A Valentine Story

As I write this paragraph, there are only six days until Valentine’s Day. I’m curious how Valentine is to some people so I asked my friends to share their Valentine story. Majority of them responded that they have no story to tell but I was fortunate that I never stop asking until I received a confirmation that a story will be sent to me.

Here are the stories of pancakes, black valentine, and an almost accident. May these inspire you to live life in the moment, especially on important occasions. 

PANCAKES by Hazel Asoy

Valentine's day, though not an official holiday, is still celebrated by many. I love Valentine's day because it's the day when most of our high school teachers will task us to create Valentine's cards we can give to our friends. I do love receiving Valentine's cards and reading mushy messages from my friends and classmates.

However, it all changed when I experienced being in a relationship. Valentine's day became a not-so-good day for me because I always end up being single before Valentine's.

So, when I had an (ex) boyfriend whom I can celebrate Valentine's day with, I got pretty excited. Maybe, too excited I stressed myself thinking what should I do or prepare for my (ex) boyfriend. But the day before Valentine's, I settled for a pancake.

That day, I saved my allowance so I can buy pancake ingredients. It's my first time to make pancakes and I'm not good when it comes to following directions. In the midst of cooking, I end up burning a piece while the other pancakes end up crumbled. Knowing that I only have a few hours before my next class and to give it to him, panic starts to sink in. It' a total disaster but I have to carry on and prepare something for him.

Instead of whining over a pancake of failure, I got a small plastic tub and arranged the crumbled pancakes at the bottom, drizzled with chocolate syrup and top it with the perfectly shaped yet burned pancake. At the end, it looks like a mango graham cake.

Prepping the pancake isn't really the highlight of that day. The taste test with the unlucky subject is. When we met in my favorite tambayan, I hesitantly offered the pancake. I know that it's not an Instagram-worthy pancake but I hoped that, at the very least, he would appreciate the effort I exerted. Well, he's nice enough to act that he liked it. He ends up eating everything and telling me that it tastes good though he looks like he will puke everything he ate that day.

Hazel is a Registered Criminologist, working as a full – time Technical Support Associate. She also runs a blog called Wannderzel.

BLACK VALENTINES by Criscel_08

Her life was black and white, plain and simple until he came. They started out as friends but who knows that from there he will become her world. She thought it will be a happy ending. She broke her rules and trusted him too much but he let go. He gave up and decided for them; he did what is right by breaking their hearts. It’s a right love at a wrong time. Doing and choosing what is right should not hurt but hell it does.

She thought hurting will be over soon. Two years later, her heart still aches.

Aside from her job Criscel_08 also writes at Wattpad. She goes by the same username.

ALMOST AN ACCIDENT by Jhecel

When I was in college I had a professor who was very strict with time. He wanted everyone to be on time in all his classes even on submission of reports and projects.  Students from other department know about his rule too. If you are late you are not allowed to enter his class. He reasoned that being late is not a good habit and it would disturb his class.

Everyone was very cautious back then because missing his class is like missing a day in school.

One day I woke up feeling lazy. I took a bath longer than usual. I did house chores that I don’t normally do when it is a weekday. I remember admiring our cats sleeping on the mat.

I was already in transit when I remembered that his class was first on my schedule. I hurriedly jump off the jeepney, walked fast in the corners of two food chains without looking in all directions when suddenly a tricycle was in front of me. Almost half an inch was in between me and the front the tricycle. The driver shouted at me. I took a step back, patted my bag and leave the commotion. Apparently, there was another tricycle at my back.

I said sorry and continued walking.

My heart was racing when I reached school. I took a flight of stairs; as soon as I was on the third floor the door of room 52 was closing. I have no choice but wait in the corridor for an hour. All the effort of rushing to class was wasted. I was late for his class.

When I entered the next class my seatmates greeted me, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and asked why I was late.

It was only then that I realized it was Valentine’s Day and I almost had an accident.

Jhecel is the person behind Koshe. Yup! It's me

Now, let me ask, "What's your Valentine Story?"

Photo credit in order of appearance: Brooke Lark,  Alisa Anton,  Alin Dragu, Jeremy Bishop all on Unsplash