so it’s totally fine. It's like hugging Bond or Papa or Mama. It's also like how you hug Max! Just let me know if you need one! Friends help each other out, right?

I didn’t think it was a big deal, but if it made you curious, that’s okay too. Just remember, I’m not doing it for any special reason. You were being dificut difficult and I know that hugs make you feel silly and weird so I did it! It helped tho though for a little bit! But, no problem. The tea cakes were worth it.

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: November 30 (Friday)

Dear Anya,

Wait, what? You said you like me like a friend? I didn’t expect that. It’s just… I mean, you don’t have to say it like that! You said that we should help each other out to get more Stella Stars and you are not as annoying as you were at the start of the school year but I didn't think you saw us like that!

Now you’ve got me all flustered. It’s just a hug, right? But it’s weird thinking about it like this. I guess I just never thought you’d actually feel that way about me.

You’re making this more complicated than it needs to be! So—I mean, we’re friends now, right? That's what you said. That’s what matters. So let’s just leave it at that.

Okay, let’s just change the subject! I’m planning to do something fun with Emile and Ewen this weekend. Their families are visiting, and we’re all going to the space museum. It should be interesting—lots of exhibits and cool stuff to see.

I don't know a lot about space or cosmonauts. But Ewen and Emile have always liked space, even if it seems a little far-fetched sometimes. They told me that it's weird that I don't really know a lot or think that much about aliens and planets. The only stars I think about it are Stella Stars. Anyway, I think that they'll probably be the one asking all the questions, trying to sound smart.

Anyway, even if it isn't really what I like, it’ll be nice to hang out with them and forget about everything else for a bit. I’ll let you know if I learn anything cool.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: December 1 (Saturday)

Dear Anya,

So, the space museum really changed how I see things. I thought it would just be a bunch of boring displays, but it turned out to be way more engaging than I expected. Watching the videos of cosmonauts floating in zero gravity was incredible. Do you know that zero gravity is? Gravity is what makes things fall, so zero gravity means that everything floats around! I mean, can you imagine that? Just drifting around with no ground beneath you!

I kept thinking about how brave those people are to leave everything behind and go into the unknown. It made me appreciate the excitement Emile and Ewen have a little more. I think I understand why they make such a big deal about it all the time. They really believe they can be cosmonauts one day, and honestly, I think it’s kind of inspiring. I don’t think I could handle all that training and pressure, but their enthusiasm is exciting. I'm excited for them even if I don't want to do that.

We even got to see a model of a lunar lander. It was surprisingly small for something that’s supposed to take people to the moon! It made me realize how much planning and how perfect everything needs to be for every single mission. I think that’s what impressed me the most—the amount of work and teamwork required to achieve something so amazing.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that with you. It felt good to step out of my usual routine and experience something new. So, yeah, it was a good day. I’m glad I went.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: December 2 (Sunday)

Dear Anya,

I wanted to tell you about my Sunday. Mr. Henderson reminded me to do it.

I started the morning by talking to my counselor again. It was kind of the same as before, but I guess it helps to talk things out. After that, I called Jeeves to catch up about what's happening at my house. Even if he's mostly serious, he always knows how to lighten the mood, which is nice.

Later in the day, I managed to see my brother. I went over to say hi, but then I noticed something strange. There was this girl talking to him, and she was holding out flowers for him! At first, I thought maybe she was just being friendly, but the way she was looking at him made me wonder if she liked him. Is it weird for girls to give flowers to boys? Don't boys usually give flowers to girls instead? That's what Emile told me his Father did for his Mother. Ewen said the same thing. I don't think that I ever saw my parents do that, though.

Anya, what about you? Do your parents do that? Does your father give your mother flowers?

I wanted to stick around and find out more, but my brother told me to leave so he could talk to her. I don’t really get it. He’s usually not the type to be interested in anyone, but maybe things are changing? I’m kind of curious about what’s going on there.

Anyway, it was a pretty uneventful day overall, but I guess seeing him like that was interesting.

