Love, Albino

Ella Wants a Love Life

Practiced smiles and endearing responses.

Ella watched as her classmates busied themselves with exchanging small tokens of love with one another. Red ribbons interlaced with hearts, hanged on every window and door along the hallways. 

Even the weather seemed to smile at the world as the sun shone brightly, with not a cloud in the sky.

"Do you suppose a lucky gentleman will find his way to your desk in query of tokens?" A voice, thick with antiquated accent, asked from beside her.

"I suppose not, dear friend." Ella replied with a chagrin smile, playing along with the ruse.

"Of course, Ella. No boy would come a mere inch of your presence in fear of being incinerated by your beauty." Jacob, her best friend, answered derisively while maintaining their old British accent.

Ella chuckled, covering her mouth in politeness. "You jest, my friend." 

At her words, Jacob could no longer take it. He burst out laughing. 

"If we continue talking this way, I might just pass our English test this afternoon." Jacob joked.

"Well, wouldn't that be a swell event for you, dear friend." Ella continued to play along with the accent.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Enough with the roleplay. I'm seriously gonna catch the 'accent' and forget how to speak normally if we don't stop."

Ella smiled, shaking her head in dismay. "Alas, if it is your request sir, we can switch to another accent. How about we talk like some pirates on the sea? Argh!" She covered one eye and did her best impression of a pirate.

"Arghhh, mate. Let's go in search of gold under the sea!" Jacob played along wonderfully, using a fork to dub as a hook. 

As the pair of best friends traveled along the school hallways in search of 'treasure' (read: a quiet place), Ella couldn't help but take note of the jubilee. Students and teachers alike were buzzing with elation.

"Flowers for you." Ella heard one of the boys near the canteen, and she watched as the lucky recipient of the flowers swooned.

A pair of lovers doted on one another as they fed each other with the special menu from the canteen.

"So sweet." Ella couldn't help but comment.

As the two played along in their own world, the busy-bodies remained focused on today's task: exchanging tokens of love from their valentine. With the date being the fourteenth of February, everyone is excited to show their own way of saying the three damned words that made anyone's heart throb.

"I want love like that too." Ella absentmindedly said out loud.

"Really?" Jacob questioned as he opened his bento box. "Never thought you'd be the type to be jealous of those tiresome lovers."

"What? I'm pretty interested in romance too, you dimwit."

"Huh. Don't you just want someone to fool around with on Valentine's Day?" Jacob clicked his tongue. "You bad girl."

Ella playfully hit Jacob's shoulder. "Am not." 

"Ow! And the Amazona strikes again!"

"Do you want another hit?" Ella threatened, showing her bony knuckles and thin wrist.

Jacob held his hands up in surrender. "No, ma'am."

They bickered like an old couple and fooled around like kids. It wasn't long before they settled down in silence, letting their lunch settle at the pit of their stomach. The two sat down underneath the willow tree near the back gate of the school with their backs facing each other.