February 14th

"Okay, your fever has finally gone down enough for you to go back to school."

My mom put her arm around my shoulder and sighed with relief. "Thank you, doctor. I don't know what I would have done if it had gotten worse. She has had this nasty fever for three days now."

"It seems like the acetaminophen worked nicely. I would like to see her in a week from now to make sure she has fully recovered." The doctor spun around in his chair and headed my mother a slip of paper with unreadable writing. Who can read that? As I stared at the piece of paper, my mom pushed me towards the door.

"Yes thank you again." She waved good-bye to the doctor and proceeded to the exit. She seemed like she was in a rush. When we got into the car, she looked at me.

"What is it?" I said hesitantly.

"What do we need?" Her eyes refused to break from mine.

"What do you mean?" Her staring at me made me a bit uncomfortable.

"What do you mean, What do you mean?! I have been waiting so anxiously for you to get better because you said you wanted to make something with me… that was the first time since you were four that you wanted to do that." She looked like she was about to cry. I couldn't hold it in anymore and I began to laugh.

"What's so funny!" her face became pouty.

I smiled, "I really do miss hanging out with you."

Mom's face became light and had a sense of ease across her face. "So what do we need?"

I reached into my bag in the floorboard of the car and pulled out the magazine. I turned to the page marked by a sticky note and showed her. Her bright green eyes widened and looked at me confused. "Are you sure? I thought he liked sweet things?"

"I'm sure. This is what he picked out specifically and I'm sure if he doesn't get this he will be pouty." I smiled down at the page as I ran my fingers across the cold magazine.

"Okay then. Let's go to the market." She put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking lot.

When we got to the store, the smell of chocolate illuminated the air. I can't believe it's already valentine's day. I haven't spoken to Dylan at all since I've been sick. He probably thinks I've been avoiding him since the last time I saw him we fought. I'm still a bit sad about what happened, but I know I can make it up to him if I show up for the game. We grabbed all the necessary ingredients and headed home. Mom laid everything out on the kitchen table and we began working.

"Ahhh! Why is this so hard!" I collapsed onto the countertop and mom placed the fourth failed tray in the trash.

"Maybe we have the temperature wrong for the chocolate? The alcohol is not boiling out of it correctly and is just making it watery looking." Mom stood there pondering the magazine for more answers. The smell of chocolate-covered the entire house and the chocolate itself covered both of us. "Oh, I got it."

"Really?" I sat up from the countertop and walked over to mom standing by the oven.

"We did have the temperature wrong. I think it will work this time!" She looked at me with stars in her eyes. She seems to be enjoying this much more than I am.

"Okay then, let's do this!"

"Two hours later and it is finally done!" I fell back onto the dining room chair staring at the chocolates placed in a small circular box.

"Oh! I like the design you decided to put on top of the chocolates! I'm sure he will love that!" She rubbed my head in excitement. "But don't you think it's time to get going?"

I looked up at the clock and it was already seven o'clock! The game starts at 7:45! I jumped out of my seat and rushed upstairs. "Are you serious! I still have to get dressed!"

"Don't worry about finishing the packaging I'll do it so get ready!"

"Thanks, mom!" I quickly threw on some decently warm clothes and washed my face from all the chocolate stains. When I got downstairs mom had an umbrella and the chocolates in a brown paper bag. I grabbed them out of her hands and rushed out the door.

"Be careful going to the bus stop! It was raining earlier so the ground is frozen over!"

"Okay, mom! Love you!" I waved goodbye and rushed tot he bus stop.

The wind felt like small needles stabbing my skin. I felt my cheeks slowly becoming flushed and my lungs began to sting from the cold dry air. When the bus stop came into view, I saw it slowly pulling up. "Oh no! I can't miss that bus or I won't make it on time!" I yelled at the bus to stop and luckily the bus driver saw me and kept the doors open for a few more seconds.

"Thank you… so much..." I tried my best to catch my breath

"No problem sweety. Happy to help and happy valentine's day."

The old woman smiled gently at me as I sat down in the seat closest to the door.

"Going to meet someone?" She asked while paying close attention to the road.

"Ah. Yes. My boyfriend has a soccer game tonight and I made him some chocolates. I want to make up with him because we had a fight not too long ago and I haven't been able to see him." I began to stroke the paper bag with my frozen thumbs and gazed outside the window.

"Well, I hope you makeup, sweety."

"Me too."

I continued to look outside the window watching the snow-covered houses pass by. I need to apologize and tell him that I was stupid and I want to stay together. The bus then came to a stop. I looked questioningly at the bus driver then she came onto the intercom.

"Sorry folks, there has been a delay. We are going to have to wait for the roads to be salted over before we can continue any further."

I jumped out of my seat and walked over to the bus driver, "How long do you think it will take?"

Her expression saddened when she turned to look at me. "Probably an hour or so. I'm sorry sweety. There is nothing I can do."

"Can you open the doors I can run from here!" I grabbed my umbrella and paper bag and ran frantically out of the bus doors.

I have no idea what time it is, but I just know I have to make it. Breathing became harder the more I ran. Ah! I can see the school building! I'm almost there! I can make it! I ran up the concrete steps, but I felt my foot slip off the stair. I'm going to fall. Oh no… I thought I could make it, but I probably won't be able to tell him. I closed my eyes and clung to the paper bag, waiting to hit the ground, but a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. I then collided with some crushing the paper bag. When I opened my eyes, Dylan was staring at me in shock. Before I could say anything, he began yelling.

