Spooky

Chapter 47

{Author's Note: aaaa I managed to get this update out just in time to be a birthday present from me to myself XD So this chapter is mostly just fluff, not very plot-driven, but still hopefully a nice read. Enjoy!}

-Scourge's POV-

The second half of January is much, much more boring than the first (save for some wonderful snow days we spend snuggled up in the dorms playing video games), but with February comes an exciting event, in my mind at least—Valentine's Day. It's almost two weeks from now, and I'm so oddly excited. This'll be my first Valentine's with a boyfriend; some part of me wants to treat him well enough to make up for how shitty I was to my girlfriends, even though that's a silly notion. In any case, that's what's led me to where I'm at currently—pacing back and forth in the little lounge area by the vending machines as Rouge reclines in amused comfort; she has a free period, and I don't give a damn about math today.

"Hon, I don't know why you're asking me," she smirks. "I'm not the one who's dating him..."

"Yeah, but," I counter, "you know him better than I do—" the white bat raises her eyebrows in an expression of extreme skepticism— "Fine, I mean—You've known him longer."

"Doesn't mean I know what he finds romantic." She replies matter-of-factly, folding her hands over her crossed legs. "That's your job, you should know by now."

"But we don't do romantic stuff!" I whine. "The closest thing we did to a normal romantic thing was going to the carnival, but that ain't in town anymore. We just...don't do anything romantic."

"Maybe that, in and of itself, is romantic." Rouge says pointedly. I stop pacing for a moment to give her a puzzled stare, and she elaborates. "Scourge, hon, you don't have to do something that's traditionally romantic just because it's Valentine's Day. It's not like a play that you have to preform. The point of Vee Day is just to show how much ya love each other. If it's not genuine, there's no point."

I pause, thinking it over. "...Huh." In an instant, I know she's most definitely right. I mean, of course she is, it's Rouge, but still. "Well... What should we do, then?"

"That's entirely up to you," Rouge replies with a shrug. "Maybe you should just ask him what he wants to do."

"But I wanna surprise him," I whine. "I wanna do somethin' nice that he won't expect."

Rouge sighs, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward to look up at me with a kind and sympathetic stare. "Listen, hon, he's not hard to impress. Take him to a nice café or something, he'll love it, because he loves you."

I look down at her, mulling it over. I have to get some money, I realize, as I give her a grin. "If you think that'll work—"

"I know it'll work." She affirms almost stubbornly, and before I can reply the bell rings harshly. She gets up, patting me on the shoulder. "You can do it, champ," Rouge grins, wings opening as she picks up her bag and flutters down the hall in one swift motion. I turn the other way, an idea brewing in my mind, to fetch my bag from the class I ditched.

•~

Today ends with art class, the one class I was actively looking forward to. I sit next to Rouge as she paints, still working on the jewel piece from Halloween—it's very close to being done now, though, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Right as I'm settling down into a chair, sketchbook in hand, the door opens, and I glance over to see my boyfriend sauntering in. I perk up; I haven't seen him since lunch, where he mysteriously only showed up in the last ten minutes (okay, it wasn't that mysterious, he was taking a math test), so we haven't spoken much today. I scan him quickly, appreciatively; he's wearing his usual ensemble, ripped red jeans, a band t-shirt (one I actually recognize, I think he likes them a lot), and his jacket. His eyes light up when they meet mine, and I smile.