Scanning the large beautiful, cherry stained shelves, your eyes wondered over the spines of books, some with gold letters written down the side, others so tattered and frail while others were pristine and looked like they had never been opened. Approaching one of your favorite sections in the college library, you stood in front of the lines of books allowing your eyes to take their time to hover over each one. Finding a few books that tipped your interest, you pulled them from the shelves and cradled them in one of your arms. Pulling a few more books, you counted four or five in your arms.

Smiling to yourself, you turned and shuffled over to some nearby armchairs. Easing yourself down into one of the seats, you fanned out the books that you had chosen and closed your eyes, your hand ran over each book before choosing one of them. Opening your eyes, you opened the front cover and began to read the letters inside.

Page after page, you indulged in each word, each paragraph, each page and each chapter until you finished one book just to pick up another one.

Adjusting yourself in your seat, you found another comfy spot and began reading another book.

Pulling open the large glass doors, Zico walked into the empty library, walking towards the large staircase, he skipped stairs as he ascended to the next floor. Scanning his surroundings, there wasn’t a soul in sight until he turned his head to look over his shoulder, seeing something move in the distance. Turning his body slightly, he fixated on the person sitting in a chair with four or five books around her.

Smiling to himself, he climbed the last stair or two before he started to scan the shelves for a new book to read today. Shuffling his feet slowly beside the shelves, he read each book’s title if it was visible before pulling one from the shelves. A hole opened between the books as he peered through to see the same girl sitting in the chair, holding the bookend books from falling, he observed her from afar before a smile pulled on his lips while a name came to match the face of the girl.

Pulling his hand away, the books rested against each other as he padded around the library to a table not too far from where you were sitting. Placing his backpack behind his chair, he pulled out a notebook and opened the book to the correct chapter. Clicking his pen, he wrote his name in the top right corner, not knowing the date, he pulled out his phone and pulled down the drop down menu to see the date on the top of the screen.

February 14th

Zico’s eyebrows became tightly knit together as he slowly transferred the date to the lined page in his notebook. Letting his screen on his phone go dark a few moments later, he turned to the page in the book that he was assigned to read and write about and began to read the black letters on the white pages.

Finishing a paragraph, he answered one of the questions on his assignment before his eyes lifted to your form.

“What is she doing here on Valentine’s Day?” He mumbled to himself, his elbow resting on the table as his hand opened and rested his head on his hand. “Doesn’t she have a boyfriend or something?”

Watching you for a little bit longer, tearing his eyes away from you eventually, he began to work on his assignment once more. However the pounding of his heart kept distracting him as your name continued to stay present in his mind.

The two of you had been friends ever since you entered college, a year and a half ago, you both met when you had a General Education class together. Fate had it that you two ended up helping each other study and that studying lead to hanging out as friends. However when you got a boyfriend, your time with him dwindled, the once best friend relationship that you two had slowly faded to just friends and then good acquaintances.

Zico hadn’t seen you in a few months, besides the occasional greeting on campus but nothing more was said than ‘How are you?’

Now with you sitting a short distance from him, all of the old feelings that he once had for you began to bubble up. His stomach began to churn as he wanted to see your smile, hear your laugh, playfully push you when you both teased each other and many other memories you two had experienced together. Thoughts wondered around his mind as he watched you for a few hours, observing you finishing yet another book and starting the third book out of your pile.

Finishing his assignment, he gathered his things, slid his notebook back into his backpack and lifted the bag onto his shoulders before heading to return the book into its place. He pushed the bookends back and slid the book into the opening after observing you being all cozy in the chair.

A little smile pulled on his lips before he slid the book back into the space on the shelf, heading back over to the staircase, he paused at the top of the stairs, drinking you in once more before he slowly descended down to the main level.

Walking through the double doors, his hands slid into his pockets as his fingers played with the keys that resided there. Yet something in his other pocket caught his fingertips. Slowing his pace to a stop, he pulled out the object tangled around his fingers. Lifting his hand from his pocket a beautiful heart locket hung at the end of a small chained necklace.

Turning his head back to the library, he let out a distressed sigh. This necklace was supposed to be for you, it was for you. His mind turned back the times to when he was just about to give you this necklace.

–

You had come over to study with him for the test the next day, your smile seemed brighter that day than it has ever been before. Zico met you in a common study room in his apartment complex so the two of you could study without any interruptions.

“Good Evening Zico” You greeted as he walked through the door.

“Hey~ You look super happy to be studying statistics” He teased, knowing math wasn’t anyone’s favorite subject to study.

“Something wonderful just happened is all” You tried to make it not a big deal, however the smile on your face said otherwise.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” Zico pushed you playfully causing your rolling chair to roll away from the table slightly.

“Should I?” You tilted your head, slowly moving back to the table like you were before.

“Yah! We are best friends, you can tell me anything” Zico confidently announced as his fingers wrapped tightly around the necklace that was cradled in his palm. “Is it good news?”

“Very good!” You nodded your head, wondering how you are going to tell him.

“I have some good news too, but you should go first” Zico leaned forward, hanging on your every word.

“Alright” You nodded being convinced, “You remember Lu Xiah?”

