Short & Sweet | ✓

Valentines

Every Valentine's Day, my school hosts a whole year group chat.

The twist?

Everyone's blindfolded.

A great way to bond with your classmates, go out of your comfort zone, talk to someone you wouldn't normally, the positives are endless. Or that's what they tell us.

Everyone in a relationship is exempt, in the past many jealous partners have caused much uproar at the thought of the love of their life talking to anyone but them. Other than that it's pretty much compulsory.

Everyone is blindfolded and placed onto the school field, the hooter goes and that's it. You just walk around talking to whoever you come across.

So here I am, stood in a field, blindfolded, wondering how this is my life, when someone walks into me, knocking me to the ground.

The health and safety of this whole occasion just doesn't feel fully thought out, y'know?

"I am very sorry."

You'd think after 5 years I'd be able to recognise a voice but I honestly have no idea.

"It's alright, I guess we both weren't looking where we we're going." I reply.

The unknown boy laughs. "Ha, I get it, because we're both blindfolded."

"Yep."

You see, just because we're blindfolded, it doesn't make anything less awkward. I don't understand how this has been a successful tradition. I can't see, I'm uncomfortable, it's kind of cold, and because my balance is so thrown off I'm actually really struggling to stand back up.

"Where are you?" He asks.

"On the floor where you left me."

"You haven't gotten up yet?"

"No, I thought I'd lie here a little longer and become one with the earth seen as-ow!"

Someone stands on my shin and then I hear a thud shortly after as they fall.

"Wait did I just stand on someone's leg?" Says the same boy.

"You stood on MY leg, idiot."

"No need to get nasty with me."

"You nearly snapped my shin!"

"Ok, I think you may be over-exaggerating just a little."

"Just help me up."

He helps me to my feet and sighs.

"So...what's your favourite colour?"

"Christ on a bicycle."

"Never heard of that colour before."

"Haha you're funny."

"I am, aren't I."

"Do you know who I am?" I ask.

"No fucking clue."

"Same with you."

"At least we have something in common."

"Guess so."

"You're not enjoying this very much are you?" He asks me after a moment of silence.

"What is there to enjoy?"

"My company."

I hear the hooter sound and we are all guided back to separate points to take our blindfolds off. I squint at the brightness of my surroundings and look at everyone around me. I have no idea who I spoke to, and if I thought too deeply about it, the idea almost seemed kind of cool.

~*~

After Valentine's Day, I've found myself taking more notice of everyone around me. The boy in science who I don't think I've ever heard speak, the boy in maths who never asks questions, all these people that I've never took any notice of, are suddenly all I can think about. I don't know what these people sound like.

Any of them could've been the boy I spoke to.

And the fact that I might never know, really, really bugs me.

My next science lesson, I walk over to the boy, random ruler that I found grasped tightly in my hand. "Hey, is this yours? I swear I saw it fall from your backpack."

He observes the ruler in my hand, "Nope not mine, but I'll take it if you're offering."

"Sure." I shrug, handing him the ruler.

It wasn't him, his voice was too deep and raspy. I pull the same trick in maths with the same result. Still not him.

I do it in Spanish class, the hallways, the dinner hall, gym, even music, and nothing. Non of these quiet boys are the ones I spoke to on Valentine's Day. Not one.

I slump into my English seat and look around. This is the one class I haven't tried, but I can't see anyone in front of me that I haven't heard speak at least once.

I feel a tap on my shoulder from behind me and turn.

"Hey, have you got a pen I can borrow?"

That's it. That's the voice.

All this time.

All this time he's been sat behind me. Do I really not turn around, ever?

"Uh, yeah sure." I hand him a pen and watch as the realisation dawns on his face too.

"Christ on a bicycle."

"That's my line." I say, a smile forming slowly.

"I know, just trying it out." He replies, a lopsided grin taking over his face. "How's your shin?"

"I think it'll be ok."

"What did I tell you?"

"Nothing interesting." I shrug.

"Ouch." He puts a hand on his chest. "I think you just broke my heart."

"I think you might be over-exaggerating just a little."

~*~

We stan a bit of symmetry