February the 8th, Sunday
A cold Sunday night it was, Julia was wandering down the streets, alone. She was scared, she shouldn’t be walking around here in the dark. She could like, get raped, or even worse, killed. Only one week left before Valentine’s day. She had the perfect guy to spend that day with. Dark hair, dark eyes, not especially tall, but like normal for a change. He looked so cute; that dark hair of him, looking fluffy in the morning and irresistible to get your hands through. Dark puppy eyes that made your knees weak. Baggy trousers, always looking his best. Julia was definitely falling for him. No, not true. She had already fallen for him. He was the best thing that ever happened to her. This was the guy she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She just knew it. She couldn’t wait for the day when there would be little Mattie’s running around the house. All looking cute and innocent.
Julia woke up from her daydream by the lights shining in her eyes that came from a honking car. She recognised that car, it wasn’t Matt’s, nor hers. It was Max’ car. Max had a massive crush on Julia, so massive that it scared the living daylights out of her sometimes. He’d send her roses with sweet cards. He acted like they were already dating. He claimed he loved her. But quite frankly, Max didn’t even know Julia. Julia didn’t even know Max. They had met once at friend’s party once, and after that he’d always be around. She couldn’t see him all of the time, but she knew he was.
“Hey, Jules! Want me to take you home?” Max yelled from out of the window. Julia shook her head. “No, I’ll walk. Nearly there anyway.” It was a lie, but she was definitely not getting in his car. Who knows where he’d take her. Max shrugged and stepped on the gas pedal.
February the 9th, Monday
Matt woke Julia up by a light kiss on her forehead. Her eyelashes flickered against her cheeks. Matt was crazy about her. Everything she did was perfect. The way she talked, the way she walked. She was perfect, and she was going to be his wife if it was up to him. He had it all planned out; Valentine’s day was going to be the day for him. And if she was going to say yes, it was going to be the best day of his life. He had made plans, she didn’t know anything about it yet, and she wasn’t going to now about it until Valentine’s day.
Julia opened her eyes to meet Matt’s. Her pretty green eyes, her shoulder length, brown hair curled over her shoulders. Matt handed her a glass of orange juice. Matt knew she loved orange juice, especially in the morning. It’d wake her up, as she had told him the first night he’d spend at her house.
“Thank you,” Julia said, after she had taken a sip from the juice. Matt just smiled; he couldn’t believe she was still with him. He was away most of the time. He had a busy life and she was coping. He loved her with all his heart and wasn’t planning on leaving her any time soon. Not ever he was going to leave her.
Matt stood up from the bed, taking his clothes and putting them on.
“Better go soon, they’re waiting for me at the office.” He quickly put some gel in his hair and left the bedroom.
His car was standing on the driveway, a big heart was drawn on it with something sharp. Matt cursed to himself, got in the car and drove off to the office.
February the 10th, Tuesday
Julia was alone in the house, watching a film. Matt had to stay at the office a bit longer for some more work. Only the flickering television gave light to the room. Julia curled herself up in the couch, hoping Matt would get home soon. She was way too scared to stand up and get some light on. She’d just stay on the couch, where she was safe. Nothing could harm her there. Right?
A faint noise came from outside. Footsteps crunching the gravel on the driveway. Matt couldn’t be home yet. He’d just phoned her fifteen minutes ago that he’d stay at the office for at least another hour. A shiver went down Julia’s spine. Who could it be? At this hour? If it was a friend, they would’ve called before coming over. No one ever came round at 10pm without ringing first.
Julia closed her eyes, hoping that whoever was walking up the door would go away, fast. The crunching sound faded away, down the driveway again. Julia let out a sigh of relief, and loosened her muscles that she’d unconsciously tightened. She opened her eyes and tried to focus on the film.
Soon, the film ended and the front door was opened. Matt stood in the doorway with an angry expression on his face. He was holding a bunch of dead roses and his keys in the other hand.
February the 11th, Wednesday
“We’re never going to be able to spray that heart away, Miss.” Julia bit her lower lip. She was at the garage to fix Matt’s car up. Matt himself had taken Julia’s car.
