My first Valentine’s Day. With a kind and sweet boyfriend. And I’m ruining it.

I can’t even look at Theo since we left the coffee shop. Since Daniel decided to ruin the best date ever. His text is still sitting heavy inside my head.

Theo parks our bikes in the driveway, then he turns to me, eyes soft and full of something that looks a lot like love. And confusion. Maybe sadness.

I look away.

But he leans in, kissing me gently at first, then deeper, like he’s trying to pour every feeling into that one moment.

“I never meant to overwhelm you,” he whispers against my lips. “I just wanted to keep putting a smile on your face until it stuck… until you’d be smiling forever.”

I let out a soft laugh, trying a little too hard to hide the fact that someone else is on my mind. “That’d be a bit creepy, don’t you think? Me always smiling like a maniac?”

Theo grins, his contagious energy sparking in his eyes. “I’d still date the creepy smiling girl. A hundred times over.”

I pull a face and give him my best exaggerated, awkward smile, and we both burst out laughing. It feels good. Natural. Like things could be okay.

“Thank you for today, Theo,” I say quietly. “It deserves a Guinness World Record for best date ever.”

He shakes his head, soft smile on his face. “You deserve nothing less, Becca. Not a thing.” He presses one last kiss to my lips. “Good night, beautiful.”

“Night, Theo.”

When I get inside, the house is still. Lights off, no voices. I slip off my shoes and tiptoe down the hallway, careful not to make any noise. Not just to avoid waking anyone, I just really want the quiet. I want the dark.

The day’s been a blur of warmth and kisses and stars, and it should be enough to leave me floating. It was the best Valentine’s Day. It should feel perfect. But it doesn’t.

The anger hits me.

How could he do this? Of course he knew I’d be out with Theo tonight. It’s fucking Valentine’s Day.

Frustration rises in my chest, tightening my throat. He doesn’t get to ruin my day. He doesn’t get to have that power. But no matter how hard I try to shove it down, the irritation bubbles over. Before I know it, I’m already marching to the garage, dialling Daniel’s number.

He picks up almost instantly, his voice unsteady. “Becca, I’m sorry. I know I probably shouldn’t have sent that message, but… it’s true, I—.”

His words make my skin prickle. I shove it down. I can’t feel this way.

“No, don’t!” I snap before he finish his words. “What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking…” He starts, but I cut through him again.

“It’s been months since we last saw each other. And I did try to talk about that night, but you shut me out. And now, now, when I’ve moved on, when I have a boyfriend who’s here for me, now you decide to do this? To come in and try to stuff old thoughts back into my head? You can’t—”

“So there were thoughts in your head,” Daniel interrupts me. I hear the smug on his voice and it makes it so much easier to be mad.

“Ages ago!” I shout. “And it doesn’t matter. It fuckin’ doesn’t!” My voice cracks, the tension I’ve held in all night splintering apart. Tears sting hot in my eyes. This is not how this day was meant to end. “What did you think would happen, Daniel? That I’d just drop everything and fly to Paris for you?”

There’s a beat of silence before he responds, softer now. “I could come to Arbordale. If it meant being with you.”

For a second, my brain flips at the idea. Daniel here, changing everything for me. But I don’t buy it. There is no way this is real.

“For Christ’s sake, Daniel!” I half-shout. I feel exhausted, like I don’t have the energy to be angry anymore. “You’re such a jerk! I can’t believe you said all this. I can’t… I can’t deal with this.”

“Becca, come on,” he says, more agitated now. “I said I’m sorry. Can’t we at least still be friends?”

“No, Daniel. We can’t.” My voice barely comes out, but I say it. And I hang up.

The tears hit hard. Unstoppable. I collapse onto the cold garage floor, sobbing, gasping, the weight of everything crashing down. The heartbreak versus the guilt I’ve been trying to ignore, it all pours out, and it’s too much.

My face is burning with shame. But somehow the garage also feels colder than usual, and I can’t stop shaking.

This is not fair to Theo. Not after everything he did to make this day so special.

He is special.

He makes me happy in the simplest things. And I care about him so much. I do. But I don’t deserve him. Not when my heart still aches for another boy.

God, I wish I could go back and never meet Daniel.

I shouldn’t have gone to that stupid party.