Valentines - Mel Afoa

She's got an addiction to choosing the wrong boys.

She's the type of girl who falls for the wrong sort; boys she can't handle. Her first real crush played and stomped on her heart. The second only took pleasure in her looks, and whose standards were ones she could not keep up with. Her latest crush was the same as the first, who took pleasure in creating heartbreak for the girls he caught with his fishing line.

She wondered whether she'll ever find The One. She's always dreamed of finding The One, after all, she grew up listening and dreaming about fairytales. To her, she was sleeping beauty. She was sleeping, waiting for the handsome Prince Charming to rescue her from heartbreak and loneliness. She wanted to find the man she called her soul mate. She couln't wait to see what the future held for her in it's hands.
She's known people who have loved. She's even seen love developed through her own eyes. Her bestest friend was an expert in the subject of love. Though her best friend was not in a relationship, she knew every single moves to do and not to do in a relationship. Her best friend knew who she was going to be with. She had said he will come into her life in the future years, even though they have never met. She wondered why she could not have such instincts like her best friend. She was useless in love, especially since she had never been in a relationship.

Her heart yearns for the definition of love. Everyone around her has experienced what love felt like, and she was the only one who could not love another. She had boys queue behind her, but the boys who lined up to claim her love, she saw no potential in. She wasn't to going to lead them on, after all, she found no love and peace with any. Her latest crush, the player, was the one she wanted. She wanted him badly, but knew other girls fighting their way for his hand of love. Knowing the girls, she knew she wasn't worth being competed against. She was pathetic in love anyway.

She walks through the school corridors with a fake smile across her face. She walks with the people she calls friends, walking through the busy corridors, held held high, but heart torn in pieces. As she walks, she wonders when her Prince Charming will come and stick them together. She wonders when she'll feel his lips on hers. She wonders when he'll wrap his arms around her waist. She doesn't know what to expect, and so she expects the unexpected. She looks around to see everyone gossiping about their loves, and the roses they find in their doorsteps. It's the day before Valentines Day, and she is left with no one. Her friends talk behind her of their planned romantic dates, and the dresses they will wear.

She sits at home and reads love poems on the internet. She reads one about a boy who meets a girl in a busy shopping centre, eye contact as strong as the winter breeze dancing outside her window. She reads another of a girl who finds her true love, dying in a hospital. She goes onto google and types in "Love". She presses photos and sees photography of people in love. She sees pictures of love, happiness and contentment. All she sees is sunlit beaches where couples link hands and stroll along the soft, brown sand.
She gets agitated, after all, why not her?

She decides to escape this world of love, and find somewhere she could call a sanctuary. School and home were not options, and she thinks hard while the noise of the laptop buzzes in the background. The wind is still dancing, the moon shining brightly through her coloured curtains. She wants to escape by herself, and find somewhere where no one could make her unhappy. She decides to go now, in the dark of night, even when her safety will immedietly dissapear. She thinks of whether to go or not. Should she risk getting endangered? Should she tell her parents? Should she just stay home and read more depressing love poems? She ponders hard, ponders slowly. She knows she will risk getting in trouble, sneaking out into the night. But what can she do, when her heart is slowly breaking into pieces, like a broken mirror? She cannot help but think sinful, and she makes her mind up at 11:30pm to walk the lonely streets outside.

She puts on her ballet shoes and sneaks outside, carefully locking the door softly to not alert her parents and siblings. She runs outside, and sees the many cars passing by, even in the thick of night. She runs, runs while the breeze follows her, lifting her long dress and making her long, hair weave in the wind. She looks left and right for danger, running freel, hands in the air. She smiles, knowing that even though she cannot find love, she is free from thinking. She runs as her skirt flys, brown eyes looking at the darkened sky with wonder. She starts walking once more, listening to the sound of whoshing cars, and a laughter coming from a nearby party. She walks to her unknown destination, mind clear, heart still in two.

It is a short while before she notices a park in front of her. She sees the outline of a swing, and she walks hastily, still aware of danger. She sees that street lights are all around the road, and that a nearby barbaque party is right in front of the swings, where no one is. She decides it is safe enough, since many partygoers, whose laughter sound feminine, might hear her if she screams.
She is about to sit on the swings when she notices a lone figure sitting on the bench, back to her. She immedietly gets scared, until she creeps closer to find a boy of her age, Eighteen most likely, on the bench, looking at the stars. She wonders whether he is a rapist or drug dealer, waiting for the boys to come with their money. She is about to leave him to his privacy when she steps on fallen tree branch and he whips his head around.

" Who are you?", he asks, but boh cannot see each other clearly in the shadows.

" Who are you?", she replies, voice fearful and small.

" Are you a drug dealer?", he asks." If you are, I best be on my way. Wouldn't want to smell like Fantasy when I get home". She can't help but notice the sarcasm dripping in his words. It is also as if he is laughing inside, and she wonders what to say.

