I heard their footsteps to fade away and a door closed. I assumed that they were already out, so I got out as well of the cubicle. I didn’t bother going back to homeroom. Instead, I was going to the library and sort out my plans. I was going to use that information that I heard and throw it back to them.
On my way to the library, I met Eliot. He was surprised to see me but I just ignored him. I walked past him, but then I stopped. A thought immediately hit me. I spun around to call out for Eliot. This would definitely be the start of my plan.
“Eliot!” I called out for him. My heart was beating at a very fast pace but I ignored it. I had to do this or else another valentine of mine would be destroyed.
He looked at me straight in the eyes. I could see the pain and the sadness. How could someone like him do such a thing? Why would he want to ruin my valentines again? Was last year not enough? I had embarrassed myself enough. Couldn’t he just let me off the hook?
He walked towards me, scratching the back of his head, he asked, “Are you going to forgive me now?”
I swallowed the lump that had formed. I didn’t want to forgive him… not just yet. What he did to me last year was unforgivable. I was miserable for a year—today was one of it. I couldn’t just give him my forgiveness and let him hurt me… not again.
“No. But there’s something that you can do so I can forgive you,” I told him.
“Really, there is? What is it? I’ll do anything just so you’ll forgive me,” he babbled on. His mood suddenly became joyful and energetic.
“Meet me after school at the school gate. I’ll tell you there,” I said before finally going to the library.
I had to make sure that I could counter whatever they were planning for me. If they were going to repeat what happened last year, I had to think of something that would bounce back to them without harming myself. I had to make sure that it’s them who were going to suffer.
I sat from the far left corner of the library where there were only few tables. I had to make sure that no one would interrupt me because I would be making a plan. My plan to ruin someone else’s Valentine’s day.
“You know, being alone in a library could be sad,” someone, whom I recognized was Troy, said from behind me.
I turned to the side to have a look of himself. He was wearing T-shirt and jeans—the usual clothes of every guys. His green eyes were twinkling in amusement (or was it just me?).
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“What someone could be doing in a library? I wonder what,” he replied sarcastically, rubbing his chin like a clever old guy.
I glowered at him. “Nice answer,” I said, rolling my eyes. I couldn’t start my plan if Troy was here with me.
“Don’t you have to be somewhere else? Like, homeroom?”
“Don’t you have to be somewhere else too? Like, homeroom?” he repeated, obviously mocking me.
“If you don’t have anything nice to say to me, you are free to go away,” I told him. I got my notebook and pen in my bag—my bag that I carry everywhere—and started scribbling. I saw from my peripheral vision that Troy pulled a chair and sat beside me—too close that I could feel his breath on my face. I turned to face him and asked, “What are you doing?”
He smiled at me. I almost got lost by his smile—the smile that I think got the entire girls swoon all over him—which I find really annoying. “Joining you.”
“I don’t need you to join me.”
“I don’t believe you. I can feel that you needed some company,” he shrugged the words. He relaxed on his seat, crossing his legs in the process and scanned the library. “What I said earlier was true,” he then blurted.
I found myself grasping a handful of air, not wanting to turn to face him. I didn’t want to believe everything he had said and yet here he was, confirming it. I wasn’t up for relationship. Well, not just yet. I still had something to do and that was to get my revenge. I knew that I should have just forgotten it, but with what I had overheard in the restroom, I couldn’t just ignore it. Me being involve in that plan was saying something and I had to get myself prepared.
I didn’t know what’s happening but the next thing I knew, I was now facing Troy, staring straight into his eyes. “I’ll get back to Eliot,” I said before I could even stop myself.
His eyes went wide, surprised filling him in. It took a second before he finally spoke up. “Get back to Eliot? You mean, get back together?”
I nodded indifferently.
He shook his head, muttering “Wow” in surprise.
“And I’ll need your help.” I think I had to stop myself from blurting things from him now. I shouldn’t be parting this information to him.
“I’m out of here,” he stood up immediately.
“I thought you like me?” I asked, surprised as well. It was not the tone I intended for but it sort of just came out. “Why you’re backing away?”
“I like you, alright. It just kind of unbelievable to hear from you—who got herself humiliated in front of the whole student body last year—that you’re getting back together with the same guy who made a fool of yourself. I’ll see you later.” With that said, he walked away.
I knew what he meant by that, heck, I knew it very well. But this was the only thing I know that I could do to get back to him and have my revenge working.
* * *
I shoved all my things inside my bag and hurriedly made my way out of the school building. I wanted to be first at the gate before Eliot arrived there. I still had to collect myself and remember that this was just for my revenge. Nothing more, nothing less. I should not get attached to him. Not again.
But much to my dismay, Eliot was already there. He had his left foot propped to the wall and his arms were crossed over his head. For revenge, for revenge, I keep repeating that inside my head. Because if I don’t, I didn’t know what I would do the minute I face him.
“Hi,” I greeted nonchalantly, when deep inside, I was really shaking.
“Hey. What can I do so you’ll forgive me?” he asked, getting straight to the point. I guessed he couldn’t wait any longer. And so, I heaved a deep sigh and started to convey what I wanted to happen.
