Happy Valentines Day from #OurAuthorGang

 Love is in the air

Every year on February 14th, Valentine's Day arrives to remind us to celebrate love and cherish our loved ones. Although we show our love in different ways every day, this day calls for something extra special.

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! May this day overflow with all the love your heart can hold. Sending warm hugs and best wishes to you all!

Will You Be My Valentine?

A short story by Erika M Szabo

During recess, Ashley, the new girl in school with curly auburn hair and sparkling hazel eyes, sat alone on a wooden bench in the corner of the playground, deeply engrossed in her book. The playground was alive with the laughter and shouts of children. Brian and Scott stood near the bench, concealed by the wide trunk of a tree.

Brian, a lanky fourteen-year-old boy nervously fingered a Valentine's Day card. "I want to give it to her, but..." his voice wavered, uncertainty hanging in the air like a fragile thread.

"Save yourself the embarrassment," Scott, his confident classmate with tousled blond hair and a nervous glint in his eyes, exclaimed. "Nathan said he gave her a card, but she's just... She's so stuck-up. Look!" he pointed at the bench. "Nathan wasn't the only one giving her a card. There's stack of cards on the bench and she didn't even open."

His words hung in the cool breeze, leaving Brian puzzled. "What?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise as his eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "She seems to be nice."

"Nathan said she just gave him a cold stare that made him feel pathetic," came the reply, each word painting a vivid picture of the icy exchange.

“Nathan is a brute,” Brian said. “Maybe he was rude to her.”

“Maybe,” Scott shrugged, looking down at his shoes and kicking a small rock. "This whole Valentine thing is so stupid, anyway."

"Yeah," Brian signed, stealing a glance at Ashley. He had a soft spot for her, a fondness that had grown over the weeks since he first saw her, but now his courage seemed to seep away. 

"I'm gonna go to the gym. You coming?" Scott asked.

"Nah, I'll be at the library until next class." 

Scott walked toward the entrance and disappeared through the glass door. Feeling deflated, Brian stood there for a minute and started walking too, though he couldn't resist stealing furtive glances back at Ashley who was still sitting on the bench, reading her book.

Should I? But what if she… but if I didn’t, I may never know. And I like her… a lot. Brian thought, trying to decide what to do. "Don't be a coward! You can do this!" he encouraged himself whispering under his breath. He started walking and every step as he approached the bench on legs that felt like jelly. His heart thudded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears. "Hi Ashley," he managed to say, extending a carefully chosen Valentine's card with a trembling hand. "Will you..." his mutating voice cracked. Blushing, he cleared his throat and blurted, "Will you be my Valentine?"

Ashley glanced up from the pages of her book, her face lighting up with a warm, inviting smile that seemed to chase away the winter chill. "Happy Valentine's Day, Brian," she replied, her voice as gentle as the soft breeze. She closed her book with a gentle thud and gestured to the spot beside her on the bench, patting it lightly. "Would you like to sit with me?"

As Brian clumsily sat down, the stack of Valentine's cards scattered on the ground. The top one fell open and Brian's lips curled into a smirk. Valentine's is stupid, huh? He thought, reading Scott's name next to a hand-drawn red heart inside the card.

Enjoy the video and song created by Erika M Szabo

Happy Valentine's Day from the blog authors

In the soft glow of candlelight,

Love is blooming, everything feels right.

Hearts are beating like a sweet refrain,	Whispers of affection dance like summer rain.	From friends to lovers, near and far,
Tonight we celebrate who we truly are.	With every smile and every embrace,	It’s the magic of love that time can't erase.