" No, I ain't a drug dealer. Juse someone wanting to swing with peace and quiet", she replies, cocking her head to one side. Suprisingly, he flashes a torch light on her. She cries in shock, and blocks the light when he holds it closely to her face. She wonders whether he is all alone, or with accomplices.

" What, at night?", he laughs, face and body in the shadows. He turns off the flash light.

" It isn't against the law, is it Mr Sarcastic. And what's with the flash light?".

" I keep this to so I can see strangers who try and scare me at night", he laughs, and she can't help but like his rough voice, deep like an endless cave.

" Okay, lets set this straight. I did not try and scare you. I didn't even know you were here. I was just about to go and jump on the swings. And for all I know, you could be a kidnapper, a rapist. I shouldn't be talking to strangers", she replies. The sound of music weaves itself through the air, the hint of herbed mint mingles in the air from the barbaque party. He laughs, and suddenly the flash light is back on, only pointed at his face.

" If I was going to hurt you, I'd be hiding, and when you go on the swings like a seven-year-old, I'll quickly take advantage of you. Don't you think your words through before you say them?", he smiles. She can see his whole face, and she admits it is the most handsomest she has ever come across. He looks about her age, brown, spiked hair, and green orbs as eyes, the colour of evergreen leaves. He obviously looks tall, suprisingly muscular and skinny. He looks like a celebrity, beautiful like an angel, but probably deadly like a grenade.

" Its good to be precautious", she says to this stranger.

" It is indeed. You don't need to be scared. I am sitting and not attacking you after all", he says, a smile probably plastered on his face. She creeps a little closer, and shrieks softly when he gets up to stand in front of a street light, where the swings lay waiting for her. She walks over, precautious, but interested. He lookss at her, leaning against the swing pole, hands crossed.

" You won't hurt me though, right? Girls can be very tough at times", he asks her, eyes twinkling even at the dead of night. She lets out a small laugh, sitting on the swing beside him, but far enough for her to run if he tries the unexpected.
" At times? Girls are always tough inside and outside".
" Not as tough as boys", he replies. She laughs louder, shaking her head, He gazes at her intently, his handsome features already in her mind. Her laughter sounds sweet, like a soft melody.
" Oh please. I don't even know who you are, but if I did, I would have hit you already", she laughs, and is suprised when she hears him joining in.

" Yeah, okay Princess. The name's Cruz. Eighteen, Mexican, handsome and tall. You? Your not fifty are you? Would have wrecked my night talking to a lady old enough to be my grandmother", he says in his angelic voice. She snorts, and he laughs at the sound.

" My name is Jyoti. Seventeen, Indian-Fijian, beautiful and short", she says and he extends his arm. She shakes it, still precautious.

" I can see that", he says, and she calculates that she comes up to his neck.
" Don't diss my height. I might be small, but I am powerful. I've knocked a girl taller than you", she smiles, and he in turn laughs. They linger, both hands warm and gentle. She takes back her hand and wraps both around her, while he goes back to crossing his.

" Your beauty makes up for it", he says and she blushes slightly, glad that it is dark. " So what is a beautiful girl like you doing in a park like this? You aren't a prostitute right? Be careful not to do it on the bench. You'll get splinters in your back", he tells her, and when they both laugh, the sound is like a soft humming tune.

"Nope, nothing like that. Just a vampire swinging in the dead of night", and they crack up laughing.

" Well in that case, try and contain yourself please. I'd rather be murdered than have two dots on my neck. Friends will be laughing about my easy killing. Sure do I have your word that you are not at all dangerous. Normal safety procedures you know?", he asks, eyes boring into hers.
She giggles and nods her head.

" I assure you, I'm as safe as a newborn puppy", and they both laugh again.

Ten minutes later, and they are running up and down the slide, laughing, the sounds mingling with the winter breeze. He chases her through the swings, grabbing onto her waist when she is near enough to catch. She runs, laughing and holding her skirt up with one hand, looking back with happiness. She climbs up and down the swings, running in the half-darkened playground, their voices sung like a melody, playing like little children, only in the dark.
At one time, his hands brush against her face when he catches her, and they fall silent. He caresses her face for a short second, before she is off again laughing, him joining in soon after. Chasing each other around in the dark, interest and confusion both evident in the air.
Five minutes later, they are both lying on the soft grass, obviously in the dark. He is lying next to her, their hands brushing together at times. She is looking at him, and wondering why he is here of all places, playing in the dark with a mysterious girl. She turns on her side and gazes at him. He in turn does the same, and she cannot thinking she is lying in the dark with a handsome angel.

