Echoes of a Silent Beat

Chapter 4: Sweet Chaos

One evening, as Angel and I were doing our thesis, I was chatting with Lexie. Amidst our conversation, she invited me to their college's event celebrating the love month. She mentioned she would be selling stickers, including some of her artworks. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I eagerly promised I would attend.

The thought of the upcoming Valentine's Day, which was just 2 days away, stirred something within me. It made me think about what I could give her—something special that would convey my appreciation and admiration. The idea of picking the perfect gift weighed on my mind, and I started brainstorming creative ideas. It had to be something meaningful, something that would let her know just how much I valued our growing connection.

After that day, as soon as we finished our industrial psychology class, I felt a renewed sense of urgency. I needed to get everything ready for the upcoming Valentine's Day and make sure my gift was just right. With the help of Angel, Mina, and Gab, we headed to the mall, our mission clear: find something special for Lexie that would convey my feelings and make her smile.

We strolled through various stores, each one offering its own array of potential gifts. Despite our efforts, I found myself struggling to decide on the right one. The pressure to find something meaningful was overwhelming, and my indecision was evident.

After hours of browsing, my options still felt insufficient. With time running out, I was left with no other choice but to go with Mina's suggestion. We ended up buying a selection of random sweets and chocolates—simple but heartfelt. Mina assured me that sometimes it's the thought that counts, and I hoped she was right.

I spent the night trying to make a package for the gift. Goodness gracious, I had forgotten to buy a box! So, I crafted a DIY pink paper bag instead. Inside, I placed a note that read, "Happy Valentine's! May this give you a smile like the one you give me every day" While I worked on this, Angel stayed up too, focusing on her academics and supporting me through the process.

Finally, it was Valentine's Day! I carefully packed the gift into my bag, hoping it wouldn't get crumpled. Our university had this color-coding tradition for the day, where you wear a color that represents your relationship status. I chose pink, which indicated "No Boyfriend/Girlfriend Since Birth." I had considered wearing white, which signified "Study First," but I didn't want Lexie to think I wasn't interested in a relationship. I wanted to show her that I was open to the possibility, especially with her, duh.

Angel and I arrived on campus early to attend the Friday Mass. As we were heading up the stairs, I caught sight of Lexie. My heart skipped a beat when she called out, "Trishhhhh!" Her excited voice caught me off guard. I responded with a sweet smile, trying to keep my composure. As I made my way up the stairs, I couldn't help but notice how I might have clumsily tripped a step or two. I hoped she hadn't seen it—just another awkward moment to add to my list of clumsy encounters with her.

For the whole day, I was preoccupied with how to give the gift to Lexie. I didn't quite have the courage to hand it to her personally, so I decided to enlist the help of another student council friend, Mina. I asked Mina to have one of her friends deliver the gift to Lexie, hoping it wouldn't be obvious that it was from me—especially since Lexie knew I was friends with Mina.

Mina later met up with me and, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, recounted the chaos of the gift delivery. "So, you'll never believe what happened," she began, her tone full of disbelief.

I raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Mina laughed. "When my friend and I met, Lexie was already there with her! I had the gift in my hand, and I could tell my friend was completely lost."

"Seriously?" I asked, already feeling a twinge of embarrassment. "How did it go?"

"Well," Mina said, trying to suppress her giggles, "Lexie saw us looking confused. So, I had to quickly come up with an excuse. I said it wasn't from me but from a student who wanted to give her something."