Valentine’s Day

"This is terrible," Olivia declared with the drama of a romantic movie star, collapsing onto the floor of her room and wrapping herself in a blanket as if it were her only source of warmth in the middle of an Arctic storm. We were in her room, a space that always reflected her chaotic yet charming personality: blankets scattered across the bed, books spread everywhere, and an impressive collection of snacks on her desk.

"What's terrible?" I asked, looking up from the book I was reading. I knew that when Olivia used that tone, something big was about to unfold.

"Valentine's Day!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air with a theatrically desperate expression. "It's just a few days away, and I don't have anyone to spend it with. I don't want to be the third wheel while you and Sack do all sorts of cheesy things together."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help but smile.

"Olivia, we're not like that. Besides, you've never been the third wheel. You're part of the golden trio, remember?"

"Exactly," she said, pointing at me with an accusatory but theatrical finger. "But this year will be different. Valentine's Day is for couples, and I don't want to be alone watching you two look at each other like you're the main characters in a romance novel."

"No one looks at us like that," I replied, though I felt a slight blush creep into my cheeks.

"Yes, they do!" Olivia insisted, now sitting up slightly to look me directly in the eyes. "And the worst part is that I called my potential suitors from months ago, and they all have girlfriends now! How is that even possible? I'm amazing. They should have waited for me."

At that moment, Sack walked into the room, carrying a cup of coffee. He had come to check on us after Olivia sent a group message saying, "Existential emergency in my room. Bring coffee."

"Who should have waited for you?" Sack asked, glancing back and forth between Olivia and me with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"My ideal future boyfriend," Olivia responded without missing a beat, as if delivering a lecture on the fate of the universe. "But it seems the universe has conspired against me. Now I'll have to spend Valentine's Day alone, wrapped in this blanket, eating snacks, and watching some depressing movie about lost love."

Sack raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds more like a movie marathon than a tragedy."

"It is a tragedy!" Olivia shot back, now standing up to pace around her room, still wrapped in the blanket. "Imagine being surrounded by hearts and flowers while everyone else is happy except you. It's like being the forgotten side character in a romantic comedy. No one remembers the funny best friend at the end of the movie. It's just the main characters kissing in the rain while you're left there, holding your cold cup of coffee, wondering what you did wrong in life."

I tried to calm her down, though I knew it would probably only make things worse.

"Olivia, you don't have to be alone. The three of us can do something together. It doesn't have to be a romantic date."

"No, thanks," she replied firmly, crossing her arms. "I don't want to ruin your special moment. Besides, I'd rather die of loneliness than watch you exchange gooey looks while I sit there pretending everything's fine."

Sack and I exchanged a quick glance. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was: Olivia was being overly dramatic, but beneath all the theatrics, there was genuine concern.

"Olivia," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully, "you don't have to feel excluded. We're best friends. We've always been together through everything. Valentine's Day doesn't change that."

"I know," she responded, lowering her voice slightly. "But I don't want to be the person who crashes a romantic date. Plus, I'd like to have my own Valentine's Day, something special for me. Something… I don't know, meaningful."

Sack nodded thoughtfully.

"Then maybe we should help you find someone to spend the day with. What about setting you up on a date?"

Olivia looked at him in shock, as if he had just suggested climbing Mount Everest without gear.

"A date? For me? At this point? Where do you think you're going to find a Prince Charming available right before Valentine's Day?"

"He doesn't have to be Prince Charming," Sack said, shrugging. "Just someone who can keep you company and maybe even enjoy spending time with you. What kind of guy would you like?"

Olivia fell silent for a moment, as if deep in thought. Then she responded with total seriousness:

"Someone studious. Someone organized, who color-codes their notes. Someone who plans every minute of their day and is disciplined. Maybe an athlete obsessed with their workout routine or a classical musician who plays the violin in their free time. In short, someone similar to how I am."

Sack and I stared at her, speechless.

"Similar to how you are?" I repeated, incredulous. "Olivia, you're the complete opposite of that."

"Exactly," Sack added, trying not to laugh. "You're chaotic, spontaneous, hate routines, and probably don't even know where your notes are."

Olivia glared at us.

"That's because I want to grow as a person. I want to be with someone who inspires me to be better, someone who challenges me. Can't I aspire to something higher?"

"Of course you can," I quickly interjected, trying not to offend her. "But maybe you could consider someone who shares at least one of those interests. Someone who's disciplined but also has a sense of humor. Or someone involved in creative activities, like the theater club."

Sack nodded.

"We could ask some mutual friends. Maybe someone on campus fits your description… or at least a more realistic version of it."

Olivia sighed dramatically.

"Just make sure he's not boring. I don't want to spend Valentine's Day with someone who makes me want to fall asleep during dinner."

"We promise he won't be boring," Sack said with a reassuring smile. "After all, if we manage to find someone you really like, it could be the start of something special."

Olivia looked at him with a mix of skepticism and gratitude.

"And what will you two do while I'm out with my imaginary date?"

"We'll make sure everything goes well," Sack replied with a smile. "After all, we're a team."

After Olivia made it clear that she wanted to spend Valentine's Day with someone special, Sack and I got to work. We knew it wouldn't be easy to find someone on such short notice, but we were determined to help her.

"What if we go through our contacts?" Sack suggested, pulling out his phone. "Maybe someone on campus fits what Olivia's looking for."

I nodded, picking up my own phone.

"Good idea. Let's start with clubs or extracurricular activities. If she wants someone disciplined but also creative, we could check out the music or theater club."

We spent a few minutes reviewing our contact lists and university groups. Suddenly, Sack looked up with a thoughtful expression.

"Wait… do you remember Ethan? He's in the music club. He plays the violin and is pretty organized. I think he even has a detailed schedule for practice."

I frowned, trying to remember.

"Ethan? The tall guy with glasses who always carries neatly organized folders?"

"Exactly," Sack replied. "Plus, he's kind and has a sense of humor. He doesn't seem like the typical boring student. He could be a good option."

I thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah, it could work. But… do you think he'd fit with Olivia? She's the complete opposite of him in terms of personality."

Sack shrugged.

"Sometimes differences can be an advantage. Besides, Ethan is pretty flexible and open to new experiences. Maybe he can keep up with Olivia."

We decided to investigate Ethan a bit more before mentioning him to Olivia. I sent a quick message to a friend who was also in the music club to confirm some details.

"Hey, what about Ethan? Is he as organized as he seems?"

The response came almost instantly.

"Ethan? Totally. He's super responsible and dedicated, but he also has a fun side. Once, he organized a classic movie-themed party at the club. It was awesome."

I smiled as I read it. It seemed Ethan had the perfect balance of discipline and spontaneity.

"I think we've got it," I told Sack. "Ethan might be just what Olivia needs."

When we told Olivia about our idea, she looked at us with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Ethan? The guy from the music club? Do you really think he'd fit with me?"

"Listen," I said, trying to sound convincing, "Ethan is organized, yes, but he's also creative and fun. Plus, he plays the violin, which is impressive. And according to our sources, he has a spontaneous side that might surprise you."

Olivia frowned, deep in thought.

"I don't know… he sounds too perfect. What if he turns out to be boring?"

"We promise he's not," Sack interjected. "We've done our research. He even organized a classic movie-themed party at the music club. That counts as interesting, right?"

Olivia sighed, still undecided.

"I guess I could give him a chance. But if I end up bored, I'm blaming both of you."

Sack and I exchanged a conspiratorial glance.

"Deal," I said, smiling. "We'll make sure everything goes well."