Valentines Day
Based off a little fact my socials teacher told my class about today! And the song 'A little too not over you' by David Archuleta
''I'll find you! I'm awesome you know!'' I declared. She gave a small smile
''I hope so, Gilbert... but if you don-''
''Don't think like that Liz!'' I said cutting you off ''Theirs no way I'll lose you to those other losers!'' She closed her eyes
''but if you don't-''
''I will!'' She glared, her hand twitching for the frying pan beside her making me shut up.
''If you don't... I... I just want you to know... that I... that I lo-'' I quickly covered her mouth gently with my hand. Leaning in I wrapped my arms around her embracing her dragging her into my chest tightly.
''Don't'' I whispered gently in her ear ''You can say it when your ready, not because this stupid Valentines thing is forcing you.'' She gave a small laugh finally bringing her arms up to join in the hug.
''Yeah...'' A silent moment reigned for a long moment before she spoke again
''This is highly inappropriate... you've got to leave before my mother comes back from the market.'' I did reluctantly. She lead me to the back door kissing her hand as my parting gift to her I ran off quickly to my parents metal shop, where I worked, in hopes they hadn't noticed I had gone missing.
They hadn't.
So I went back to work, making nails -boring!- leaving the awesome me to ponder my thoughts.
Valentines day was today. Elizaveta and I have been dreading this day for ages now. Her family was more concerned with their social status then most in our small village. My family was too mind you but because of my... appearance people feared I was the son of a demon. Elizaveta's three older brothers had married lovely ladies from well to do families. They would settle for no less for their only daughter.
No way would they allow her to marry a pale skinned, red eyed boy who thought that women could work just as men could and did.
We'd tried everything even tried a couple of marriage proposals, nothing had worked. He'd learned to fight, beaten any man who faced him in the town competitions, but they said it was not talent but the power of the devil.
And now the day had come, Valentines Day. Town tradition is that they give women and men till their 18th birthday. If they had yet to marry they would join in on the festivities. A shudder ran down my arms. When the clock hit 10 o-clock the single women of 18 years or more were sent out, they were given an hour worth of time. They were to hide themselves in that time. When the clock struck 11 the single men of 18 years or more were sent out to find them. The first women they stumbled upon was to be their betrothed, they were to wed before the next Valentines day celebration.
As I hammered the steal I thought of where she would hide, I only had an hour to find her, if the clock struck 12 before she was found the women would half to wait for another year.
The woods, I decided finally. Only those who had to ventured out into those woods. Tales of demons and dragons were told about the eery woods that surrounded our small ocean side village. Elizaveta and I had often ventured into those woods in our childhood. We scampered all throughout the hill side, making forts everywhere, hiding them for fear that the hunters would find us and tell our families where we'd been.
This holiday could be seen as both a blessing and a curse I guess. Finishing off a set of nails I started the process all over again. We'd both turned 18 this year this was our first time doing this, it shouldn't be too hard. All I have to do is come the mountain side, making sure to not look to closely in the towns or the outskirts of town should I find any other women -that would be very bad.
Sighing I thought of the others who would join the 'celebrations' Me-obviously-, Elizaveta, Antonio, Francis, Roderick, Madeleine, Alfred, Ivan, Alice, Lovina and... Lars
I was after Elizaveta
Antonio was after Lovina.
Francis was after Alice (but anything in a skirt was fine with him really).
Roderick was too dignified to say he would search for anyone person in particular, though the only answer had to be Elizaveta.
Alfred was after Alice.
Ivan was after Madeleine.
Lars was after Madeleine...
Elizaveta wanted me -I'm just so awesome that way-.
Madeleine would never say.
Alice got really flustered whenever anyone asked.
Lovina -who denied it reverently- wanted Antonio.
Once Elizaveta and I were no longer allowed to play with one another all day I was forced to make friends with the other boys. I became quick friends with Antonio and Francis. We had made a deal after watching one too many Valentines day drama's were a girl and boy were the unfortunate ones cried because they'd lost their chance to be with their loved ones, our deal was that we would never ever find a girl that one of the other three of us wanted.
Their were cases were this happened. If a man stumbled on one of the girls and neither wanted to be together they'd conveniently not notice the other. We had to be careful with that though, the old scrooges of the town patrolled to make sure we followed instructions.
Good thing for me though was that no one really went into the woods, especially not the old croakers.
I prayed as the noon bell rang, that god would please let me stumble upon Elizaveta before anyone else.
Please...
Time skip.
Everyone assembled in the town square. Smiles and laughter circled the older people but the young ones all wore similar looks, only ranging from determination to simply serious ones.
We waited watching the big clock tower, waiting.
Only ten seconds now before ten oclock
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three...
Two...
One!
And they were off, all three of them. They ran as fast as they could their skirts bunched up in their hands and their boots clicked on the rocks or squelched in the mud. I watched for as long as I could before not even a trace of their presence was left.
Settling myself down on the cold cobble stone court yard, ignoring the odd glances and the circulation of whispers. Sitting myself down and crossing my legs I folded my hands together and prayed.
And prayed and prayed.
That my eyes would land upon a curly brown haired, brown eyed women, not purple eyed or flat haired one. Please.
Just... please.
A hand woke me from my prayers. Glancing up I saw it was Francis. He nodded to the tower.
''It's time to get up mon ami. It is almost time to run off ourselves.'' I nodded rising to my feet and brushing the dust off I took a deep breath of air.
''I'm too awesome for this!'' I declared trying to push off the worry and the doubt. ''A holiday isn't going to throw me off!''
And then their were only ten seconds left, then nine, then eight, then seven.
Then six, then five, then four.
''three'' I whispered with the tole
''two'' I mumbled balancing on the balls of my feet.
''one!''
And I was off.
I ran. Sprinting past the others I headed straight for the woods.
''Elizaveta... god I hope you've hidden yourself well!''
Not a moment later my pace slowed as the forest rushed to meet me. The trails had yet to be trimmed this year so it was some dangerous footing for the unobservant runner.
I searched for half an hour before I started to worry.
I'd checked half of our old forts -three of the six had broken down- and now I wondered if she was even here at all.
Their was one special fort though... the first one we built. It was on the outskirts on the west side of town. I was on the east side of town.
''Shit!'' I exclaimed before darting south word, the paths were clearish on this side since this was the path merchants used when they were trying to avoid the 'demon child', it was fairly well maintained all year round.
Funny how such a thing that was built to avoid me was helping me get to where I wanted to go.
My happiness faltered soon after though. Tripping on a vine I was sent sprawling crashing painfully into a tree I let squeaked -a very manly squeak of course- before falling to the ground on my arm. Groaning and moaning painfully I stumbled to my feet clutching my pain filled arm.
And as I raised my gaze from the quickly purple-ing bruise on my arm my eyes fell upon another pair of eyes.
Relief crashed over me followed by despair.
These eyes, they weren't brown.
They were purple, much like the colour that decorated my arm. Set in an innocent face framed by golden curls. I whimpered as my hopes and dreams of a future with Elizaveta crashed around my ears. They fell shattering on the ground around me, like glass. The emotions that ran over me spilled falling out my eyes, taking the form of not yet fallen tears.
Because she was the worst to stumble upon.
Lovina would bed back down in her hiding spot and I'd part as if I'd never even seen her.
But... the purple eyed girl in front of me... she'd had a crush on me since we were young. I knew that, many had told me so. Her family didn't believe in superstition and would gladly except me into the fold. But...
she wasn't Elizaveta.
''Madeleine'' I said trying not to cry. She smiled sadly.
''Hello Gilbert.''
She was the worst one to stumble upon...
because who could say no, or break the heart of something so innocent?