My Valentine Ending
A Novella
By Kristine Cuevas
My Valentine Ending is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales are purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 Kristine Cuevas
All rights reserved.
Other Books by Kristine Cuevas
Never Love your Best Friend
(Available in print and all eBook format)
Dedication
For all the people who are bitter about love and Valentine’s day… this is for you.
Where Valentines came from? Who invented or discovered it? Why was there such a day to celebrate couples being love, when in fact, they could celebrate it every day? I still didn’t get it. Celebrating something like that was not really necessary.
I had been trying to research all the things about Valentines and I thought I was going to lose my sanity. Everything I had read was for fairy tales. Good thing I didn’t need to celebrate it. You know why?
I’m Victoria Cooper—Tori for short—the number one hater of Valentine’s day.
Chapter One
“Tori, wake up now. It’s almost six thirty. You’ll be late for school,” I heard my mom said. From the sound of her voice, I think she was just by the door.
Today was the first of February and I hated this month. One main reason? Valentine’s day.
Yeah, I hated Valentine’s Day ever since the world begun. Tell me something about it and I would certainly give you a big punch on the face. I didn’t know why, but I just hated it. No particular reason, okay? Just the idea of it.
I meant, why celebrate something like that? Why make one day special for lovers when you could always make every day special? Logically speaking, Valentine’s day was for crazy people.
Okay, so, you could say that there was really a reason why I hated it. But, well, you couldn’t make me tell you right away.
“Tori!” mom shouted, and I knew if I wouldn’t be up soon, she would pour cold water to me. And since I didn’t want to get wet in my bed early in the morning, I had to get up now.
I went to the only bathroom in the house, the one that was located to the guest room. Our house had a weird arrangement. I told mom to call someone to build a bathroom in my room but she only said that one was enough. Then I offered her that the guest room could be my bedroom, but she said no. I didn’t understand her.
I opened the guest room’s door and went inside. I was like sleep walking because my eyes were still a little close. I had a blurry vision so I wasn’t able to see if there was someone inside the room. But since this was the guest room and we didn’t have any guest, entering it without permission was okay. Well, not until I bumped into someone.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted immediately, scanning the place. For all I knew, dad was working in other country, my mom was downstairs, my brother was, I supposed, outside—at the back yard to be exact, where there was a built-in court—so, who could be this person I bumped with?
I ran my hand to his body; hopefully it was my brother because if not, I didn’t know who else it could be.
“Uhmm…” the person started.
My hand stopped trailing his body as I took in his voice. This person in front of me was not my brother. I knew his voice too well. I took a step back and tried to make up the person’s face. When nothing came to my sight, I screamed.
“Aaaahhhhh!”
“Wait, don’t scream,” the guy said, approaching me immediately. I took another step back but it only caused me to stumble down the floor.
“What is it?” my mom’s voice came into my hearing.
“Mom, someone’s here,” I said, my voice a little shaky.
I heard her sigh. “I’m sorry about that, Troy. Tori here is blind, not literally though,” mom chuckled. I think she was not talking to me but to the person who was in front of me.
“Mom, who is that?” I pointed at the guy’s direction, even though I couldn’t exactly see where he was.
“What happened?” I heard my brother asked.
“Nothing, Nathan. Your sister just freaked out,” mom answered nonchalantly.
“Mom! Who wouldn’t?” I grumbled, standing up. I dusted myself and glared at the guy whose name was Troy. “Who are you?”
“Okay, Tori, let’s not scare Troy here. Hurry up now, you’ll be late for school,” mom interjected, pushing me in the bathroom.
“Mom!” I complained.
“I’ll tell you after you take a bath,” she assured me.
So, I took a bath immediately. I wanted to know why there’s a stranger here in the house. I was not an approachable type because; I ignored almost everyone who was around me. I wanted to be in my own world and meeting a person was not on my list.
There’s one thing that everyone knew.
I’m a nerd.
A weird nerd, as most of them say—although I was not really a nerd in the first place.
With thick-rimmed glasses that covered my fancy blue ocean-like eyes, and the baggy sweat shirt I always wore in school, they started to categorize me to the nerd society. I was not about to complain about it. As long as they wouldn’t bother me, I was okay with that.
Not until they started approaching me and asking me if I could do their homeworks.
Every person that said that to me experienced a punch on their faces. I didn’t like those people who would make nerds do the homeworks of others. And after that wild action that I showed to them, most of the students stopped asking the nerds to do their homeworks. And so, I became popular with the name, “President Nerd Tori.” Yeah, I knew it was weird, but I didn’t care. Others would still ask the nerds to do their homeworks. Those students belonged to the cheering squad and football team. Those types of people were just trashes. They didn’t have their own back bone. But not all in the cheerleader and football jocks were trashes, there were some who had their own back bone and do their own homeworks.
After I wore my usual baggy clothes, I hastily went downstairs and met my mom in the kitchen.
