Valentine's Day has always had little to no impact on the young student, Caitlin Roger. Love was nothing but

an invalid, complex, and unsuccessful experience in her view. Her parents were living proof of that tragedy.

Since then, this so-called "Valentine's Day" had been passed as any ordinary day to her. But even so, that

didn't mean it would limit her to seeing it as a holiday for significant others. Her friends Cassie and Callie,

two polar opposite twins, were the ones who had come up with the idea since they wanted some girl-time

bonding before the holiday. The sisters had insisted to cook at their other friend's place, Mike, as his

kitchen is nothing but grand. Daphne gave in to the idea wholeheartedly, and Caitlin smiled with approval.

Now here they were, in Mike's kitchen, conversing about Caitlin's willingness to celebrate the holiday she always seemed to avoid.

"It surprised me that you actually looked forward to this, Caitlin," a tall, skinny female with shoulder lengthen dirty blonde hair stated.

"Daphne, Valentine's Day isn't all about lovers you know," She responded. Her eyebrow raised in slight annoyance, "please don't tell me you guys only made chocolates for guys you like."

"Of course we did that! That's what Valentine's Day is about!" Another female with long, pitch-black straight hair exclaimed, "it's your one chance to put your love in something others than words - chocolate!" She giggled and cupped her cheeks in her palm.

"Not intentionally, Cassie," Daphne stated, "as Caitlin said, it's for anyone you love; it doesn't have to be just the person you have feelings for." Hearing this exclamation, Cassie exclaimed with great interest, responding, "then I'll make one for you, sis! It'll be great!" Hearing this, her twin sister smiled warmly at her younger sibling.

"All right, so, let's get started," Caitlin began, "what should we do first, Daphne?" While being questioned, Daphne took one of the borrowed aprons from the twins and initiated one of the sisters to help her tie it, as her arms weren't long enough.

"I found a recipe for all these different chocolates some time ago," Daphne started, as she thanked Callie for tying her apron, "and I thought we could create chocolates that remind us of that person." She patted down her apron and grinned, satisfied with her idea.
"There's more than just one?" Caitlin questioned. Callie nodded, amused by Caitlin's question.

"There's a lot of 'em, Caitlin!" Cassie added, "there are tons of them with different flavors!"

"More or less," Daphne commented, placing her hand on Cassie's shoulder to calm down her excitement. "there are pretty interesting flavors. Definitely even more than I know about." With that being said, Daphne pulled out an impressive list she found online. As she flatted out her piece of paper, she started the discussion: by asking Caitlin what her favorite chocolate was. Caitlin held her pointer finger against her cheek, thinking about her past experience with tasting chocolate. She shrugged slightly, "I recall only eating milk chocolate flavors." Daphne nodded and looked back towards her paper, "It says: If you like milk chocolate…. you are a kid at heart. There's an innocence about you that others adore. You are very nostalgic but have a tendency to live too much in the past..." Daphne looked back at Caitlin and giggled slightly, "It sounds a lot like you, doesn't it?" The girls all nodded in amusement, Caitlin averting her gaze in the embarrassment of how truly accurate it is.

"Alright, enough talking, and let's get this lesson started," Daphne stated, "let's use the list as a reference sheet for ideas on what chocolates we want to focus on." She placed the list back on the counter, grinning at all the girls.

​

Before they knew it, the girls sat on the kitchen floor covered in chocolate from head to toe. The girls glanced at one another followed by erupting in howls of laughter. Cassie gave Callie a slap on the arm, making those two laughs harder than any other.

"It looks like we had a food fight rather than an actual lesson," Caitlin said in between laughs.

"We should probably head home and wash it off," Daphne suggested, wiping down her dirty apron and lifting herself off from sitting on the floor.

"Why don't you shower here," Callie insisted, "Mike's got a huge bathroom as big as a sauna!"

"Oh yeah! We'll lend you our clothes," Cassie squealed with excitement. Caitlin contemplated the idea for a moment, but the only thing that invaded her mind was how undeveloped she would appear in their large-breasted attires.

"Um, I don't think any of them will fit me…" She finally answered with embarrassment, "I'll just wear this outfit again and change when I get home." Callie looked at her with a confused expression, but she just responded with a slight grin, making her sigh. Daphne decided to shower first, so the other girls sat in the living room, watching TV as they waited for her to finish. 

"So... what are you giving Justin?" Callie questioned, piquing her interest in the innocent Caitlin. 

"Uhh... I'm not sure yet. I still haven't decided yet..." Mumbling her words a bit, Caitlin tried focusing her attention on the TV.