“Get back with me,” I said. He was quiet—gaping actually—and I couldn’t help but sent him a knowing smile. The smile that used to greet him with love.
“Come again? Did I hear you right? Did you just—”
“Your hearing is perfectly fine. That’s all you have to do. Take it or leave it,” I offered. I extended my hand for him to shake but I was caught off guard when he pulled me in a tight hug.
“You don’t know how much that made me happy,” he murmured.
I felt a surge of tears coming right out of my eyes. The memory of yesterday coming back in a flash.
“Be my girl, Tori,” Eliot had said, caressing my cheeks with his manly hands. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling that he was giving me. I never had someone who asked me to be his girl. This would be the first and to top it all up, the guy that asking me was the guy that I really like.
So, without due hesitation, I answered him, “Yes.”
That was the moment I thought I would love reminiscing, but no. It was the moment that I wanted to just forget. I regretted it. And as though my love for him was real, his was not.
“Tomorrow is Saturday. Come by at the house,” I said, still with the same blank expression plastered on my face.
He smiled widely at me. “Yes, I will be there. Thank you so much for giving me a second chance,” he said gratefully. Although I could see sincerity in his eyes, I still couldn’t find it real.
Exactly just after that, my brother’s car pulled over to the side, poking his head to the open window. “Tori, let’s go,” he shouted, sending a death glare to Eliot.
“Bye. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I stood on my tiptoe and kissed him on his lips. And once again, the feeling of being with him, embraced me. I ran to my brother’s car and slid inside the back seat.
Nathan drove almost immediately. “What was that supposed to mean?” he asked after a moment of silence.
I sighed. After what Eliot had did to me, Nathan swore that he didn’t want to see him all over me again, or else he didn’t know what he might do to him.
“Nothing,” was all I said.
“Nothing? Kissing him on the lips was nothing to you? Have you forgotten—”
“I wouldn’t forget what he did to me,” I muttered, cutting off his blabbing. “I had to get back at him. And getting back with him was the first thing that came to my mind.”
“You want to get back at him by getting back with him? Are you crazy? Why don’t you just ignore him like what you did for the last year?”
“I haven’t exactly ignored him for the last year. The feelings were still there. I find it hard to sleep some nights because his face was popping up in my head. The memory of us being happy together kept on flashing and coming back. I find myself crying over some sad love song that I heard on the radio. I usually curled up in a ball at night, sobbing and trying to forget—erase—his face in my mind. A year wasn’t enough to forget him,” I explained and it felt so good to finally said it and let it out of me. I had been keeping it for the last eight months.
Nathan pulled over in our driveway. Turning to face me, he said—like what real big brothers do to their sister—“I know what you mean, Tori. But getting revenge won’t send you to no good.” He went out of the car, leaving me with a thought inside my head.
I couldn’t just ignore what Nathan had said to me. His words for me were sometimes true that I end up hurting myself. But would I let that mini conscience bother and stop me?
I stepped out of the car momentarily. Just as I step my foot on the last step of the porch, the door flung open.
“I’ve been waiting for you!” Troy exclaimed. I removed my glasses so I wouldn’t be able to get a clear view of Troy’s—I had to admit—handsome face.
“Why?” I asked instead, walking past him. This caused for his shoulder and mine to brush with each other. And sparks were there. I knew that before there was none, but after he confessed, I felt it. The spark was too strong that it sent the hair on the back of my head stood on ends.
“Wear your glasses. You won’t see it if you don’t,” he told me, closing the door behind us.
He gestured for me to take a seat on the couch as he went to the kitchen. After a minute, he emerged back with a covered tray on his hands.
“What is that?” I asked, pointing at the tray he just placed on the coffee table.
“See for yourself,” he chirped enthusiastically.
I carefully took the lid off and placed it beside me. I stared at the freshly baked chocolate cupcakes in front of me. It was three with words written on top of each. I like you, it read. I processed it carefully in my head as I slowly turned my gaze to a grinning Troy.
“I really like you, Tori. And this time, I’m going to make sure that you’ll be mine. I let you slipped once, I won’t let you slip again,” uttered Troy sincerely.
Why hadn’t I saw that Troy liked me before? Why hadn’t I even noticed him when he was just living next door? If I noticed him before, would I be where I was right now? I think not. I think I would be in a very different story and having a different story to tell.
“Troy, Eliot and I are together again,” I told him. And even though I didn’t want to hurt him, it still showed to his face that he was hurt.
He looked down solemnly and strode his way to his room. I wanted to stop him and maybe comfort him a bit, but I prevented myself from doing so. It would be best that I wouldn’t get attached to him. His annoying self was enough to me.
I took a deep breath and finally decided to get in to my room. This day was too exhausting. I just wanted to sleep it off and forget everything that had happened.
When I swung open my door, Nathan blurted, “I’d rather know that you’re dating Troy than Eliot. That guy is troublesome and I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“Nathan, I’ll be fine. I had it all under control,” I assured him.
