Fatal Wounds

9

Valentina

"Are you seeing this?" Brooke grins holding a bouquet of roses.

"Oh, I'm seeing it alright." I murmur, walking up to her. Her cheeks tint the slightest bit when she reads the note. She turns around the little card with a small shy smile.

Will you be my valentine? -Brian

"Oh." I let out a pleased gasp, "well..?" Brooke looks at the little card, seeming to be debating it.

She grins and looks over at me. "Pinch me." I shrug and pinch the skin of her arm. "Ow! Jesus, it's a figure of speech."

After a moment she frowns. "It's too good to be true, Vale. There's no way the man of my dreams just appears out of thin air and asks me to be his Valentine a few days after meeting him."

I sigh, feeling for my best friend who has trouble giving herself the things she deserves. "Enjoy it. Go out with him, see where it goes. The worst that can happen is you two not being compatible and you go your separate ways."

Her frown deepens, "I don't want to go our separate ways. I had a great time at the bar."

"Then go on this date." I smile patting her leg, "I'm sure if you both had a great time then this date will be even better."

She nods staring at the flowers before groaning. "Stupid boy, making me lose my mind."

I laugh grabbing her phone off her desk. I throw it on her lap and give her a pointed look. "Text him."

She grumbles under her breath as she picks up her phone. I stand from the comfortable chair in her room and gather my purse, "I promised dad I'd meet him for lunch so I have to get going."

"Yeah yeah." She waves off typing on her phone. "This is unfair, maybe you should text Theo so I'm not the only one who's a nervous reck."

"Goodbye Brooke!" I call out shutting her door and walking down her walkway.

The mere thought of texting Theo has no right making my heart beat in my throat.

He's taking you out soon.

That has my heart racing and palms sweating.

•••

"Hi dad." I smile as I approach his table in the crowded restaurant. His face lights up when he sees me and he's quick to stand and give me my hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Happy Valentine's Day, sweetie." He hands me a small heart chocolate box that's he's been giving me since I was a small girl.

"Thank you." I laugh taking it from him. I open up my purse and pull out the small box of Andes chocolate mints I found at the store the other day. His favorite sweet treat.

His eyes light up like a kid on Christmas. "For me?"

"Obviously." I laugh handing him the chocolates I gift him for every occasion since I was small.

I sit across from him and order my favorite sandwich. Mom and dad always celebrated the day before Valentines together and we celebrated today as a family.

Yesterday I checked up on dad and made sure he was okay. We bought mom some flowers and took them to her, we took some blankets and sat on the grass as we told her some stories of what has happened recently.

I think it was good for him. It lifted his mood and he seems more content today.

Dad orders his favorite sandwich which is actually very different than mine. His has tomatoes. I despise tomatoes.