" Can I ask you something, Cruz?", she asks him quietly. He nods his head, one hand holding up his head, the other near hers on the grass.
" What are you doing here in a dark park at near-midnight?", she asks him slowly. He doesn;t answer quickly, as if he is trying to find the words.
" I came here to find a sanctuary. Some place where I didn't need to be so alone, even when I have friends. I wanted to escape home, since my stepdad hates my guts. Finding somewhere was my first priority. I escape here sometimes, for alone time. Its where I feel most at home", he replies, eyes gazing feriously into her brown ones. She takes his hand slowly, and enterwines her fingers. He smiles slowly, looking at their connected hands, and then looks back at her.

" What are you doing here then? ", he asks her. She looks at him, hands still warmly connected.
" I guess I came here like you, just find...a real place to call home. Everyone has everybody, and sometimes...sometimes I feel like I don't have anyone. I just have myself, and so I sneaked out to find some place where I could pretend I had someone to talk to about life and love. Everyone has a someone, and I have...I have...", she becomes silent, just in case the tears fall. He does something she doesn't expect. He brings their linked hands to his lips, and kisses hers intently. She smiles.
" You have me. I have you. Complete strangers, but similar in heart", he replies softly, and she scarcely believes him.
They walk around, not noticing the time. They walk through the darkened streets, the sounds of the barbaque party becoming more distant as they walk. They muck around, pushing each other gently, and at one point, she becomes cold from the winter breeze. He takes the baseball jacket he has on, unzips it, and lays it gently on her shoulders. She looks at him, standing with his white singlet and blue jeans on, and can't help day dreaming about his body. She can see his abs sticking on his singlet. She refuses the jacket, telling him to not be stupid, but he only walks faster, head turned behind him smiling. She smiles and puts it on slowly. She can smell his beautiful aroma. He smells like the park; like roses and the grass. She snuggles into it, her long white skirt crashing with his jacket., feeling the flash light inside the pocket. She smiles inside.
He walks her home, two minutes before midnight. Though she is reluctant to go, he refuses to let her walk at this time. She asks him where he is to go, and he says he lives only two minutes away. She, ebing the perfect gentlewoman, asks if he would like her to walk him home.
" So we came here to say hello to your house?" he replies, his laughter making her believe his angelic form is a gift from Heaven.
He links their hands when they walk to her front door. She turns to look at him as they walk down the long driveway, wondering if she'll ever see him again. They both admitted they left their phones at home, and she could not grab her contact details without making a noise. They reach the front dorrstep and he turns to looks at her.
" Well stranger", he says softly.
He lets go out her arm, and without hesitation, leans forward, pressing his lips gently onto hers. Its her first kiss, and she can feel rare emotions flying through her heart immedietly. Her heart is racing, her skin is tingling and her body heat is getting warmer. She decides to be in charge, and gently brings her hands to either side of his face, careful not to break the intimate kiss. He wraps one arm around her waist, the other weaving through her hair gently.
After a few seconds they break off, and say their slow goodbyes. Before he leaves, he bends and takes one of her hands into his, kissing it and she can feel a smile on his lips. He straightens up, and then pushes a small red rose into her hand. Suprised, she looks at the rose with love. It is one of the most picturesque roses she has ever seen, its petals as blood red as possible, the stem as straight as a ruler, its colour a beautiful shade of green.
"Happy Valentines Day", he whispers, and then he is gone. She smiles in the dark, and presses the rose to her heart.

***

She wakes up when the birds start singing in front of her window. The sun shines gently, and the wind is still blowing, but not as feriously. She sits up, trying to wake up, last nights events fresh in her mind. She clearly remembers the name 'Cruz' in her dream, as if God is naming her Soul Mate.She looks around to find rose petals strewn across her bed and floor. She smiles when she sees white roses laid on the window sill, the window open, breeze dancing in. She figures its where he came in from. A single note lies on the clean carpet surround by a giant love heart of purple violets. She picks it up laughing, and opens its content.
　
Jyoti,
Happy Valentines Day.
Sorry I sneaked in. I couldnt get you out of my head.
Last night got me thinking. I was always wondering what people meant when they said 'Soul Mates'. I thought at first they were just kidding themselves, but last night, I finally saw what they meant. I had a dream last night. It was your name that kept blinding my vision. As if God was giving me a sign that it was you. I'm hoping it is. You are one of the most...I can;t describe you. I just feel like i'm floating in Heaven when I think about you. And I feel nothing but happiness. I hope that you forgive me for being unromantic with the different flowers in your room, but I guess they represent you. Its funny, I had only known you for half an hour, and I probably know you better than your best friend. You told me everything about you, and I've never felt love and happy like I did yesterday, ever.
I have one question for you now.
Will you be my lovely Valentines?
I'm hoping you would be more than that.
Meet me in our place at 9 tonight. I'll be sure to bring more flash lights for our midnight snacks.
You look beautiful when you sleep by the way. I left you a kiss while you were dreaming. You kept mentioning my name. I told you I was handsome. You were probably dreaming about me, hehe.
Your sincerely, 　

(photo is not mine. Its sexy though)

Cruz