Sincerely,

Damian

Chapter Text

Anya: December 3 (Monday)

Dear Damian,

I’m excited to tell you about my new neighbors, Grampa Siggy and Gramma Barbara! Grampa Siggy is really smart, and he helps me understand all sorts of hard concepts. He’s like a walking libary library! I love asking him questions, and he always has interesting stories to share even if he seems confused sometimes. Like when Mama and me first met him he didn't know where Gramma Barbara was. 

The best part is that he’s really patient with me. He even helped me with some of my homework the other day! I didn’t think I’d have fun studying, but he made it really enjoyable. He helped me understand hard words but it was easier to understand when he gave me a chance to think about it more. He's more pashent patient than Papa so it's easier to understand him.

Also, Mama and me helped with an event that your Mama was in charge of. It was a bit chaotic, but we managed to pull it off! My Mama was really good and strong and everyone relied on her. It was really cool to see Mama do a lot of good things for people. I even got to meet some new people, which was nice. Your mom was really organized and made sure everything ran smoothly. I think she liked having us around, even if we got in the way a bit!

Anyway about the flowers question you asked me, I think it's cute! My Unkie Yuri gives Mama flowers a lot, and Papa gives Mama flowers too. Not as much as Unkie Yuri though. Unkie Franky also gives flowers to the ladies he goes on dates with because he likes them even if they don't like him back.

Even tho though I see more boys give girls flowers, I think that it's okay for a girl to give a boy flowers because it shows that she cares. I don't think that it matters as long as the feelings are real. At least that's what I think.

Hopefully your brother was nice to the girl. Did you get to talk to your brother about that girl? I remember how sad my Unkie Franky was when the ladies he goes on dates with don't accept his flowers. Does that make sense? I hope that someone gives flowers to you too! And I hope that her feelings for you are real too!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: December 4 (Tuesday)

Dear Anya,

Your neighbors sound nice. It's good that you have someone like Mr. Siggy help you with school. Everyone knows you need it. Anyway, hopefully with his help you can do better on your tests. You always talk on and on about not disappointing your Papa so do better and study hard with Mr. Siggy. Hopefully the way he teaches really works for you so you don't always fail your tests. I think that it's a talent that you're able to do so bad on them every single time.

Anyway, it's interesting that you and your mother were able to spend time with my mother. I don't get to see her a lot, but can you tell me more about how she was like? I don't mean anything weird. I don't see her a lot I mean, how is she? I just want to know more about how she is. She doesn't really talk to me or Demetrius but I know that she does a lot of good work for people because of what I see on magazines. How is it like working with her? Is she as good as she looks on the magazines?

As for me, I didn’t get a chance to talk to Demetrius after that day with the girl with the flowers. But I’m still kind of curious about what’s going on with him and that girl. It’s not like I want to pry into his business. I guess I’ll have to see if he brings it up. If you're right about the whole flower thing I hope that he was nice to the girl because I know how harsh Demetrius can be sometimes. When he ignores me it hurts. I hope that he doesn't ignore the girl. Your Uncle Franky sounds like a sad man, and I think that it's mean how those ladies just ignore him. It's not a good feeling. Anyway, the girl with Demetrius looked really nervous when she was talking to Demetrius. And her flowers looked really nice. It was like the flowers that I saw in Switzerland during our family trip. 

Speaking of things coming up, are you ready for our exams? Remember to rely on Mr. Siggy and don't make your father sad again. For me, I’ve been studying a bit, but I could use some more motivation. I think that I should study with Emile and Ewen on things I don't understand.

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: December 5 (Wednesday)

Dear Damian,

Don’t worry! I’ve been getting a lot of help from Grampa Siggy with my studying, and I really enjoy his lessons. He makes everything feel less overwhelming. It’s nice to have someone explain things in a way I can actually understand. The other day, we went over concepts that I thought I’d never understand, and he made it so simple! I was actually excited to learn! Classical language is not that bad even if a lot of our cassmates classmates say its hard. For me its not that bad. Grampa Siggy also said that I have a talent! Papa said that I shouldn't get too arogan arrognt arrogant but Mama said that I should be proud of what I'm good at. She said that she had a hard time in school too and that she's proud of me for working really hard!

