Be my Valentine

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
It’s Valentine Day,
And I text to wish you,
Today I’m asking,
it you’ll be mine,
Please say yes,
be my Valentine.

I have always had a mischievous streak. There were many a time would feel the urge to say something or do something that is so off the record of what people expect of me. It is not something hurtful or scandalous but merely something that would brighten up the moment.

This was the uncontrollable impulse I had when I sent you my first Valentine message. Since you knew my mobile number, I used another sim to greet you. I sent the message early morning. We had met a few months ago then.

Naturally you did not respond to my anonymous greeting. That was good because I did not want you texting every Tom Dick and Harry. However I did somehow expect a greeting from you to the number you knew. Hours lapsed. My heart sank. My mood turned sour towards noon. Many questions clouded my mind.

Wasn’t he interested? Did he think of me only as a friend? Didn’t he remember me at all? Was there someone else? Each unanswered question lowered my spirits. A dampness slowly flowed out of my eyes. Why did it matter so much to me? Why was this pain like nothing I’ve ever experienced before? I have faced losses. I have experienced disappointments. I have been separated from people who have been close to me for years.

Only a few months. I hardly know him but yet... he is so familiar to me. He is like a part of my soul.

Then my phone beeped. It was nearly midday. I imagined that it was yet another news alert or a message from a friend. One careless glance with my finger on the delete button. Then I froze. It was an immortal moment.

Your message was simple yet touching. It was a cross between something you would send to a friend but something intimate also ran beneath the words. I replied with a much more reserved wish for I did not want to seem too eager to please. You did not know that I have wished you first on a mystery number till much later.

For some reason or other I, who preferred blacks, blues and lilacs found that more pinks and reds began to make their way into my wardrobe. These shades are associated with passion and love. I have never been a fan of these colours before.

More changes. I who have always loved frangipani began to have an unusual fondness for roses. Not any rose would do. Red roses fascinated me.

My life was a roller coaster. There was hardly time to sit in one place. It is a process I enjoyed but sometimes I hardly have time to dwell in front of the mirror other than put on a clean suit, a little lipstick and run a comb through my hair. Your presence changed it all. I debated on what to wear each day least you happen to stroll by. Accessories matched the outfits. Not even a hair was out of place. You showed me how to appreciate myself. A warm glow spread within me and reflected in my outlook whenever I thought of you.

You brought me the happiest time of my life. Small misfortunes passed by me without even a bat of an eyelid. You were with me. You were my world. Though you are beyond my reach today, let me dedicate yet another Valentine to you.

Shehara - [email protected]