Dear Valentine,
The day isn't over yet, but the sting of what happened earlier still lingers. I can't even put into words how it felt. I don't even know exactly where I was hurt—was it from the way you held my hand… or because you didn't kiss me?
Yours truly,
Love
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MY MORNING AS a freshman at Nacionales State University started off well. Papi gave me a ride on the tricycle, and my beautiful grandma Lalai and my two-year-old little brother Junior came along. They accompanied me to the induction ceremony. Even though we were late, it was worth it because I still caught VK's speech. I felt awkward just shouting a greeting when I saw her walk up on stage. I even greeted her after the program in the gym. I don't know why, but I really couldn't stop myself.
The first day could have been fine… until I saw that fool, David Sulivani!
"Hey, are you okay?"
I looked up at the voice—VK. She was with me now. Why did I agree to her offer earlier to talk about what happened? About what I saw—them kissing behind the building. Sheesh! Why, why, why?
"You look funny, Love," the beautiful girl commented in front of me.
I furrowed my brows. "Why?"
"Are you constipated?"
I tilted my head to the side. "Huh? I'm not stuck, okay?"
She bit her lip, clearly holding back a smile. Why? "Well, I just thought you were. You keep shifting in your seat. I couldn't read your expression earlier."
Really? She noticed my face? Oh, sheep. Why are my cheeks heating up?
"Are you okay?"
I glanced at her. "Honestly, it looks like you're the constipated one, VK. You're holding back your laugh. You might explode—"
"Shut up," she interrupted, rolling her eyes at me. "We're eating here, you know?"
"Oh, me? But you started it first!"
She groaned and adjusted her seat. "Gosh. Whatever, Love."
"Call me by my name properly, like it's not gross?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Why? You don't like it? Your name's an endearment."
"That's why, isn't it?"
"So what do you want me to call you?"
I smiled suddenly with an idea. "Barbie. Call me Barbie!" I said, but she just shook her head for a moment and I laughed. "Just kidding! Love is fine, VK. I mean, I have a choice, right?"
She lowered her head, covering her face. You could tell she wanted to laugh, but she shook it off and gave me a restrained grin. "God, you're so weird."
"Exactly!" I smiled, then quickly went serious. "But seriously, VK? I just wanted to ease the tension. I really get nervous around you."
"Nervous around me?"
"You repeated it. But it's fine, don't worry about me. I've always been like this, and I'm still like this now!" Sheep, what am I even saying? I'm awkward enough as it is, why am I fidgeting in front of her? My words are a mess! Why, why, why?
"You're crazy, Love Antonino."
Now she's calling me crazy? If it's not funny, it's insane. Where is this coming from? And why isn't she nervous like I am? Or am I the only one feeling this way?
"You look like a moron," she bluntly said.
"Do I?" I asked.
She glared again. I must really be weird. And she gets to see this side of me!
"Let's be serious now," she said. Suddenly, VK turned serious, and I swallowed hard. "It's a bit straightforward, but better than not being honest. This is about what you saw earlier, Love."
"I—I saw? What?"
"Are you dumb, or are you just playing dumb with me? Of course, it's about what you saw earlier with David and me."
"Ah! Oh, Dave. W-what about that fool?"
"Seriously? You saw what we did, didn't you?"
I nodded. "Then?"
She paused for a moment and furrowed her brows again. "You've been cheated on. Well, both of us. And to be honest, I didn't know you were his girlfriend too."
"Huh? Girlfriend?" What is she saying?
"Seems like I'm the third party, you know? I hurt you too. So now I want to ask you—why? Why don't you seem mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"After you kicked Dave in his… you know? Why didn't you confront me? Not even in class when you saw me again. I want to know why. Why didn't you come after me?"
"Why would I come after you?" I really don't get what she's saying. Her reaction seems like she's disappointed.
"Listen, moron. Normally, your reaction should've been to get back at me. Especially since you saw everything right before your eyes… and aren't you mad at me for stealing David?"
"Huh?!" Stealing David? Wait, wait! Is she assuming that fool is my boyfriend?
Here's a natural English translation with VK clearly as a female:
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"Am I even talking to a person? Do you even get what I'm trying to say? I've been telling you this for a while now."
Sheep, I needed to set her gaze on me. "I think we're misunderstanding each other, VK. David isn't my boyfriend, and that fool will never be my boyfriend!"
"No?"
I nodded.
"Then why did you… what was that kick for? You almost killed him."
"It's fine. That fool will recover," I said, fanning my nose with my hand to act nonchalant.
"Why are you so confident? What if he sues you? You're of legal age now; you could go to jail."
"Don't worry, don't worry! I'll report him for harassment too. Didn't you see earlier? He wouldn't let go of me, right? I was already hurt, so I kicked him in the balls!"
As expected, she was shocked by what I said. "So… you really don't know him?"
"I know him, but he's not my boyfriend. Over my dead body!"
VK slowly started to understand what I meant. "Oh… okay. So I've been mistaken all this time…"
"Clear enough now that the fool and I aren't together?"
She nodded. "Yeah, somehow."
"Finally, VK!"
"Wait," she interrupted. "Why do you keep calling me that name?"
"Huh?"
"You're calling me VK."
"Well, aren't those your initials? I just thought Valentine, or Keziah, or Valentine Keziah would be too long. So I figured, why not VK for short? He-he. That's what I'll call you!"
I waited for her reaction. She stared at me for a few seconds, then immediately covered her forehead and whispered, "Geez… why am I even talking to her?"
I got worried about her reaction. She really seemed disappointed. "No one's ever called you that before, VK? You don't like it?"
"That's not it," she said, looking at me seriously again. "It seems like I know you. Have we met before?"
I was about to answer when I heard that fool approaching angrily. Thank God adrenaline kicked in, and I stood up. It was like we were playing tag with David Sulivani at our table. He was poking me and cursing in English. He was trying to intimidate me and stomp me, but I didn't back down. Did he think I was scared?
"Damn you!"
"D.U. you!"
"Bitch, bitch!"
"Ugh! You're such a jerk!"
"Fuck you!"
"Yo, Dave! That's too much!"
"Enough, you two," VK interjected.
I chimed in. "Hey, she said stop!"
"She said both of us, idiot!"
"Us two? Really?"
"Tsk! You're even deaf—"
"I said shut up, morons!"
Both David and I froze as VK gave us a piercing glare. So this is her aura when she's angry? Sheep. She's scary!
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