They had spent valentines day together before but that was nothing special. It was just another day back then, when they were younger. when they were eight Sparrow had kissed him. It wasn’t anything actually romantic, they had been at the park down the street rolling down a snowy hill and ended up colliding at the bottom. They giggled and rubbed their heads. Sparrow ended up kissing him after saying something that he never caught and was too dazed to ever asked about.

Now they were sixteen and Jade didn’t know if this was a good idea but he wanted it to be. Jade had a vision for the perfect Valentines day to give to Sparrow. It involved going to all her favorite places, taking her to dinner at a restaurant that was clearly too expensive for two teenagers but he had managed to borrow his father’s wallet. His mother’s liquor cabinet would supply them with wine and they would spend the night on the beach with a blanket a bonfire and their booze. None of that would happen, not because he couldn’t get the money or the bottle, but because they were at Salem.

The fact that school would be in session when the 14th came around completely slipped his mind. That meant that Jade would have to improvise. The entire night before Jade was planning for this. He had found a record they used to listen to before his hearing got bad. On it was a song that he would always remember. Despite not being able to hear still they would play records, Sparrow would sing along, Jade resting on her chest so he could feel the vibration of her voice. Sometimes she would sign along with the words for him. Jade still enjoyed music, the thud of the bass was comforting, and the memories were never something that would change.

Classes were almost torture as they dragged on. Some professors themed the lesson, making it about love potions or how to make roses appear with the flick of a wand. Others seemed like they were out to rid the world of love. Jade was too busy freaking out about what he needed to do to get everything ready once they were free from the lectures. Finally the school day was done and Jade was gone from the campus. There were so many people out in the streets of Hawthorne village. Couples hand in hand, or husbands frantic to get last minute gifts for their wives.

All he wanted was flowers. Jade made it to a shop with hundreds of colorful bouquets in the window. Jade picked out a red and white arrangement of daisies and roses. It seemed cliche, maybe it was too much? The record and pb&j’s he made didn’t seem like enough. Jade wanted to get her a gift but for the life of him couldn’t figure out what. They were both brought up with everything, there was nothing that Sparrow ever had to want.

Gently Jade bit his lip as he looked at the flowers in his hand. He would get it, even if he was pretty sure that Sparrow would just shake her head and laugh at him for being a big cheese ball. That idea actually made him smile and relax. They were best friends she would love any effort he made and it would be perfect, hopefully. Jade bought the flowers and ducked out of the shop and rushed back to his dorm. His roommate was going to be busy with his date for the night. The other guy had been bragging about it all week. ‘This is our first together I’m gonna charm the pants off her’. After the first day Jade started to ignore his roommate, he was happy for the guy but he could only deal with all the boasting for so long.

He had to get the room ready, making sure that everything was put away on his side and then shoving all of the other boy’s dirty clothes under his bed and out of site. Oh his bed he set up the food. Sandwitches and some fruit. It didn’t seem very romantic but it was the best he could do. One day he would be able to treat Sparrow to the master plan he cooked up before he realized that they wouldn’t be back home in New York. For now they could pretend that the sandwiches were filet mignon and the fruit was a beautiful tart.

With the help of his wand up went strings of little twinkling lights, covering the ceiling of the room. Then he got the record player ready. He would make it start playing once he walked through the door. After changing into his nice jeans and a striped button down he picked up the flowers and now he just had to find her.

Down the hall he went to the girls dorms where girls were getting picked up for their dates. He was about to reach her room when he saw her talking to another boy. Jade stopped in his tracks at watched. They were far enough away so it was a struggle to read their lips well. The word date was clear and the way she smiled and nodded was like a knife in his gut. He felt like he had been hit with a brick. Jade’s hand clutched the flowers, the tissue paper around the stems crinkling. He had no right to be angry, and really he should have known that this would happen. they were just friends and a mediocre night of dumb sandwiches and music he couldn’t even hear wasn’t worth ruining that.


Jade turned on his heel not wanting to just stand and watch as Sparrow probably was walking off holding hands with that other boy. With a sigh he started to walk back to the decorated dorm, on the way he handed the flowers off to a girl who was crying without a word, maybe they could make someone happy. Defeated he walked through the door to his room, sat on his bed looking down at the meal he had set up. The phone in his pocket buzzed, Jade was willing to bet it was her.

The name on the screen with an envelope icon proved him right. ”Sam asked me out, I’m freaking out, are you busy?”

He lied saying that he was out with a group of friends, but to have fun anyway and make sure that Sam holds doors open for her and pulls out chairs. It felt silly having to fight back tears, he felt dizzy. Jade fished out his vertigo medication and spent the rest of the night eating his peanut butter and jellies and staring at the lights on the ceiling while the music he couldn’t hear played at 33 rounds per minute