Mr Not So Perfect - Haikaveh

19

Kaveh shuffled into the kitchen, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the room.

"Morning," Alhaitham greeted, pouring coffee into two mugs.

"Morning," Kaveh mumbled, taking the cup Alhaitham offered. His attention was soon drawn to a pile of envelopes and chocolates stacked neatly on the counter.

"What's all that?" Kaveh asked, blinking in surprise.

"It's Valentine's Day," Alhaitham replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Today? How did I completely forget?" Kaveh groaned, taking a cautious sip of his coffee.

Alhaitham raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you've got quite a few admirers."

Kaveh approached the pile, picking up some of the envelopes and skimming through the names. "They can't all be for me." He paused, pulling one out and reading it. "Look, this one has your name on it."

"You can have mine if you want," Alhaitham said with a casual shrug. "I'm not big on chocolates."

Kaveh shook his head, still staring at the sheer number of gifts. "I think I'm good. I've got more than enough here too." He sighed, overwhelmed by the attention.

Alhaitham observed him silently for a moment before speaking again. "Kaveh, are you doing anything today?"

Kaveh looked up, surprised by the sudden question. "Not really, no. Why?"

"Do you want to go to the orchestra with me? I have an extra ticket."

"The orchestra?" Kaveh repeated, tilting his head. "I haven't been in years. But... isn't it Valentine's Day? Wouldn't it be weird?"

"I'm aware," Alhaitham said calmly.

Kaveh chuckled, a bit sceptical. "You should take someone else, like an actual date."

"I don't have anyone else I want to take."

Kaveh gestured to the pile of gifts. "Come on, look at all these. I'm sure one of these girls would jump at the chance to go with you."

"Maybe some other time. I'd rather go with you," Alhaitham responded without hesitation. "Why don't we just enjoy the evening?"

"But this is a golden opportunity for you!" Kaveh insisted.

"I have plenty of time for dates," Alhaitham said with a dismissive wave. "This is our last Valentine's Day in high school, and I wouldn't spend it any other way."

Kaveh sighed, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Fine, fine. I'll go with you, but don't blame me if you look back and regret it."

"I'm sure I won't," Alhaitham said, a genuine smile breaking through his usually calm demeanour.

Kaveh chuckled, finally relaxing. "Alright then. Let's make it a good one."

After class, Kaveh strolled to his locker, lost in thought. Just as he reached for the handle, a cheerful voice interrupted.

"Hey, Kaveh!" Tess called out with a bright smile.

Kaveh turned, offering a polite smile in return. "Oh, hi Tess."

As he opened his locker, Tess leaned slightly closer, her tone casual but curious. "So, I was wondering... are you free today?"

Kaveh shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, I just made plans with Alhaitham."

"Alhaitham?" Tess repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Are you guys... dating?"

Kaveh's face turned a noticeable shade of red at the suggestion. "Me and Alhaitham? No, why would we be dating?" He stammered, caught off guard by the question.