It feels so good to finally undestan understand things that used to confuse me. It’s like a eureka koala (this is something Grampa Siggy told me!) moment that went off in my head! Plus, Grampa Siggy tells the coolest stories about his own expirenses experiences, which makes learning so much more fun. I’ve never looked forward to studying like this before! Its easier than studying with Papa but don't tell him that! I don't want to make Papa sad!

You know, ever since I started working with Grampa Siggy, my Papa doesn’t seem as stressed about my studying anymore. I think he feels better knowing that I have someone guiding me through the hard stuff. It’s like we’re both learning to relax a bit more!

I’m sure you’ll do great on the exams, too. Emile and Ewen are really smart and helpful when they're not acting like jerks meanies! I have a good idea! What if we study together too! Just let me know when you want to study together.

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: December 6 (Thursday)

Dear Anya,

Why did you have a beard? drawing on your face today? Even Mr. Henderson thought that it was weird, and I don't think he gets shocked by the things you do anymore. It's even weirder that he let you wear that on your face during the test. Whatever...

I mean, I get that Mr. Siggy seems like a great guy, but you better not let that go to your head. Just because you have a tutor doesn’t mean you’ll ace everything. It would be good if you do good but I agree with your father when he tells you that you shouldn't be too arrogant. It's not good if you get hurt because you think you can do it all. Demetrius told me to not. Nevermind, I still think you’ll struggle a bit, especially with that goofy drawing on your face.

I’m just saying, I’ll probably score higher than you. So, don’t get too comfortable! Just try to get better in your own way so you don't get hurt later!

I’m looking forward to seeing how you ended up doing on the exams. Even if I want you to do better since we're almost like friends now, just remember that no amount of help can change the fact that I’m still way ahead in the competition.

Good luck—though I think that you’ll need it more than I do!

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: December 7 (Friday)

Dear Damian,

Honestly, I think it’s pretty great that we’re studying together, even if you like to poke fun at me. The drawing on my face really helped me even if you think that it's silly. It made the whole exam thing feel less stressful. I actually enjoy competing with you, too! Even if you are a jerk! I think that it pushes me to do better, even if your teasing can be a little annoying sometimes. Grampa Siggy said that I shouldn't get mad at you even if you are annoying because we're friends!

And just imagining us earning those Stella Stars together makes me really excited! I can picture us walking around with them, showing off our hard work. It would feel amazing to have something to celebrate after all the studying we’ve been doing.

Plus, when we get our scores and if we both do well, we can help each other even more in the future! I think that’s what makes it all worthwhile (Grampa Siggy helped me spell that word! I did not have to bother Papa!). So, bring on the scores! I’m ready for whatever the results are because I know that I did my best! Damian, just don’t forget to save a little praise and HOORAY for me when I do great!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: I'll give you praise and a HOORAY for you if you do great too! Mr. Henderson said that we'll get the scores on Monday!

Anya: December 8 (Saturday)

Dear Damian,

I wanted to tell you about the dinner I had at Grampa Siggy and Gramma Barbara’s house! It was so much fun! They made the yummiest food—Gramma Barbara’s cooking is really good! It's not better than my Papa's food (no one could cook better than my Papa!) But I couldn’t stop eating her food. It was so tasty!

After dinner, we all sat around and talked. Grampa Siggy shared some of his old stories, and I was listening and imagining everything! He has the coolest adventures from when he was younger, and it’s really inspiying inspiring. I even asked him some questions about space, and he had the best answers! Maybe I can share some of what I learned with you and Ewen and Emile and hear what you think.

Mama and Papa enjoyed it too. They were laughing and having a good time, which made me happy. It felt nice to spend time together like that.

I can’t wait to go back and see them again! I think you’d like their house because it has so many interesting things everywhere. 

