Valentine's Day

February 14. One of the worst days ever made in existence. I hate Valentine's Day. For all I care, it can go in hole and die. It was so ridiculous. It was like every couple in the entire school was determined to show some form of PDA every five seconds they saw each other, while the rest of us had to watch and try not to throw up our lunches at the same time.

Valentine’s Day never brings anything good. Two years ago I lost my dad on this day. That same day, my mom became an alcoholic. Since then, I’ve basically had to take care of myself. I’m sixteen now, so it’s kinda expected I could care for myself anyway. When my dad died, it was up to me to pay the bills and do all the housework, since my mom was too busy getting wasted.

In the past, Valentine’s Day wasn’t too terrible. My dad always made sure I got a present from him that day. He would always send me a card with a box of candy, leaving it on the dresser for me to find when I woke up that morning, even though he could personally give it to me. My mom would take us all out to eat at the restaurant of my choice. But now all that is over.

After the funeral, my mom just lost it, succumbing to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain, not caring about how it was all affecting me. It was like she shut down. She stopped showing up to work, which ended up with her losing her job, stopped buying groceries, paying the bills, anything a grown woman with a family of her own should be doing. She left it all up to me.

Luckily by then, I knew how most things were done. I knew how to pay the bills and buy the right food. The only thing my mom bought lately for herself was her precious drinks. After I cashed my check and deposited the money to my account, I only put a few dollars on hers, just enough to buy her a few drinks. What else was I supposed to do? Even though she still drinks, she at least managed to get another job. A traveling job, but at least she helped make a little money.

Which brings me back to what I believe is the worst day of the entire year. What made it even worse was that it was on a Tuesday this year. And unfortunately I had a stinking project due that day and I did not turn it in on time, it would be counted as a failing grade. It left me no choice, but to go to school.

And my school, Destiny High, was really annoying, but at least I didn’t have to wear some uniform. But the good thing, really the only good thing about my school, is that everyone left me alone. After my dad’s passing, no one bothered to talk to me, which was perfectly fine.

Finally the day was almost over, my project was turned in and I was in my favorite class, Art. Instead of drawing something involving love and hearts, I sat quietly, sketching a drawing of a graveyard, representing where my dad’s body was. The assignment was to draw something you thought of today, and all I could focus on, that didn’t make me want to throw up my lunch, was my father.

I was so focused in my sketch; I didn’t notice someone was peeking over my shoulder, watching. It wasn’t till I heard someone clearing their throat that I actually stopped working. I looked up and notice that everyone was packing up and leaving, except for one person. I didn’t really know who he was, other than he was probably the only guy in this entire school with silver hair, that wasn’t a teacher. I assumed he was just there, letting me know class was over and we could go home so I began to put my supplies up in my backpack to finish the sketch when I got home.

But he didn’t move, he just kept staring at me. I looked at him, stuffing my pad in my backpack, “do you need something?” I glared at him. Sometimes I’d be nicer, but on a day like this, I wasn’t going to be nice. I was ready to go home and get away from all the over the top lovey dovey couples to some peace and quiet at home.

He didn’t answer at first, but when he did, it wasn’t what I was expecting. “Why do you hate Valentine’s day so much?”

It threw me off at first, no one bothered to ask me something like that ever. And as far as I was concerned, he was a complete stranger to me. I didn’t answer him, but looked over at what I assumed to be his desk in the class, to find it almost flooded with valentines from girls. His backpack was overflowing with boxes of chocolates; I wonder how he had room for all his school supplies.

He asked me why I hated Valentine’s Day so much, “why do you like today so much? Oh wait…because you have swarm of girls going all over you sending you things you certainly don’t need, so you just polite and accept it, waste all the gifts they give you, not even sparing them a second glance.” He looked over at his backpack, about to defend himself, but I slipped out of the classroom with my stuff and hurried home, eager to get way not only from school, but from his as well.

A week had passed, and I forgot all about what had happened earlier between me and the strange silver haired guy. It wasn’t until lunch I remembered. I was sitting by myself, outside, with an empty tray next to me since I had already finished lunch. I had my earphones in, listening to Linkin Park’s Numb while just randomly sketching. A note had landed right in the middle of my drawing, my name boldly printed on the top. I instantly looked up, trying to find out who left it for me, but no one was there. I was still the only one outside. Since the note was folded up, I opened it, and read what it said.

Since you won’t tell me why you hate Valentine’s Day, it’s my goal to not only find out why, but how I can get you to at least tolerate it better. Meet me in front of the school after art ends for a surprise.

Riku

The note puzzled me. Who was this Riku and why did he want to meet me after art? I’ll just worry about it later. The rest of the day went by quickly, unlike last week. At last it was time for Art class. Today’s assignment was to draw what we desire most. For me, it was to have my dad around, but no one could figure it out. Class was over and I was packing up as slowly as I could, seeing if maybe I could see who this Riku person was before meeting whoever it was. But everyone headed out quickly. Eventually I had to leave when the teacher told me to head on home because she had some school meeting in ten minutes she had to go to and she needed an energy drink before then.

