Truce

Nine // Party Like It's 1999

Nine // Party Like It's 1999

Jacob

Valentine's day was a day I'd despised for as long as I could remember. It was just an excuse for couples to brag about their love or for other people to find love. All of this romantic bullshit was made a thousand times worse by the flowers and the roses and the love notes, that gave businesses another day to make bucket loads of money.

This morning I had woken up at my usual early hour where only my mother was awake, speaking to my father on Skype on the iPad. She was wandering around the house with the device held in front of her, looking for the best connection as they conversed in German. I liked to see that. It was rare that many parents of kids my age were still that in love, or if they were they didn't show it.

I ate my cereal in silence, too tired to cook up something nutritious. After that I took my shower and got dressed; Converse, shorts, button up t-shirt. I let my brown hair dry and messed it up with my hand as I read, waiting for Ada to come get me.

"Are you excited for Valentine's Day?" I asked on the way to school, my mind half still in the story of the book I'd been reading. An English one this time, of stories from World War II.

Ada shrugged, but was tugging on the nice singlet she wore. "Sort of, not really."

I raised my eyebrow, motioning to her seemingly subconscious actions. "It doesn't seem like it."

"My top's new and I don't think it's sitting right," she explained, which made a lot more sense. I'd be very surprised if she were into a day such as this. It was mostly couples that got excited. "Are you?"

I scowled, not wanting to talk about it but did regardless to explain. "Margaret LaMarr is hosting this Valentine's Day party tonight where Kaia and I are making our relationship 'official'."

"That sounds fun," she drawled, voice laced with heavy sarcasm. I turned into the school parking lot and shook my head.

"It won't be."

We were a bit early so I walked with her to her locker, surprised to find a piece of folded paper tucked in between the gap. She frowned and pulled it out, opening it. Her eyes skimmed over it and her cheeks went slightly red.

"A love letter and it's only eight thirty. I never knew year eights were into Valentine's Day." Ada was different. With her birthday next Thursday which would make her fifteen, she was more mature than the rest of her year level.

"I don't even know who it's from," she mumbled, folding it into her pocket securely stashing it away. "Did you get anything for Kaia?"

Changing the subject. Smart. "I got her roses. They're sitting in my car. I'll grab them at lunch so that the whole cafeteria can see including our exes. Although, I think part of our deal has something to do with her grandmother. She told her we were dating and that I'd go out to dinner with them one evening."

"That's odd," she nodded, smiled and closed her locker. "It's good you got her something. I have to go get something from the library now, though. I'll see you later."

She didn't even give me a chance to respond. I shrugged it off as optimism to learn and headed to the quadrangle where a few stragglers were scattered. It was still only early, so I got my phone out of my pocket and sat on the bench, reading an e-book. It was a murder mystery that took place in a creepy town in Germany so of course, the whole book was in German. The main character was walking home late at night, where the streets were pitch black. He had just decided to head down an alleyway when I felt hands on my shoulders.

I jumped, cursing and dropping my phone in the process. I heard a laugh and looked up to see Kaia's face, her mouth open in mid-laugh. "That was a great start to my morning."