Valentines Day

That Monday, Olivia walked into homeroom thinking it was any other boring Monday morning. That was until she saw all the couples and roses. Right, today was Valentines Day. Olivia sighed as she took her usual seat towards the back of the class and was soon joined by one of her best friends, Peter.

"Hey, 'Livia," Peter greeted her rather cheerfully.

"Hey," she said, allowing a small smile to grace her lips. "Where's Charlie?" Olivia looked around for her other friend.

"He finally grew a pair and bought Sonia a rose. He went to ask her out for this Friday."

"Aww, our little Charlie's growing up." Olivia cooed as she and Peter settled back into their seats. The morning announcements played over the loud speakers and the class whispered quietly as they pretended to pay attention. Peter glanced over at Olivia and noticed a little frown had placed itself on her lips. Peter didn't like it when Olivia frowned.

"Are you okay?" he whispered to her.

"What?" Olivia shook her head as she came out of her daze. "Oh, yeah I'm fine."

"Day dreaming?" Peter grinned at her.

"Ha, just wondering if there will ever be a Valentines Day I don't hate. It's honestly just a holiday to make single people feel lonely and fat from all the pity candy they get."

"Oh, come on. You've really never gotten anything on Valentines Day?"

"Not since elementary school where the whole class was required to give something to everyone. I don't think that counts."

"Hmm, I would have thought a pretty girl like you would get tons of roses." A cheeky voice whispered in her ear and she jumped as she turned to face Charlie, who had snuck in late.

"Well, if you hadn't noticed I'm not so high up on the social chain here. I mean come on I hang out with you two losers," she smirked jokingly.

"Haha, very funny." Charlie laughed.

"Well, who knows? Maybe your luck will change." Peter shrugged.

The announcements ended and the trio gathered their bags and walked off to their first period class. Olivia ducked into the room slightly ahead of them as she saw her friend Beth already sitting down. Peter paused at the door, watching her long hair swinging behind her as she plopped herself down next to her friend. Charlie caught the look on Peter's face and smirked.

"Now who needs to grow a pair?" Charlie was in a cheeky mood this morning, resulting from the fact that Sonia had said yes to his request for a date earlier.

"Shut it," Peter muttered under his breath as he and Charlie went to sit down next to Olivia.

The day moved on without event up until lunchtime when Olivia stopped by her locker to exchange her books for the rest of her classes. She was extremely surprised when she found a red carnation taped to the outside of her locker. This was so a first for her. She carefully removed it from the door and recited her combo as she twisted the dial back and forth. When the door opened a small note fluttered down and silently touched the ground at her feet. She picked it up and read it.

Be in the auditorium at three o'clock

It wasn't handwriting she recognized at all and she just stared at the bit of paper until she realized the halls had cleared around her. She quickly shook herself out of her reverie and grabbed her lunch, hurrying to find Charlie and Peter in the lunchroom before all the good seats were taken.

Olivia quickly scanned the cafeteria from the doorway until they landed on Charlie and Peter in one of the far corners. She walked over to them and sat her brown paper bag lunch next to Peter. Noticing the carnation in her hand Charlie grabbed at it sneakily and twirled it in his fingers.

"So, Liv. Who's the secret admirer?" Charlie asked with a smirk.

"I have no idea," Olivia shrugged. "I found it taped to my locker and they slipped a note inside. I didn't recognize the handwriting."

"Here, let me see it." Peter held out his hand for the note.

"Uh, uh." Olivia shook her head. "It's private."

"Spoilsport," Charlie gave her a light shove in the arm. The group returned to eating their lunches and talking about homework and the huge history projects they had due next week. "Honestly, I don't know when it will be useful to be able to recite the life story of Slobodan Milosevic. I don't see why we go so in depth with all these random world leaders no one's ever heard of."

"Well, that's exactly why we go into so much detail. No one thinks of Serbia or Armenia when someone says genocide. Everyone just thinks Hitler, like he's the only one who ever did it. It's important to pay attention to the small parts of the world too." Peter said through a bite of his cheeseburger.

"Yeah, plus its just one more grade that's almost all memorzation so it'll be cake." Olivia added.

"Speak for yourself Miss Photographic Memory." Charlie laughed. "Some of us have to actually look at our papers more than once to remember what they say."

"I honestly don't know why you never skipped grades," Peter put in.

"Says the boy with an I.Q. of 190." Olivia pointed out.

"God, you two make me feel excessively stupid sometimes." Charlie chuckled.

"Charlie, you have straight A's. You have nothing to be worried about." Olivia smiled at him kindly as she finished up her apple. "I've gotta get going. I promised Beth I'd help her study for that Calculus test tomorrow."

"See ya later 'Livia." Peter nodded as she grabbed her things, bag slung over one shoulder and red carnation held carefully in her other hand.

"Bye, 'Liv." Charlie gave a short wave as she reciprocated with her free hand and left in the direction of the library. As soon as she was out of earshot Charlie rounded on Peter. "Nice acting buddy. So, what did that note say it was so private she couldn't share?"

"Charlie, I only left her the flower. I never gave her a note." Peter said incredulously, running his hands over his face. "Who do you think gave it to her?"

"No idea," Charlie shrugged. "What, you scared of a little competition."

"I'd never intended on competing. I felt bad that no one ever got her a flower so I got her one. And, yeah, I guess I would like it to mean more but she's too good of a friend for me to jeopardize that by being stupid and assuming she thinks of me in the same way."

"Peter, you never know until you try."

"Well, I have no intention of trying right now, or anytime soon for that matter. Not unless I'm completely sure she feels the same way and there's really no way to find that out without letting slip I like her."

"Whatever you say." Charlie shrugged and Peter stood up to throw out his lunch tray.

"I'll see you after school, 'kay? Same time." Peter grabbed his bag and dragged himself to the Assistance Centers where he had to tutor some kids to make up for a few missed detention hours. All through the session he couldn't focus on how stupid this kid was, all he could think about was who would've left Olivia a note in her locker.