Devin stared into space as he half listened to Mrs. Jason’s words as she wrote a math equation on the board. He shot a glance at Kensie to see her reaction to the note he had slipped into her backpack earlier that morning. To his satisfaction he saw a note in kensie’s hands and a smile on her lips.



When he looked at her he felt the usual lurch in his stomach. He didn’t know what it was, maybe it was the way her pure blond hair shines and glimmers in the light like a river of spun gold flowing over her shoulders, or may be it was her tender smile that seemed to put all things around her into a blazing beauty, what ever it was, it had struck love in his heart like a thousand of cupids arrows the moment he had seen her on the first day of 2nd grade. Since then he had been secretly slipping her notes every day though he has never had the courage to put his name on them.



He smiled slightly as he remembered the poem he had written her this morning. He mentally recited it “Roses are red, violets are blue, both are pretty but not as pretty as you”. These words burned in his mind.



From behind him Mrs. Jason had arms crossed and was tapping her foot. “When your done day dreaming Mr. Miles, please tell me so that we can continue this lesson.” He looked away and felt his cheeks burn as everybody in the room stared at him. Devin heard some of the kids sniggering as he stared at the floor and muttered that he was done. Mrs. Jason nodded and turned back around and continued.


When the bell rang Mrs. Jason held up her hand. “Before you leave I’d like to remind you of the Valentines Day dance that will take place in two days.” Devin glanced at Kensie; he had been trying to pluck up the courage to ask her to the dance.


____________________



Devin walked down the sidewalk beside Brian, who was his best and only friend. Brian looked at Devin “Dude if you don’t have the nerve to ask her out instead of beating your self up about it, why don’t you ask some one else…like Kimberly.”


They continued to walk in silence, “Are you going to ask any one” Devin said suddenly, Brian just shrugged. When they reached Devin’s house he noticed that his parent’s car was gone. “Want to come in?” Devin mumbled, Brian rarely got to come into his house, a few years ago their parents had got into fight and they still held a grudge on each other. Brian grinned “Sure”.


They walked into his house and started to make their way to Devin’s room. They were half way up the stairs when Devin suddenly bolted into his room. Brian stood there for a second dumbstruck and then hurried into Devin’s room. Devin sat at his desk and was franticly scribbling something on a piece of paper. “I’m going to do it,” Devin said firmly. “Do what?” Brian said surprised. Brian looked over Devin’s shoulder at the note he was writing, he read;



Your smile so sweet, so loving and kind, you are all that fills my mind.


Your vary soul is purer than gold


I wish you were mine.


Will you be my valentine?


“I’m going to ask Kensie to the dance.” Devin said firmly. Brian stood there mouth agape. “I’m going to do it.” Devin repeated even more forcibly. Devin looked over and frowned as he saw something momentarily flash in Brian’s eyes was it…anger? “Are you SURE you’re ready?” Devin forced a smile, still uneasy about Brian’s sudden change of attitude.


“Well I better go home.” Brian said, Devin stood up and started to leave his bedroom to walk Brian to the front door, but stopped as he reached the hall and saw that Brian was still standing at his desk, “Brian?” Devin called; Brian’s slowly turned around and followed Devin out his room and to the doorway. Devin watched Brian’s walk down the street, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed. After a few moments Devin turned around and walked back up to his room, still troubled about Brian’s attitude.





___________


When Devin’s alarm clock rang in the morning he flew out of bed and hurriedly got dressed, His plans were to run to the flower shop a few blocks away and get Kensie some flowers to go along with his note. The only problem was that his note had seemed to disappear. Devin threw papers over his shoulder as he franticly searched his desk drawers.


Devin finally gave up after ten minutes and ran out of his house as he ran for the flower shop. Within 5 minutes he was running out of the shop and toward school.


His apprehension grew with every step he made, and within moments had reached his school. He slowly walked towards Kensie’s locker, he stopped around the corner and he bottled up his courage, he looked at the roses he had picked out and wished he also had the note, but hoped that the flowers would be enough. Devin took a deep breath and walked around the corner.


Devin froze horrified, as he watched Brian and Kensie embrace, faces tougher lips met. Devin looked down and cried out in horror and furry as he saw a note clutched in Kensie’s hand, he looked and was able to read the words; your smile so sweet.


Devin stood rooted to the spot as he saw them break apart and he heard Kensie whisper “The notes you wrote me were beautiful.” Brian grinned and said “I had you for inspiration.”


“I never told anyone of the notes.” She laughed slightly. Just then the bell rang and Devin watched with utmost dread Kensie smiled and ask if Brian would like to walk with her to class. Brian nodded and they walked down the hall hand in hand, Brian glanced behind him and winked at Devin.







___________


The next few weeks were some of the worse he could remember. Brian had completely abandoned him. When he ate lunch he couldn’t help but watch Kensie hold Brian’s hand as they ate and laughed together. And even more horrible was seeing them kiss in the hallway just as they had done the day that Devin had first seen them. But what hurt the most was the unforgivable betrayal that his once best friend reeked upon his soul but none of this is as torturing as the memory of the Valentines Day dance which should have been his moment of triumph.


Devin was half tempted to skip school and avoid the dance, but he decided that he might as will go.