I went to my locker and got all the things I would need that night for homework. I couldn’t delay it any longer, plus school ended a good half hour again, more than likely whoever left me the note, joke or not, would be gone by now, leaving it safe for me to walk home and still have time to finish my homework before I made dinner for myself.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one still at school that wasn’t a part of the staff there. One other student was there. I recognized him as the silver haired guy from a week or so ago. In one hand he had a bouquet of red carnations, and in the other was a gift bag that you would expect from a ten year old’s birthday party.

This time I spoke first, “So you must be Riku.”

“That I am. And you are?” he asked.

“Aiko. Who are the flowers and tacky present for? Your number one fan, aka the most popular girl in school?”

“Actually…they are for you. Happy late Valentine’s day! I don’t know why you hate that day so much, so I figured why not just celebrate a week late?” Riku walked up to me, handing me the flowers. I sniffed them, and they smelt pretty good. I hadn’t gotten flowers from anyone for myself in a long time.

“And what possessed you to get me flowers and a gift? You don’t know anything about me.”

“Oh but I do. Over the past week I’ve been uh…observing you. You love to draw. In your free time you listen to music and just drown out the world. The red carnations mean admiration. I admire you for not just following the crowd, but rather doing your own thing, even though you do it alone.”

“And the present?”

“Oh yeah… for you” I set the flowers down on his bag temporarily as he handed me the gift he got me. I peeked in and saw a brand new pack colored pencils. “I noticed the pencils you were using to draw with were starting to get to short for you to use, so I bought you a new set, exactly like the ones you were using. It took awhile since I didn’t know the exact brand you bought, so I did my best.” I don’t know why I did what I did next, but I set the bag down and ran over and hugged him. Riku, still a stranger to me, knew exactly what pencils I used and everything. No one, not even my mom, had been that nice to me. The only person to do anything like this for me was my dad, and he was gone.

“Thank you. These are the exact kids of supplies I use for my sketches. How can I ever really thank you?”

“Well there is another part to the flowers. They mean my heart aches for you. So in order to end my aching, would you, please, go on a date with me and someday tell me why you really hate Valentine’s day? Just one date and I promise if you don’t have fun and don’t like it, I’ll leave you alone and we’ll just be friends.”

I told him I would and we went out on one date at the end of that week. It went so well, we went out again and again and again.

One year later, on our anniversary, Riku showed up at my door with red chrysanthemums. He told me it meant he loved me. I told him I loved him too and we went out for another year full of happiness and bliss. Finally it was graduation day. Today we decided we’d show each other our pictures from two years ago we’d made in class, stating what we desired the most at the time. I still wish my dad was around, but I had a new desire. I loved Riku with all my heart, and I knew he felt the same. The only question was did he love me enough to marry me someday?

The ceremony was finally over, and instead of going out to eat with our family members, we decided to out to celebrate ourselves. We had a picnic outside on the beach, instead of spending all our money at some high priced restaurant like everyone else. In my purse, folded up nice and neat, was the picture I had drawn years ago. It was a picture of a daughter and a father, together forever hand in hand.

I met Riku at the beach, dinner already set up. In his hand was a folder, containing his drawing, and a bouquet of peach roses. I asked him what they meant, but he wouldn’t tell me until later, after we shared our pictures.

So after we ate, we got our pictures out. He insisted I went first since I was girl, claiming chivalry stated ladies first. I laughed, but showed him my picture. “two years ago, you asked me why I didn’t like Valentine’s day so much. Now, I know for sure I could finally tell you, away from anyone else. Just you, the only one that matters. My…dad passed away a few years ago on that day. Ever since then the only thing I’ve every wanted was for him to just be here with me. To hold me and support me in everything I do. I still wish for that, but now I have another goal. It’s you. All I want now is to be with you, no matter what.”

I finished my story, crying. Riku sat up and reached over and held me, comforting me. I was really close to my dad and when he was gone my world had changed. It wasn’t until Riku really came along that things got better. Riku understood by now how much my dad meant to me, I just never told him when my dad actually passed.

After I managed to calm down, Riku opened the folder, but didn’t take the drawing out, just yet. “Three or so years ago, I first saw you. Immediately all I wanted to do was get to know you. But I was too nervous to even say hi. Then we got an assignment to draw what we dreamt of. My dream…well…” he opened the folder and took his drawing out. It was a picture of him and I, together. I was holding a bouquet of peach roses in my hands, wearing a white gown and he was in a suit holding me, both of us were smiling. When I looked up asking him what he really meant, I saw he had a ring in his hand. “ever since we got that assignment in art class, all I’ve really wanted was to be with you, and only you. But I knew I had to get you to trust me first. So I finally worked up the courage to talk to you. A week later, as you know, I asked you out. The peach roses mean ‘let’s get together’. By that I mean, Aiko, the love of my life, will you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

I immediately gasped, putting my hands over my mouth, starting to shed more tears, but this time they were happy. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!” I told him. He slid the ring on my finger and kissed me with such love and admiration. Even though I wasn’t ever going to get my dad back, I had the next best thing. A love unlike no other, someone who completely understood me and loves me for who I am, no matter what.