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: December 9 (Sunday)

Dear Damian,

I wanted to share something that’s been on my mind. Today, I talked to my Papa about my exam scores and how we were getting them tomoro tomorrow. I told him that I was nervous because I know how much he really cares about my grades. But he’s also really excited to see how I did, and he told me I need to tell him as soon as I get home from school tomorrow. It made me a little nervous, to be honest. But he reminded me that I worked really hard with Grampa Siggy so I should be okay. I don't know though.

I really don’t want to hurt his feelings if I didn’t do as well as I hoped. You know I don’t always do great in school, and I worry about what he’ll think. He has so much faith in me, and I don’t want to disappoint him.

But at the same time, I’ve been trying hard, especially with Grampa Siggy’s help. I just hope it shows! I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

How do you feel about your scores? I’m sure you did well—better than me, probably!

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: December 9 (Sunday - Later)

Dear Damian,

I wanted to share something my Mama told me today. She got a letter from the school, and she mentioned there’s a dance at the end of the term, and it sounds like so much fun! I can’t wait!

Maybe that's why your brother got flowers from that girl? She wanted to go with him. Now I really hope that he was nice to her because Unkie Franky sometimes cries when a pretty lady does not feel the same way about him. But also, if your brother did not like her and axsept accept her flowers, I REALLY hope that he was nice about refoosing refusing it.

Becky just called to invite me to go dress shopping with her, and I’m super excited about it. I’ve never really picked out a fancy dress before, so I think it’ll be a really fun experience. I’m hoping to find something special that I’ll feel good in.

Mama said she’ll help me pick out some options, too, which makes it even better. I can’t wait to see what Becky finds and to share ideas with her.

So, between the dance and the exams, it’s going to be a busy but exciting time! I hope you’re ready for whatever comes your way, too! Boys need to buy their soots suits too. Papa really looks cool in his suits so I think that you'll look really cool too! I always see you wearing dark colors because of our uniform, so I think that a light colored suit will look REALLY GOOD on you! I think that you'll be handsome! I hope that doesn't make you embarased embarrassed. I just put it here because my Papa and Unkie Yuri and even Grampa Siggy really like being called handsome. When Mama says it to Papa and Unkie Yuri or when Gramma Barbara says it to Grampa Siggy, they get REALLY REALLY happy. Bond also gets happy when I call him handsome!

We are friends now so I also want to make you feel happy!

Sincerely,

Anya

PS: Since your brother got flowers, I want to give some to you too! Mama helped me draw them, but I colored the picture! Mama showed me how to make them really pretty! I hope you like your flowers!

"Flowers for Damian"

Chapter Text

Damian: December 10 (Monday)

Dear Anya,

Thanks for the flowers. They were good pretty nice. I think that they're the first flowers I ever got from a girl. I mean, it’s just drawings of flowers, but it was a nice gesture, I guess? So, thank you. Mr. Henderson would get mad at me if I didn't thank you, but I really mean it. Thank you.

And the compliment about my suit—uh, I’ll think about it. I appreciate it… Really. I do.

But, you know, my mother always chooses what I wear for these kinds of events so I don't know if she'll give me a light suit. She has a way of picking out my clothes, just like she does for Demetrius. It’s a bit annoying, actually. I mean, can’t I choose for once? But then again, I guess it’s easier not to fight her about it. I don’t know how to tell her that I want to pick my own clothes without making it awkward. It’s complicated?

Anyway, I hope you have fun dress shopping with Becky. That sounds nice, I guess. I mean, you two always seem to have a good time together. I’ve never really gone shopping with anyone, so I wouldn’t know, but I hope you find something you like. Just try not to take too long, alright? I know how tiring shopping is. Mother always takes a long time but I never complain because I like spending time with her. I don't always get to do it because. Anyway, I might not be the best at these kinds of things, but I hope I can be of help at least.

Oh, and speaking of this diary project—thank gosh it’s almost over! I’m not really sure how much more I can write about our feelings and experiences. It’s not that I don’t want to work with you, Anya. It’s just that this whole diary thing is a little embarrassing? I don’t know if you feel the same, but I’m kind of happy that we’ll be done soon.

Sincerely,

Damian

Damian: December 10 (Monday - Later)

Dear Anya,

I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to hear you did really well on Classical Language! I mean, it’s impressive… But then I saw your math score and, um, wow.

