Valentine's Day.
The day that proves, beyond a doubt, that both true love and fake love exist.
Everywhere you look, there are couples holding hands like they're starring in a Netflix teen romcom. People swapping heart-shaped candies, oversized teddy bears, and flowers they definitely panic-bought at Target fifteen minutes before first period.
Some people—brace yourself—only show affection on this day. Like it's the only time they remember they supposedly care. And honestly? That's the dumbest thing ever.
You don't need February 14th circled on a calendar to remind someone you love them. You can do it any day of the year. And it doesn't even have to be romantic. Tell your friends you're grateful for them. Call your mom and ask if she's eaten. Buy the stressed-out cashier a coffee. Pray for people. Wish someone well.
That's the gift that actually matters—not a $5 heart-shaped chocolate from Walgreens.
And yet… here we are. Valentine's Day, the great performance.
By the time last period rolled around, the whole school was buzzing. Booths were lined up across the courtyard, selling everything from roses to cotton candy to hand-lettered cards. Flyers for the Valentine's Day concert were plastered on every door. There were couples sneaking kisses under stairwells, teachers pretending not to see, and our principal pacing the halls like he'd just aged ten years from the chaos.
Meanwhile, me? I was… trying to care.
My best friends, Sely and Alcy, were both performing at the concert tonight. They were practically vibrating with nerves, running scales under their breath while triple-checking their outfits in every reflective surface we passed.
Me? I just wanted popcorn and a horror movie.
It's tradition. Every Valentine's Day, our group does the "Movie Marathon Booth" the student council sets up. This year's big showing? Ready or Not. I hadn't seen it yet, but I'd been dying to. A bloody, chaotic, runaway-bride thriller on Valentine's Day? Sign me up.
"Girls, let's move before the tickets sell out!" I practically bounced on my toes. Yes, I was excited. No, I was not ashamed.
"Hold on!" Sely yelled, rummaging through her bag like she was digging for buried treasure. Probably looking for cash—or her sanity. A second later, she popped up and smirked. "Let's go, bitches!"
We wove through the chaos toward the senior building, where the booths were packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Pop-up theaters everywhere: a Disney marathon, a Nicholas Sparks double feature, some Marvel thing blasting bass through the walls. We grabbed popcorn from a stand by the entrance and ducked into the dimly lit "Ready or Not" room.
The movie did not disappoint.
Blood, suspense, dark humor—basically a perfect anti-Valentine's flick. Sely was glued to the screen, whispering commentary like a sports announcer every time something wild happened.
"Lesson learned!" Eve announced as the credits rolled. "Don't get married. Ever."
I burst out laughing. The irony? Eve's the same girl who cries for a week over a one-month relationship and is statistically most likely to be married before the rest of us.
As we shuffled out, Alcy waved us down.
"Wish us luck, losers. Sely, come on—you signed up for this, so stop acting like I'm dragging you to your execution." She hooked her arm through Sely's and started hauling her toward the backstage entrance.
Sely dug in her heels, whining, "If I pass out, tell my mom I died dramatically, okay?"
"Not happening," Alcy deadpanned, hauling her faster.
Honestly, I didn't envy them. Singing in front of hundreds of students? No thanks. I can walk a runway if I need to—heels, straight back, fake confidence, the whole thing—but put me on a stage with a mic? I'd probably vomit into the first row.
By 1 p.m., the auditorium was already filling up, and I was scouting for a good seat. To my surprise, Caelum had saved me one—right next to him. Sweet.
Marie and Eve sat in front of us, leaving me with Caelum in the row behind. The lights dimmed, the first act started, and performance after performance rolled by.
Even Helion, the indie band half the school was obsessed with, made an appearance, covering "Someone to You" by BANNERS, "Before You Go" by Lewis Capaldi, and "Still Into You" by Paramore featuring my girl Selene.
It felt like every couple in the room was using the music as an excuse to make heart eyes at each other. Which, yeah, gross—but also… kind of cute.
Then Sely walked out on stage.
That's when it happened.
Caelum's fingers brushed mine. Slowly, deliberately, he intertwined our hands, his palm warm against my clammy one.
And Sely started to sing.