"Are you stupid?! Why are you running up the stairs when you know they were iced over?! Jesus, you never fail to give me a heart attack!"

I wrapped my hands around him and pushed my face into his chest. "I am so happy I got to see you. I thought I was too late."

"If you're talking about the game, they pushed it back because the field was covered in snow." He placed his hand on the back of my head and pulled me closer. "I really didn't think you were going to come. I am so glad you did. I thought you were avoiding me since you never came to school"

"Oh I have been sick since Monday that's why I didn't come to school."

"So you weren't avoiding me on purpose?"

I looked up at him and his face was also flushed red. His eyes held so much worry and concern. "No, I wasn't avoiding you on purpose."

He ran his fingers through the back of my hair and pulled me closer. His lips were cold and a bit chapped, but I felt like I was on cloud nine. He moved back away from me and we gazed at each other.

"So would you mind me asking what is stabbing me in the stomach right now?"

I looked down to see the paper bag crushed between us. "Oh no, the chocolates…"

Dylan's eyes widened and he pointed at the bag between us, "Did you say that in that bag is chocolates?"

"Ah, yeah. That's the main reason I'm late I kept messing up even with my mom's help, so I don't know if they are any good. Bourbon chocolates are a lot harder to make than you think." I grabbed the bag and held them close to me. "And it looks like we crushed the packaging so some of the chocolates might be crushed into pieces.

Dylan stood up off the ground and pulled me with him. His eyes never left the paper bag. "Can I have them?"

My face flushed over again, but this time it wasn't because of the cold air. I looked up at his gleaming brown eyes, "I mean I did make them for you, silly."

His hands slowly took out the circular box inside the paper bag and carefully opened the lid. It was like watching someone hold a baby for the first time. Dylan's eyes left the inside of the box and looked at me. "They are soccer balls."

"Yeah! I wanted to make them into something that you liked so I colored them like a soccer ball. Some of the lines are uneven though, but I hope you like it." I began to fidget with the handle of the umbrella.

He looked back down at the box and picked up on of the chocolates. " I don't like it… I love it so much!" He took a bite out of the piece he picked up and his face was even more shocked.

"What?! What's wrong?! Does it taste bad?!" I frantically walked over to him and looked into the box and grabbed a piece for myself. When I took a bite of it I was just as shocked as he was.

"Fawn… can you tell me how you made chocolate have no flavor." Dylan burst into laughter but continued to eat on the chocolate soccer ball.

"If you don't like them then I will take them back!" I reached for the box but he held it above his head knowing good and well I can't reach that high.

"No way! I'm going to eat every last one of these!" He put his big hand on my head and pushed me down preventing me from jumping up to grab them.

"Fine! I'll just have to make some that taste even better next time!" I smiled up at him waiting for him to realize what I said.

"I guess you will. Wait. Does that mean…" He looked down at me with so much hope in his eyes.

I nodded my head, "Yes, I want to be with you forever. No matter how far apart we are."

Tears started to fall onto my cheeks, but he was smiling. He kissed me again, but this time it was much deeper than before. Everything became hot and it tasted like bourbon. He pulled away from me and came down to my eye level.

"As long as I live, I will be by your side. I will love you forever. Even after you go to a different state or when I become professional I will always be thinking of you and only you."

"You sure have a lot of confidence that you will become professional." My smart mouth just ruined the moment, but I had to do something I felt like my heart was about to explode!

"Oh, what's this? You doubt your amazing boyfriend?" He grabbed me and pulled me closer to him. At that moment, I was the happiest person alive.

"It's getting pretty late, huh? Do you want me to drive you home?" He played with my hair again while the other held tightly onto the chocolates.

"No, it's fine. The bus should be here soon. Plus, I want you to go straight home."

He looked at me still concerned. "Are you sure? It won't be a problem?"

"Yes, I am sure! Be careful on your way home, okay?"

He chuckled to himself, "When have I ever been not safe? I'm a great driver, thank you very much!"

We laughed a bit more together before kissing one last time.

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

* Five Years Later *

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Dylan!" I continued to rush down the stoned pathway. "Traffic was so bad, especially since it's valentine's day! Oh and of course I didn't forget the chocolates and this year I'm sure these will be the best you ever had! Even the lines on the soccer balls are even!" I placed my hand on the cold marble grave and set the chocolate box down next to the flower vase. "Ahh… I promised myself I wouldn't cry this year, but I don't know if I can keep that promise." I turned around and sat down on the ground and leaned up against the headstone. "You know, sometimes I still can't believe that you're gone. It has been five years since the wreck and I still hate the man who hit you. Even though, I'm pretty sure you would tell me it was the ice on the roads fault not his, but how is it fair you died and he got to live?" I was on the verge of tears and I felt my voice quiver. "Dylan. I miss you so much!" As the tears began streaming down my face, I knew there was no way I could stop them now. "I'm sure if you could see me now you would think I'm being a cry baby, but it's so hard without you here…" I placed both of my frozen hands over my face. I felt sick all over again. As I started becoming lost in my own sorrow something cold, but soft touched my hands. I glanced up at the sky as tears continued to run down my cheeks. "It's snowing…" The snow was cold, but it felt comforting and warm as if he was telling me not to cry. "You really are something you know…" I smiled up at the sky with my head resting against the headstone. I grabbed the box of chocolates and took a bite out of one. The taste of your kiss. "It's still bitter."