Disclaimer: I own nothing
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It was Valentine's Day and every child in Garnier Pre-school was excited as to be expected. Miss Susan, the teacher, fortunately had a patience of a saint. She calmed everybody down and explained their activity for the day.
"Alright children, I want you to make a heart and write a message on it. Nothing too long alright. By the end of the day, give the heart to someone that you really care about. It could be your friend, your mom-"
"Or you Miss Susan!" one of the student's high pitched voice rang in the small classroom.
"Or it could be your secret crush!" She teased while a chorus of 'eews' and 'yucks' were heard.
"Now children, hurry up and remember to clean up your mess afterwards okay?"
The children started on their valentine's card. Some sat in a circle around each other, sharing materials and ideas, while others worked in pairs. Susan however, noticed a familiar boy sitting alone and making his heart quietly in the back of the room.
"Erik, why don't you sit with the others."
The masked boy paused what he was doing as he looked down on his lap.
"They don't want to sit next to me. And they don't want me to sit near them."
Susan frowned. This always happens. He tried to speak to the children and even their parents but it seems like everyone avoided the boy like he had the plague.
"Well, what if I keep you company? It's valentine's Erik, nobody should be alone."
The boy looked up suddenly. He glanced at something behind her, he thought she didn't notice but she did.
"It's okay Miss Susan, I like working alone. It's…quiet"
He said this while keeping his head down.
She frowned but kept silent. She touched his unmasked cheek and said "Just call me if you need something Erik, even if you're just lonely"
He gave her a small smile that made her heart break. He was just so innocent, he didn't deserve the treatment that his classmates give him. She glanced behind her and-wait. It wasn't her imagination. She saw little Christine beside Meg looking at Erik curiously. Like she's deciding whether to approach him or not.
She smiled as she inspected the work of the others. 'I have a feeling today would be very interesting.
Erik sighed. He didn't lie to his teacher. He did like working alone and he did like the quiet. It's better than the alternative. The kids would often pick on him and whenever he fought back, it was always his fault. He's the bad seed because of his face and no one ever defended him so it was just pointless trying to make friends.
He did try a few months ago. Gilles and Richard, the twins, didn't seem afraid of him before, they almost became friends but then their parents heard of him and tried to keep their kids away from the freak. He still tried to be friends with them, he gave them gifts on their birthdays but it was too late. They just threw his gift at the mud.
He looked at his card. He didn't know why he even bothered. His mother would probably just throw it away and no one in class would really accept anything from him. Besides, he already has a thank you card ready at his bag for Miss Susan.
Maybe he could give it to Christine? No, Raoul would just probably get him in trouble for even looking at his friend. Last time was a disaster.
He was about to crumple the good for nothing card when a shadow appeared in front of him. He gasped.
"Can I sit with you?"
It was Christine.
"Sure."
He said awkwardly. She sat down beside him and his heart skipped a beat.
"Why aren't you afraid of me?"
"Why should I be? You're just a boy." She said while smiling at him.
If he were a snobbish rich kid he would probably be insulted but for a boy treated like a monster and considered an outcast, it was the greatest compliment he ever heard.
He smiled at her.
Maybe he could still use his Valentine's day card.
They continued working on their heart-shaped paper when something crossed Christine's mind.
"It's the mask isn't it?"
She asked as he froze in place. He didn't respond so she continued.
"That's why they're afraid. But, if it's the mask, why don't you take it off?"
"It's none of your business." He whispered.
"Sorry."
They once again worked in silence. After about two minutes Erik sighed.
"I'm sorry Christine. I shouldn't have been mad at you."
"It's alright. I was being nosy."
"No, you were being curious. Well, if I take it off, everyone would be more scared of me."
"Why? It would be just you"
He looked at his heart, briefly remembering his mother's reaction to a horrible incident years ago.
"No, there's a monster Christine. Promise me you would never take the mask off Christine!"
Christine looked at the strange boy curiously.
"Erik, it's just you. You don't have to worry, I'll always be your friend."
Erik stayed silent. Just as he was about to speak the bell rang, signaling recess.
"Come on Christine!"
Before she could speak she was pulled outside by Meg.
The masked boy just sighed and looked down at his heart. It was almost finished. Just a little more glitter and it would be done. Not including the message though. He has no idea what to write.
He grabbed his bag and went outside.
He found his usual spot and sat down. He opened his bag and took his harmonica out and began playing. Music always did help him think. It was the one constant in his life and since he couldn't play the violin that well yet and the piano was too big to bring, he settled for a harmonica.
"Hey freak!"
He stopped and quickly put his harmonica into his pocket.
"What do you want Joseph?"
"Where's my lunch?"
"I don't have any food with me." he quietly said as he turned around.
Joseph grabbed him by the collar but his reflexes reacted quicker than he expected. He shoved Joseph down and he fell down on his butt.
"Hey! Leave Joseph alone!"
Great, just what he needed, liars.
Raoul sprinted towards them as Joseph ran away. To his horror, Christine was beside the rich boy.
"Erik, what did you do?"
Her tone was frantic and almost accusing. He felt betrayed. Even the person who swore that they would always be his friend blamed him for something that wasn't his fault.
