A Story A Day. Story 40 of 365: Valentine (Part I)

Patricia had fallen in love with Valentine the moment she had laid her eyes on him. He was so perfect, like a god, and he had such a romantic name! She couldn't stop admiring him; his varonile hands, his clear eyes, his smooth black hair, his smile. He was a year older than she was, and that made him experienced, in her eyes, and also unatainable. It was Patricia's first love, a teenage love, and, as she felt it, the only possible one.

She followed him around whenever she met him in the corridor. The teachers started telling her off because of her unprecedented lateness. And Valentine didn't seem to notice her. One day, Patricia's mother, worried about her daughter's behavior, asked her if anything was amiss. 

-Nothing, mum.-she replied. 

-Are you sure? I'm your mother, you can tell me anything. 

Patricia paused to think and decided it couldn't hurt to tell her. 

-Well,... There's this boy, Valentine, whom I really REALLY like. He's so handsome, mum! I think I'm in love!- she blurted out in excitement.

-Oh, sweetie! It is okay to like boys and everything, but you're only fourteen and you need to focus on school a bit more,... 

-But, but, Jenny has a boyfriend! 

-And if Jenny jumps off a bridge, you will too? 

Patricia fell into sullen silence.

-Look, sweetheart. I'm not saying you can't like him, but just don't leave your studies aside or you're going to regret it. Maybe not now, but someday.- she stoped talking for a second.-Ok, that's what we will do, you focus on your studies, and I'll help you out with this boy, okay?

The following days Patricia's mother would ask her about her progress, if she had already talked to him. She would also give Patricia tips to make him notice her, but her daughter was too shy for half of them. The only thing she dared to do was leave him notes on his locker, and she never signed them. 

Valentine's Day was approaching and she decided it was the right time to let him know her feelings. After all, he was named Valentine. She left him notes twice a day that week, and sent him chocolates three days before Saint Valentine's. She finally braved up and sent him a note asking him to meet her in the gym on the anticipated day. 

The gym was under construction still, lacking parts of the roof. It wasn't a romantic place, but she could be sure no one would be around. 

Patricia wore one of her best dresses that day, a pretty red dress, tied on the back with a white ribbon. People complimented her on it, as she didn't usually take too much care of her outfit. When the time of the date came, she hurried to the gym. She was nervous, her heart pounding in her ears. Would he come? Would he laugh at her? She wouldn't be able to bear the mocking that would come after a rejection, she knew that. If he laughed at her, she would flee as fast as she could as far as possible. While standing inside the gym she heard what she had been expecting for so long; his voice. 

-Hello! Is there anybody here? 

She approached him shyly. A flicker of recognition crossed Valentine's gaze. 

-So, it's you.

-Yes.-she managed to say. 

-I knew.- he sighed.- Listen, I... well, I don't like you.- he said straightforwardly. 

He opened his mouth to say something else, but she couldn't hear anything that wasn't the rush of blood that had gone to her head.