Valentine's Day

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO:

  You can say that growing up wasn't easy for me. My mom had enrolled me in a kindergarten nearby, where all the children had fathers, and nearly all belonged to the upper class area of the neighbourhood. I had been teased everyday about my fatherless state, and also because of the fact that I did not fit in with the other girls. Back then, the girls loved to band together to playing princess, or mothers but I didn't see the use and fun of it. I mean, who wants to be a mom who goes out to work all day and spend days just cooking? I thought the boys' games more fun, but undoubtedly, i was rejected by them. I was unable to spend my time with the girls because I never did bother about dresses and princesses, and i couldn't spend it with the boys because of the pathetic reason that i was a girl. Even though i could climb trees, run faster, or fight better than any of them, they still did not accept me. So everyday, I would wish for the time where the clock strikes twelve, and i would run all the way home, away from the mean kids who ousted me because i was too different.

  So, a large amount of the time i've spent since i was a kid was with Wes. He looked after me as an older brother would, and i gave him trouble as a little sister would. Well, he may have thought that i was never going to be able to look after him, until he got his first girlfriend. Now, that was something he had totally no idea how to proceed from. It was such fun to see Wes so at lost and dense in a guy's way. He was in love with this girl called Jodie from his guitar class, and i have lost count of how many days I've spent trying to convince him to actually talk to her. After that, he took it like a breeze and now, they're still together. From that day, I helped nearly everyone with their romance problems, be it the jock that didn't know you exist to that shy girl at the back of the class that looks just so beautiful.

  You may think that since i could help so many people find their happiness, I would probably a hopeless romantic who possibly dreams of guys everyday and wish for a prince charming to come sweep me off my feet, but there, you're wrong. All my friends are puzzled as to why I didn't believe in love, but well, with a father who left my mom and me when i was only an infant, can i really believe in love?

  My mother never did tell me the whole thing, but one thing that she had reinforced over the years was that my dad didn't bother about us. He claimed that he had a life to look for, one that apparently didn't consist of me. And so, the night i was born, he packed his things and left with his "best friend" who, according to mom, was this childhood sweetheart of his. He didn't love my mom at all. All he did was to play with her feelings, making her fall in love with him, then dump her when he realized that i was the consequence he didn't want. Throughout the whole of my life, i never once saw him. Not that i wanted to, but i had hoped that my dad would at least have the decency to see how mom and i were getting along. But no, he had apparently forgotten about our existence and thought that bringing up a child was easy without a stable job. My mother had gone through so much just to give me a home, working two jobs a day, slogging her guts out until finally, she was given a promotion and everything she deserved.

  Because of this, I never believed in love. Love is one of the most overused words in the history of English, and it has probably lost all its true value by now. These days, all people want to do is have fun with other people's feelings and once they're done, they just forget about you totally. Sounds familiar? Besides, liking someone is so tiring. I can never persuade myself to believe that someone would give up his all just for you. It is not in human nature to give up your interests, to put others before you. All this talk about love and how you would die for someone, its just empty talk. I'm not going to let some guy who just looks good talk me into loving him, then end up getting my heart broken just like my mom. It's not worth it at all.

  So, you can imagine how i feel about Valentine's Day, can you? It is a total waste of time, just a day for people to get imaginary courage to confess to the person they like that they love them. After that, there would be months and months of heartbreak, sobbing, drama, scandals, and it dies off...just in time for the next Valentine's day. I may be sardonic and pessimistic about this, but isn't it the case?

  So now, you're wondering if I'm a hypocrite, talking about how much i don't believe in infatuationyet i still help so many people find their happiness. I do, perhaps, believe a little that someone might have love in her life. After all, that's how i was born, right? So i hope that when i help them(which i seem to have a knack for, weirdly),  at least i can ensure them no heartbreak and embarrassing awkward silences. The only thing i believed in love, was that we have a chance of preventing ourselves from a heartbreak.

BACK AT THE LIBRARY:

  "When you fall down, I swear I wouldn't catch you." I warned Wes.

  Wes rolled his eyes and slung his arm around the upper rung of the ladder.

  "I think I should be the one saying this. How many innocent people have you attempted to kill?" He teased.

  I sighed and reached up for another book. Fine, I had balance problems and my fingers could never hold something properly for more than twenty seconds. By being up on a ladder and still staying alive, I was a miracle. I've lost count the number of times I've dropped a book on someone. Wes, unfortunately (I must have offended him in my previous lifetime), had always been a spectator of this. 

  "Whatever. At least the harm I inflict upon people is purely physical. Unlike yours," I teased.  

  Wes groaned.

  "Don't remind me! It seems as if I'm always the bad guy!" He said in exasperation. 

  At eighteen, Wes seemed to have matured from a boy with eyes the colour of frogs to some guy with awesome hair and eyes the colour of jade. The reason for so many girls' falling in love with him, I have no idea, but nevertheless, it seemed as if he was some magnetic pull for them. I've lost count of how many heartbroken girls i had to counsel because of the rejection my best friend gave them. Honestly, to me, he is still the same immature boy who can't keep still and is prone to sensitive moments when he was nine, but i guess they didn't meet him when he was nine.

  "That's just too bad," I knocked his head with the heavy book I was holding. "Alicia came to me crying this morning."

  Wes looked amazed. 

  "Alicia? Did i even do anything to her?" His voice got higher.

  I stifled a laugh.

  "She said you just ignored her when she said 'hi'. It broke her heart." I shrugged.

  "But i didn't hear her!" He turned to the bookshelf and began knocking his head against it repeatedly. "I. Need. Vitamins. For. My. Ears. At. This. Rate." He knocked at each word.

  I chuckled and covered his forehead to prevent him for getting a concussion.

  "Don't become permanently stupid. You're bad enough as it is." I smiled.

  Carefully, I climbed down the steps and started off towards the entrance of the library. Aunt Judie had asked me over for dinner so i couldn't be late. That was probably the reason why Wes was here. He was here to ensure that i arrived on time, as well as to give me a ride i guess.

  Wes caught up with me just as i exited the building.

  "So, Valentine's day is in two weeks. Anything special you want to tell me?" I heard the mischievous tone of his voice.

  I rolled my eyes.

  'No, Wes. There will never be anything." I said.

  Valentine's day again? Please, it was just a complete waste of time. As if I was ever going to fall in love.