What happened there? I didn’t even think it was possible to earn both a Stella Star and a Tonitrus Bolt at the same time. You must have some kind of special talent for that! Hehe.

I guess you could say you’re a true overachiever, just in your own unique way. It seems like Mr. Siggy really knew what he was doing when he tutored you. I suppose that weird penned-on beard of yours might have helped too, but whatever. Honestly, at least you’re keeping things interesting! Just… Don’t expect to outshine me next time. I’ll be ready to defend my spot at the top!

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: December 11 (Tuesday)

Dear Damian,

I don’t even know how to feel about my scores anymore. Grampa Siggy was so happy when I told him I did well on Classical Language. He kept saying how proud he was and how much I’ve improved, so that made me feel really good. I didn’t expect that, honestly! It felt nice to hear him say those things, like I really accomplished something.

But then… My Papa’s reaction. At first, he was excited when he saw the good score, but that happiness didn’t last long. Once he looked at my math results, it was like watching a balun balloon pop. Like you know when you are looking at a pretty thing and then BOOM! It explodes! But Papa didn't explode for real. It was just his thoughts.

Papa went from happy to stressed so quickly. It’s weird because I could almost feel his disapoinment disappointment, even though he tried to stay calm. He didn’t say much after that, just told me to focus harder next time. I could see it in his eyes, though—like he was trying to hold back what he really felt.

It’s strange because it feels like no matter what I do, someone’s always going to be disappointed in me. I know I should try harder, and maybe I’ll get better at math eventually, but right now, it feels like I can’t do good no matter what I do.

Sometimes I wish it was easier, you know? Maybe I can find someone really smart at math like Unkie Yuri but he's not a good teacher like Grampa Siggy. Like if I could just be good at everything and make everyone proud all at once! That would be so good!

I’m just really glad the exams are over for now. I feel like I can finally breeth breathe a little!

Anyway, are you ready for the dance? Becky’s super excited and keeps talking about all the dresses and decorations. I think I’m looking forward to it too—after I stop thinking about all this school stuff. I just hope I can enjoy myself and forget about everything for a little while.

Sincerely,

Anya

Anya: December 11 (Tuesday - Later)

Dear Damian,

I just got back from dress shopping with Becky, and I’m SO excited! We found the absolute cutest dress that I’m REALLY REALLY in love with! It’s this ELEGANT black dress that feels like it was made for twirling. I can’t wait to show it off to everyone! It’s like magic! Mama likes it a lot too!

Becky found a really pretty dress too! We had the BEST time trying on all sorts of styles and helping each other pick the best ones. I think the most fun part was just being together, laughing at all the silly outfits we tried on. At one point, Becky put on this ridiculously huge hat saying that she sees fancy ladies wear them at parties. But it was really silly, and we couldnt stop giggling!

I can’t believe the dance is coming up so soon! It feels like it’s going to be such an amazing night, and I hope it’ll be as fun as I imagine. You’ll get to see me in my dress at the dance, and I can’t wait for you to see how it looks!

I can't wait for the suit your Mama picked for you too. Mama said that your Mama has good taste so I think it will good no matter what!

Anyway, I really hope you’re ready for the dance and all the fun that comes with it! It’s going to be AMAZING!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: December 12 (Wednesday)

Dear Anya,

I’m glad to hear you had such a great time dress shopping. Your dress sounds really pretty, and I’m sure you’ll look good at the dance, I guess? I mean, it’s not like I know a lot about dresses, but as annoying as she can be, Becky has good taste. So if she thinks you look good, then you probably do… I guess?

Speaking of things, I wanted to mention my brother. I saw him again, and he didn’t say much to me, like usual. But he looked really tired. Everyone always acts like he’s perfect and can do nothing wrong, but I think it’s tough to see how much judgment he faces too. People expect so much from him, and sometimes I think it must be hard to live up to that. I don't know how he does it, but I think it's really cool how he can handle things by himself. 