"What?! Well, you better hurry! Tomorrow is the day you'll need to present him with something." Cassie exclaimed, leaning over Callie's legs to stare directly into Caitlin's soul. Turning back around towards the direction of the bathroom, Cassie yelled, "What about you, Daphne?"

"What about me what?" Daphne yelled back, muffled by the sounds of water hitting the bottom of the bathtub. The girls laughed at her response.

"Do you plan to give anything to Mike?" Caitlin asked the two twins as they averted back toward her.

"We'll get him roses and chocolates," Caillie replied, "as long as he has something tangible, he'll be happy."

"But he's happy! That's all that matters!" Cassie added positively with a blinding smile.
As long as he's happy… I do want to give Justin something meaningful to show my gratitude… but what?

​

The walk from Mike's house had been surprisingly short, despite taking the long route home. Caitlin had been preoccupied with the same thought: Justin's present for Valentine's Day. She wanted it to be something that would remind Justin of her, something only she could give to him and he would approve of it. But she was already out of time! Her paper balled to fist, and at that instant, she remembered the chocolate list Daphne had given her. She looked at it thoughtfully before settling with the idea. Chocolate it is.

Before she knew it, Caitlin was standing at her apartment door and unlocking it. She slammed the door behind her, walking into the kitchen.

"Welcome back," A familiar male called back in a muffled tone. There was rustling coming from his bedroom before Justin came out. He stared at Caitlin in a questioning manner as he noticed the chocolate-covered attire. 

"So... did you have a food fight, or what?" He asked, slightly amused by her appearance. 

"More or less," She chuckled in response. "Do you mind setting the pans for me while I change?"

"Sure, but what's it for?" Justin rested his arm on the edge of the kitchen wall, other hand on his hip.

"Putting my lesson to the test," Caitlin replied with a small skip to her room. Caitlin shrugged the answer aside and nevertheless did as he was told. He knew that Caitlin intended to practice what she learned until she had perfected it. Moments later, Caitlin emerged from her room in her sweats attire, pigtails remained in place. She held a folded paper as she took her orange apron off the hanger and shoved it down the front pocket.

"Want to help me out?" Caitlin asked, emerging behind Justin. He swiftly turned his position from collecting the pans to facing Caitlin.

"Depends on what you're making," He stated, taking notice of Caitlin's attire.

"Chocolate," She replied, "it's Valentine's Day tomorrow. Did you forget?" She crossed her arms and jerked her head lightly.

"Oh yeah... well, let's get this started. And make sure to leave some for me to taste afterward." He turned around to face the pans once more.

"That's fine with me," Caitlin replied, feeling a slight bit of excitement rise within her. After an hour of hard work, Caitlin wiped her forehead with her sleeve as she exhaled with relief. Before them displayed several bowls of chocolates labeled with flavor and filling. She had carefully tasted every chocolate and made sure that they were set to perfection. She was happy with the result, but the outcome of their fruitful labor left them to question the event. The duo had chocolate splattered all over their top half throughout the process of creating them.

"Jeez, I didn't think making chocolates would be so dirty," Justin complained, patting down his apron and walking towards the sink to clean up.

"That's the small price I have to pay for every cooking lesson, but it's definitely worth it in the end!" She exclaimed, licking her lips.

"You got that right," Justin smirked. His eyebrow rose with inquiry as he noticed a small blotch of chocolate on Caitlin's cheek.

"You have something…" Justin pointed to the area on her face, making Caitlin slightly gasp as her fingers touched the spot he had pointed out. The action had only added more chocolate to her soft, flawless face.

"Don't move," Justin stated as he bent forward. Caitlin felt her heart race as Justin's face appeared closer to hers. One hand held her chin, while the other rested on her right shoulder. Then she felt something damp, soft, and warm touch her cheek. Her heart had increased pace, leaving Caitlin dazed and disoriented. She held still as Justin continued his ministration to her other cheek. Her legs wobbled underneath his touch, causing her to reach out and hold on to Justin for support. Justin pulled back to meet her eyes with his alarmed ruby ones. Caitlin's embarrassed, vulnerable face slapped Justin back into reality very quickly.

