Alone. There's not a single word that describes my life better than alone.

I've had parents, nannies, distant relatives, classmates...but I was always alone.

My father, head of the Schnee Corporation, would always come home mad after another day of dealing with those Faunas extremists known as the White Fang. While my father was busy fighting the White Fang, my mother was busy in her role as CEO of the company. The only quality time I ever got with them was my training and at the funerals of the people killed by the White Fang. No bedtime stories, no baking cookies, no days in the park with them. That's what the nannies were hired for. In school, my classmates avoided me because of my family name.

I was surrounded by so many people, yet I was always alone.

Today is the day before Valentine's Day, the worst holiday of the year. It only serves to remind me of just how alone I am.

My teammates are gossiping with Team JNPR about who has a valentine and who doesn't. Nora is obviously going with Ren, and Pyrrha is going with Jaune, even if he's too oblivious to notice. Yang talks about the older boys fawning all over her. They won't be when they realize she's got an easily triggered berserk mode. Blake was asked out by that monkey boy we met a few months ago, but she turned him down. Smart move Blake. No doubt all his gifts would have been stolen property.

As much as I don't want to, eventually I get dragged into conversing about my plans.

"How about you Weiss?" Yang asks me.

"I don't have a valentine," I reply, "and quite frankly, I don't need one."

"Sounds like someone who's been left out in the cold," Yang joked.

"I'll have you know I can easily get anyone to be my valentine! I just choose not to because this holiday is absurd!"

That was the half truth. I did think this holiday was absurd. But as for getting a valentine, I haven't gotten one in seventeen years. What makes this year different from any other?

"You know Weiss," said Yang, "if you need a valentine, I'll let you be my valentine. All the boys will be jealous."

"Knock it off Yang," said Ruby. "Leave Weiss alone."

Yes. Leave me alone. I've been alone all my life. Why change now?

"Sor-ry!" Yang said sarcastically. "Anyway, what plans do you have little sis?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Ruby replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Yang. "Do you seriously have a valentine?"

"I might," said Ruby.

I doubt that Ruby has a legit valentine. She once told us about how in Signal, everyone would give out valentines to everybody. They didn't take the day seriously. Knowing Ruby she'll "surprise" us by saying we're all her valentine and pass around a box of chocolates or something. It would be a nice gesture, even if it was also naive.

#

Valentine's Day is today. I'm thankful it landed on a school day. At least that way I can take my mind off this day with my school work. My final class today was sparring. I didn't have any trouble performing against my opponents. Everyone else was preoccupied with passing cards and making faces at each other. Once class wraps up, I head for my locker as fast I can. I just want to put my gear away, go back to my dorm, and spend the rest of the day alone in my room.

As soon as I open my locker, something drops out. I look down and see a red envelope. I don't remember ever having something like that in my locker. Upon picking it up I realize what it was.

It's a card. A Valentine's Day card.

I can feel my heart racing. Somebody left me a card in my locker. Why? Was there really someone trying to be my valentine? That couldn't be it. That was impossible. It had to be a prank. I would open the card and on the inside it would talk about how stupid or lonely I really was. Or maybe it was a pity card. That would be even worse. I should just throw it away. I mean, it had to be a prank. But what if it was legit? What if someone out there actually...liked me?

I couldn't bring myself to throw it away, but at the same time I couldn't bear to open it. I stuff the envelope in my pocket and head back to my dorm.

I arrive at my dorm and nobody is here. They're probably out trading cards and gifts with the rest of the students. I sit at the desk and pull out the envelope. Inside this envelope was either the confirmation that I'm truly alone, or that ray of hope saying otherwise.

My heart is beating fast. My hands are shaking. I'm about to rip the corner when I suddenly hear the door burst open and my team come in. Panicking, I try to cover the envelope with my arms.

"I told you the boys would be all over me!" bragged Yang.

"Until you started knocking them out," replied Blake.

"Hey, I made it perfectly clear to look and not touch," replied Yang. Yang suddenly puts a hand on my shoulder. I'm mentally begging for her to not see my envelope.