I asked him about the girl who gave him flowers, and it was like he didn’t even know what I was talking about. It felt awkward, honestly. I think he just ignored her… I feel kind of bad for the girl now. I don’t think she wanted to be treated like that because it’s not a good feeling, you know? She got him flowers, and I think that he should have been happy to get them from her. Like how I was happy to get mine from you, Anya.

Anyway, sometimes I’m a bit jealous of you, to be honest. You have people who react to your successes and failures—like Mr. Siggy and your father and mother. I wish I had that kind of support or even someone to show a reaction to what I do.

It’s not like anyone really pays attention to me, you know? Demetrius doesn’t really pay attention to me or to anyone actually. Father and Mother are always busy with work so I don't see them a lot. I like Jeeves, but he’s also busy at the house… But at least I have Emile and Ewen. And I guess that talking to you is fun, too.

Anyway, we only have a few days before the end of the term, so that’s something, right?

Sincerely,

Damian

Anya: December 13 (Thursday)

Dear Damian,

I want you to know that you can always talk to me about anything, even when we stop writing the diaries! Papa and Mama said that good friends help each other all the time. That's why Papa is really good friend with Unkie Franky and why Mama spend more time with her friends at work now!

I’m really glad we’re becoming better friends now, even if we still have our little fights. You are still annoying sometimes but its not as bad as it used to be! It feels nice to know we can share things with each other, even when we don’t always agree.

You’re definitely not alone, and I’d be more than happy to listen wen-ever whenever you need to share what’s on your mind. I dont think I have all the answers, but I care about what you are going through, and I promise to be here for you if you want me to. It's like what Papa and Mama always tell me. They listen to me when I have a hard time.

It’s tough feeling like no one pays attention to you, expashally especially when you are dealing with jealousy and espetashuns expectations. You deseve deserve someone who sees you and your efforts, and I want to be that person for you! The diary made it easy since I can read it BUT I hope that we can still talk like this even when its over!

I think it’s really cool that we can lean on each other now. I used to only have my family and unkies and Becky, but now I have you too! It makes the hard days feel a little less heavy. Just remember, if you ever feel like no one is noticing you or what you do, I’m always happy for you and ready to help even if it’s from a distance. Like Bond to my Papa! And Unkie Yuri to my Mama!

I know it’s hard sometimes when it seems like Demetrius and even your parents are too busy to really see you, but you matter a lot! You're like Becky and Bond to me now! I like you more now!

I’m so excited for the dance tomorrow! I can’t wait to see you in your suit and to create more memories together. Who knows, maybe we’ll even have a blast dancing and laughing at all the silly moments!

Take care, and remember, I’m always here for you! Like my family to me, I can be a REALLY REALLY good friend to you!

Sincerely,

Anya

Damian: December 14 (Friday)

Dear Anya,

I just wanted to write and say that the dance was really something special. I didn’t expect to enjoy dancing with you as much as I did. You really brought a lot of energy even if you were kind of annoying, and it was fun to dance with you for a bit.

I can’t help but think back to how you kept laughing and twirling around. It made the night way more entertaining than I thought it would be. I'm writing this at one of the tables. Watching you and Becky dance together now is kind of making me smile again.

Also, about what you mentioned before... Was it true? Is that really how you won the trivia game about me? I know that I said I don't believe you but you looked really serious especially after you started pulling on my suit.

You know, the thing that made you know more that most people? Is it really true? I won’t write more since Mr. Henderson is sitting right here.

Anyway, about your last diary, I also want to know if you really feel that way about me. I just wanted to know if it was really how you felt. If you do, then I'm really happy.

I mean, it’s kind of crazy to think about, but if it’s true, then… I guess it’s nice to know you see me that way. Either way, it doesn’t change anything between us. You’re still annoying, loud, and stubby-legged, but I’m actually happy to be your friend.

I guess it’s nice to have someone like you around, even if you drive me a bit crazy sometimes. You know, I never really had anyone like you to talk to before. It feels good to be able to share things with you, even if it’s awkward.

Anyway, thanks for being you, Anya.

Sincerely,

Damian