VALENTINE'S SPECIAL.

FLASHBACK...

I was on my way to school, when I spotted a girl sitting on a huge rock. She was sobbing and looks like she's going through a lot. So I walked to her.

"Hi." I said.

"Hey." She said and cleans her face, sniffing.

"Happy Valentine's Day." I said awkwardly and laughed awkwardly.

She blushed a little and laughed. "Yeah. Same." She smiled.

"Uhm... You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said and bent her head. "Actually.... No. I am not." She sighed.

"What happened? Wanna talk about it?" I asked and walked closer.

"No..... Sorry for telling you by the way." She sighed and laughed a little laugh.

"Oh. Ok. Bye then."

"Yeah. Bye."

I turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait."

"Huh?" I turned around and saw her getting up.

"Mind if I take a walk with you?" She asked with a smile.

"M... Mm... Mmeeee..... Meee?" I asked, too freaked out. I mean, it's my first time walking with a girl.

She laughed hard and stopped. Then she walked to me and stood by my side. "Yes. You."

"Yeah. Sure." I blushed like a freak of blush.

"Okay then. Let's go. I am from your school."

I looked at her from head to toe. "But you aren't putting on a uniform." I asked, feeling suspicious.

She laughed and looked at me with an expression so soft, that i felt like I was talking to an angel.

"Well..... " she rolled her eyes playfully. "..... Let's just say. I'm a special student."

"Ok. Let's go. So we won't be late." I shuddered. "Wouldn't want to wash the classroom pets, gat-to-go place." I said and she shuddered too.

We both laughed long and hard.

We began walking on the narrow road surrounded by bush.

"So do you have a val?"

"Nope. Never did. Might never." I said and she laughed.

"Why?"

"Well, I am a loner and I aren't good with the opposite sex." I paused and looked at her. "And besides relationships, can be so challenging. And knowing the kind of being I am. I hate challenges."

She turned and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Is that so?" She asked and I nodded in reply. "Sooooo..... If I asked you to be my val you wouldn't?"

I was shocked and looked back to the front of me, blushing really hard.

She laughed a short laugh. "So?"

"Well, I might, I might not."

"Oh, really?" She asked with a hint of amazement in her voice.

"Yup." I laughed awkwardly.

I turned and looked at her.

She has a nice shape, a lovely fair skin with green eyes and black hair, plus she is average in height and cute. She looked like a princess.

I opened my mouth to say, "So, are you a magic or a non-magic." But ended up saying, "You're so beautiful. I am sure you have tons of vals." I slapped my face hard, feeling like an idiot.

She turned and looked at me with a surprised expression on her face, a little bit red. I looked away quickly.

"Well, thank you." She said with pride and laughed. "Well, I have had a lot. But stopped for sometime now." She looked back to her front.

"Vals or boyfriends?" I asked and slapped my face again.

"Hmmmmmm." She raised her head up and thought for some time. "Both."

"Oh. Ok. Why'd you stop?" I asked again. 'God all these questioning is torturing me.'

"Well, because of an issue I have."

I tried to stop myself from asking another question, but ended up saying, "And what's that?"

She laughed a gentle laugh. "Looks like you like stories. Guess we'll have to leave it for later."

"Oh, sorry my bad. I shouldn't have."

"No it's ok. It's a matter of time, before I'll be gone."

"Huh? Gone? How?"

"We have arrived. Maybe after school?"

I finally looked front and saw my giant school.

'I have been looking at her face.' I blushed at the thought.

"You sure do turn red a lot." She said and we both laughed, mine awkwardly, her's triumphantly.

"Bye for now."

"Yeah. Bye." I mumbled.

We both waved each other goodbye and went our seperate ways.

************

Class was the same as usual. Me entering, receiving a lot of: insults and teasing, all the bullying types you can think of, getting a lot of paper throwing fans. Teachers entering, teaching, me learning and jotting, teacher leaving the class. And the drama starts all over again. It never gets old. Except, there was a lot of smooshing and mushy mushy stuffs going on.

It ended quick and I was glad it's all over.

I walked out of the school and inhaled the fresh air. I began to walk, when suddenly a hand grabs my right arm.

I got wild-scared. If you know what I mean. And shouted, "Please just let me go home in peace."

I was rewarded with a "huh" and a loud laughter. Recognizing the voice, I turned around to see her staring at me with a nice smile.

I blushed hard, feeling extremely embarrassed. "Hi." I said shyly.

"Hello." She giggled. "Looks like someone haven't recovered yet."

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Come let's go." She begins jogging and pulled me along.

Next thing I knew, I was in the air.

