Dear Valentine

VII

"You've been awfully smiley ever since we got back from the pool," Aiden smirks at me. I slap him with the math book in my hand. He pretends to look hurt, rubbing his arm.

"There's no reason," I deny. I didn't want him to start making fun of me for being so happy. I didn't want him to know, not yet anyway. Corrine will find out anyways and she might blurt it out to Aiden before I would manage to. Either way, he was going to know all about it.

"Valentina, I've known you for too long. There are only two reasons why you would even have that look for two reasons." He begins holding up fingers, then one to make his first statement. "One: A boy has somehow managed to make his way into your mind." Then with two fingers held up, he says, "Or two: Your parents just texted you surprising you with food. But since your parents work until ten on Fridays, they can't bring you any food. Plus, we just returned from the pool, which might I add you were with Alex. In conclusion, that brings me to my closing statement. Alex asked you out," he finishes saying. He pretends to stack his papers neatly as if he was in an actual courtroom, defending the victim.

Ever since I could remember, Aiden was always phenomenal with debating. When we were nine, he laid out a five-page explanation on why his family should have a pool in their backyard. The pages consisted of pros and cons of a pool. There were more pros than cons, of course. His parents went along with it, not actually planning to install a pool. However, when they finished reading the papers, they began to view the pool idea the way Aiden did. One year later, the pool was successfully placed in their backyard and my family had the rights to swim in it along with them.

All I know is that Aiden has always wanted to study law and then, become a lawyer. I know he'll make a great one. I know that if I commit a murder, I can count on him to defend me.

I chose not to answer Aiden. He has already figured out the reason behind my smile. He decides to speak anyways, "It was so obvious, too. Alex looks at you like there's no other human being in existence."

I didn't know how to answer him, so I decided to just laugh. Eventually, I say, "I doubt I'm the only person he sees."

"Please," he says in a way that actually means 'Don't be so stupid.' "Don't be so humble. Guys have liked you before."

I let out a sigh. He is right. "Yeah, but they're usually always weird. The only other cute guy that's asked me out was dared to. He was paid twenty dollars just to do so," I claim.

"So I'm guessing that Alex is apart of the guys you claim cute? Is there a chance that I'm on that list?" He teases me, looking up from the textbook in front of him to look at me.

"You're on my "to be murdered" list. I strongly suggest that you sleep with your eyes open for the rest of your life," I smirk back at him.

"Ouch. That hurt me right in the chest. You know, I take personal offense from that." He places his hand over his chest, as if he was actually hurt by my answer.

"Whatever. I think you're the dork in our gang," I say, smacking him with my book again.

"Okay, that actually hurt this time, Valentina. Are you building muscle while talking to me?" Aiden rubs his arm. The area where I had hit him actually began to redden. It is his fault from teasing me all the time.

"Okay, spill it out. What happened with you and Alex at the pool earlier? You can't leave your best friend in the dark about this," he pushes, making me spill the answers.

"He just asked me out, is all. It's just as you guessed," I shrug. I didn't want to let Aiden know that I feel as if I'm on cloud nine. I already lost my privileges of keeping it a secret to myself.

We were supposed to be studying for our finals, but just like always, we became distracted from our objective. I set my math book onto the coffee table in front of us and let out a long sigh. I let my back fall against the front of the couch and rest my head on top of the cushion seat. I was tired of studying, even though we have only studied for couple of hours. My mind became boggled with all of the information swirling inside of me. If I study any more, I feel like my head might explode from too much note reading. Aiden seems as stressed as I am. Instead of lying back, he decides to point his head forward and consistently banging it against his book. He, too, looks to be overwhelmed.

I get up from my current position. From my hips down, I felt numb and I wobbled from side to side, almost falling onto the ground. I manage to regain my balance and slowly walk onward to the kitchen. His mom had recently been to the grocery store, which meant the fridge and cabinets would be full. She knew I would be "spending a chunk of my time studying with Aiden until our heads manage to detach from our neck and fall off." She had told me that, just this morning when she was having a morning tea with my mother.

Lying inside the top shelf of the freezer portion of the refrigerator laid a box of my favorite frozen treat: strawberry shortcake bars. Written in a nice and clear handwriting, assumedly Cassandra's because Aiden's handwriting is quite messy, is a note on the top of the unopened box.

A lovely treat for the lovely Valentina to eat. I smile at the cheesy note. Just the strung words itself makes it clear that Cassandra had thought about me while out shopping for food, she always did. I open one of the side-flaps of the box and take out two bars, one for me and one for Aiden. Though there is a jar of his favorite ice cream, I wasn't in an enough generous type of mood to scoop some for him. Nevertheless, a strawberry shortcake bar will work for him.

I walk back over to where he is still sitting, but he had stopped banging his head. On his forehead stains a red spot from the banging. I smile, deciding to keep it to myself. I hand a bar towards him and he graciously takes it, not complaining about what I chose to give him.

The music I haven't paid much attention to seem as if it is becoming louder as the minutes tick by. It sounds the entire room, as Aiden and I eat our bars in silence, not that there is any need for any noise to fill up the room. We've spent our entire lives together that silences weren't weird or awkward, just comfortable.

Aiden is the first one to finish his snack, with me only halfway through mine. I smirk at him and raise my eyebrows as if I am calling him a pig. He shows that he understands what I'm trying to express as he shrugs his shoulders. He drops the Popsicle stick into the wrapper and closes his book, mentally announcing that he is tired of all the studying we have been doing. I finish my bar and follow what he is doing too, closing my math book. Aiden quickly stands up and gestures his hand out for me to give him my trash. I place the stick into the wrapper and hand it to him. I watch as he walks over to the trashcan and the trash in his hands into it.

Then, my phone dings and lights up with a new message. It is a text from Corrine. It reads:

Alex wanted me to text you his number, so that you two can talk without a messenger being caught in the middle. And that you also looked ravishing in your bathing suit today. (Actually, he didn't say that but let's just pretend he did to make it sound more romantic!) -Corrine.

My phone lights up again, vibrating into my hands. On the screen popped a number. Alex's number.