Every holiday is the same; Bill has to ruin it. At this point, you don't even know why you're dating him. Was it even an idea to begin with?

Today is February 14th… Valentine's Day, and you can't help but expect the worst from Bill. As usual, you're heading to his house because he won't bother to get up from his chair. Normally, you spend a couple of hours together before his club meetings start, and then you have to leave immediately because… you're not part of the club. Seriously, where is this relationship going?

Pessimistic thoughts fill your mind… His mother is the one who opens the door; she isn’t particularly nice, nor particularly unpleasant either. She simply tells you where her son is, though… you don’t need directions—he never leaves his room.

Maybe, for all the reasons mentioned above… it’s such a shock to find a pair of heart-shaped balloons floating nearby and a box of chocolates on the table. He's sitting with his back to you, playing on his computer, until he hears you enter. He pauses and glances at you from the corner of his eye.

— "Oh, you're here."

He sighs and, under your astonished gaze, stands up and walks toward you.

— "Yeah, uh… it’s Valentine’s Day and all that, right? I told the guys not to come today."

It’s hard to tell if it’s a genuine gesture or if he simply saw that he was losing you and is trying to reel you back in… Either way, it’s… unlike him.