If It's Meant To Be

14 February 2012

She was anxious. Would he like it? Anna had asked Tommy to meet her in the parking lot after school via Josie. It was important that they didn't talk before that or it wouldn't work.

Behind her was Gary's car. The hardest part was getting him to agree but after a little monetary persuasion and more than one 'pleaasssee' he finally let her use it.

It looked plain from the outside, like nothing happened to it, but the inside told another story. She hadn't been with Tommy for very long, but the butterflies he gave her made her want to make him feel special, and Valentine's Day was the perfect excuse.

Tommy was now walking towards her, his eyes wide and steps hurried. He had something in his hands but she couldn't make it out from where she was. He ran his hands through his hair, an action that always made her smile.

"Hi." She greeted when he was near enough. She unclasped her hands and wrapped them around him. He held her tight, their cheeks more than brushing.

"Hi." He said as he put her down. Now there were smiles on both their faces.

"Can we go now?" Gary asked. He had momentarily looked up from his phone screen when Tommy had approached.

"Not to our place." His smile disappeared so quickly she forgot it had been there in the first place. His expression flickered with dread before he turned it into a careless shrug and picked up her hand with his left one.

She raised her eyebrows at his sudden change in demeanor.

"I mean, there are way better places to go than my place."

"We'll judge your home another day, so no, we aren't going there." He pulled her close again but kept enough distance between them so he could look at her.

"Thank you." Tommy smiled.

"Mmhm." She was still skeptical but decided to let it go.

"I have a question for you." He took a step back and shifted his weight, his right hand behind his back. "Will you be my Valentine?"

"You're only asking me now? If I say no what will you do with what's behind your back?"

"I'll still give it to you, it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

She reluctantly smiled at him. A side effect of having a crush on him was that she couldn't help but smile when he looked at her.

"Fine. Yes. But only if you'll be mine." Anna raised her eyebrow, already knowing his response.

"Of course." He winked and hooked his left arm around her waist, pulling her close again and placing a kiss on her cheek. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sweet moment.

"You guys are corny." Gary shook his head in disappointment. He could tell they were falling for each other. They were only 16, they still needed to grow themselves before falling for each other. He feared if they made it into adulthood as a couple, they wouldn't love the people they would grow into. Gary would rather they find each other when they've found themselves. He knew his brother was desperate for love, even if Tommy didn't know it himself. And so, Gary shook his head and pocketed his phone. It was time to do his brother's girlfriend's bidding.

Anna giggled, suddenly anxious about what she had planned.

"Great." She said and opened the door. There were rose petals everywhere. Fake ones because real flowers were expensive. She had bought sheets of thin red coloured paper and spent the whole night cutting them into petal shapes drawing hearts on each one. They were hanging from thin strings attached to the sealing and strewn across the back seat.