Flower
It was a thing he'd done with at least a few girls before, but none of his boyfriends had ever been the type to do anything but give him funny looks. Nonetheless, on Valentine's Day, every class Caleb went to found some bemused student handing him one carefully de-thorned red rose.
Pogue, for once, was nowhere to be found. He'd scampered off in the early hours, for once getting up in the morning, disappearing and evidently skipping classes the entire day for something he decided was more important than school.
At lunch time a girl Caleb would have known only by vague glimpse tracked him down and handed him three red roses, while trying desperately not to burst out laughing. Around one of them, a little note that invited him to dinner at an Italian restaurant that was known for its tiramisu and wandering violinist. It was even in hand-written, if shaky, ornate calligraphy.
Pogue waited until Caleb had been seated and joined up the day's accumulation of roses with the rest of the dozen that waited in the vase on the table he'd reserved. Maybe it was a little over the top. He was pretty sure at least one or two tables were going to give them dirty looks. He didn't care. It was Valentine's Day, one of the first in a long time where he wasn't worried about what to give or how it was received or what plans he had or hadn't made. He knew Caleb. Had known him all his life, and maybe he didn't know that this was going to turn out exactly as planned, but that was half the fun, wasn't it?
He knew that he loved him. Wanted to be with him. He knew that Caleb enjoyed the little gestures, that there were so many things he wanted to do and if he tried to do all of them he'd wind up falling completely flat on his face. Besides, he'd spent two weeks convincing Tyler to talk Caleb out of dinner plans for Valentine's Day just so he could show off.
And, okay, maybe part of it was showing off. Caleb was the white knight, Pogue the daring bad boy. It was more of a stereotypical Caleb thing to do. But today, on Valentine's Day, he wanted to be the one standing at the door with the bouquet of flowers and the giddy smile.
Caleb could have his turn next year.
Pogue Parry // The Covenant // 408 words
Pogue, for once, was nowhere to be found. He'd scampered off in the early hours, for once getting up in the morning, disappearing and evidently skipping classes the entire day for something he decided was more important than school.
At lunch time a girl Caleb would have known only by vague glimpse tracked him down and handed him three red roses, while trying desperately not to burst out laughing. Around one of them, a little note that invited him to dinner at an Italian restaurant that was known for its tiramisu and wandering violinist. It was even in hand-written, if shaky, ornate calligraphy.
Pogue waited until Caleb had been seated and joined up the day's accumulation of roses with the rest of the dozen that waited in the vase on the table he'd reserved. Maybe it was a little over the top. He was pretty sure at least one or two tables were going to give them dirty looks. He didn't care. It was Valentine's Day, one of the first in a long time where he wasn't worried about what to give or how it was received or what plans he had or hadn't made. He knew Caleb. Had known him all his life, and maybe he didn't know that this was going to turn out exactly as planned, but that was half the fun, wasn't it?
He knew that he loved him. Wanted to be with him. He knew that Caleb enjoyed the little gestures, that there were so many things he wanted to do and if he tried to do all of them he'd wind up falling completely flat on his face. Besides, he'd spent two weeks convincing Tyler to talk Caleb out of dinner plans for Valentine's Day just so he could show off.
And, okay, maybe part of it was showing off. Caleb was the white knight, Pogue the daring bad boy. It was more of a stereotypical Caleb thing to do. But today, on Valentine's Day, he wanted to be the one standing at the door with the bouquet of flowers and the giddy smile.
Caleb could have his turn next year.
Pogue Parry // The Covenant // 408 words