Valentine's Day

Chapter 3

                                  

The day had arrived. February the 14th was alive and in full force at school. Despite being an All-Girls school, a lot of girls were getting flowers, teddy bears and other assorted romantic gestures delivered. Every classroom was like being encased in a florist for forty five minutes at a time. It was incredibly depressing to be surrounded by all of these happy people. I was doing my best to keep up my charade of being anti Valentine's Day.

I was at my locker switching out my books when I saw someone come up beside me. I sighed. It was Claudia, the new girl and a friend of Char's, she was older than me, she was popular and a lot of the guys from Hawkes' school thought she was hotter than sex on legs, whatever that meant.

"Yes, Claudia?" My voice was blunt, on the verge of being rude.

While she was friends with my sister, we didn't really get a long, there was no bitch fight but we just didn't mesh well. She always looked at me as though I smelled like rotten eggs.

"What's Hawke doing tonight?"

"How should I know?" I continued searching though my locker. even though I already had the books I needed, I just wanted to keep busy so Claudia wouldn't see how flustered I was.

"You two are always together, you must know what he's doing tonight." She leaned against the lockers managing to look both bored and sophisticated at the same time. How does she do that?

"Sure, we hang out but I'm not in charge of his personal planner, if I was I'd use a lot more glitter washi tape than what he does."

I smiled a little to myself at the thought of Hawke using glitter washi tape. The thought was ridiculous.

"Ok, why would he be using washi tape?" she gave me a confused look but shook her head. "You must know what he's doing."

"Nope. Sorry, if he's doing something tonight he hasn't told me about it." I replied and finally chucked my things into my backpack. The warning bell for the next class was ringing which meant I didn't have much time.

"Well, can you like ask him what he's doing because I need to know. Someone else has already asked me out."

Claudia started walking with me as I began to move away from my locker, we were already getting looks from others passing by.

"Then why don't you go out with that guy, instead of waiting for Hawke?"

"Because if I can get a better offer I want it."

Wow. I couldn't believe someone like her could be so rude. And she got flowers and chocolates for it. I just upgraded myself to a bigger tub of ice cream. And I was going to get the potato chips as well. This was going to be a serious pity party for one.

"Maybe you should just tell the first guy no, if you want to go out with Hawke."

"What? That's so stupid. I need a date for Valentine's Day."

I had no idea why I was engaging in this topic of conversation with anyone and it baffled me even more that I was discussing this topic with Claudia.

"Even if you don't want to be with him?" I asked.

"Yeah. I can't be dateless on Valentine's Day, that's just not cool."

"Ok. Well I'll pass on the message. I've got to get to class."

I walked off heading for my maths class without bothering to wait for a reply. The official word from one of the coolest girls in school was that I was dateless and not cool. A loser, if you will. I sighed to myself and kept walking. I didn't really need her to verify what I felt inside.

I slid into my desk before the teacher arrived and managed to get all my stuff out ready for the class to start. Since I had a few moments to spare I took my phone out and sent a quick message to Hawke.

Me: Claudia wants to know what you're doing for Valentines, she's waiting for you to ask her out.

I put my phone away not expecting an answer but I saw my phone light up with a new message straight away.

Hawke: Claudia? Why is she asking you?

Me: Because I'm in charge of your schedule apparently. So can you please let her know because she has another date but will take you, if you ask.

Hawke: ha. I'll get someone to give her the message.

Me: Why can't you do it yourself?

Hawke: Because I don't want her to have my number.

His statement didn't really require an answer so I put my phone away for good. It did leave me curious though. Why wouldn't he want her to have his number? The teacher finally came in and started the lesson. Soon all thoughts of Hawkes' romantic life left my mind as I became swamped with mathematical equations and thoughts of pie. I knew it was the wrong kind of pie but it would go great with my ice cream, blueberry pie that is.

Halfway through the lesson, just as my brain was turning to mush a knock came at the door and another round of deliveries came in for all the lucky Valentine's ladies. I rolled my eyes and kept my head down.

"Savannah Steadman?" Someone called my name. I looked up, confused as to why my name was being called. A tall man with dark hair made his way to me carrying a single rose and a teddy bear. He handed the items to me and I smiled my thanks to him. I could feel all my classmates' eyes on me and I could also feel heat rise to my cheeks. Who on earth was sending me these? I opened the card attached to the teddy bear.

"Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And everything you do,

Meet me for a romantic night. 8pm at your house."

I folded up the card and sat both items on my desk and tried to go back to the lesson. Everyone was still staring at me and I tried my best to ignore them, it was hard but not impossible.

The teacher managed to get the lesson back on track. No one said anything until the bell rang, suddenly I was swarmed with other girls dying to know what the card said and who it was from.

"It's not signed, kind of the point of the day, it's a secret." I said as nicely as I could while trying to leave the room. Maths was my last class of the day, so I made my way to my locker to collect my homework. Char was already waiting for me and squealed with delight when she saw me carrying the items.

"Who gave you those?" she asked bouncing around.

"I don't know. They're coming to our house tonight. So that'll be fun." I said in a deadpan voice.

"Aren't you a bit excited? You wanted romance didn't you?" Char was so excited and bubbly you'd think she was the one who received the valentine, not me.

"Char, are you forgetting our mothers' rules? No boys. She flipped out when Hawke was in my room the other night I doubt she's going to let me go out on an actual date with someone she probably doesn't even know. I don't even know who they are."

I collected everything I needed from my locker and we began to walk to the bus stop. School wasn't that far from home but it was easier to take the bus which we did when it was too hot, like today. Char shook her head but didn't say anything more on the matter. We waited for the bus chatting about anything but the rose I was holding in my hand.