"Oh hush, my dear, it's been a difficult year…"
Her voice echoed through the gym, smooth and haunting. My chest tightened—not because of the lyrics, but because of the weight of Caelum's hand in mine.
Not butterflies. Not excitement. Something heavier.
Fear.
Guilt.
Caelum's touch was comforting, grounding even… but it also felt like standing at the edge of a cliff, pretending I wasn't terrified of falling.
"I wish I could escape… I don't wanna fake it… Wish I could erase it…"
Caelum looked at me then. Really looked. His free hand brushed the top of my head in a soft, absentminded gesture. Familiar. Safe.
I wanted so badly to believe—really, truly believe—that this was the boy I loved. That I wasn't still tethered to someone else by invisible, unwanted strings.
He's everything a girl could want. Consistent. Kind. Patient.
But that ache in my chest? The one that whispered another name no matter how hard I tried to drown it out?
Sergie.
As the chorus rang—"I'm a bad liar, bad liar, now you know"—Caelum's lips quirked in a soft, almost knowing smile.
"I know," he murmured.
My brows knitted. "Know what?"
He shook his head, looking back at the stage. "Forget it. Just… let me enjoy this moment while it lasts."
My stomach twisted.
Because deep down, I understood exactly what he meant.
When Sely wrapped up, she slung her guitar across her back and grinned at the audience. "Okay, since everyone else has been singing songs about their love lives, I haven't done mine yet. So this one's for my date—my love!"
The entire auditorium gasped, including us.
"Excuse me?!" I whisper-shouted to Eve. "She has a boyfriend?! And didn't tell us? Oh, she is so dead. I'm strangling her with her guitar strap later."
Instead of some heartfelt ballad, Sely dove into a chaotic, fast-paced tune about fictional crushes and fictional heartbreaks—anime boys, book boyfriends, actors she'll never meet. Typical Sely, queen of Wattpad daydreams. Half the lyrics sounded like they were ripped straight from some fangirl's diary.
Caelum chuckled beside me. "Hear that? That's me. I'm wrecked without you."
I blinked. Not sure if he was quoting the song, flirting, or both. Probably both.
And all I could think was, I wish I were holding someone else's hand right now. Someone I shouldn't even care about anymore.
Helion came back out to close with "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran.
And that's when I made the mistake of glancing toward the side of the stage.
There he was.
Sergie.
Arms crossed, leaning casually like he owned the place. His expression? Impossible to read. But his eyes were locked on me, sharp and unyielding, like he had every right to look at me that way after everything.
My stomach dropped. My chest burned.
I looked away so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. But inside, my head was screaming.
Why do boys like him have to ruin girls like me?
On our way out, I felt a hand on my shoulder. My soul nearly left my body.
"Relax, it's just me," Sely said, rolling her eyes. "Mind if I steal your date for a while? Girl time."
Caelum released my hand without hesitation. Sely gave me one of those looks—the we need to talk kind.
As we walked, she didn't sugarcoat it. "Schedule your time better, Ash. Morning for your friends, night for your boyfriend. Otherwise? One day, when he's gone, you'll realize you ditched us for nothing."
Harsh. But fair.
We met up with Eve and Alcy, who had just wrapped up her own set, and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering. Horror booths. Fortune tellers. Marriage booths (yes, fake paper rings and all). Most of it was cheesy and overhyped, but with the right people, it was fun.
By the time we headed back to the classroom, laughing about our collective failure at ring toss, I spotted him outside.
Caelum.
Waiting.
In one hand, a bouquet of red roses.
In the other, a BT21 plushie with a cluster of heart-shaped balloons.
And just like that, a smile spread across my face—unbidden, but genuine.
Maybe… maybe this is what I need.
Maybe, with enough time, I'll stop replaying Sergie's smirk in my head. Stop wondering why he always feels like unfinished business.
Because Sergie and I? We were never real. Just texts, stolen glances, a couple of forehead flicks, and a kiss on the cheek I'll probably overanalyze forever. Nothing official. Nothing that ever truly belonged to me.
But Caelum?
Caelum is right here. He is real.
Loving me loudly.
Choosing me, over and over.
And maybe—just maybe—that's enough.