"Shit," Justin muttered, his hands sliding down to hold her elbows, pushing her away from him. Caitlin also appeared alarmed by the sudden reaction but kept quiet to herself, her mind registering the events that happened moments ago. She didn't know how to handle it. She was trapped between choosing to ask him if he was alright, or keeping quiet. In the end, she stuck with the latter. Justin released his grip on her and backed away, muttering a breathy apology before running off to the bathroom. He quickly slammed the door behind him, locked it, and leaned on the frame for what he hoped was both physical and emotional support. He slowly slid down to the floor in a crouched position. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and confusion. Justin was honestly quite surprised by his daring actions. He knew very well that his actions were motivated by his bottled feelings toward his roommate, but how did he let his emotions take control of him at a crucial time like this? He'd be damned if he slipped out his feelings to her right now. The last thing he wanted was a break in their friendship. He didn't want her to look at him with that same look of loathe whenever she talked about men. He didn't want her to see him as an enemy. It was moments later when Caitlin heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom that things seemed to go back on track, but even that couldn't bring her to the fact to register those tender moments. She recalled the feeling of her heart fluttering at an upbeat pace, the warm rush of heat blanketing her frame, and the soft, peppered touches of Justin's lips against hers as he licked off the chocolate. Well.. not that last part. But she just can't help but want to relish it. Her conscious was bombarded with disapproval. She couldn't trust anyone with her heart. As if on impulse, both of her hands gripped the fabric over her left bosom. Her heart had calmed down after his disappearance and left her heart aching in pain. Caitlin recognized this aching pain through heaps of romance novels, but she couldn't bring herself to admit this feeling. She wanted to remain heartless, painless, and emotionless when it came to love. She wants her heart to remain in one piece, perfectly stable. But overall, she wants to remain safe, even if it made her ignorant. Caitlin's eyes searched about the room with idle interest as her mind continued to wander. The bowls of chocolate had finally dawned on her—Valentine's Day is tomorrow! The panicked thought brought her into a spasmodic frenzy causing her to spill over chocolate on a silver tray. Caitlin quietly reprimanded herself for her actions as she saved the remaining chocolate and cleaned up the mess. The sight of a spontaneous design on the silver tray dismissed her chastisement and illuminated an idea. Caitlin reached into her front apron and fished out the list and read each description over in a concentrated manner. She created mental notes of which chocolates reminded her of each person. The moment her eyes read the description of brazil nuts, she chuckled. Definitely Mike...
After a moment of scanning the five different flavors, she settled on bitter chocolate. Caitlin quickly made her way to her room at a blinding speed and searched for an old box that contained blank Valentine cards that she saved over the years. She returned to the kitchen, a pen at hand, and jotted down the definition of her selection:

Dark chocolate... you are the problem solver! Always looking ahead, a true visionary. You have a love and appreciation for worldly things but can be materialistic at times.

Brazil Nuts... you are diplomatic, cultured, and sociable, a perfectionist.

She laid the card on the table and decided to write her message later; it was best that she finished the cards while she waited on the chocolates to cool down overnight. She wrote Mike's name besides her selection to remind her of the chocolate she'll use. For the twins, Caitlin chose:

All chocolates: you are the social butterfly! Always hip and well-liked by others, you are flexible and know how to roll with the punches. You seek to please but can lose sight of yourself from time to time in doing so. But their fillings differed from one another.  For Cassie, she chose:

Cherry: you are energetic, passionate, and exciting. As for Callie, she settled with:

Marshmallow: you are social, talkative, and optimistic. Just by looking at this list, Caitlin knew that this would be a long order to fill. Now on to Daphne's boyfriend, Aaron. For him, she selected:

Bitter chocolate: the connoisseur! You are authoritative and well-respected by many. You are determined and unwavering but often inflexible and stubborn. And for the filling of the chocolate, followed with:

Lime: you are straightforward, goal orientated, and a freedom seeker.

For Daphne, Caitlin had to think a little bit. But eventually, she settled with and saw her more as:

White chocolate: you are the eternal peacekeeper! You seek truth and fairness in the world and with others. Keeping all options open, you rarely close any doors, occasionally making you a bit passive.

Caitlin searched for chocolate flavors and fillings for several more people until she felt satisfied with her assortment. She glanced back at the silver tray and thought of her designs. She knew exactly what she wanted to do on Valentine's Day. 

​

It was barely past three in the morning when Justin dragged himself out of bed to get a drink of milk. Although he was in a hazy state, he crept quietly into the kitchen. Once there, he was surprised to see colorful streamers and decorative plastics enveloping the floor. There were several dishes and utensils stacked in the sink with chocolate plastered everywhere. The smell of chocolate overwhelmed the room, intoxicating its victims with its sweet, mouth-watering goodness. The scent had almost won him over, but all temptation vanished when he found Caitlin curled asleep on the floor with scissors at hand. Justin quickly took the tool away and laid it on the table.