“Can’t you like, get a new cover for it or something? Fill it up with paste for all I care. You’re the expert here. Think of something!” Julia snapped. She was going to get this fixed before Matt’d get home from work. The man shook his head and ran his finger over the engraved heart again.
“Are you trying to fix it with magic or something? Please do something! My boyfriend’ll get so angry if this ain’t fixed when he gets home.” Julia said, her hands on her waist, impatiently waiting for the guy to do something about this.
“Ok, I can sandpaper all of the paint away and spray everything over. But it’ll cost you a bit.” The man concluded and looked up from the car to Julia.
“I don’t care what it’ll cost, just fucking do it!”
February the 12th, Thursday
Thursday morning, only three days left before Valentine’s day. Matt was getting more nervous with the day. He hoped Julia liked the ring he got for her. He hoped she liked the restaurant where he was going to take her, he hoped she’d at least enjoy herself, no matter what would happen.
He was at his own place; not as big as Julia’s, but it was fine for him to live alone in. Of course if Julia’d say yes, he would need to move in with her, or they had to find a new place for the both of them to live in. He hadn’t even thought of that. All of his stuff had to be moved to a new place. A new life.
February the 13th, Friday
Valentine’s Eve. Matt and Julia were snuggled up against each other on the couch. Julia seemed quiet and calm, but who could look right into her brain, could see what she was really thinking. Julia was breaking her brain over Valentine’s day. Matt hadn’t mentioned it once. Not once. Not even a clue. He forgot about Valentine’s day. He forgot about her.
“I’m going to bed,” Julia said under her breath, quickly standing up to find her bed and fall into a restless sleep.
Matt, in the meantime, had other things on his mind. He was getting second doubts. What if she wasn’t the one? What if she was, but she’ll say no? His world will definitely collapse then. He couldn’t live without her, she was his everything. He was going to do it, no matter what. Nothing in the world was going to screw up Valentine’s day. Absolutely nothing. If there was another scratch on his car, so what? Another bunch of dead flowers, so what? Nothing was going to stand in his way to propose her, nothing. Not even that stupid Max. Because Matt knew about him. He’d seen him following them. He’d seen him hiding behind the bushes when they came home. And he knew how crazy Max was about Julia, but he wasn’t going to have her. Matt had her, and he was going to ask her to marry him. And that was that. That little wanker could do whatever he wanted to do, as long as he kept his hands off of Julia.
February the 14th, Saturday
Valentine’s day, early in the afternoon. Matt had told Julia to dress up, because he wanted to take her somewhere special. Julia did this, did her hair, sprayed some nice perfume on and got in the car.
They were heading for an expensive restaurant, where Matt would ask Julia if she wanted to marry him. Julia was took by surprise when she saw where they were going to have dinner. She was delighted more likely. No, shocked, that’s the word. She thought he’d forgotten about Valentine’s day, but he hadn’t after all.
The meal went by in an hour, happily chatting about everything and anything, when the waiter brought their deserts. Julia’s was beautiful, if you can call a desert beautiful. The vanilla ice cream, Julia’s favourite flavour, was drifting in chocolate sauce, a little card on it saying ‘I love you’, and on the side a black, satin box. Julia glared at Matt, who only smiled and took the box from her plate. He stood up, kneeling down next to her chair, taking her hand and asking her the big question.
“Julia Elbourne, will you marry me?” A single tear trickled down Julia’s cheek, a smile of happiness appeared on her face. She couldn’t say anything, she only nodded her head and Matt shoved the ring around her finger.
Matt dropped Julia off at her house; he had something else to give her, but he had to pick it from his place first. Julia was fine by this, and couldn’t wait for him to get back home. Not only because he had another present for her, but because she loved him so much. She wanted him with her for the rest of her life.
Two hours passed, and Matt still wasn’t back. The phone rang, Julia picked it up, expecting Matt on the other end. But instead of Matt, she heard an other familiar voice.
“He’s dead.” The voice calmly said. Julia immediately knew who he meant. Matt was dead, and she had his murderer on the phone. Tears escaped from her eyes, slowly flooding down her cheeks.
“Please don’t cry. We’ll start a new life.” He murmured. “He dropped you off, I followed him home. Standing over him, he begged me not to do. But I knew how to do, because I’m so in love with you.”