Clicking as the door opened, she walked calmly through, an air of pacifically surrounding her like some gentle bubble; only him able to pop it. Sliding her keys along the table, she flicked on the small lamp before drawing the curtains, the place as peaceful as a spring lake. Sinking into the chair, her muscles staying attentive for that tiny knock, that little call, she tried focusing on something other then what was going to happen.

The fact she’d be able to have a boyfriend.

The fact she’d be able to share something with someone.

And the fact that she’d be able to… to finally love someone?

That last thought disturbed her a little as after all it was just a Valentine’s card. But it was what was in the card that mattered. The trouble they’d gone to in keeping their identity unknown, and the warmth and love flooding through the ink… so maybe that was taking it a little too far but all Louise knew was once she’d understood what he felt, kissed him, things wouldn’t need to be explained.

Zoning out before flinching back, nerves began to percolate in her body before condensing into a small sweat. There was the tiny knock and here was her little call. All she had to do was answer. Answer and then maybe her Valentine’s wish, which she’d kept a secret for so long, would be unravelled. Like the key had just been moulded, ready to be used.

Taking a deep breath, more like a gush of wind through her body, she proceeded to the door where her hand shook a little. It had to be him and however she was feeling at the cinema, or beforehand of how Paul and Hayley had teased her, taunted her, she knew without them here that teasing and taunting wouldn’t continue and it would be just her and him.

He must have felt her twitch in the cinema, the way she slyly told him surreptitiously that she had an inkling that she liked him too and that whoever sent her the card had stolen her heart.

Exposing her wish as she smiled slightly, he stood there shyly, as she opened the door wider, granting him his ticket to enter. Stepping in, Louise closed the door where he still stood, a little submissively.

"Hey…" Christian smiled.

"Hi…" Louise greeted, smiling too.

"I…um just wanted to make sure you got home alright." He explained.

"Well er… here I am." She grinned. "Got home perfectly safe."

"Good…" he mused, walking in a little more to the lounge. "And… er Hayley. She got in ok?"

"Well she’s not in…" Louise told, standing a little behind him.

"Oh…" he thought.

Not liking the way things were progressing, expecting him to have either kissed her by now, or expressed his liking for her, she stepped a little closer where he turned around.

"I was wondering…" he began. "I don’t really want to ask like this…"

"No, no, go on…" Louise smiled, liking the way things were now developing.

This is what she wanted.

"I… you see…I hate to do this but… well…"

"Just say it Chris," Louise beamed, hardly waiting for her Valentine wish to come true; the compassion which he wrote in the card to be unveiled. "Tell me you sent the card."

"The… the what?" He asked a little lost. "Card? What card?"

"The Valentine’s Card," she exposed, her heart beating fearfully at how lost he was acting. Maybe it was part of his plan?

"I… I didn’t send any Valentine’s Card," he revealed. "I didn’t send any this year. Well I did but… but I’m sorry it wasn’t… it wasn’t you…" he told gently.

Feeling red engulf her face like a colony of embarrassment had just landed and set up camp, she darted round quickly, hoping her redness could be disguised. How could I have been so stupid! She cursed herself. I’ve just made myself look a total prat in… in front of him thinking he was the one who had sent it! She scolded.

Placing his hand on her shoulder, he rotated her so she was in his view softly. Seeing her blushed face, he smiled slightly, flattered at how lovely she was.

"I… I hope I haven’t embarrassed you," he said quietly, looking at her.

"Oh… no… no," she murmured, wanting to run to the wildest outdoors. "I… I was stupid in thinking that you would send a card to me, anyone for that matter! How could I have really thought someone was interested in me? Boy was Hayley wrong, everyone wrong. Paul wrong!" She cried, frustrated with herself. "I… just… you… I… could you just go?" She asked, looking down, feeling down.

"Will… will you be alright?" He questioned, feeling slightly guilty.

It’s not that he didn’t like Louise. He did but as a friend and that’s as far as it would ever go. She was a friend and yeah, so he flirted a bit, he always flirted with girls! He was known for flirting with girls yet maybe she had received the wrong sign. Was it his fault?