"You should have been there Weiss. It was a lot of fun."

"I-I'm sure it was," I stutter quickly.

"You okay Weiss?"

"I'm fine," I reply unconvincingly. Yang looks over my shoulder and notices I'm hiding something. I realize she's going to find out no matter what I do.

"What's that?" she asks.

"Oh, this?" I said, holding up the envelope. "Just some letter I got."

"A letter you say?" she asks deviously. Before I can try to lie further, she suddenly grabs the envelope out of my hands and finds out it's a card.

"Look at that!" said Yang. "Our little princess has an admirer!"

"I do not!" I yell.

"Yang, give Weiss her letter back!" said Ruby.

"I agree," said Blake. "This isn't funny."

"Oh c'mon guys," said Yang. "Aren't you as curious as I am about who has a crush on Weiss?"

"I bet you anything it's just some idiot's idea of a joke!" I said.

"Well, only one way to find out," said Yang, about to rip the corner of the envelope off. I try to snatch it out of her hands quickly, but she grabs on tight so I can't release it from her grasp. I'm starting to get really upset.

"Give it back Yang!" I yell.

"Only if you promise to open it right here and now!" she replies.

"It's none of your business! Now give it back!"

Yang starts to hold the card high up with one arm and keeping me away with the other, preventing me from even getting close enough to touch it. I try to hold back from bursting out in tears, then out of nowhere, a red flash streaks by and grabs the card away from Yang. We turn around to see Ruby, holding the card in her hand, looking very upset at this ordeal.

"It's from me!" yelled Ruby. "It's my card!"

The room went silent. None of us could believe the words we just heard. I don't how to feel. I thought Ruby was the one person that wouldn't pull a prank like this. I didn't know whether to start crying or start yelling. There had to be some other explanation. Maybe she just said it was her card just to get Yang off my back.

"I'm going to go...," Yang doesn't even finish before her and Blake bolt out the door. Now that it's just me and Ruby, I begin to speak up.

"Is this true?" I asked her. "Is that card really from you?"

"See for yourself Weiss," she replied, handing me the envelope.

I tear open the envelope and pull out the card. It's a Valentine's Day card alright. A very pretty one. I open the card and notice the writing on the left side.

Dear Weiss,

I know you must feel like you're alone on this day, but you're not. You've got friends who look out for you. Friends who care about you. I know it seems like we don't get along well, but you're my best friend.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Love, Ruby.

"Ruby...is this true?" I asked.

"Of course it is," she replied. "I want to share something with you Weiss. There was a time when my mother...wasn't around anymore. I thought from that point on I was going to be alone. But then I realized I could never be alone. I had Yang, my dad, my uncle...all sorts of people. Then when I came here to Beacon, I thought if it wasn't for Yang being enrolled at the same time, I'd be alone again. But then I met you, Blake, and the rest. I'm especially glad I got to meet you."

"Me?"

"I mean, sure you can get bossy and act like a jerk sometimes. But deep down, I know you're a nice person. More importantly though, Weiss...don't ever think you're alone."

The tears start flowing down my face. I throw the card aside and embrace Ruby in the tightest hug I can. How could I of been so stupid? I'm not alone. At the very least, I've got Ruby. She can be annoying at times; downright infuriating even. But there isn't another person I'd be more proud to consider a friend.

"This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me," I said. "Thank you Ruby."

I wish I can hold on to Ruby longer, but Blake and Yang soon knock on the door to see if it's okay to come back in. Yang apologizes for teasing me about the card, and without any "real" valentines, the four of us decide to just hang out in the commercial district until it got dark. We didn't do anything most people would consider special, but I didn't care. This was the best Valentine's Day of my life.

By the time Monday rolls around, everyone goes back to being themselves. The girls brag about all the gifts they received and the boys complain about all the money they wasted. I didn't get any chocolates or teddy bears or taken out to some fancy dinner and a show.

I got something better than all that. I got a card that will forever remind me that I've got the greatest friends anyone can ask for. I've taped the card to my locker to make sure I never forget its meaning.

I'm not alone.