5 Times Lucy Said I Love You

The first time Lucy Van Pelt told Charlie Brown she loved him, she was three years old.

"A is for apple, B is for Bear, C is for…Charlie Brown." Lucy looked up from her book with a smirk on her face as Charlie snapped his head around at the mention of his name. "Really, C is for Charlie Brown?" the young boy asked hopefully. Lucy laughed "No Charlie Brown, you're silly." She replied in between her fits of giggles. Charlie's face dropped as the older boy went back to his trains. Lucy stopped laughing and saw that Charlie was upset. She closed her book and toddled over and gave him a big hug. "I love you Charlie Brown"

The second time Lucy told Charlie Brown she loved him, they were in junior high school.

"Seriously Lucy, if he doesn't say yes then he is just plain stupid." Peppermint Patty said to her as they waited for Charlie to come back with an answer.

"Oh my god, I am so nervous!" Lucy was almost shaking with anticipation as she saw Charlie turn and start walking back towards where she and the girls stood. "Here he comes!" Violet yelped as she grabbed Lucy's arm.

Charlie stopped in front of the girls and eyed them off. "So? What did he say?" Lucy asked impatiently. She watched as the corners of his mouth started to form a smile. "He said yes Lucy, Schroeder said yes!" She positively flung herself at Charlie Brown hugging him tight around his neck. "No way! Charlie Brown, I love you!" She let go of him and turned to the girls "Oh gosh, what on earth am I going to wear!"

As Charlie walked away from the girls and back to his friends, he wasn't sure why he felt a twang in his chest.

The third time Lucy told Charlie Brown she loved him was on prom night.

As the awkward silence enveloped the table, Charlie was pretty sure this was the most uncomfortable he had felt since the bird and the bees talk he had with his father at thirteen. He looked up and saw Schroeder looking out into space as the overly polite conversation had dried up. Turning his focus to Lucy, he noticed her looking at her boyfriend with some sort of contempt written on her face. Her attention was brought back to him as she noticed his blonde date excusing herself to go to the bathroom. Charlie watched as Lucy placed her hand on his and looked up to meet her in the eye.

"Take me for a dance?" she asked. Charlie smiled and they both stood up and made their way to the dance floor. She stayed quiet for the first part of the dance and Charlie couldn't help noticing Schroeder looking at them questioningly.

"Thank you for everything Charlie Brown."

Charlie looked down at her puzzled, "what do you mean Lucy?" He felt her squeeze his hand.

"For being there, for putting up with me all these years even after all the teasing I did." she smiled apologetically.

"That was a long time ago Luce." Charlie replied.

"I know," Lucy trailed off, looking down at the ground.

She looks back up at him and cups her hand on his cheek, before bringing him down to kiss the other.

"I love you Charlie, you're one of my best friends you know."

She releases his hand and leaves him speechless.

The fourth time Lucy told Charlie she loved him, was during the holidays in her second year of college.

"My brother is completely off his face, My mother will freak is she finds out!" Lucy exclaimed as they listened to the ruckus coming from the kitchen. As they all laughed Sally couldn't help but notice the closeness between her brother and her best friend. "Relax Lucy," Charlie took a swig of his beer as he squeezed her shoulder, "Your mom's in Italy!"

"Exactly! So it's party on!" Marcie laughed as she poured them all another drink. "Yeah but, I can feel her ears burning." Lucy joked.

Sally felt content. Minus Schroeder the whole gang was back together, and she hadn't seen her brother look this happy in ages.

"So where's Schroeder?"

She saw both Charlie and Lucy tense up at the question. She then saw Peppermint Patty shooting daggers at Franklin, and Violet giving her boyfriend the "I can't believe you said that look". It was common knowledge that Lucy and Schroeder were having major problems.

"He's at Julliard. Some musical he's playing in, or something." Lucy responded after a short awkward silence.

"BABE! Babe, check this out!" a very drunk Linus and Pig Pen entered the room. "This is the best, best bestest, cocktail of all time. I call it the Linus special!"

Sally took a sip and grimaced. She heard Rerun chuckle and then looked through to the kitchen. "Oh God!" …

A few hours later as Sally was cleaning up the glasses in the living room, she listened to the relaxed chatting coming from Lucy and Charlie in the kitchen. She was about to bring them another pile of glasses to wash when she stopped dead in her tracks. Lucy put down her tea towel and put the bowl back into the cupboard. Sally watched on as Lucy came to the back of Charlie and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head against his shoulder.

"I love you."

Charlie sighed and picked up her hand and kissed it. Lucy then released him and went back to drying the dishes, the both of them continued on like it never happened.

Sally felt a knowing smile spread across her face.

The fifth time Lucy told Charlie she loved him, Charlie said it first.

"Why aren't we together?"

Lucy floors Charlie with the question. She watches him with earnest, waiting for an answer. Charlie doesn't know what to say, and yet he wants to yell everything at the top of his lungs. He is frozen, mouth twitching trying to find the words.

Lucy sees this as a bad sign, feeling the tears well up she jumps off the bench and runs across the baseball field.

Charlie reacts quickly, but there is no doubting her speed. When he finally catches up with her, he grabs her arm spinning her around forcing her to look him in the eye.

"You tell me. Cause I have no idea."

With that Lucy kisses him. She kisses him with all her might, the years of wasted time finally coming to an end. Charlie finally pulls away and cups her face with both hands.

"I love you Lucy Van Pelt. I always have."

"I love you too Charlie Brown."