"I’ll be fine. Don’t… don’t you worry about me." she told. "I’ll be fine." She sighed.

Leaving her side, and opening the door quietly, he stepped out of the flat.

"I’ll… I’ll see you tomorrow and speak to you then," he said softly before closing the door quietly.

Running to the couch and slumping down, soft tears fell down her already flushed cheeks. How could I have been so stupid? Was the question deluging her mind so vigorously. How could I have been so… so forward and how could I think anyone was interested in me. I should have stuck to my own theory all along; that it was some prank, a cruel joke. A joke that was built so high, leaving it to crash in front of my very eyes.

It seemed pathetic really the more she thought about it. Maybe I’m just unlucky in love and that’s the way my cards had been laid, never turning over? And maybe I’m just not attractive. God, why did I listen to Hayley!

Getting up quickly, needing some fresh air, she opened the door where he once had been and closed it tight, locking the feelings of regret and sorrow inside. Trotting down the small steps of the flats, she burst through the door where she rushed through the Cimmerian streets, knowing that she’d have to dismiss that ridiculous mistake she’d just managed to pull. Walking through the paths of the small greenery near the apartments, she entered the small park where young children used to play.

Sitting on a swing and hanging a little, she let her feet dangle freely, liking the lucidity and recognition that was slowly being accumulated. It was just a joke… some horrible joke… she whispered to herself, knowing the feelings brought had just been trashed, like she’d have to do with the card.

Looking down at her shadow and the obscurity falling by, she felt the shadow increase in its overcast like someone was next to her. Holding on tighter to the reigns of the swing, she felt her heart jump as the shadows began to move. Keeping her eyes on the ground as the shadows began to merge, she felt something whistle in her ear, yet her heart rate return to ordinary, that smell already falling in safe terrain.

"If I had a rose I’d give it to you, but I don’t and a diamond I can’t do. But what I will say is, you’re special to me. You make my heart beat, like you set my soul free…6-2-7-5," he whispered, the numbers slowly being added.

Clicking in her mind, that the mysterious swain was real, that the card wasn’t a joke and that someone liked her, the feelings generated which she thought were for Christian began to change, moving warmer and warmer to the person next to her, the admirer all along.

Glancing up, wondering who it was, he smiled before speaking, his voice comforting and tepid, who she wanted.

"I… I didn’t expect it to go like this…" he said truthfully. "But you’re here and I… I guess you know…"

Barley giving her time to speak, he leant forward, planting a soft kiss on her lips, waiting for her to respond. Buzzing inside, her feelings try to gather what was happening, she soon fell into pace with what was happening, returning the kiss she’d been dreaming. Breaking apart slowly, resting her head against his, he stared in her eyes, finally the truth and honesty he had longed to show, now prevailing.

"I… I didn’t think… think it was you…" she revealed, her head still close to his.

"D… don’t you want it to be?" He asked a little sadly, breaking away from her forehead.

"No… I mean yes… I… I didn’t think you would…"

"Would?" He questioned.

"Would like me?" She finished

Smiling a little at her innocence and meekness, he swung a little on the swing next to her, his speed picking up slightly.

"Do you know…" he began. "That I’ve watched you for a while not knowing if what I felt was real. I tried the subtle hints but they always seemed to be too subtle," he laughed slightly as she smirked too. "I just wasn’t the flirty type like… like Christian for instance. So I thought the only way was to try a different way and Valentine’s Day seemed to be the day, yet you didn’t click…"

"I didn’t?" She questioned.

"Well that’s not strictly true. I… I did kinda tell you, at the cinema, when I was playing footsie," he grinned. "Kinda stupid I guess as you still didn’t think it was me," he laughed. "But I guess you do now…"

"And do you know what I think about that?" Louise questioned, swinging a little now.

"And what do you think about that?" He queried, stopping his swing and stopping to look at her.

Stopping too, she leant forward before kissing him once more. "I think you’re romantic but most of all…"

"Most of all what?" He beamed.

"Most of all, I think you’re now mine," she grinned, as she clutched hold of his hand.