NOT THE ONE || Completed✔

32: Who will be my valentine's date?

It was a Friday - meaning one more day to the D-day. Students were already bubbling with excitement. 'Will you be my valentine?' cards were already being passed from one person to the other, as girls giggled in groups to share whom they had received a card from - even the teachers had their own secret romance. It was all so disgusting to Joy.

"Joy!" Oluchi squealed as she ran into the classroom.

"Uh, gee." Joy rolled her eyes, already knowing what Oluchi wanted to say. "What?" She asked, pretending to be curious, and Oluchi plopped on her seat, her hands behind her back.

"Guess what?"

"Oh. Gee. Goodness. I can't seem to guess. Why not tell me?" Joy's voice was the least bit excited, but obviously Oluchi was too happy to have noticed.

She brought out the card she had been hiding behind her and grinned widely. "Tayo asked me to be his valentine." She squealed again, this time louder than before, turning a few inquisitive heads.

Joy covered her ears.

"I'm so excited. Come and see." Oluchi said and shoved the card in Joy's face.

Joy leaned back so she could read what was written on it. The outside was white, while the inside was all glittery in red. She couldn't believe how far Tayo had gone to ask a question he could have done with his lips: glitter, rose drawings, expensive-looking card. That was unlike Tayo.

"J." Oluchi called and she looked up from the card to meet Oluchi's concerned gaze. "You don't seem-"

"-Happy? Yeah. You should know how much I hate Valentine's Day." Joy cut in and returned the card, while pulling her seat closer to her table.

Oluchi pulled her seat closer too. "I'm so sorry. I got so excited that I forgot how much you hated this day."

"Don't worry about it." Joy placed her arms on the table and leaned her chin on them. "Don't let my foul mood ruin yours."

"J." Oluchi pouted.

"Stop doing that. You're only making it worse." Joy sniffed, feeling a tear tickle the corner of her eye.

One would have thought after the heartfelt speech her sister had given her yesterday, she wouldn't be letting any of the valentine vibe get to her; but she was human after all – she had feelings too.

"Oluchi." Tayo called as he approached their table.

Joy sniffed and leaned her head back, so the tear could go back in. She didn't know why there were tears in her eyes, but she hated the fact that there were.

From the corner of her eyes, she knew Oluchi was looking at her with sad eyes, so she forced on a smile to avoid any question from Tayo.

"I want to ask you something." Tayo continued with his hands deep in his pockets.

Joy could tell how deep his hands were in his pocket, from the way they bulged out at the sides and the constant movements they made.

"I already know what you want to ask." Oluchi smiled giddily and waved the card in his face. "I already got your message."

"What message?" His brows drew together.

"Uh-oh."Joy muttered.

"Your card na or aren't you the one that sent this card?" Oluchi asked and he snatched the card from her, turning it over again and again, before looking at what was written inside it.

Oluchi turned to Joy with confused eyes and Joy stared back at her with curious ones before they both looked back at Tayo.

"This is not from me." Tayo said.