"Expectation is the root of all heartache." – William Shakespeare

Knox and Chris: February 13th

Knox slammed the heavy oak door of the living area where they held their study sessions closed. The crowd of Dead Poets lounging about the room looked up to see Knox leaning against the door sighing dramatically. They rolled their eyes simultaneously and resumed their work. Every time Knox burst in with a lovesick puppy expression, it had something to do with—

"Chris! Guys, I need some serious help!"

Charlie Dalton snorted. "I'm so glad you're finally coming to terms with your mental illness, Mr. Overstreet. I would be more than willing to give you the number of a few psychiatrists who might be interested in working with you," Charlie said mock-sympathetically.

"Anyways... what does a guy like me get a girl like that for Valentine's Day?"

"You could do her a favor and stop stalking her," Charlie suggested.

"Charlie, you just don't know what its like to be in love," Knox stated contemptuously.

"Sure I do. I'm in love with a girl every night of the week. Speaking of, I better plow if I wanna find one in time." Charlie abandoned the group but not before stealing an imperceptible glance at Meeks.

"Yeah uh... me too... I'm pretty busy with this trigonometry homework. Sorry Knox," Meeks said nervously and bolted out to follow Charlie.

Neil put his hand on Knox's shoulder. "All you have to do is give from the heart. If she really loves you, she'll love whatever you give her."

Knox thought long and hard. He was definitely a hopeless romantic, so the gift had to be classic. Money was no object, of course. He wanted to be with Chris forever... "I've got it! Thanks, Neil, you're the best!" Knox flung on his scarf and jacket as he was trying to get out the door which only succeeded in him tangling his cashmere scarf on the doorknob and smacking face first into the solid wood. However, his bleeding nose did not deter him from his goal as he pedaled his bike through the heavy snow drifts and flurries of snowflakes that didn't allow for him to see two feet in front of him.

...

February 14th

Valentine's Day this year was a school day. Knox Overstreet was so committed to his cause that he cut his classes for the day just to go give his gift of ultimate devotion to Chris Noel. He rode his bike through the snow-covered grass allowing the cold wind to whip his face until it stung. He didn't even allow himself to wear a coat in the fear that it would mess up the flow of his outfit. After all, he had went festive and decided on a red and pink striped tie that offset the navy on his blazer perfectly.

Knox hopped off his bike and threw it on the ground outside the door. The hallways of the crumbling public school were packed with girls getting romantic gifts from their boyfriends. Knox smirked. Cheap gas station roses and boxes of heart-shaped chocolates from CVS were nothing in comparison to the beauty that was held in his pocket.

"Chris! Chris!" He spotted her wearing a preppy pale pink sweater that offset her light blonde hair and pale skin perfectly. Knox caught up with her before she could quietly run off.

"Chris... hey. I'm glad I caught up with you. I... I've got something for you," Knox fumbled with his blazer to pull the box out of his pocket.

Chris tried to hide her face in shame. Thankfully, no one seemed to be paying attention to them. "Knox... can't we please do this somewhere else?" Chris seemed desperate to get rid of him.

Knox slowly stooped to one knee and pulled the velvet box out of his blazer pocket. He cleared his throat. "Chris... I love you more than anything and I think you feel the same way about me, even though I might annoy you... Anyways, if I don't spend the rest of my life with you there's no point in living. I figured what better day to tell you this than today, on this day. Would you accept this ring as a token of my undying devotion?"

Chris knew it was sweet but spending the rest of her life with someone she wasn't even going out with in high school? It was insane. And Knox was impulsive. Chris may not have been sure about her feelings about Knox's sudden proposal, but Chet Danberry sure was.

Chet grabbed Chris by the shoulder and pushed her back. "What the hell is going on here?" He looked from his girlfriend, to Knox's paled face, to the incredibly large diamond nestled in the velvet interior, and back again. He grabbed Knox by the tie with brute force and pulled him up to face him. He looked down on the much shorter Knox and lowered his face to his so close that Knox could feel his breath. "Are you trying to propose? To my girlfriend!"

Chet tossed him back into the lockers. The whole school seemed to be watching the scene unfold. "Look, can't we just talk about this?" Knox straightened his tie and tried to negotiate like the lawyer he was expected to become.

Chet- being the stereotypical jock- was not in the mood to "negotiate." His fist sailed through the air, landing square on Knox's nose and knocking him to the ground. Another punch cracked his jaw and Knox groaned on the linoleum from the pain of the blood and the broken bones. Chet Danberry spat above him, "Don't you ever let me see you around here again or you'll be dead, you understand?"

The final bell sounded against the silence that followed and the hallways quickly cleared. Chris walked off with Chet, his arm draped over her shoulder like she was his property. And, Knox thought, considering the display that had just occurred, maybe she was.

Knox stumbled outside in the frigid air only to realize that his bike had been stolen. He was going to have to walk back to Welton alone. Once he hit the main road, a car stopped him.

...

Knox woke up alone in a hospital bed, unsure of how he got there.

"Who brought me here?" Knox asked the nurse in confusion.

"I'm not sure. They said you were walking on the main road and stopped by their car. Once you got in, you passed out. They noticed the blood and decided to take you here. Some old couple, I think."

Knox thanked her kindly as she left the room. He looked in the mirror near his bedside. Happy Valentine's Day he thought sullenly. At least he was festive though.

After all, blood was red.

A.N. – I will be continuing this with three other short story pairings. I hope you enjoyed. Also, I know it's a little late since Valentine's Day has passed but... yeah.

P.S. Whoever reviews gets proposed to by the Dead Poet of their choice :) (And thanks to Cloudy for giving me the idea to say that.)