A Valentine’s memory
‘Tis the season to be bitter, rarararara-roma-gaga.
No, no ranting for me this year. Last Thursday (Feb. 11, 2010), a colleague shared over Facebook an awesome pre-Valentine’s day surprise care of her LOML. Crazy, but it was just melt-worthy. Which got me to asking: what was the craziest thing you / I have done for someone in time for Valentine’s day?
I guess it was that Facebook post that got my muse back, albeit temporarily. So here, I’m sharing someone’s craziest Valentine’s move. Based on a true story, but edited for fiction’s sake and to protect the identities of people involved. XD
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It was still dark, but thanks to the looming sunrise I managed to find my way around. I looked around to check if anyone was on my trail. The streets usually filled with students and school buses were deserted, but every house was lit, with every resident bustling to get ready for the day ahead.
My heart pounded faster than usual. For a moment, I thought it was caused by lack of sleep, since I spent the night polishing a sonnet I wrote in third year English class. (Yes, it was a sonnet I made with Mutya in mind.) My nerves worsened in every step I took, yet I still took great care in the gifts I was holding: the poem, a bar of Toblerone and a dozen of red roses.
I reached the bungalow with the red gate. “At last,” I thought.
But two minutes passed and I was still there, staring at the doorbell, weighing in on whether to push the button or not.
“Am I really doing this?” I questioned myself. For days I secretly followed Mutya after the class dismissal to see where she went after school. You have no idea how happy I was when I finally learned where she lived. Of course I could’ve asked her, but every time we met all I could manage to say was “Hi!” and she “Hello!” After all, the third years were in the second floor and the first years were at the fourth.
“Why am I doing this anyway?” I asked myself again. I stared at the gifts. Is it going to be worth it? Will she notice me more after this? But the cards on the gifts were unmarked except with the words “Happy Valentine’s Day Mutya!”
The sound of a door creaking startled me as I debated with myself.
“Who’s there?” a voice inquired.
It was Mutya’s.
I carelessly dropped the gifts at the doorstep and sprinted. My heartbeat went faster and I was scared like hell, yet the smile on my face stuck like a glue. The feeling was intense yet I felt so free. Surely, I thought, I made Mutya smile today.
A year later I confessed to a friend this Valentine’s Day memory, a friend who happened to be Mutya’s roommate.
My friend couldn’t stop laughing.
“It was you!”
“Stop laughing, you’re making me blush.”
“Sorry, couldn’t help it.” she told me. “Mutya would be floored… oh she’ll definitely be surprised! Who would’ve thought the awesome Valentine’s surprise came from a student from another batch!”
I hushed her and looked around. Mutya was staring at me, her things dropped carelessly near the Faculty Room entrance.