“Of course I do” Zico nodded his head knowing he was a very talented soccer player for the college.

“Well you are looking at his girlfriend” You announced as your cheeks blushed, your eyes dropped and Zico couldn’t have been more thankful that you weren’t watching his reaction.

“R-Really?” He stammered taking back, but forced a smile on his lips for your sake, after all you two were just friends.

“Really!” Your eyes met his as his hand dropped the necklace in his pocket before covering his mouth.

“That is so awesome! I am so happy for you!” He tried to be supportive no matter how much his heart was breaking inside. “But you better get me tickets to the games!”

“Zico” You pushed him playfully, “I will see what I can do. Anyways… what is your news?” You questioned excitedly

“A-Ah I… well…. I got an A in my Biology test” Zico fibbed, knowing what he wanted to say was long gone.

“Congratulations Zico! That is amazing!” You clapped your hands before the two of you got to work studying for your next upcoming test.

–

That night, Zico was going to ask you to be his girlfriend however someone had beat him to it. Now he was holding the necklace that rightfully belonged to you in his hand like he did on that night.

His mind wondered as doubt seemed to find its was into his thoughts. Zico’s heart fought back with the reoccurring feelings for you that he had when he wanted to ask you to be his girlfriend.

“It’s worth a shot” He encouraged himself, turning around, he headed back to the library, climbed the stairs and prayed that you were still there.

A relieved sigh spilled from his lips as he saw you still in the same position as where he left you, reading the same book. Gathering up his courage, he quickly found something to say to you and slowly walked towards you.

Standing just a few feet from you, your eyes were still glued in your book as he took a seat next to you, focusing on you, your eyes continued to read along the page before Zico cleared his throat, your eyes peeped over the binding of your book to see Zico sitting in front of you.

“Hi Zico!” You sat up and placed the book you were reading face down, to keep your place as you moved the other books to the table in front of you. “How have you been?”

“I have been doing well, what about you?” He asked softly, still trying to remain quiet within the library.

“Not bad, I have been better” You spoke without thinking, knowing that Xiah had broken it off with you a month or two ago, yet it hadn’t settled in to you that he was gone until a few weeks ago.

“Have you been going to the soccer games?” Zico questioned knowing that you were happier when you watched Xiah play soccer.

“No…” You shook your head, your eyes abandoned his figure, trying to focus on your hands instead. “Sorry about not getting you those soccer tickets…”

“That is okay, you have been busy and they must be hard to get your hands on” Zico let a small reassuring smile curl on his lips, his eyes reading your form as he knew something was wrong.

“I don’t think I can get you those tickets now” You clarified as Zico slid to the edge of his seat, holding onto your every word.

“You don’t have to, I would rather be doing other things than watching soccer” He whispered, his hand reaching out and resting his hand on your knee. Nodding your head, you looked up at him with semi wet eyes.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?” You probed knowing that you shouldn’t be here yourself.

“Shouldn’t I ask you the same thing?” Zico whispered, his thumb brushing over your jeans that hugged your legs.

“I don’t have anyone to spend the day with, so I thought I would spend it here” Your eyes dropped from his brown orbs, your eyes focusing on his hand on your knee instead.

“Me too” He whispered, his tongue wetting his lips slightly his eyes observing you tuck some hair behind your ear. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure” You nodded, wondering what he is going to ask you

“Remember that night when you told me that Xiah was your boyfriend?” He questioned knowing he was entering a touchy subject.

“I remember” You solemnly nodded your head

“There was something I wanted to give you that night and I still want to give it to you” Slipping his hand into his pocket, he carefully took out the necklace and cradled it in his palm as he presented it to you.

“Happy Valentine’s Day” Zico smiled sweetly at you, his eyes meeting yours causing your heart to stop. “It has been exactly a year since I wanted to give this to you, but I still want you to have this. It belongs to you.”

“Zico… I don’t know what to say…” You gasped looking down at the beautiful necklace before he carefully lifted up the chain, letting the necklace unravel and hang in the air from his fingertips.

“You don’t have to say anything, I just don’t want a beautiful girl to be lonely on Valentine’s Day” His cheeks flushed a bright red as he sat closer to the edge, his fingers unclasping the necklace.

“May I?” He held the two ends of the necklace in his hands before he leaned towards you, nodding your head, you pulled your hair over one shoulder, he wrapped the necklace around your neck, clasping it behind your neck just before he kissed your cheek as he pulled back.

“I made you a card to, sorry it isn’t very much…” He whispered once he pulled out a white envelope from his backpack, setting it on top of your opened book.

“What do you mean this isn’t much?” You smiled and pushed him playfully, “This is more than anyone has done for me before.”

A smile outfitted his lips while Zico stood up, “I best be going but enjoy your day and if you want to hang out sometime, you have my number.”

Nodding your head, he picked up his backpack and headed towards the staircase, gazing at Zico’s form, he disappeared down the staircase before your eyes dropped down to the note on your book.

Slowly lifting the white envelope from the yellow pages of the book, you unfolded the back flap and opened it with ease. Pulling out a beautifully handmade card, you opened it as there was only one sentence inside.

Xiah may have broke your heart but I can pick up the pieces
Yours,
Zico