“You seem to know what you’re doing. But don’t come to me when your plan fails because I’ll only say to you—”
“’I told you so’. Got it,” I finished for him. He smiled at me, giving me a quick hug before going to his room.
I knew that my plan would work properly. It just needed proper planning and it would be good.
Chapter Four
A week had already passed and I found myself getting annoyed with the fact that Valentine’s day would be in five days. I still hadn’t made any concrete plans on how would I really get back to Eliot. On the other hand, Troy looked like he wouldn’t give up that easily. He had been serenading me throughout the week. I had asked for Eliot to just visit me during Saturdays and Sundays because Nathan didn’t really want to see him everyday hanging out in our house.
Nathan was—well, rooting for Troy—very supportive to Troy’s courting to me. Mom knew that Troy liked me and she was just like, “That’s great.”
Today was February nine and the horror of not having a concrete plan was unnerving. I sat on my bed, legs crossed, with my notebook and pen in hand. Before I could write something, the event of last year’s Valentine’s day eve came almost suddenly in my head.
“Tori, Eliot has a surprise for you in the gym,” Penny had said to me, all cheerful and all. I was at the library at that time and I didn’t know what I should do.
“What is it?” I asked softly.
“You might want to see it for yourself. It’s really big and I’m really jealous,” she joked in the air. I immediately gathered my things and shoved it all in my bag and hurriedly made my way to the gym.
It was dark inside. I hadn’t thought that maybe there was someone else watching me as I entered the dark gym. I heard a ball being dribbled and tossed in the basketball ring. I heard a cell phone rang but it went off so suddenly.
“Eliot?” I called out. My voice echoed in the gym, bouncing through the walls of the room. I heard none. “Eliot?” I called again. Somewhere in the far center of the gym, a small light lit up. There was bouquet of roses which I recognized almost immediately. I walked to its place and held up the three roses in my hand. It had a card inside, so I read it.
An advance Happy Valentine’s, Tori. –Eliot
I found myself smiling. “Eliot, where are you?” I called out once again.
“Tori, can I have one sec?” Troy blurted out, cutting off my reverie.
I faced him with brows furrowed. “What is it that you want now?” I asked snappily.
“Let’s date. Even just for today. Please?” he pleaded. He sent me a puppy dog eye which didn’t work for me. That look was far from acceptance.
I thought about it for a moment, hesitating and thinking of the possible things that could happen during our date. “Just for today?” I asked in confirmation.
He grinned at me. “Unless you want to—”
“Save it,” I cut him off. “Where are we going if I go on a date with you?”
“Where do you want to go?” he asked.
I thought of a place that only few people from our school go to. But there’s nothing that came to my mind. Instead, I suggested, “What about we go to the next town?”
“The next town? Why? Don’t you like the places here at Fort Ridge?”
I sighed exasperatedly. “I don’t want to be seen by anyone. You know that Eliot and I are a couple and if the other student sees us—which I don’t want to happen—it will be a big problem.”
He nodded in almost an agreement. “Well, you have a point there. So, does that mean you’re coming with me?” His eyes lit up in amusement and I found it hard to not stare at his lively green eyes. I thought I was swallowed by the floor just by looking at this guy.
“Just for today. No follow ups,” I said, standing up from my bed. I got my glasses out of my eyes and walked to the bathroom. It just sort of a hobby for me
that whenever I go to the bathroom, I should remove my glasses. I think it’s because of the idea that it might fall and break.
I returned to my room afterwards, where I found Troy laying down on my bed. I narrowed my eyes at him. But when I was near enough to see him, that’s when I realized that he was sleeping. I shook him to wake him up because I had to change my clothes. But much to my dismay, he didn’t even move a bit. Instead, he rolled to the other side, turning his back on me.
I gaped at him. “Troy, wake up,” I said, shaking him again. He just answered me with a groan. “Troy. I said wake—”
His hand reached mine and pulled me down on my bed. He put his legs over mine and his arms over my body. I froze with the position I was currently in. I didn’t know why, but my heart was beating in a crazy pace. His scent ran to my nose, closing my eyes in the process of recognizing where I smelt it. Abruptly, with all the consciousness, I pushed him away. But it only caused us to fall down on the floor with a loud thud.
“Ow!” he grumbled under his breath. I immediately stood up and composed myself.
“Get out of my room,” I ordered sternly.
He rubbed his eyes. “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yes. So get out of my room. I decided not to go out with you today. I have to do something,” I lied. With what I felt just now, I couldn’t deal a day with him. I didn’t want the idea of falling for him.
“What?” he asked incredulously. “But you said…”
“I changed my mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me. You have to get out now,” I said nicely.
He did what he was told to do. “What happens after?” he asked when he was in the doorframe.
“What do you mean?”
“I know that you’re just using Eliot. What happens after you use him?” he asked bluntly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, turning my back on him. I heard the door closed. That’s when I finally let out a sigh of what I could say was of relief and exasperation. How did he even know about my plan on using Eliot?
My phone blasted off the ringtone of Eliot. “Hello?” I answered on the second ring.
My Valentine Ending Page 3