THE VALENTINE'S DAY CONTRACT

Elara Quinn begins a new semester at Rose Gate High, a school where status was everything and basically, she had neither status nor saviours. She was a feast for bullies, because she was poor and invisible to her classmates. Elara always kept her head down, hoping to survive that way, also hoping and praying to escape the valentine’s day gala. The halls of Rose Gate High smelled like floor polish and expensive perfume, an odd mix of effort and entitlement. Elara Quinn tightened her grip on the frayed strap of her backpack and kept her head down, counting the tiles between her scuffed sneakers and the lockers that lined the corridor like polished teeth. Around her, students buzzed with energy. Valentine’s Day was two weeks away, and the school was already drowning in pink streamers, glitter hearts, and sign-up sheets for the annual Valentine’s Gala. The event of the year. The one where couples were crowned, reputations were made, and the rest… they were forgotten. Elara knew exactly which category she belonged to. “Yo… watch where you’re going, you smelly thing. Do you know how much these cost?” A girl asked, her tone, intimidating. But Elara kept mute “Exactly, you don’t, so why don’t you keep those smelly shoulders to yourself” The girl flaunted her hair and walked away and Elara, she just kept moving. She walked into her classroom immediately the bell rang, sliding into the seat at the back, the one no one ever fought her for. The teacher went on and on about announcements, but Elara barely heard him. Her eyes drifted to the window, where the sky hung low and grey, like it might snow. Then the door opened and everything shifted. He walked in like he didn’t belong there. Tall, lean, with messy dark hair and a face that made the room go silent. Even the teacher paused. “This is River Vale,” he said. “He’s transferring in for the semester.” River gave a lazy smile, hands in his pockets. “Hey.” The girls in the front row giggled. Elara didn’t. She just stared, something about him tugging at her memory, though she was sure they’d never met. He scanned the room, eyes skimming over everyone... until they landed on her. And for the first time in a long time, someone looked at Elara Quinn like she wasn’t invisible. Like she was seen. Now her quiet routine was disrupted when River Vale, sits beside her. With striking looks and quiet confidence, he instantly captures the attention of the entire class, especially that of Clara Quinn. Elara just thought he was yet another person who would bother her, so she didn’t bother saying Hi. Elara had mastered the art of disappearing, not literally, of course. But in the crowded halls of Rose Gate High, where designer shoes clicked against polished floors and laughter echoed like a private club, she moved like a shadow. She sat at the café alone, like always. Then… he sat beside her. “Hello” he greeted with a smile. “Uh… are you lost?” she asked, clearly shocked that he sat beside her. “What a way to start a conversation… humorous I guess, I’m River” he smiled again “Oh, I’m sorry.” She smiled back “I’m Elara Quinn. Nice to meet you” “Great name. So, why are you sitting alone?” “Well let’s just say I prefer being alone than and in peace than with people and in chaos” “What do you mean? I’m sure you don’t get bullied with that pretty face of yours” She stayed quiet, probably thinking he insulted her “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I meant, from what I know pretty girls never gets bullied” “You don’t have to explain, at least not to me. You’re the first one in this school who thinks I’m pretty.” “Well then, that means the people here are blind” “Can you stay away from me please?” “Excuse me? You think I’m also here to bully you too, I understand, but…” she cuts in “It’s not that. It’s just, if anyone sees you around me, they’ll bully you too. I just don’t want to add another innocent soul into my mess. I know you’re just trying to be good to me, but that’ll put you into a mess, the same mess I’m trying to escape” ‘She’s protecting me? No way I’m gonna sit around and watch her get humiliated, just gotta see who she really is, from what I see, she’s not like the others’’ he thought to himself, but when he was done thinking, she was already standing up. “Wait” he said and grabbed her arm “don’t worry, about me. If they want to bully me, I’d like to see them try, but you, just stay, please” he said “Sure?” “Yes, super sure” She sat beside him, still a little reluctant. ‘is he trying to get me to trust him, so that when he bullies me, I’ll forgive?’ if not… ‘why’s he being nice to me?’ she thought “If you keep staring at the blank, while thinking about my perfectly sculpted face, you might fall in love with it without even knowing” he teased She turned and stared at him with a look mixed with shock and disgust “No… I was just thinking and asking myself why someone like you would want to hang around someone like me” “What’s wrong with someone like you?” he asked “Everything, I’m not like them.” She replied “Well, that’s what makes you special. And maybe you are better than them” he smiled “You think so?” she asked, a smile tugging at her lips “Nope” he replied, then her smile disappeared “I know so” She blushed a bit “so why would someone like you, choose a school like this? I mean, not like you look all that great like the others, but you are better than they are” “What makes you think so?” “Well, you don’t judge the book by her cover, you don’t criticize and bully others because of their status, and you are not blind” “How’d you know I won’t act that way, later in the future?” “If you didn’t act that way to me on your first day, then you won’t act that way to me on any other days” “Wow, seems like you’re hurting deep down and everyone sees that and uses it as a way to bully you, and that’s where you got it wrong. I wasn’t angry or annoyed when you thought I’d bully you, I was intrigued.” “You were?” “Funny right? But it’s true. I transferred here undercover, in my past school, people loved me for my fame and face, fame that once kindled out they’ll leave. So, I came here” “So, they cared because you were…. Handsome?” “Oh, you think I’m handsome too? But yes, they did” “No, I don’t think your face is handsome, I think your personality is handsome. Not handsome like pretty, but handsome like enriched, full, great” “So, you think I have a great personality” “I see you have a great personality. You are indeed a great person; one I’ve been hoping to meet” “Woah…” shock evident in his voice “Nobody’s ever thought of me that way” “That just means they’re dumb” she smiled then they continued talking. Just as Elara was starting to feel safe while talking to River, a group of bullies appeared at their table. “Eww, River… why hangout with this dirty thing. You’re way out of her league” the one that looked like she headed the group said “And you… do you think River would ever like you? Well dream on, you’re just a dirt bag where we dump our waste on” another said “And what makes you think you can choose who I hang out with? She might be way out of my league like you said, but you’re also way out of hers.” River said his façade calm, but his voice stern “Excuse me?” the leader blinked “You know, she is your dumping spot, where you drop your notes and assignments on, for her to do them for you, because you don’t have the brain, she has to do them yourself. And she’s so nice not to say no. you think bullying others makes you cool? I’ve tried that once and it only made me look stupid. Bullying only makes you look like you don’t have, it makes you look like you can’t do it yourself so you dump it on others. I got to know that bullying others only makes them feel empowered, only if they knew,” “Dumping those notes and assignments on others thinking you’re bullying them? Stop deceiving yourself, cuz you’re only making them smarter than you,” River replied “you’re siding her?” “No, I’m not. Even if I am that’s not your business, is it? I’m sure you’re not planning on dumping your tests and exams on her too, I wonder how you’re gonna do that though,” he turned to Elara “let’s go” He held her hand and pulled her out of the café. She didn’t struggle, she followed, she trusted him, she smiled. “Thank you,” she stammered “For what?” he asked “For that, standing up for me,” she continued “I wasn’t standing up for you, Elara… I was creating an impression to those who watched the scene, I’m planning on running for head of student council,” “Even at that, you still stood up for me. Not every student council Chairboy, cares for all,” ‘Why does she trust me so much?’ he thought ‘not like I’m actually running for student council chair anything, I just want to know if she’s masking something. And I don’t think she is’ when he was done thinking, she moved without thinking She hugged him, tight, firm, like if she let go, he’d disappear “Thank you so much River… you’re the best,” she said. He was shocked to the core; nobody ever hugged him as genuinely as she just did “You’re welcome,” he finally said. I guess that was the beginning of a new relationship between them, a genuine relationship. The girl no one noticed before, someone finally noticed her, and he didn’t just notice her, he cared as well.