Author's Notes: Woot woot! Second chapter! *awkward silence* I don't think I have anything really left to say. *shrugs*

Fur Elise (or Fur Alyssa, either one works): Happppppy Birrrrthday tooo yoouuuuuu! Ha– And that is all you are getting, Lys. I'm not gonna sing for you. I already gave you Dave Strider. He'll sing – er, rap for you. What more do you want?! Wait… disregard. I know. You want Dirk, too. Grr…

Day 2: Stupid Valentines

"No. Big fat no," Dave said to no one in particular. "I am not passing out those stupid little Valentines. How pathetic and uncool!"

Dave's homeroom teacher had just brought up the issue of passing out cards and goodies on Valentine's Day, which was the next day. The teacher was allowing them to use their homeroom period to pass out their notes and sweets as long as they were appropriate, but Dave was having none of it. He was not going to pass out mushy notes to kids he didn't even know. What was this, third grade? He sighed.

Rose elbowed him. "It is rude to say things like that," she scolded her brother. "Some people enjoy doing things like that on Valentine's Day."

Dave smirked. "Well, some people get offended easily. I ain't doin' that shit."

Rose sighed. "Please just keep your opinions to yourself."

After the bell rang, Dave went to his locker to grab his books. He passed friends in the hallway, slapped backs, and threw high-fives. Everyone knew Dave. Dave was cool.

Dave retrieved his books from his locker and turned his combination to its locking mode. He shoved his schoolbooks in his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. As Dave turned to leave, he happened to look to the left side of the hallway, which was nearly empty except for Jade. She appeared to be struggling with putting her books away in her locker.

Somehow, Dave found himself standing awkwardly by her locker. At first, Jade didn't notice him.

"Where the heck is that darn folder?" Jade muttered to herself, rifling through her books and folders frantically. "I know it's in here somewhere!"

Suddenly, all of Jade's books and folders went flying out of her locker and onto the ground.

"Crap!" Jade said angrily.

"Yo," said Dave, leaning against the locker next to hers.

"Oh! Uh, Dave! Hi!" Jade said a bit too brightly, temporarily forgetting about the problem. Then, she realized that she had kind of made an idiot of herself in front of Dave. She began blushing furiously and knelt down in the midst of all of her papers and books that were scattered across the floor.

"What's happenin'?" Jade asked Dave, trying to seem casual.

Dave smirked. Her failed attempts at being cool were really adorable to him.

"Need some help?" Dave asked her.

"I, er…" She ducked her head. "Um, yeah, that'd be great."

Dave knelt down next to her and began piling up the papers and books that had fallen out of her locker.

Eventually all of the folders had been retrieved. Jade looked really upset.

"Darn it!" she said in a frustrated tone.

"What's up?" Dave asked her.

"That one folder! I still can't find it!" she sighed. "It had all my homework in it. What will I do?!"

Dave shrugged. He was about to make some clever comment like "I have no idea" when a flash of red caught his eye. He turned to the left to look and see what it was. He realized that it was a folder.

He got up to fetch it and walked back to Jade. "This your folder?" he asked her.

Jade's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! YES!"

Dave tossed it at her. "Cool," he said.

Jade stuffed the folder in her backpack and stood up. "Thank you so much, Dave!" she thanked him.

Dave shrugged. "No big deal," he said.

Dave and Jade stood there awkwardly in the middle of the hall. Neither of them knew how to end the conversation, but both teens had to leave. Secretly, neither of them wanted to.

It was Jade who spoke up first. "Well, I'd better get going! I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Dave." She inhaled sharply and closed her tightly eyes like she was debating whether or not to do something, then she suddenly stood up her tiptoes and kissed Dave's cheek. She turned bright red and started walking briskly down the hallway, her books clutched tightly to her chest.

Dave's eyes widened beneath his huge black shades. He slowly reached up to touch the spot on his cheek where Jade had kissed him. Dave would never admit it, but there were fireworks going off inside of him. He stood there grinning stupidly watching her disappear down the hallway.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Dave's shoulder from behind him.

"Well, would ya look at that," said the hand's owner teasingly. "Thomebody theems to have a huuuuge cruthh on hith betht friend'th little thithter."

"First of all, quit thpitting all over me, Thollux," Dave said, shoving his friend Sollux's hand off of his shoulder and mocking his friend's lisp. "And second of all, that is not true about Jade!" But Dave's bright red cheeks proved otherwise.

"Hehehe!" giggled Dave's blind friend, Terezi. She sniffed the air happily as if there were a fresh-baked chocolate cake in front of her face. "You smell so good!" Terezi was a very odd girl who claimed she could smell colors.

"Terezi!" scolded an angry voice. Dave turned around to see Terezi's grumpy boyfriend, Karkat, looking very displeased. "Stop flirting with Strider!"

Terezi laughed again. "Oh, Karkles! Honestly!"

Karkat stiffened. "Don't you dare call me that!" he warned dangerously.

Terezi ignored him. "I could smell Dave blushing, Karkles. It was red. Candy red. Just like your blush when you get all embarrassed or worked up over something!"

"Oh, shut up!" growled Karkat, who was indeed blushing bright red. He balled up his fists and barked, "Sollux! Let's go!" The two boys turned and left Dave and Terezi alone in the hallway.

Terezi smiled. "You really should ask Jade to go to the dance with you, Dave," she advised her friend. "I think she really likes you! And I daresay you are pretty flushed for her, too!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," said Dave, waving his hand dismissively, even though Terezi couldn't see it.

"You totally want to!" Terezi insisted.

Dave blushed again. This was answer enough for Terezi. She might not've been able to see, but she could smell Dave's flaming red cheeks and felt his discomfort.

"Okay, well I have to go, Terezi," Dave said, clearing his throat and turning around. "Catch ya later, I guess." He started swiftly walking away. After a few seconds, Terezi heard a door open and shut.

Terezi chuckled to herself. "I love red!" she said to no one in particular. "It's such a lovely color! And it's quite festive, too."