Valentine's Day

Chapter One

 CHAPTER ONE:

 I squinted, trying to see the plated labels to check the headings. This was definitely killing my eyeballs. They should just use bigger fonts, I thought to myself, and save us innocent users from becoming permanently blind. Carefully, I pulled the wooden ladder to the folklore section and clicked it into place. Chucking my bag on the floor, i climbed up easily, hooking an arm around the topmost rung of the ladder and tiptoed to get the book. I snagged it easily, and quickly flipped to the front and checked the preface.

  "Hmm.." I closed the book and shoved back onto the shelf. Not the one i wanted.

  I gripped the ladder harder and tried to reach for the book on the higher shelf. 

  'Ugh," I huffed as my fingers couldn't touch the spine of the book. 

  Then, i heard the sound of another ladder sliding across the metal rails of the shelves to click into the section beside mine, and a hand swiftly grabbed the book. 

  "I see that you're still as short as ever." The person chuckled, handing me my book. 

  'You know," I snatched the book from him. "If you keep playing with the ladders, you're going to fall down one day." I said severely, though not quite managing to hide my smile.

  "Oh, that day is never going to come." Wes smirked, showing me how perfect his teeth was. 

  I sighed and relented. How was i suppose to get annoyed with him? You can say that Wes and I knew each other since..well, forever. Our moms were highschool friends, and when they got married, by some luck or tragedy, they had bought houses in the similiar area. The end result? Quality time spent together with Wes since the day they moved in.

NINE YEARS AGO:

  "Juliet! Come down already! Our guests are here already!" I heard Mama call from downstairs.

  "Coming!" I shouted.

  I ran to my cupboard and pulled out my familiar old tattered jeans and an orange shirt. Mama was going to scold me for not wearing that pretty pink dress she had bought yesterday but i didn't like it. It was so scratchy and i always end up tearing the dress. Lily used to laugh at me, telling me that I behaved like a boy until i showed her! Well, that made Mama angry, but she forgave me after that. I think she doesn't like Lily too. Quickly, i pulled off the frilly dress and threw on my favourite clothes. They weren't pretty like the dress, but at least they make me feel happier. I took my cap, my birthday present, and stuffed all my yellow hair underneath it. There, i thought happily. Now i can go play in peace.

  "Juliet!" Mama sounded impatient now.

  I yelped and ran down quickly, like superman!

  "Juliet, what did you do with your dress again?" Mama demanded, her face angry and scary.

  I bit my lip and pulled at my fingers nervously.

  "Er...I didn't want to dirty it." I whispered.

  "Oh Tia," a brown-faced woman with long black hair was standing at the couch with a boy by her side. "Leave her be. She's not as stubborn as mine here." She chuckled. 

  Mama smiled at her remark. She placed her hand behind my back and nudged me forward.

  "Juliet, this is Aunt Judie. Mama has been friends with her since high school." Mama's voice held something like nos-nostal...oh, the feeling just reminded me of old soft toys like Mr Whimsey and my favourite blue blanket that Mama threw away already.