“Oh, hey, sweetie,” she greeted. I could see her clearly now because I had already my glasses on.
“So—” but mom only cut me off.
“Hurry up, it’s five minutes before seven now. Your bus will arrive by then,” she said.
“Mom, I won’t go to school if you don’t…” I stopped as I saw another person entered the kitchen. He went in through the back door, so I guessed that he was out with my brother. “Who is that guy?” I asked mom but my eyes were glued to the direction of the guy.
“Oh, sweetie, that’s Troy. Her mom asked if he could stay here for a month. His parents went to some place for an important matter. They didn’t want him to be alone in their house because he might throw parties anytime—as mentioned by his parents—that’s why he’s here,” mom explained.
I took in all the information she just mentioned to me. “Where do you live?” I now asked Troy.
He scratched the back of his head before answering me, “Just next door.”
“Just next door?” I blurted, shocked. “You just live next door? How come I never seen you before?” I asked incredulously.
Mom chuckled, “You just don’t notice him. You were busy with your boyfriend when his family transfer there,” mom interjected.
I now glowered at my mom. I told her not to mention anything about my past relationship because I didn’t want to be reminded by it.
“Oops, sorry. My bad,” she excused.
“Yeah. I’m going now,” I snapped. I went out of the house immediately and waited for my bus. Just after two minutes, it arr
ived. I got in and sat to my usual seat—the back seat.
No one would seat in the back seat because they said that it’s for loser. I didn’t mind them and just sat in the back. I was searching my phone in my bag when I heard and felt that someone just sat beside me. I looked up immediately to see who it was.
To my four year stay at Lord Smith High School and riding the school bus, no one had ever dared to sit with me. No one, meaning no one other than myself.
“What are you doing?” I asked the guy who just sat.
“It’s called sitting,” he answered sarcastically.
I scowled at him, ignoring his remarks. “I know that’s sitting. Why are you sitting here?” I asked him.
“Tori—”
“It’s Victoria to you,” I cut him off.
“Okay, Victoria. As you can see, there are no other vacant seats now, so I had to sit here with you,” he exclaimed.
“Can anyone give this guy a seat?” I asked the people inside the bus. Abruptly, someone stood up from his sitting position and offered the seat to Troy.
I saw in my peripheral vision that Troy was surprised.
“How did you?”
“Did what? Just sit there,” I pointed to the seat that was now vacant.
“No,” he responded stubbornly. I heard the students gasped. Now their eyes were on us.
“”What do you mean no?” I said, feeling rather irritated.
“No, I won’t. You think you can make me?” he countered.
“You’re not going to sit there? Okay, fine with me,” I stood up and walked the aisle of the bus. I told to the driver to pull over so I could go out.
I heard him called my name but ignored him anyway. He could be this cocky guy all he wanted but I wouldn’t bow down to him. If he wanted to be the tough guy, then so be it. I wouldn’t back down. Guys like him were pain in the ass.
“Tori!” Troy called out.
I started walking away as the bus drove away. I would surely be late because I was now walking my way to school.
“Tori, wait,” he took a hold of my hand to make me stop from walking any further.
I turned to face him and glared. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me Tori? I don’t know you so you don’t have the right to call me Tori, okay? Do you not understand that?” I snapped, removing his hand away. I continued with my way.
I could hear him trailing behind me. “Sorry, okay? But, why do you have to go down the bus? Now we’re walking,” he said.
“Who told you to walk with me, huh?” I faced him, poking him on his chest. “No one. Yet you are here with me.”
“Because it’s my fault you’re here,” he responded.
“Exactly! You’re the reason why I’m here. Someone offered you a seat, you didn’t take it. Now you’re bothering me,” I yelped out.
I took a deep breath, scowled for a moment at him, and then went on with my walking. We would surely be facing each other again later at the house, so might as well ignore him for now.
* * *
“Tori, there’s an upcoming ball this valentine’s day, would you like to be part of it?” Trixie, the president of the student government, asked.
I looked at her, stopping from eating my lasagna. It was now lunch. When I got here, I missed my first period. Then, I had to be with Troy in the same room for second period. I didn’t know that we were classmates in History.
“Valentine’s day ball, you say?” I drawled.
“Uh-hmm,” was all she said, nodding.
I stood up abruptly, making my seat fall backwards. This made a loud thud in the cafeteria, causing the other students to look at our direction. “You’re asking me if I want to be part of this valentine’s ball? Didn’t you know what happened to my valentine’s last year?” I asked her irritably. I didn’t want to be reminded by that event but this girl in front of me was making me remember it.
She shook her head, “No.”
I scratched my forehead and forced a sweet smile at her. “Then too bad, because I hate valentine’s day.” I looked over at the crowd who were watching us. “People, valentine’s day are for stupid, crazy people. That event is for dumbs who celebrates being in love in one day,” I paused for a moment, taking in their expressions. Then I continued, “One day, just one day to celebrate being in love. Can’t you do that everyday?” I faced Trixie again. “You? Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes,” she stammered.
