💌 Unspoken Words & Paper Hearts 💭

A gift from Brandon. A lost letter to Gregory. One day, two boys, and waaay too many feelings. 💘📚😵‍💫

Chapter Three �" Valentine's Day

14th of February

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

My alarm clock shrieked in my ear like a banshee. I groaned and rolled over, burying my head in the pillow.

"Oh my God... what day is it?" I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed with all the energy of a sleep-deprived snail.

I shuffled over to the calendar on my wall, eyes still half-closed.

Aah. Valentine’s Day.

A weird ache settled in my chest. I never liked this day. I always had this fear�"that if no one gave me anything, I’d feel invisible, like I didn’t matter. But if someone did give me something? I wouldn’t know what to say. My brain would freeze, my words would trip over themselves, and it would just be... awkward.

Still, I couldn’t deny it�"I’d feel a flutter of happiness. Like maybe, just maybe, I was someone worth thinking about.

"Kimberly! Stand up from that bed and start preparing!" my mom yelled from the kitchen.

"Five more minutes, Mom!" I called back, already halfway to curling up again.

"Isigini?! If I meet you still lying there, you'll regret waking up!"

I groaned louder. "Every time! Me sef, I'm tired."

---

Later at School...

"Happy Valentine’s Day, bestie!!" Avery shouted, skipping toward me with a grin stretched across her face.

"Thanks," I muttered. "Same to you."

She gave me a look. "Are you okay? You're sweating like you ran a marathon."

"I’m fine. Just... nervous."

She leaned in closer. "Don’t be. But I get it. I saw Brandon this morning. He was holding this small box, and... wait for it... he dusted off your chair."

My heart flipped so hard I felt it echo in my ears. "He what?"

"He DUSTED your chair. I think he wants to give you something."

I blinked, confused. My throat went dry. "Probably for someone else."

"Kim, I know you don’t like him like that anymore, but I think he really likes you."

I looked away, chewing on my bottom lip. "He only started liking me because I stopped liking him."

She smirked. "Or maybe now that you’ve stopped hiding and started being your real self�"laughing, teasing�"he’s noticing. Maybe he’s falling for the better half of you."

I paused. Her words hit deeper than I expected.

"Avery... you’re a hopeless romantic."

"Thank you," she said proudly.

We were still giggling when we entered class�"late�"and got hit with punishment.

"You two! Write a full-page essay on the meaning of Valentine's Day."

What a great way to start the day.

---

The moment we settled into class after break, Brandon slid into the seat next to mine�"the one usually left empty, but somehow always his when he wanted to talk.

“Hey… sorry about that,” he said quietly.

I blinked at him. “Why? It wasn’t your fault.”

He shrugged, avoiding my eyes. “I dunno. Just felt bad. What were you and Avery even talking about? I was… kind of waiting for you.”

My heart stumbled.

Waiting… for me?

I swallowed. “It’s nothing. None of your business,” I said a little too quickly.

He looked surprised, but only for a second. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit I’d seen before. My chest tightened. Was he about to say something? Was this... something?

He leaned in, his voice low. “I�"”

Someone brushed past his desk, bumping into him with a muttered “Sorry.” The spell broke. Brandon glanced down. The words�"whatever they were�"disappeared.

Still, I could’ve sworn I heard a whisper. Something soft. A murmur that sounded like… I wasn’t sure. Did he try to say he liked me?

Before I could think too hard about it, he pulled something from his bag. “O...okay. Here. The book I promised. I actually brought a gift, but the teacher seized it. I thought the school would do something for Valentine’s Day, but na wa oo, this school no dey ever catch vibe.”

He handed me the book.

It wasn’t wrapped. There was no note or card. Just… a simple, thoughtful gesture.

I wrapped my fingers around it, trying to act cool. But my hands trembled slightly, and I prayed he didn’t notice.

“Thanks,” I said softly.

But a guilty twist formed in my stomach. I hadn’t gotten him anything. I felt… incomplete.

Brandon must’ve seen the look on my face, because he gave a tiny smile and said, “You don’t have to worry. You might not notice, but... being with you is one of the best gifts ever.”

I froze. Everything around me blurred for a second. His voice felt too honest, too gentle.

“See?” I said, trying to recover with a grin. “I told you they wouldn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thanks a lot, Brandon. And… Happy Valentine’s Day.” I giggled, then hesitated. “This might actually be the last one we spend together.”

“Hey, don’t ruin the mood,” he said, raising his fist like he was about to lightly punch me.

I blocked it with a mock-karate move. “You think you can take me?”

We both laughed.

“This reminds me of Primary One,” Brandon said, his eyes twinkling. “That day you were running and I pushed you so they’d catch you. Then you sat on�"”

“Don’t finish that sentence!” I slapped a hand over his mouth, horrified. “We were kids. That was a mistake! No one needs to know.”

He grinned under my palm. “That was one of my favorite memories. I’ll really miss you, Kim.”

My smile softened. “Me too, Don. Me too.”

The classroom grew quiet.

“I hope everyone is sleeping,” someone whispered from behind us.

And just like that, the teacher walked in.

We quickly snapped our eyes shut like good students pretending to nap.

What a bummer.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Later That Evening...

I got home, tossed my bag aside, and pulled out the book Brandon gave me.

I hadn’t even opened it yet. My fingers brushed over the cover as I flipped it open to jot down something for class�"and something slipped out.

A folded slip of paper.

No name. No decorations.

Just three handwritten words:

“I love you.”

My breath caught. My eyes scanned the room like someone might jump out yelling, “Gotcha!” But no one did. It was just me, my heartbeat, and those words. My name wasn’t on it. Neither was his.

But I knew.

Or at least... I hoped.

Maybe that’s what he whispered. Maybe I didn’t imagine it after all.

---

I guess I really was a hopeless romantic too.

Every Valentine’s Day, I try to tell Gregory I like him. Last year, I whispered a Spanish phrase I learned from a cartoon. It meant "I love you."

He didn’t hear me.

And even if he had... would he have understood?

This year, I wrote him a love letter. I folded it carefully, slipped it into my bag, and planned everything.

But I chickened out.

I tossed it in the bin before break.

Why does liking someone make you blind to their flaws? Why do we paint them as perfect, even when we know better?

Gregory was like that to me.

To everyone else, he was just a guy.

But to me?

He was everything.

And maybe… even if he never knows it, even if I never tell him�"I’ll still remember him as my first love. The kind that sneaks in quietly, but stays with you forever.

Maybe if I had spoken louder... or held onto that letter... maybe things would’ve been different.

Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading! 💌 This chapter was a mix of real feelings and fictional heartbeats. I'd love to hear what you think—especially if any part made you smile, feel seen, or remember your own first crush. Your feedback helps me grow, so feel free to be honest!