"He was bullying me…again" The last part was almost unheard by all.
"What's going on here?" Miss Susan's voice rang in the playground.
"Erik pushed Joseph!" Raoul said while pointing a figure at him. He clenched his fists.
"Erik is this true?" He nodded. It was a losing battle anyway, why waste his breath?
"Come inside and we'll talk." She said as she led the boy back in the classroom .
Christine looked at their backs and wondered what happened. They were talking one moment and the next she saw Joseph fall while Erik had his arms outstretched towards Joseph.
She felt guilty. She shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.
Back in the classroom Susan and Erik were having a chat.
"Why did you push Joseph, Erik?" She asked in a calm tone.
He murmured something that she didn't quite catch. She asked his to say it again.
"He was asking where was my-his lunch"
"Was he bullying you?"
He nodded. He was in big trouble. His teacher will call his mother and then she would be angry and then she'd call Joseph's parents and they'll be angry. Then they will all be angry at him and his mother would hit him again and lock him in the attic.
Tears gathered in his eyes so he bowed his head to hide them. He was getting sick of always being the wrong one.
Susan watched her pupil try to hold back his tears but failed miserably.
"Don't cry Erik." She rubbed his back.
"please don't tell mother. She'd just get mad at me."
She knew this to be true. Every time she called her because her son was being bullied she seemed almost angry at Erik. Like he didn't have a right to complain.
"I-I didn't mean to push him! He just grabbed me and then i- I-" he couldn't finish but he didn't have to. She'll be speaking with Mr. Buquet regarding his son's behavior soon.
"Don't cry Erik. I won't tell your mother yet but she will have to come because I'm speaking with Joseph's dad. What he did to you was wrong."
"It's alright, I wasn't hurt." He tried to convince her but she was a stubborn lady.
"Erik, go back to your desk, recess is almost over."
He just nodded and wiped his tears away with his arm. He sat down and buried his face in his arms. Wait! where was it? He sat up and saw that his heart was missing.
He looked under the desk, behind him, under him and finally his eyes landed on Raoul's blue eyes. He was standing by the door. "You can't have her you freak" He mouthed at him.
The bell rang and children began running towards the class room.
He saw Raoul throw something down by the doorway as he hurried inside. It was his heart! He hurried towards it but it was too late.
It was muddied and the edges had tears in them, there were even holes in them!
He picked it up and sat back down his chair. He saw Christine looking at him at her seat next to Raoul but he said nothing.
It was ruined. It was ugly, like him.
Tears once again threatened to fall but he held them back. He tried to fix it, he really did. He put tape on it, added more glitter, but it was already too scarred. No matter what he tries to do he couldn't hide the damage. Not even the message could save his sorry valentine-card.
It was almost time to go home and cards were being exchanged left and right. He just sat there head bowed waiting to go home.
The bell rang and everyone ran outside, on his way to the door a hand grabbed his arm.
"Where's your heart?"
Christine asked. He looked away. "It was ruined."
Christine sighed. "I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have made conclusions."
"It's alright." He said quietly.
"Earlier, I was trying to say something when Meg pulled me for recess."
He looked interested now.
"I already saw you without your mask"
"What?!" He looked at her fearfully.
" a few years the park, some kids were bullying you. I would have made them go away but Raoul and Meg pulled me away."
"I- I'm sorry you had to see that."
Christine grabbed his hand.
"Erik, like what I said earlier, it's just you. There's nothing to be afraid of!"
He looked at her wide-eyed and wished to give her his heart.
Then he remembered it was in his hand. He was planning on throwing it away later. he put his hand behind his back.
"What are you hiding?"
It was too late now, again. What happened to his wonderful timing today?
"Well, I wanted to give you my valentines but-" He showed it to her.
"It's ruined now- broken. I can't seem to fix it. No matter how hard I try to hide the tears it just won't disappear." He sighed
He looked down at the heart on his hand. And the one on her hand.
"I see Raoul gave you his."
"He probably gave one to every girl in the classroom!" She chuckled.
"Besides, I didn't give him mine!"
He looked up into her eyes. Could she possibly mean-
" Here you go! Every time you see it, think of me and know that you'll never be alone!"
He looked at her outstretched hand and gently took it.
She kept her hand outstretched though, as if waiting for something.
He gave her a questioning look and she laughed.
"You heart silly! You made it for me right?"
He gasped and looked at his valentine's card.
"I could make you another one. Just not this one, okay? You don't deserve something so ugly, something so broken"
He said with rising panic.
She grabbed his hand and took the heart. "But it's you. You made it. It's special!"
She looked in his eyes, "Other's may have ruined it but I'll take care of it!"
"It won't be thrown away? Or ignored?" he asked innocently.
"I'll cherish it forever!"
He smiled at her and she at him. She then hugged him tight while he froze.
"Thank you Christine!"
On their way home they realized something, they didn't read the message yet.
They looked at it and they smiled.
xxXxx
A/N: Hey! Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I had this idea for awhile now and there may be errors since I'm rushing it. I just had to get it all out! What did you think the message was?
Doesn't symbolisms just make your heart melt? Haha! Hope you enjoyed the story and sorry for the errors! Have a happy Valentine's day everyone!
Your obedient friend,
EM