The delicious smell of freshly baked cupcakes floated seductively from the kitchen around the house, meaning one thing: Annie was baking valentine's cupcakes. One of the few specialities Annie made to perfection. These little masterpieces were made specifically for George, who was preparing for a romantic picnic with his new love interest Sam.
Valentines Day. Annie once looked forward to the 'day of romance'. Eagerly waiting to see if she received any cards from a special someone, which of course she always did before she met her ex-fiancé. Owen was the reason she strongly disliked Valentines Day now. Slowly came to resent the day.
Annie's smile faltered as she remembered those days. So foolish she thought now, thinking Owen loved her. Such a waste of time and energy…and life. Everything was good now that George and Mitchell were around. She felt normal, loved and human. Sometimes she forgot she was a ghost. Until Annie remembered the little things she could never do or never have.
Having enough of her negative thoughts, Annie switched on the radio in need of some uplifting music. Beyonces' 'single ladies' started up. Ah! Now this is much better. Adding a finishing touch to the iced cupcakes, Annie nodded in pride at her work. Perfect, she grinned to herself.
The cakes were finished just in time for George to dash into the kitchen waving a list frantically in one hand.
"Annie, where's the blanket? I put it somewhere…it's not a picnic without a blanket!"
George's face flushed a pinky colour and tufts of his hair stood out of place.
Annie pulled George over to a chair, attempting to calm her hyperactive housemate.
"George, take a deep breathe, calming thoughts, its out in the hallway. And all cupcakes are set to go!"
George released a breath of release.
"Thanks Annie, I'm a little nervous" George attempted to smooth the rebelling tufts of hair.
"I would never have guessed" Annie gave him a cheeky smile.
Mitchell walked into the kitchen, picking up on the conversation. He took the fresh cup of coffee offered by Annie and eyed up the cupcakes before discretely stealing one with as much stealth as a naughty child.
"Hey! Hands off! There for Sam!" George squeaked and Mitchell sat in the available chair, half the cupcake already scoffed.
"And there amazing, thank you Annie" Speaking with his mouth full. She beamed a smile and whispered a bashful thank you.
"Annie! He stole a cupcake!" George whined.
Chuckling Annie pointed a stern look towards Mitchell, swatting the back of his head.
"Bad Mitchell! Don't worry George I made plenty more" She spoke sweetly.
Mitchell rubbed the back of his head
"Ow that was sore. I think I deserve another cupcake for that" Mitchell swept the few remaining crumbs from his face.
George made a sighing noise. Sometimes Annie felt like she was looking after kids.
Clapping her hands, it was time for her to get into business.
"Ok George, picnic basket, blanket, champagne, chocolate, roses" Annie checked each item off with her fingers as she spoke.
"Check, check, check, check and check. Roses will be bought en route. Aren't I the dashing boyfriend" George wriggled his eyebrows.
Mitchell scoffed in response "Jesus George, follow the stereotype much. Twelve red roses I'm assumin'"
"No! No red roses George!" Annie suddenly shouted. Both housemates stared in shock at her outburst. Annie, feeling rather ridiculous, attempted to swiftly move on.
"Sorry, ignore the loopy ghost" A weird laugh gurgled from her mouth and Annie turned to the sink, focusing on the mess from the bake-a-thon. Looking over her shoulder, Annie figured she better not freak George out too much today. "Get her yellow ones, she'll appreciate them more". Annie smiled softly, trying to disguise the sadness in her eyes, and quickly turned back to task at hand.
Puzzled for a moment, George did not catch the discreet sadness to Annie's demeanour. Mitchell, however, picked it up instantly. He could always sense when Annie was feeling down, noticing the little differences in her posture or tone and especially her spell binding eyes. Scratching his jaw line, Mitchell continued to study Annie as a sinking feeling in his stomach suggested the twat that is Owen played an important factor.
Shifting in his chair, George broke the silence "Ok, yellow it is".
George crossed out red on his list and made the appropriate adjustment. He couldn't suppress his curiosity though "Why yellow Annie".
Without removing her concentration from the dirty baking tray Annie responded.
"There just…overrated, unromantic… apologetic"
Annie tensed with each word, banging the helpless dishes in the sink. She remembered getting a dozen red roses from Owen every Valentines day. Every girls dream wasn't it? However for her it was one of the many overzealous gifts Owen would present, begging Annie to forgive the black eye he so lovingly gave her the night before.
Standing still for a moment, Annie took an unneeded deep breathe to calm her thoughts. George and Mitchell were probably freaking out big time.
"Valentines Day is a load of crap anyway. The power of consumerism brainwashing each and everyone one of us into a black hole" Mitchell hated this day, not that he ever celebrated the day in question. Even with Josie he had given it a miss. Why would a vampiric monster like him celebrate such a pointless day? Or maybe he was just jealous of every other happy soul.
"Don't even get me started on the cards!" Mitchell gulped the remaining coffee.
Mitchell hating Valentines Day. Now this caught Annie's attention. She turned round, raising a questioning eyebrow.
Discrete as usual, George openly gawked at Mitchell "Oh for Pete's sake, what's wrong with celebrating a romantic day…maybe reading a few poems" George looked at the corners of the ceiling like a child in trouble.
Annie pointed a strict finger at George "No poems George, we had this conversation before"
George rubbed his ear "Ok, ok" and focused his attention back to the anti-valentine Mitchell "Really? And I thought you were a romantic. Didn't you ever get excited about getting a card in?"
"I've never had one" It was Mitchells turn to look slightly embarrassed by the attention.