As the dance started Devin sat at a table in the corner, and he looked up and saw Kensie and Brian walk in. As Devin watched he saw Brian look at him and he sneered and led Kensie to the table next to him.


Throughout the dance Brian was doing every thing he could in order to torture Devin, from talking about all the stuff that Brian and Kensie had done just loud enough so Devin could hear, to kissing her so it was impossible for Devin to ignore them, and once when Kensie went to the bathroom Brian started to brag about Kensie to Devin and what made it worse was that Devin couldn’t do anything because there was always a teacher near by.


After what seemed like years the dance was finally over. Devin had never been so grateful in his life.



With every passing day Devin felt himself feeling more and more depressed as all the hope in the world seemed to be slipping away. But then exactly a month after Brain and Kensie had first kissed, something happed that struck Devin with hope once again.


He had been walking to his next class when he heard Brian’s voice coming from around the corner. Devin slowly stuck his head around the corner and saw Brian leaning against the wall talking to Kimberly who he realized was ironically Kimberly Brian wanted him to ask out. “So were do you want to meet at?” Brian said casually. Kimberly giggled “How about after school in the gym.”


Devin didn’t stay to hear any more. Devin ran to his locker and ripped a piece of paper from his notebook. Devin scribbled a note to Kensie from Brian telling her to meet him at the gym after school. Devin then found Kensie at her locker and snuck up behind her and slipped the note in her backpack. Devin then went toward his class a malicious grin on his face.


When the final bell rang Devin ran to the gym to watch the cunning trap he had set. When he reached the gym he hid in the shadows of the corner. Not five minutes went by when Brian and Kimberly came running in, Kimberly giggling. They crouched in the corner and just as there lips met, Kensie came striding in at that moment. When her eyes found Brian and Kimberly, her mouth opened slightly in shock. Brian looked up and when he saw Kensie, he turned deathly pale. “Kensie, I can explain.” He started, but before he could continue Kensie turned around and ran, her eyes brimming with tears.


“Wait Kensie!!!” Brian yelled desperately after her, but she was already gone. Brian bowed his head, Kimberly pulled his head up and tried to kiss him again, but Brian pushed her hands off him and slowly walked out of the gym, his head bowed.


Devin stood there for a couple minutes a smile playing on the edges of his mouth. He saw all the hopelessness and misery he had felt etched on Brian’s face. Briefly Devin felt a wave of pity for Brian, his once best friend, for a moment he considered going after him, but then the memories of what Brian had done to him and even more horrible what he had just done to Kensie, and instantly his pity was washed away.



After a minute Devin came out of his hiding place and walked out of the gym in search of Kensie. He found her by the bathrooms huddled against the wall tears running down her face.


He nervously walked over to her. He looked down at her and whispered just loud enough so she could hear him. “Roses are red, violets are blue, both are pretty but not as pretty as you.”


“Just leave me a-a… “She looked up disbelief etched across her tear streaked cheeks. “What did you say?” Devin repeated the poem he had given to her the day before Brian had stolen his note.


Kensie looked dumb struck, “Where did you hear that?” Devin smiled “It was one of the many notes of love that you received.” Kensie stood up. “It was you who sent those-those notes? “Yes” Devin replied. Kensie frowned “Then the note Brian gave me was…” “From me.”


Kensie looked at him for a minute and then smiled. Devin smiled back, and in slow motion and his heart pumping they leaned forward and kissed.




30 Years Later




Devin sat in a chair inside a hospital room; he looked at his wife lying on the bed. He thought back to the day three months ago when the doctor had told Kensie of the tumor that had grown on the left side of her brain, he had given her two months to live and three months later she was laying on her death bed, moments away from dropping into the forever sleep.


Kensie turned her head to look at her husband; she motioned with her hand for him to come over to her. He slowly walked over to her and knelt and grasped her hand. “D-Devin do-do you remember when we first kissed?” Devin nodded choking back tears. “And do you remember the note that you said to me?” once again Devin nodded. Kensie reached under her pillow and pulled out a piece of worn paper, she held it out to him and he gasped slightly as he gazed at the words scribbled on the paper; Roses are red, Violets are blue, both are pretty but not as pretty as you.


Devin looked up and saw Kensie smiling “That night I searched my room for this.” She reached down and closed his hand around the note “I want you to keep this with you so you’ll always remember me and the joy that we’ve shared through the years.”


Devin was fighting to keep back the tears that were threatening to break out. Kensie reached up and patted his cheek. “Remember Devin; don’t ever forget the love that we’ve shared.” And as those words left her mouth she closed her eyes and breathed out one last breath, and then she slipped off into the next world.


The tears that Devin had been fighting off finally broke free. He felt the tears running down his face and the feeling of hopelessness over whelm him. But then a series of memories raced threw his mind: the notes, their first kiss, their wedding day. A smile crept over his face.


He stood up bent down and kissed her cheek. He started to walk out the door and he looked back and realized that he didn’t really lose her, she’d always be with him, and she’d be there to share his joy, celebrate with him, and help him when he needed it most. For the dead never really left us, for they will always reside in our hearts.
So with these thoughts and that smile still on his face, Devin turned around and walked out of the room and within moments he was walking out of the hospital and into the cool moon lit night.