As I was making my way back home, I didn't notice that my shoelaces were untied. I didn't care either. I tripped and fell. Just then, someone helped me up and asked, "Are wewe all right?" I said, "Yeah. Why do wewe care?" He said, "I was just making sure wewe weren't hurt. That's all." I said, "Sure. You'll act like wewe care, and then, you'll go waltzing to Louise just like everybody else!" He said, "I'm sorry. Who's Louise?" I looked at him, and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize wewe were new here." He said, "There's no hard feelings." He spoke in an English accent. He appeared to be about twelve years old. He had long, brown hair that whipped in the wind. His eyes appeared to be changing color. They kept changing from green to light brown and back again. He appeared to be concerned about me. I said, "I guess I'll be going." He noticed the blood stain appearing on my pants leg. He said, "You're hurt." I said, "I'll be fine." He said, "But you're bleeding." He urged me to follow him to his house. He asked, "What's your name?" I said, "My name's Quinn. What's yours?" He said, "Gavin." I asked, "What part of England are wewe from?" He said, "I lived in the English countryside for most of my life, but I was born in Liverpool." I said, "Cool!" His parents were so nice. His mother even helped me wash my wounds. She asked, "Are wewe hungry, Quinn?" I said, "Yes, I am. I haven't eaten since breakfast." Gavin's father looked at me curiously. "What about lunch?" I said, "Some bullies took my lunch money from me. They threatened to beat me if I didn't hand it over." Gavin said, "That's awful." I said, "I know. If that isn't bad enough, my sister beats me when my parents aren't around." He was deeply touched. After dinner, he asked, "Would wewe like me to walk wewe home?" I said, "No. I know what I'll be coming nyumbani to, because my parents are gone for the night." His mother said, "All right. wewe can stay." I soon fell asleep on the couch. They covered me with a blanket so that I could stay warm. I could hear Gavin saying, "She seems sad, like she needs a friend." His mother said, "I think wewe could be that friend."
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking mbele to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's siku plans were on me," she said. "Next mwaka I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of inayofuata year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's siku together inayofuata year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I upendo you, Una," he said.
"I upendo wewe too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking mbele to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's siku plans were on me," she said. "Next mwaka I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of inayofuata year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's siku together inayofuata year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I upendo you, Una," he said.
"I upendo wewe too, Everett," she said.