"What, how have you never had a card?!" A little idea sparked in Annie's head.
"The whole vampire thing is a bit awkward to celebrate around" Sometimes Annie forgot the other side to Mitchell. The killer aged over 100 years old.
Glancing at the wall clock, George jumped to his feet. This Valentines battle with Mitchell could probably last a while he thought. Snatching up the cupcakes George shouted "I have to go!" before tossing another cake over to Mitchell and scuttling to the door. With a muffled "Thanks Annie!" George was gone.
Annie shouted back like a proud mum "Good luck!" and returned to the cleaning.
Mitchell chuckled "They grow up so fast". Fetching his jacket, Mitchell had a little task of his own to complete. Standing up beside Annie, Mitchell pulled on his gloves.
"I'll back in a couple of hours, don't go anywhere". Out of the blue and on an impulse, Mitchell lifted her hand and kissed it in a gentlemanly manner and left.
Where did that come from, Annie thought to herself? Shaking her surprise away, Annie left the remaining dishes and began to work on her little idea, relishing in the tingling sensation left on her hand.
Relieved to be back home, Mitchell closed the front door quietly and tugged his jacket off. It was a chilly afternoon and the sun was unpleasantly strong for his likings.
"Annie?" He shouted "Where are you?"
Mitchell translated the muffled response to Annie being in her bedroom and began to climb the stairs. He felt a little nervous. Imagine an old vampire like him being nervous?
Just before walking to meet Annie, Mitchell noticed an interesting looking dark blue envelope leaning innocently against his bedroom door. Curiosity got the better of him and Mitchell opened the envelope. Inside revealed a black card covered in a hand drawn design of a single heart. Inside he read 'Happy Valentines Day, love from An (the An was scratched out) your secret Valentine'. A cheesy grin spread over his face. His first card! It wasn't like those ridiculous overpriced/gooey excuses of a card you can buy. It felt special. For the first time in a good while, he felt like he belonged someplace.
Placing the card in his room, Mitchell felt revved up to see Annie and walked over to her room.
"Hey" Annie eyed Mitchell standing at her bedroom door, looking a little shifty, what with that really happy grin.
"Hey, I have something for you" Mitchell stepped into the bedroom.
Annie only just realised one hand was hiding behind his back. Sitting up straighter in the armchair, she fidgeted in unexpected anticipation.
Mitchell sat on the arm rest and produced a sheepish grin before revealing a single, unblemished yellow rose. Annie gently held the flower, studying it closely as she spun it in her fingers. It was beautiful. When Mitchell saw the rose it reminded him of her: fresh, energetic, bright, and happy.
"Oh I nearly forgot" Mitchell stood up and rummaged in his pocket for the small box. Distracted by the sheer fascination in Annie's eyes, he had nearly forgotten his other gift "This too".
Mitchell placed a small wooden box into Annie's hand. The outside was carefully carved with Celtic engravings. With nervous, expectant eyes, Mitchell eagerly watched Annie pull out the content, covering his mouth with his hands apprehensively.
Opening the box, Annie carefully removed a polished silver heart pendant, about the size of a thumbnail. If she had one, it took her breath away and she opened her mouth in awe. She was getting a little like George, Annie realized.
"I saw you eyeing it up the other day, you were stroking the catalogue picture, so I assumed you liked it".
.Happy tears brimmed in her eyes and Annie shook her head in agreement.
"It's beautiful Mitchell" She stroked the heart, moved by the thoughtful gesture "I love it thank you". It was the most thoughtful and personal gift she had ever received. The simple gift spoke so much more than anything.
Removing his hands from his face, Mitchell smiled in relief. "Here let me" He took the necklace from her hand and unclasped it. Annie looked questionably – surely the necklace would just fall off, she was a ghost. Mitchell stroked her hair out the way and spoke quietly into her ear as he clasped the pendant around her neck "I heard that if a ghost really wants something, they can will it to happen" Satisfied he dropped her hair back and watched her study the necklace in bewilderment.
Annie stood up facing Mitchell. He followed suit, pacing one foot to the other. She lightly traced the petals over her cheek, closing her eyes and trying to remember the smell of fresh flowers.
"This is the most personal and simple gift I've ever had, thank you" She kissed his cheek pulled him into a tight hug "I don't have anything for you".
Mitchell looked down into her brown eyes.
"Are you kidding me? You've given me unconditional love, laughs, friendship, family. A mean cup of tea! My first Valentines card" Kissing her forehead, Mitchell continued "When I've been in the darkest, shittiest places, you've been my ray of sunshine, pulling me back and telling me everything will be ok. You give me hope and accept me for who I am."
Leaning their foreheads together, Annie and Mitchell felt a connection, a magnetic pull. Since the accidental kiss, a physical desire had developed, growing slowly. Deep down they had both denied it and tried to bury such feelings, they were best friends after all.
Annie tilted her head slowly and brushed her lips tentively over Mitchell's, testing the waters so to speak. Initially Mitchell remained unresponsive and Annie began to worry she was reading too much into the situation. A sudden hungry pressure from Mitchell reassured her the feelings were mutual and the kiss deepened into a more passionate embrace.
Reluctantly, the pair broke apart and Mitchell ran the rose petals delicately over Annie's lips "I've been wanting to do that for a while now"
Grinning, Annie bit her lip and slyly asked "With the rose or kissing me?"
Mitchell touched face and huskily replied "Hmm, maybe both" before returning for another sensual kiss.
George wouldn't be back till late. The whole night was free for themselves. Maybe Valentines Day wasn't so bad after all?