"What in the..... "

"... World. Yeah. I am a magic. I have air abilities." She laughed while I died of holding barfs.

"Where are we going?"

"A place that is special." She said as tears trickle down her face.

"Why are you crying?"

"Don't be silly." She laughed. "It's the wind."

"What's your name?" I asked in a shy manner.

"My name is Aerena."

"Nice name."

"Thanks. What's yours?"

Her question shocked me. I was shocked because, it's only the teachers and a hand few of students that have asked for my name.

"To be honest I don't know."

She looked at me in surprise.

"Ok. What did you tell the teachers and students when they asked?"

"I told them, I don't know. And so I was named nameless and some other cruel names."

She gasped. "What?" Her voice was calm and nice. But firm.

"It's nothing actually."

"It's a lot." She sighed. "I guess it's because you're the only non-magic in the whole school."

"Yeah." I sighed.

"So what'd you name yourself?"

"Nothing." I said, ashamed.

"Why not?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah."

"Can I give you a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"How about Jack Steven?"

"It's nice. But where did it come from?"

She thought for some moment. "I don't know. I just heard it in my head."

"Ok. Why were you crying this morning? And why are you being nice to me?"

"Promise you won't be angry if I tell you."

"I won't."

"My father stole his brother's wife. His brother, out of anger cursed me with an extreme dark magic, from a powerful dark magic."

I shivered at the word 'dark magic.'

"When I grew up. He got fond of me and loved me, forgiving my parents in the process. But we couldn't reverse it." She sighed. "So, he softened it. That is, he changed it from me dieing at the age of fifteen. To me losing my powers and my sight at the age of eighteen." She laughed awkwardly. "I would have been dead by now. Because, I am fifteen today."

"Wow, happy birthday. Wishing you the best."

"Thanks." She coughs a little.

"Sorry."

"Thanks. You asked me about having a lot of guys, right?" I nodded. "Well, I only had them to break the curse."

"Huh?"

She landed in front of a nice restaurant. "The only way to break it. Is by dating a guy on my birthday and falling in love with him at the end of my birthday. My uncle said, it's not an anyhow guy. But rather, a unique guy that's too good to cheat on a girl or hurt a girl. But, even at that. I have never fall for any." She was red and I could tell I was redder. "So, luckily for me. I met you. And it's on Valentine's day. So I am your val." She said with a smile and I blushed hard.

I purse my lips and thought for some while. "So how long? And when did you start?"

"Thirteen. Should be a year now."

"How many guys?"

"Fifteen."

"Whhaaaa....." We both laughed awkwardly.

"Ok. So it's like a use-the-guy-and-drop-him kind of thing." I asked, feeling somehow dissapointed.

She sighed and looked at me with a sad smile on her face. She leaves my hands. "Look, don't get me wrong. I am sorry that it sounds that way. But.... "

"But what?" I asked calmly.

"I.... I..... You know what. I don't have any excuse. I am sorry." She begins to cry.

I felt pity for her. "Look, I'll go on a date with you." I sigh and laughed hard. "Trust me. You'll never fall for me."

"Well, there is no hurt in trying."

"There is." I said with a raised eyebrow.

"And that is?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, heartbreak for me." I said and we laughed.

"Pleeeaaaaaassssssseeeeeee." She made a puppy dog eyes.

"Ok."

She pulled me into the restaurant and picked the best seat, that's at a corner. We both sat down. I began to whistle, feeling kinda awkward. A young woman walked up to us and gave us both a menu.

I read the menu in horror. Their meal are so good, but are also sooo expensive.

"Uhm.... Can we change to another restaurant. I can't afford most of these." I began to sweat.

She laughed hard. "No one said you were paying." She said and I looked at her in shock.

Although it sounded shameless. I said, "Ok."

We made our orders. Mine were, beef and rice with stew, with a soft drink. While her's were, chicken and pasta with stew, with a tropical fruit juice. In a few minutes time, our orders were placed in front of us.

"So can I know more about you." She asked as she picked up her fork and twisted it, gathering enough pasta and placing it, into her mouth.

"No. I actually don't recall who I am." I mumbled, feeling uncomfortable. I picked up my spoon, loaded it with rice and put it in my mouth. 'The rice are so good.'

"Oh, sorry." She dropped her fork and looked at me. She was sad. "Didn't mean to bring it up."

"Nah. It's ok."

"Are you a magic."

"No."

"Ok. Uhmm.... Any relatives?"

"No. Only got my best friend, Leo."

"Ok."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Uhm... Can I know you more?" I asked, feeling shy.