"Stupid girl," he muttered softly, "are you trying to kill yourself?" Caitlin remained undisturbed in her curled position as if she was keeping herself warm. She slept with a peaceful expression on her face, her mouth slightly parted as an airy breath slipped out. Justin ran his hands through her messy, untied hair with gentle care. This appearance, this security, this expression… they will never be seen by anyone else but him. Even if she couldn't return his feelings, these small moments, torturous and tempting as they were, reminded him of the advantages of being just assigned roommates for school. Justin gently cradled the sleeping girl in his arm and began to make his way back to her bedroom. He quietly thanked his luck that Caitlin had already been dressed for sleep as he gently set her on her soft bed. He tucked the girl in gently, hoping that he wouldn't stir her out of her sleep. Thankfully, Caitlin continued to sleep with a peaceful look on her face. Justin had one hand holding onto the frame of her bed, and leaned his head close to hers. It was close enough for their lips to softly brush one another. It took every willpower to retract from his action. The frame of the bed was replaced by an elbow to support Justin's weight while his lips rested on his fist. His conscience screamed with rebuke for what he had almost attempted. He knew now that he was reaching his limit. If he stayed any longer, his emotions would take over. It drove him insane that Caitlin could make him react like this, even if she slept. It was her vulnerable appearance that made him want to protect her from anyone else. If anyone had seen her like this… how will they react? Justin gently disarmed himself from the frame and quietly made his way to the door. He stood there quietly, silently admiring Caitlin from afar like he always did. He gave his usual small grin before closing the door and returning to his own bedroom, his goal long forgotten.

​

Caitlin awoke with no revelation of her sudden transportation. She knew only one word that would explain this: Justin. A smile crept on her face as she stretched before getting out of bed. She made her way to the kitchen with her mind set on breakfast, but the chaotic mess she had left in the early morning had been cleaned. In a panic state, Caitlin dashed towards the kitchen to check on the bags of chocolates she made earlier that morning. She released a sigh of relief when she spotted all of the bags together. She was aware that her creations weren't exactly professionally perfect, but they still came out great, and she was happy with the result nonetheless. The young girl pulled out all of the plastic bags and placed them in a bigger bag, ready to be handed out to all her loved ones. As soon as she finished, she made her way to Justin's room and entered gingerly to wake him up. She was surprised to find an empty, clean bed, rather than its usual messy appearance with the owner sleeping in a serene state. Caitlin was slightly upset that Justin had left without her, but she couldn't blame him. Last night's event was still fresh in her mind, and she also did not know how to face him. I guess it's for the best.

Justin woke up a little early with a surprise breakfast idea installed in his mind. He wanted breakfast to be a little more spontaneous than usual, just for this special occasion. He was eager to get started on cooking, but when he opened the fridge he found several varieties of decorated bags sitting on the top row. Two designs, a repetition of horizontal black and white patterns and one with tiny white stars arranged in a parallel fashion, were labeled with Mike and Aaron's names. Both were shaped bigger in appearance, compared to the smaller bags behind them. Even though the shiny, reflective material, he saw that there was a lot of hard work put into them, painstakingly molded to perfection. Justin's heart abruptly sank and he closed the fridge, forgetting about his Valentine's Day idea. Instead, he headed out early and ate in the school cafeteria for breakfast. All he could think of were those two chocolates. It looked like Caitlin really liked them more than him. He ate his food with bland interest, swallowing down his meal until his stomach was full, and headed to class with ten minutes to spare. It was funny how his eyes had found the person he was searching for the moment he had walked in. Caitlin's back was towards him while she handed her chocolates and cards to Daphne and the twins. He could overhear them gushing with excitement and glee when they received their chocolates from her. Justin sat down in his usual seat; head down on the desk, and listening in to Caitlin's conversation intently. 

"It just doesn't seem right that yours have to be smaller," Caitlin said with worry, "who wrote that stupid rule that chocolates have to be bigger for the opposite sex?" She huffed in annoyance as the girls munched on their delicious treats.

"It's always been that way," Callie answered as she read the small card that was inside her bag, "the bigger they are, the more important they are to you." A smile made its way to her lips and she pulled Caitlin in for a quick hug to show her gratitude.

"It's good that you made them big," Daphne added, "It shows more meaning to them." She also hugged Caitlin after finishing the card.

"I hope so... I stayed up all night making them. I'm surprised they came out better than the first time I attempted." Caitlin sighed. She noticed Justin's presence by the way Daphne's eyes glanced at the seat where they usually sat. In a soft whisper, Daphne asked, "Did you guys get into another fight again?" The memory of the night before raced through her mind at that second. There was no way she would tell them about it.

