Valentine (A Short Story)

It dont matter just as long as I get all you tonight

6

"I have a preposition"

"What?" She asked in confusion.

"I'm going to be honest here: I have a bet with my friends that I have to find a girl to go on a date with me by Valentine's Day. If I win I get $300 but if I lose then I have to give them each $100." He paused to see if she was following "if you really want this guy, then you could make him jealous by coming on a date with me and he'll see what he's missing. So we'll both be happy" he finished with an assuring smile.

"So you want us to... fake date?"

"Well it would be a real date, but with no strings attached"

"Okay, I get it... sort of."

"So?"

"Yeah okay, lets do it" she nodded and Luke felt like hugging her. This was perfect! He could win his money, see his friends dumbstruck faces and go on a 'date' with a girl whomst he quite liked the company of.

"Amazing!" He smirked, not letting her see just how happy he was.

"Tell me though, why does this bet even exist?"

"Like I told you, I'm a loser. I haven't had a girlfriend in years and they didn't think I'd be able to find one"

"Oh well... you didn't" she told him point blankly and his smile slipped.

"Don't spoil my happiness"

"Sorry" she laughed gently "but if I'm going to be your date, I'm going to have to know a bit more about you." She told him, leaning her elbows on the table and moving closer towards Luke. It felt more intimate that way.

"What do you want to know? There's not a lot to tell" he admitted. He didn't go adventuring across the world, or run a million dollar company. He watched films and hung out with his friends. Is that what she wanted to hear?

"Tell me something weird. Like if you are secretly an amazing juggler or something"

"Oh, well" he scratched his head, trying to think. His mind was blank. Luke wasn't unique and he knew it "I'm good at maths, I guess"

"Thats not weird" she rolled her eyes.

"Well why don't you tell me something?"

"Okay fine. When I was 12 I stole as many frogs as I could from school and brought them home because I didn't want them to be dissected" she told him and he couldn't hold back his laughter. "Your turn"

"Okay well, a couple of years ago, I made up a story and a name for someone who went to my school. I got so used to calling him 'Bill' and how he was the 'basketball guy' in my head that one day I actually passed him and said, "good luck at the basketball game tomorrow Bill!". I later found out his name was Sam and that he was terrible at basketball. He avoided me at all costs after that"

Rain smiled broadly. Her eyes crinkled and dimples formed when she did. Luke tried not to notice how attractive they made her look, but he couldn't look away.

"Okay, now tell me a secret"

"I think it was your turn" he persisted.

"God you're annoying. Fine" she leaned in even closer, with no tone of annoyance in her voice. "I got thrown out of my school months ago and my parents still think I go there now. If they knew where I worked now they'd probably disown me"

"Im sorry. What happened?"

"I was in medical school. I hated it and everything about it. I don't want to be a doctor just because my parents do."