Oh Valentine’s Day. It’s the same every year. Sappy romance movies with perfect-looking people finding their perfect matches…

Commercials on the radio going on about how they’re selling chocolate at half-price… Red roses on display at every florist shop...

As I put on my coat one Valentine’s Day morning, I thought, It’s quite ridiculous, really. This whole practice of demonstrating love for a person with a huge bouquet of flowers and outlandishly expensive gifts…If you’re the one in love, then why is someone else’s sentiment written on the card and stuffed animal you’re giving to your other half? Like come on people. Let’s get original.

Maybe I wouldn’t have been thinking this if I had a boyfriend. But I didn’t. I guess that’s only to be expected, since my standards have never been “realistic.” But why be realistic when you can continue dreaming of Prince Charming with his shiny golden hair and glorious white steed?
I strolled to my bus and plugged my headphones into my ears. Music. Sweet music. Yes, music can be my valentine. It doesn’t need to buy me any chocolate or jewelry to demonstrate its love for me. Its lyrics say enough. I smiled. Plus, it can be whatever I want it to be—if it gets tiring or boring, I can just shut it off. If I’m in the mood to hear different words, I can change the song anytime I want. Yes, music is my soul-mate.

I sat down quickly and leaned my head back against the seat. Then I shut my eyes and let an Eagles’ song fill my head. The minutes ticked by, but I didn’t count them. I didn’t want to step out into the cold air and sprint through the school-doors like I did every morning. Who would? It was going to be a miserable day—my “friends” would all be dolling out candy and using this stupid day as an excuse to be exclusive. The lackluster boys would all be showering their girlfriends in whatever crap they’d managed to buy off the sale racks at CVS and whatever gifts their mothers bought from Swarovski. Oh, how I do despise my generation. Lazy fakes.

Eventually, I did have to get off that bus and enter superficiality central. I huffed. Time for Forever Alone Day to begin!

I glided up the library steps, my headphones still on, and nearly ran to my locker. While I stood there, gathering my things, the kids began pouring in. Sure enough, there was one of my friend’s exes, running down the hallway toward his girlfriend of three days, handing her a bundle of crimson roses. I sighed and slammed my locker shut. As I strolled down the hall, I saw another couple gushing over each other’s gifts. Forever Alone Day indeed.

At that moment, the guy I liked came speeding around the bend. We made eye-contact for a few moments and exchanged a smile, but that was the most of it. I sighed again. This is going to be a hell of a Valentine’s day, I thought as I passed a couple making out in the middle of the hallway. I turned up my music.

When oh when will this day end?