Valentines Day

Valentines Day Part 9

The schoolday had come to a close and Takagi and Nishikata were packing up their things, ready to go home. 'Should I really do this?' Takagi thought to herself. 'I mean ... Sumire did have a point.' She picked up the last of her things and turned to Nishikata. "Ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah." Nishikata replied nervously.

'I don't even need to ask if he wants to walk home anymore, he really has realized his feelings. Not that he's ready though.' They made their way out of the class room and down the hall. "So, tell me a bit about her."

"About who?"

She leaned closer and smiled. "The girl you like."

Nishikata blushed as he stumbled away. "I ..." He took a deep breath as they began walking again. "Well, she ... I like her ... a lot."

"That's not much to go on."

"Yeah, but I know you; if I give you a single detail, then you'll find out exactly who it is." He looked away. "Then you'd hold that over my head forever and never stop teasing me about it."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, that's what you always do."

"Hm." She placed a finger on her chin and began thinking. "In that case ... maybe I should just ask for her name."

"Not going to tell you that either."

"That's no fair." She moaned. "But I'll find out eventually."

Nishikata groaned as Takagi looked over at him. 'Wow, he really looks uncomfortable with the idea of me finding out who it is, and I know it's me, so maybe he really doesn't think I would return his feelings.' She shook her head. 'Then ... even if it wasn't for my own sake, I need to go through with this.'

She began to feel a little worried as they finished changing their shoes and quickly approached the exit of the school. 'It won't be long now.'

They left the school grounds and as soon as Takagi grabbed her bike, she paused. 'It's now or never.'

"Is everything okay?" Nishikata asked. "You seem ... uneasy."

"Kinda." She said as she placed her bag into her basket and began fishing in it for something. "I know it's a little late but," She pulled out a small red box with a ribbon on it.

"Was that ... supposed to be for the boy you liked?"

"Mmh hmh." She said with a nod. "Seeing as I was unable to give it on Valentine's Day, I was considering just ... giving it in person ... it was ... very nerve wracking."

"So you didn't do it?"

'I'm about to.' She let out a sigh and turned to Nishikata. "Here, it'll go bad if I keep it any longer."

Nishikata looked at it with a sad look in his eye. "You sure?"

"Yes, I am." She said as she smiled. 'I guess Sumire was right, both of us have a long way to go before we're ready for a relationship' "Happy late Valentine's Day."