“Then, good for you. You have someone to celebrate Valentine. Now, don’t bother me again about this ball that you were saying. If I hear another word about it, you’ll know what happen to your face. And I don’t want to destroy that,” I said nonchalantly, but to her, it’s more of a warning or even a threat. Either way, I didn’t care. As long as they got my point, I was okay with it.
She just nodded, shaking. Then without another word, she stalked away. I already lost my appetite, so I grabbed my half-eaten pasta and threw it in the trash. I stepped out of the cafeteria and went to my next class.
I was about to turn to the right when someone pulled me, forcing me to face him or her. But with the force it gave to me, I could tell that it was a guy.
“You again?” I snapped when I saw that it was Troy.
“The thing you did to that girl was not nice,” he said.
I pursed my lips, slowly taking in a deep breath. “You don’t know anything, so don’t you dare lecture me,” I told him.
“Okay. So you have an issue with Valentine’s day. Big deal. But you don’t have to be rude on that girl. She approached you nicely, you should have done the same thing,” he lectured.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Stop acting like you care,” I murmured in a threatening way. I glared at him before walking away.
Who did he think he was anyway? He was acting like we knew each other before and he had the right to lecture me with things he didn’t even know. I couldn’t stand him.
Chapter Two
How lucky I could be?
“Mom, why does he have to stay here for a month? He has a house that he can stay in anyway,” I told her exasperatedly.
She was currently watching her favourite TV show in the living room. “Sweetie, I told you this morning, his mom doesn’t want him to stay home alone because he might just throw parties. It’s just for a month,” she responded nonchalantly, not even removing her eyes to the TV.
I shook my head, sighing. “Mom, he made me walk to school this morning. Then he lectured me with something that he doesn’t even know, and lastly, he is in my history class. These things all happened in one day and I felt so annoyed and irritated. Imagine experiencing that in a month. Mom, I couldn’t stand. I really couldn’t and—”
“Tori, you couldn’t stand any guy,” mom drawled.
I was caught off guard by her response. I knew that she knew a little something about my previous love life, but things like this made me think if she really knew ‘little’ something. Maybe she knew more than the things I had told her.
I was about to answer back when I heard someone greeted us and actually destroying my night. After what he had done to me this morning, I didn’t know if I could last another hour with him.
“Hi,” Troy greeted brightly.
Nathan came into view as well, greeting us too. “Hi, mom. Hello there, my dear sister Tori.”
I faked a happy smile at him before rolling my eyes. How come that they were already getting along when clearly we hadn’t met Troy personally?
“I’ll be in my room,” I muttered, standing up now. I walked past him and ignored him. I didn’t want this day to end in a snappy mood because it would surely be brought along tomorrow when I woke up.
I locked my room and went straight into my bed. Plopping down, I remembered again what happened last year. I didn’t want that memory crossing my mind anymore. But whenever I was alone, it would always show up in my head. I guessed some things were not that easily to forget. I had tried and did everything I could just to make sure that ev
ent wouldn’t find its way to my mind again. But I still couldn’t help but think about it. And the sad part, it would haunt me up to my dream. I couldn’t sleep tightly with that thing running in my head. That was a bad memory that I certainly wanted to forget.
I heaved a deep sigh. “Couldn’t I get some good night sleep even just for now?” I asked myself. I stared at my midnight blue ceiling with built-in glow in the dark stars. Those glow in the darks were never there before. Actually, I think, one of the reasons why I always remembered him and that event, was because of those glow in the darks plastered on my ceiling. He was the one who put it there, just a day before he left.
“Tori, you should put some glow in the darks in your room, so that whenever you turn off our lights, you’ll feel like you’re in the universe,” he would always said that to me everytime I would invite him at the house. He was a constant visitor and my brother even called him a resident of the Coopers.
I would just laugh and tell him, “You do it. I don’t have time for that. And putting glow in the darks are usually on the ceiling. Have you seen my room? The ceiling’s a little too high.”
“Then, I’ll do it,” he volunteered, grinning at me.
I felt a stray tear fell right in the corner of my eye. Those tears were always hiding beneath my eyes and would fall right when I didn’t want it to. I shouldn’t be shedding a tear for him because of what he did to me. He didn’t deserve any tear that fell to me before. And if he would ask again if I forgave him already, he had to cross my dead body first before I do that. I would never, ever in my entire life forgave such a person who was so heartless.
I shook my head vehemently to let him out of my head. I wanted him to be out of my thoughts. It had been a year, but he was still inside my head. I had managed to ignore him for a year too which was good. It was a great routine for me. It’s a good thing that he didn’t bother me as well. Probably because he didn’t have the courage to face me after what he had done. A heartless person like him didn’t deserve to have a good night sleep and it’s me who should be having a wonderful good night sleep. But with all his ghosts, it’s not possible.
My Valentine Ending Page 1