It was Valentine's Day at Walkerville Elementary, and the air was filled with the buzz of excitement and the sweet scent of flowers and chocolates. Carlos, however, was on a mission, holding a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates carefully chosen for Tsume. He hoped that this gesture would finally express his feelings for her, something he'd been struggling to put into words.
As Carlos navigated the hallways searching for Tsume, Janet spotted him. Never one to miss an opportunity to stir trouble, she said with a smirk. "So, who are those for?" she asked, eyeing the gifts with a sneer.
Carlos, not wanting to divulge his plans but also unable to hide his intentions, reluctantly admitted, "They're for Tsume."
Janet burst out laughing, shaking her head dismissively. "You think a goody-two-shoes like her would accept such a lame gift from you?" she scoffed, her words sharp as knives.
Carlos tried to defend his choice. "You don't know her like I do, Janet. Tsume has changed; she's not who you think she is."
But Janet's mocking had already planted seeds of doubt in his mind. With a heavy heart, Carlos ended up discarding the gifts before reaching the classroom, Janet's laughter echoing in his ears.
When he entered the classroom, his friends immediately noticed his sad mood. "Where have you been, man?" Ralphie asked, concerned.
Carlos, trying to shrug off his sadness, didn't divulge the whole truth but merely mumbled something about needing some air. Ralphie and Tim, however, knew something was off and followed him to the corner of the room.
Carlos confessed, "I threw away the flowers and chocolates I got for Tsume." He relayed Janet's hurtful comments and his consequent decision, his voice filled with regret.
Tim facepalmed. "Carlos, you should never listen to Janet. She's just trying to get to you."
"Yeah, but maybe she's right. Tsume doesn't seem to like me much, always so cold around me," Carlos sighed, his confidence shaken.
"Just because Tsume is reserved doesn't mean she doesn't like you. Haven't you noticed you two have been getting along better recently?" Ralphie pointed out, trying to boost his friend's spirits.
Just then, Tsume walked into the class, a lollipop in her mouth, her demeanor as nonchalant as ever. She passed Carlos without a word and took her seat, maintaining her usual aloofness.
Carlos watched her sit down, his heart heavy. "What if I can't make her happy?" he murmured to his friends, who exchanged looks, unsure how to encourage him.
"It's better to follow your heart than listen to Janet," Tim finally said, placing a reassuring hand on Carlos's shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, Carlos approached Tsume, about to apologize for the gifts he had discarded. But before he could say anything, Tsume turned to him, a medium-sized chocolate heart in her hand.
"Hope you like it," she said nonchalantly, extending the chocolate toward him.
Carlos, taken aback and touched, accepted the chocolate. "This is the first gift I've ever gotten from you," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
"It's fine if you didn't get me anything. I heard and saw Janet cornering you in the hallway... I'm not mad," Tsume added, her gaze averted, betraying a hint of vulnerability.
Carlos's heart swelled with a mixture of relief and joy. In a moment of boldness, he hugged her tightly, shouting, "I love you!" in front of the whole class. Tsume stiffened for a moment, unaccustomed to such public displays of affection. But as the class erupted in cheers and whistles, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Maybe, just maybe, this Valentine's Day wasn't so bad after all.
YOU ARE READING
the magic school bus: things aren't always what they seem
Humortsume is kicked from her class from her mean teach misses apple-bottom and is put in another class was she means miss Frizzle and the class and to think things couldn't get any more messed up her friend Jake gets pushed in as well as they both get s...