"Something like that…" Caitlin replied, chuckling slightly. Daphne frowned with disapproval. Callie took note and glanced at Justin and back at the other two girls with the message received.

"You should really make up soon," She stated, poking Caitlin's shoulder, "it's not good to have a bad atmosphere at a time like this."

"What are you trying to say, Callie?" Looking in her direction, Caitlin became skeptical almost immediately.

"YOU SHOULD DAT-" Cassie squealed with jubilation. Caitlin tackled her with quick speed and covered her mouth.

"You're too loud!" Caitlin hissed. Cassie's eyes widened with embarrassment, followed by a soft, muffled giggle. It couldn't be helped; Caitlin had to release her before they made an even bigger scene.

"Go on a date with him!" The over-bubbly girl suggested with a soft giggle. The familiar sound of key jingles echoed in the hallway before their homeroom teacher finally appeared. He made his way towards his desk, discussion dying down in the classroom.

"All right, settle down, students. Because today is the climax of love, I decided today's lesson will be set on this infamous pair—yes you guessed it: love birds!" The class was filled with groans, but the professor paid no heed to them. It was going to be a long morning. On the other hand, the conversation Justin had overheard only made him grow even more depressed. He already knew that his love life with the girl of his dreams was little to nothing, but he didn't expect Caitlin to actually take upon Callie and Daphne's advice. What had driven him insane was Cassie's suggestion. He began to question Caitlin's motives with worry. Why was she now accepting love? Did Mike and Aaron impact her life more than he did? He knew they were roommates to the other girls, but I guess love just has that power... The bell rang, signifying the start of lunch break. Students filed out of the classroom with excitement. Justin remained at his desk, chin resting on the table as he watched Caitlin make her way to the front of the room and hand him a stitched-decorated plastic with a bar of medium-sized chocolate. It was a little smaller compared to the other two boys she made chocolate for, but nonetheless accepted her gift with gusto. Caitlin quickly ran out of the classroom with her bag of chocolates at hand. Justin finally made his move and decided to follow her out. In this endeavor, he spotted Caitlin handing chocolates to other school staff. Some other friends' chocolates were about the same size and wrapped in decorations of hearts, but they were happy as well. Then he followed her to the principal's room and waited outside. He can only imagine the reaction of her father and the principal as she presented her gift. Her father was the vice principal of the school and had an undying love for her daughter. A little scary, honestly. Five minutes passed and Caitlin hurriedly emerged from the room with her father chasing after her, a heart-covered plastic in his hand. He had tears in his eyes as he cradled the chocolate to his chest. A smile of amusement made its way to Justin's lips; he didn't expect Caitlin to actually make one for her father as well. Justin made sure that he left a large gap between them, in order to hide from her perception along with the crowd of other students. The next gift was given to a friend from Caitlin's Book Club, who had cautiously accepted the chocolate with revelation and happiness. Caitlin pulled him into a hug and exchanged a few words. He waved goodbye as Caitlin turned in his direction. Justin walked quickly away, increasing the gap in his pursuit. He returned to class in time with a cool façade plastered on his face. He saw a flooding amount of chocolates and notes on his desk, and he couldn't help but grow annoyed by it all. He didn't want any of these presents when none of them came from the girl he loved. Before Justin could throw away the chocolates, Mike and Aaron walked in with a nonchalant appearance as they acknowledged his pile of sweets.

"Popular as ever, huh?" Mike commented, chuckling slightly. Justin sighed heavily shrugging his shoulders.

"Where's my stash of chocolate?" Aaron complained, "of course, your superior god should also receive piles and piles of chocolate from thousands of admirers." He said jokingly with his usual ironic god complex. On days like today, Justin couldn't help but feel a little irritated about the way his best friend had stated that sentence. He was getting something from Caitlin, while he got this pile of worthless presents. 

"Take them, I was going to throw them out anyways," Justin mumbled, waving off and giving approval. Aaron's eyes quickly lit up.

"That's inconsiderate, Justin, do you know how much work they committed creating these for you?" Mike chastised. Justin shrugged it off once more with no interest, "Just take them, before I actually do decide to throw them out."

"Sweet! Thanks, Justin! Now I'm the most popular guy today!" Aaron screamed with enthusiasm as he took the pile and set them on his table.

"He's never gonna live this down," Mike pinched the bridge of his nose while shaking his head disapprovingly. "You've done it now, Justin.."

