Chugga-chugga-Chu-Chu!

The good thing about being different in a town like this

is that no one expects you to be like them.

I'm 17.

I live in Squahamish with my dad.

I run a business,

writing essays for people.

I guess I just never thought

I'd need anyone else.

Hey, hold up.

Ten dollars for three pages.

No, I'm not trying to cheat.

-What's this? -A letter.

Maybe you can make me sound smart.

Dear Aster Flores, I'm in love with you.

These hallways are murder.

I'm Ellie Chu.

Yeah, I know.

You want a letter about love?

I'll write you a letter about love.

Hey! She wrote back.

We can do this. Ask her to hang out.

Come on, dude.

-You messaged me? -Yep.

Conversation is like ping-pong.

I hit one, and then you--

What the--

Oops.

-Where were you born? -In Squahamish.

What do you like about Squahamish?

I've never been anywhere else.

Me neither.

What do you like about Aster?

She's pretty and smart.

What else could I like about her?

I don't know, how her eyes look right into yours.

How you could live in an ocean of her thoughts,

and she really knows...

I'm so stupid.

I just meant--

You like Aster?

Hey, it would suck to have to pretend

to be not you your whole life.

-I gotta go. -No, wait.

Chu-Chu!

Who are you calling Chu-Chu?

What?

You know what it's like to finally meet

someone your age who gets you?

Love, it's not finding your perfect half.

It's the trying, and reaching, and failing.

Ellie seems sad.

No, you don't see her.

Who she is.

Who she could be.