The Smith's Reasons (13RW)

Valentine's Day

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Jeff asked me as we were watching the new episode of a TV show we had started on the couch that we occupied from morning to night to binge shows.

"School. Work. Homework," I said. "Oh wait. Can I go to Rosie's?"

"You do know that it's going to be filled with couples, right?"

"Yeah, so? I could sit at the counter. There's no stopping me right now." I sang the last part.

"Fine." He sighed. "On one condition. I want to take Emma to '30 Ways to Die'." 

"What, no! I want to watch it. You told me that we could go together!" It had been a long time since we went to the theatre together. "It's been....you can't go to every movie that I want to watch with your friends. And now with your girlfriend!"

"Please?" He pleaded with his hands joined together. "I really want this day to be special."

"Fine," I said. "But can you convince Clay to enter the My Dollar Valentine? I've tried talking some sense into him but I think he'll listen to you. You're like his personal saviour." He respected Jeff more than me and looked at him like he was God.

"Sure. That kid needs to go out more really," he said. "As do you."

"Oh, I'm not entering that stupid thing." I laughed. "No way. No no no way. Absolutely no way."

"Fine. Your wish." 

The morning of Valentine's Day came but who cared about that, even though pink and red colours filled the entire town. I wore dark clothes to rebel. I wore a black top with purple flannel on top and black jeans with my sneakers, of course.

I drove my cycle to school but halfway there, I realized that Jeff had been right. The cycle really needed to be dropped off at the repair shop as the brakes weren't working and the bell wasn't ringing. 

I had to keep the bike away from Clay, otherwise he would have made me walk home and took the cycle to the shop himself. And if Clay would do something that I had to do for me, it would end up with a long conversation about my safety. "Hey." He caught me right as I locked my cycle.

"Hey!" I said as I tried my best to hide my cycle. 

"Something really funny happened right now."

"Our whole life is funny." I pointed as we started walking towards school.

"No, it's not that. Jeff told me to sign up for the Dollar Valentine." Good job, brother.

"I think you should. How long are you going to keep pinning for Hannah? It's not like you're going to ask her out."

He looked at me with squinted eyes and scoffed. "Wow, that's mean even for you, Nat."

I gave him a questionable look in return. "What I'm saying is that if you get Hannah as one of your suggestions, it would be easier for you to ask her out. It would give you a reason, you know?" Smooth.

"Funny. Because that's exactly what Jeff said." I bit my lip. Shoot. "Are you guys planning this or something?"

I zipped my mouth. "I know nothing about it. Bye!" I ran towards class while he walked to his locker. I knew that he shook his head while smiling.

After school got over, I asked Skye whether she wanted to join me at Rosie's. It would be just us single girls but she declined it since she had something planned with her parents. But I made her promise that one of those days, she would hang out with me outside of work. She agreed just as Clay walked through the door in a hurry and in his uniform.