"Weren't you the one who said that I shouldn't waste these in the first place?" Justin replied.

"So, mister popular, what happened to your stash of chocolate you get every year?" Caitlin asked. Justin was surprised that Caitlin had returned a bit later than he had, but he hid the astonishment while Caitlin and Mike exchanged a quick wave as he excused himself. Justin met her gaze with a dull, uninterested look as he answered, "I gave them away to Aaron."

"You know he'll never live this down," Caitlin commented, as she took her seat beside him.

"I don't care," he muttered. He laid his head down on the desk like he usually did. With this action, he was able to peek into her bag and find only two more chocolates were left: Mike and Aaron. Justin saw Caitlin's hand reach into the bag and pull out Aaron's gift, making her way to the self-absorbed narcissist. Justin found himself groaning, but he couldn't stop himself from eavesdropping.

"That's for me?" the obnoxious kid asked.

"Of course," Caitlin answered, "who else would be named Aaron here?" Aaron cackled as he threw his head back, "Of course not! No one can have a kick-ass name like mine! I'm the only one bestowed with this high title!" He took the big chocolate from Caitlin's grasp.

"Whoa," he commented, "did you stuff rocks in this thing or what?" Caitlin's patience grew thin due to the hurtful comment about her creation.Maybe his god complex really isn't ironic today... Caitlin made her way back to her seat with dignity. She slammed her head on her desk and groaned with annoyance, instantly regretting her decision.

"You just added more fuel to that fire," Justin chuckled. Caitlin groaned once again but quickly stood up as she recalled her last present. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for a certain tall brunette. Finally, she found him conversing with the twins at the door, but before she could call out his name, the bell rang, and once again, class was back in session. The trio left the classroom, having the consent of the professor.

​

"Hey Justin, you can go back without me. I need to do something before I head home," Caitlin said, gathering her materials.

"I can wait, ya know," Justin replied. Caitlin placed her bag on her shoulder and got up, quickly responding.

"It's okay, really. I'll see you at home." With that, Caitlin dashed out of the room with high energy. Justin couldn't help but feel more and more depressed. So it was Mike this whole time. He knew that Caitlin had only one chocolate bag left and it was the one person she hadn't given the present to. He couldn't go home thinking about how Mike and Caitlin will be spending the afternoon. Instead of heading home, Justin ran after her.

​

"Just Mike left," Caitlin murmured to herself. Valentine's Day had become the most memorable event for her with all the smiles she received from her friends. She could only imagine Mike's reaction when he'll receive his gift. Other than Justin, she's been looking forward to seeing Mike's reaction to what she had created all night. It couldn't be helped that she made his with so much effort that it was perfectly designed for his taste. She only hoped that the chocolate had not melted and destroyed her hard work. Caitlin searched high and low to find the boy. She was surprised to see him walking about in the forest outside of the school. She pushed herself to run faster, to catch up to him. Finally, she found him quietly observing the trees with idling interest. She loudly called out his name. The boy turned towards her with a small smile on his face to greet her.

"I've been looking all over for you. Why are you here all by yourself?" The exhausted girl gasped out, walking closer to where he stood.

"Well, I received a note from a secret admirer and they told me to meet them out here alone," Mike replied.

"Oh, I see. She didn't show up yet?" Caitlin asked, looking around the forest to seeing nothing but trees and grass.

"I just got here," Mike replied. He paused then looked at Caitlin curiously, "you don't happen to be-"

"No, no, no, no!" Caitlin interrupted, "I didn't give you that note. Most certainly not." 

"Then what are you doing here?" He asked, intrigued. 

"Well, as I said earlier, I just came here to give you your Valentine's Day present." Caitlin dug into her bag and pulled out a black and white pattern plastic bag with Mike's name written on it. Mike began to open the bag and pulled out a card. He flipped the card open and quickly read the message inscribed in it. A chuckle escaped his lips as he returned his gaze to meet Caitlin's.

"Bitter chocolate and Brazil nuts? Where did this idea come from?" He asked, transferring his glance from the card to Caitlin's expression.

"It was Daphne's lesson. I got the idea off of it," Caitlin answered. mike tucked the card under his arm before digging into the bag and pulling out a carefully, wrapped chocolate. He unraveled the chocolate and gawked at it. His mouth went agape as he raised the solid, 3D chocolate of an elliptical-shaped figure 8 in the air, his eyes glowed with gusto.

"I hope that our friendship would last for eternity, that's why I used that symbol," Caitlin chuckled.