"Well, I'm a girl." We both laughed. "I am fifteen. I love color red. Just like your red eyes." I blushed while she laughed. "I love nature. Uhmm.... I love pasta. It's so yummy. I love adventure and action movies and animes, and a little of romance, once in a while too. I have never fall in love and have never kissed before, even though I had fifteen exes. I only hug a ten seconds hug after each date and that's it. That's all you have to know about me."

I listened to her in fascination, her voice so sweet, that I wanted to go nearer to listen to the symphony.

We began talking about animes and movies. And I must say, she is a total anime lover. Which I like, cos it's hard to find female anime fans.

As time passed, we kept on chatting away, our plates already empty.

She called the young woman who had walked up to us before and she came. She ordered two of the tropical fruit juice. The young woman walked away with our empty plates and empty bottles and came back with two of the juice. She dropped them on the table and left.

Aerena took one and gave me the other one. We both began drinking and continued our chatting.

I don't know if it's me. But as time passed. I found myself falling for Aerena. She looks like a beauty goddess, and I couldn't help but fall.

".... So that's the end. I guess it's already getting late."

I looked at her, then at my watch in horror. 'Six-thirty? Why now?'

She called the young woman and she came.

"How much miss?"

"Two hundred magians."

"Oh, ok." She went for her purse. But, I quickly drew out three hundred magians and handed it to the woman.

I smiled at her and she returned it happily.

"Keep the change ma'am."

Aerena quickly looks up at me with a shocked and disappointed face. I gave her a weak smile.

"Thank you. Son." The woman said and walked off.

"Why'd you pay?" She asked with a stern voice.

I smiled more. "Well, that's the highest I can do on your birthday."

"Oh." She laughed and I became lost in it again. "Let's go."

I came back to my senses and we both left the restaurant.

"Can I take you somewhere?" I asked shyly.

"Oh. Where's that?"

"It's a surprise."

"Is that so?" She asked and I blushed.

"Yeah."

"Great."

I began jogging and pulled her along.

We finally arrived at the big shopping mall named, "THE GIFT OF LOVE." She was surprised, but kept quiet.

I took her in. Luckily, they were doing fifty percent discount for teens.

"Pick what you need." I said with a weak smile.

She looked at me in shock, then smiled her breath taking smile. She walked off. After some boring minutes, came back.

"These are enough." She said and showed me two nice looking bracelets. One gold and the other silver. A lovely, thin but thick looking silver chain, with a lovely half heart, half flower gold pendant. And a lovely, thin but thick looking gold chain, with a lovely half heart, half butterfly silver pendant.

I went over to the attendant and surprisingly, they were both given to us for free. I smiled at the woman and thanked her.

"But why?" I asked.

"You can't pay for love. And it's a beginner's luck. As the first teens to come over this afternoon." Is all she said with a smile and we left.

We began walking and finally reached the place Aerena follows to go home.

She gives me the gold chain and the silver bracelet and takes the silver chain and the gold bracelet.

"Do you know why I bought these chains and swapped their pendants?" She asked with a smile.

"No."

"The bracelets are with the chains. The half heart, half flower, is you. The lonely lovely flower." I blushed. "And the half heart, half butterfly, is me. The nectar-thirsty butterfly. You are a lonely flower, who have been lonely and I am the butterfly who isn't lonely, but thirst for Nectar, which is love. I came to this lonely flower." She grabbed my hand. "And got the best nectar ever." She smiled as tears streamed down her face. "Thanks a lot. None of them, ever went this far. Thank you. They are both for remembrance. In case I didn't fall in love and in case we don't see again. It will be a reminder." More tears began streaming down her face.

I felt sorry for her and wiped the tears from her face. Her skin was so soft, that I wanted to touch it forever.

"It's ok." I said and smiled.

She nodded in reply. "Can we meet again next tomorrow?"

"Why not tomorrow?" I asked with a funny frown and she laughed.

"Well, I don't know when the curse might go. Wouldn't want to die on you tomorrow."

I don't know, but for some reason that sounded dark.

"Okay then. Bye." I said and she let's go of my hand and hugs me a more-than-ten-minutes-hug.

'Wow. Is this how soft a girl feels.'

She turned to leave, but I rushed and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She froze on the spot.

Feeling ashamed. I mumbled, "I'm sorry," before zooming off.

I reached home and felt like a total idiot. But I felt good. The best I have ever felt.

But unfortunately for me. I lost Mrs Silvia the next day and my life changed for worst. Another bad luck? I never saw Aerena in school the next day and till now. So, I guessed it didn't work and decided not to ever fall in love again.

... END OF FLASHBACK.