First Valentine's Day

slices at Two Writing Teachers!

I hate mornings.  This morning I started to growl and grumble as soon as I heard the alarm's cheery little wake-up song.  However, my attitude was changed almost immediately today, because Husband gave me a big hug right away.  His sweet voice said, "Happy Valentine's Day!" and I smiled in spite of my grumpiness.  Even though it was dark, I could feel his eyes looking at me with his most adoring gaze.

Valentine's Day.  Our holiday.  The day that started everything...


It's a Friday afternoon and I'm a freshman at Ohio State.  I just got back to the dorm from class and I'm throwing clothes into my duffel bag.  My mom will be here any minute to pick me up for a weekend at home.  I know she has Valentine's treats waiting for me!  Just like she does every holiday, she'll tell me that I'm her best present.

I got a few Valentines and candy from some of the girls in our suite, which was cute.  However, I'm boyfriend-less as usual and tired of it.  Sick of Valentine's Days and dances and myriad other events, always without a date. I prayed so hard last night for God to finally give me a boy to love, who loves me too.  Whatever, at least I'm spending the weekend at home.

Suddenly, a girl from a couple suites over walks into the common room with a card and a giant cookie, which she hands to me.  Wow, that's a little bigger than most people were giving out... "Thanks, that's so nice of you!" I tell her enthusiastically.  Guess I should've given out Valentines. I didn't know so many girls would!  "It's not from me..." she grins evasively.  "Open the card..."

Weird.... Who's it from then?  I tear open the envelope and start to read.  A sweet, cute card with a sweet, cute note inside.  Messy cursive that's now so familiar to me.  It's from the boy in the next suite over who's also in the Freshman Engineering Honors program and has had almost the same schedule as me all year.  We walk to our classes together and eat lunch and dinner together everyday.  While rather dorky, he's sweet and funny and a good friend.  He likes me!  I didn't know he liked me like that!  I can feel color rushing to my cheeks and this giddy happy feeling washes over me.

He's so shy that he's hiding back in his room, not knowing what I'd think of his Valentine's gift.  Almost light-headed, I run out of our common room and next door, with the card still in my hand.  He looks up almost fearfully as I throw my arms around him and give him a big hug.  A boy likes me!  He gave me a Valentine's present!

I don't really know what to think, don't really know what will happen now.  Are we going to be boyfriend and girlfriend?  My mom's here to pick me up and I have to go.  She teases me about getting a card from a boy...


And now he wakes me up in the morning with a hug and a sweet smile.  Prayers do come true.