"This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! You're a natural!" He complimented. Mike returned the chocolate creation to its wrappings followed by placing it back into the bag. Then he pulled out a small velvet box from his back pocket.

"It reminded me of you when I found it." Caitlin's eyes widened as she gazed at the unopened present.

"This must be expensive," she commented. "I can't possibly accept this, Mike."

"It's nothing big. We're friends after all." Caitlin lifted the cover with great care and gawked at the content.

"I know you don't wear jewelry a lot, so I thought it would be a great idea to just start off with a simple bracelet."

"You call this simple?" It was a silver bracelet with five dangling laminated charms. The first one was a silver angel wing with her name engraved on it. The second was an image of the snake design that Mike had on the ring he wears. Next was an image of a mouth and sharp teeth. The middle charm was a bright blue soul that sparkled in the light every time the light bounced off it. After that was an ordinary star but shaded in black. At the very end was the same wing as the first charm.

"This is absolutely beautiful," Caitlin commented with awe, pulling him into an abrupt hug. Mike was taken aback by her action but returned by wrapping his arms around her.

"Thank you," Caitlin smiled, "I'll always treasure it." Mike smiled softly, "I know you will. By the way, Happy Valentines Day, Caitlin." Her face glowed with pure happiness.

"Happy Valentines Day to you as well, Mike." With that, she walked away, hands held behind her back, holding on to the present she just received.

​

Justin had rushed home the moment, Mike had wrapped his arms around Caitlin. He couldn't bear to watch it any longer and headed home. The way Caitlin had reacted to Justin's present told him that he had lost. So here he was, on his bed with Caitlin's present resting on his chest. It was another box similar to what Mike had given her, but his was longer because of its content: a gold, diamond heart necklace. It was simple, but he knew it would look elegant on Caitlin. He sighed with depression as he flipped the box over and over in his hand. He couldn't give her this present. He had to think of something better to top off Mike. His eyes widened as he heard the front door slam shut.

"Welcome home," Justin called out, but he made no effort to come out of his room. He continued to play around with the box idly. He listened to Caitlin's feet shuffle around the kitchen followed by her footsteps echoing in the narrow hallway that led to his room. He heard her softly rap on his door and he knew that facing her would be inevitable. He sighed as he got up and opened the door.

"Hey," she greeted. He replied with the same.

"Can I come in?" He shrugged in response and turned back to his bed and laid back down. He made sure that his body covered the velvet box.

"Mind explaining what was going on with you today?" Caitlin asked, crossing her arms as she rested on his door frame.

"Nothing." He mumbled, facing away from her. Caitlin frowned, not accepting his answer.

"I know you better than that, Justin. Come on and just tell me."

"I told you, it's nothing, Caitlin." He huffed, not moving from his awkward position on his bed.

"You were following me this entire day. Don't tell me that's nothing." Hearing that, Justin froze in realization. She had seen hin. He shook his head and sat up on his bed, hopping off so he could stand in front of her.

"I'm telling you, it's nothing. Quit being so nosy! Besides, it's not like I'm asking you about your little confrontation with Mike."

"Oh, so you were watching us? Didn't I tell you to go home? Besides, that doesn't concern you, Justin," Caitlin barked in response.

"So I can't worry about my roommate when she disappears every once in a while?" He began to raise his voice.

"Exactly! I can take care of myself, thank you very much." Her eyebrows furrowed.

"That's total bullshit, Caitlin. You can't take care of yourself when you're alone. You always end up needing someone to pick you up off the ground." Silence fell between them. Caitlin didn't speak after that. She looked at him with a sad look in her eyes as she muttered, "You're right… I can't do things by myself." Caitlin approached him and handed the brown box in his hands.

"I just came in to give this to you. I'm sorry to be such a burden…and Happy Valentines Day." She walked out of the room and loudly slammed the door behind her. She walked to her room and lied down on her bed, hugging a pillow to her chest as she leaned against the wall. Justin stared at the large package in his hand and flipped it to the other side gently. There stuck a letter addressed to him. It said:

Justin,

Happy Valentine's Day. I'm sorry I had to give you yours on such a late note.

This present was the last one I made before passing out for the night.

I left it in the fridge to cool down faster before handing it to you.

I hope you enjoy it. I worked really hard just to show you my gratitude.

Thank you for everything up to now.

I hope you'll always support me as my roommate and my friend.

-Caitlin

"Dammit," he cursed. It was his fault that this fight started tonight; it wasn't supposed to end this way, and he sure as hell wasn't going to leave it like this. Justin hurriedly took the velvet box off his bed and made his way to Caitlin's room without a second thought. He barged into her room, just in time to see her cover her face with her pillow.

"I'm sorry, Caitlin. That was out of the line and I shouldn't have said that." He apologized. Justin made his way to where she laid in her bed.

"Go away!" She screamed into her pillow. Justin wouldn't have her answer and forcefully took the pillow from her.

"Listen to me, Caitlin. I'm serious. Look at me when I'm talking to you." Slowly, she looked up to meet her eyes with trails of tears coming down her cheeks. Justin gently wiped the tears away as he spoke, "You were right. There was something wrong with me today and I shouldn't have acted the way I did just now. You deserve something better." Justin took out the velvet box and opened it. He took out the necklace and placed it around her neck. Caitlin touched the gold, diamond-studded heart-shaped pendant with confusion.

"I was right," Justin said softly. "It looks good on you." A wave of warmth washed over Caitlin. painting her entire face red as she stared at Justin speechlessly. Justin took notice of her reaction and couldn't help but think that she was adorable. His hands made their way to hers and gently grasped it in a tender manner.

"I know right now isn't the perfect time to tell you this," he voiced out in a struggled tone, "so I will hold on to these words for a little while longer." His eyes bore into Caitlin's with so much intensity that she had to remember to breathe calmly.

"I want you to stay by my side forev-for a little while longer. When you're with me, don't look at anyone else, Caitlin. Especially today, when it's Valentine's Day. I didn't want you going around handing all these chocolates to men who didn't deserve all your effort when they weren't someone you considered as your lo-Valentine..."

"Justin, I..." Caitlin voiced out, but he turned away, a blush making its way to his face.

"What I'm trying to say is... will you be my Valentine?" Caitlin remained speechless, unsure of what to say to this confession, but she did know one thing. For tonight, she'll grant him that wish.

"You know, you should really look at the person's eyes when you say that," Caitlin murmured timidly. Justin looked back into her eyes and saw an unusual amount of tenderness in them. The look gave him a sense of hope and confidence.

"It's uncool to make a guy repeat what he just said," He smirked. Caitlin giggled softly, "Well, how will they know if the person is being serious?"

"Fine," he submitted. "Caitlin Roger." She perked at the sound of her name with amusement. "Will you be my Valentine?"

"Okay…" she answered softly.

"Really?" Justin asked, a glimmer of astonishment sparkling from his eyes. Caitlin nodded and was pulled into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness…" he sighed in relief. "I thought Mike was going to be your Valentine." Caitlin shook her head as she raised her bracelet.

"Mike got me a bracelet with a bunch of charms similar to the friend group. It's more of a friendship bracelet." Justin smiled when he saw his charm. So it's like that…

"By the way, did you ever get to read the card?" Caitlin asked.

"Yeah," Justin replied. She smiled approvingly. "Then do you know why yours took the longest time?"

"Is it because it was the last one?" he asked.

"Not just that…" Caitlin trailed on. Justin gave a confused expression, making her chuckle. "You didn't finish reading the bottom did you?"

"I didn't even see what was inside!" Justin exclaimed. He ran off to his room to retrieve the present Caitlin had given him as well as the card.

"P.S. did you know chocolates have personalities?" he read aloud, "They do?"

"Just keep reading, idiot," Caitlin encouraged.

"You act so childishly sometimes, but there are moments where you can be mature. To me, there was always some sort of innocence in you that I can't be helped but be interested in. There's something mysterious about you when it comes to your past, like me. We have a lot of things in common. You remind me of my favorite chocolate, so I hope you'll enjoy this flavor!" he read in an emotionless manner.

"Way to show great enthusiasm while reading my letter," She huffed. Justin chuckled as he gently pulled out the content within the brown box. He was surprised to hold up a heavy, chocolate in the form of an eighth note, twice the size of Mike and Aaron's combined.

"I can see why you had to leave it in the fridge all day, it's so freakin' heavy." Caitlin frowned slightly at this response.

"But still, I appreciate it a lot, Caitlin." He said, smiling. "You really put a lot of effort into this. Not bad for your first time making chocolate." He took a piece of the chocolate and savored the taste. He couldn't help but chuckle as he swallowed the piece.

"What?" Caitlin asked, confused by his amusement with the chocolate.

"Who would have guessed it would be the same flavor I tasted yesterday?"

"Huh, and out of ten different combinations... what a coincidence," Caitlin stated. Justin pulled another piece of chocolate and fed it to Caitlin. She savored the taste the same way he had, smiling at the memory that came from them.

They weren't just sweets, but memories of a hidden, forming love.

​