A/N: I think this is kinda cute. I just found one of those Valentine's Day teddy bears in the back of my cupboard which inspired me a little for this. I hope you like it x

***

Ada

I'd told Hayden not to come over on Thursday night, for no other reason than today was Valentine's day and for some reason, I just didn't want to be waking up to him.

The fourteenth of February was one of my favourite days of the year. It's not as though I've had many valentines, or any at all, but seeing the lengths people go to for their significant other inspires the romantic side of me. Similar to reading a cute book, it made me feel that love and everything that came with it was possible.

Lying in bed, my mind drifted to it's favourite place, to Hayden, and it made me wonder what, if anything, he had in store. I almost wished he wouldn't go to the trouble, but the part of me which was completely romanticized was clinging to the hope that he would.

But I didn't get my hopes up, and was convincing myself as I got ready that he wouldn't even know what day it was.

In the car, Jacob asked me if I was excited for Valentine's day. I didn't know how to sufficiently respond so I shrugged, but was in the process of adjusting the singlet I wore. It rarely saw the light of day, but it was one of the nicer articles of clothing I had that was suitable for school, and it felt like the day to wear it.

I definitely wasn't thinking about Hayden and what he might think of it.

"Sort of," I responded, but had to psych myself out of it. "Not really."

Jacob, the unobservant brother he was, raised his eyebrow and motioned to what I was doing with my singlet. "It doesn't seem like it."

Why, out of all mornings, did he choose today to pick up on things?

"My top's new, and I don't think it's sitting right." It wasn't true, but it convinced Jacob enough to leave the matter alone. I redirected the conversation to him, asking if he were excited.

His lips immediately turned down into what could be thought of as a scowl. It was evident he wasn't interested in speaking about the matter, but I would have asked. He knew it. "Margaret LaMarr is hosting this Valentine's Day party tonight where Kaia and I are making our relationship 'official'."

"That sounds fun." My sarcasm was layered on thick, and I wasn't sure if Jacob got it.

"It won't be."

Jacob walked with me to my locker, probably because we were fairly early but I didn't ask. He seemed to be lost in thought, and I hoped those thoughts were of Kaia. I loved my brother, but he was too stubborn to realize how great he would be with Kaia. I felt like they would both be happy, and that's something I wanted for both of them.

At first I didn't notice, but when I got closer I saw a small fold of paper intelligently placed in my locker. Frowning, I pulled it out and read the few words that made me restrain my smile.

Meet me at the library, in the place where no one goes x

I could feel the heat rushing to my face so I looked down at my shoes, trying to figure out a way to get away from my brother.

He interrupted my thinking, with a comment about love letters and the time and my year level but I wasn't paying enough attention to fully understand.

"I don't even know who it's from," I lied, folding it into my pocket. "Did you get anything for Kaia?" The question gave me time to think about an escape. The only part I heard was that he got her roses and something about dinner with her grandmother, which seemed to puzzle him from his furrowed eyebrows.

"That's odd," I nodded, giving a small smile as I closed my locker. "It's good you got her something. I have to go get something from the library though. I'll see you later."

It contained the least amount of subtlety but I couldn't have cared less. It wouldn't occur to Jacob to think I was keeping something from him, but it would have been good to be a tiny bit smoother.

The library didn't open until school started at nine, but I frequented this building and the librarian who suffered Alzheimer's disease favoured me, and often let me in early. Today was no exception.

"Good morning, Ms. Pollen," I greeted her politely, pausing at the front desk. She was an older woman, white haired with glasses sitting on her round face, which lit up when she saw me.

"Miss Ada. How lovely!" She beamed, dropping the book she was holding onto the far desk to come stand opposite me.

"Would you mind if I studied in here this morning? My brother was eager to get to school."

"The boys always are on the fourteenth." She chuckled, but almost instantly frowned. "Oh bugger. I seem to have forgotten to get my morning coffee." It seemed a big deal to her, her frail hands searching on the desk for what turned out to be keys. "You're welcome to stay. I won't be twenty minutes, but I'll lock the door behind me. If I fail to return before class, let yourself out the back."

"Enjoy your coffee, Ms. Pollen," I smiled, and she rushed out the door, the lock flicking behind her.

The morning could not have turned out better. I retrieved the note from my pocket and re read the clue; in the place where no one goes. I thought about it for a moment, but it didn't take me long to realize he meant the autobiography section.

The school library was grand, with bookshelves reaching the high ceilings and the ladders on rollers fixed at each end. It was the largest building in the school, and the least frequented. There were hardly more than five people in here most days, including the two to three staff.

The autobiographical section was the back corner, with only one opening to the aisle which was surrounded by shelves. I tiptoed to the opening and paused, taking in the boy standing in front of me.

He had his back to me, looking up at the high window with his blonde hair sitting nicely, instead of its usual mess. He would have used gel. His arms were across his chest, the sleeves of his reasonably tight gray t-shirt emphasizing his lean muscled arms. He wore plain caramel coloured jean shorts while sporting his pristine looking converse, and I thanked God for sending such an attractive guy to me.

I could have stayed looking at him forever, but his face was turned away and that's what I really wanted to see. He had these beautifully intricate green eyes that held so much and so little innocence, and could read me like the back of his hand. His lips were perfect, as was the way his hair fell across his forehead and his almost tanned skin to bring out his eyes further.

I let out a purposefully loud breath and he turned, his face lighting up like I was the best thing in this world. Those eyes that I'd come to adore started at my face and went all the way down to my ratty converse, before back up to where he started.

"I am the luckiest guy in the entire fucking world." Just like that my heart melted, and I closed the distance between us so that I could place a kiss to his lips, so warm and familiar. He tasted like his minty toothpaste with a faint mango taste which made me smile against his lips.

"Happy valentine's day, beautiful," he whispered once he'd pulled away. Picking me up only to twirl me around and set me back on my feet.

"So you did remember," I observed with the widest grin on my face that only he could put there. He sat down with his back to the wall and tugged on my hand for me to sit with him. I sat on his lap and nestled into his chest, closing my eyes out of sheer contentment.

"Were you doubting me?" He acted offended, but there was joking in his tone that made me want to laugh.

"A little," I conceded. "I was more so telling myself you wouldn't, so that if you didn't I wouldn't be disappointed."

He slid his fingers under my chin to get me to look at him, easily now because I was a little higher. His eyes were so green, so full of care and respect that I felt like a princess; the one's you hear about in stories as opposed to the one I truly was. "Would you have? Been disappointed if I forgot?"

I shrugged and his fingers dropped, moving to my bare leg. His fingers traced patterns up my thigh until he reached the hem of my dress, where they'd return the other way.

"I think so, maybe. I don't care about roses or chocolates or huge teddy bears with cute insignia; it's the thought that counts. And Valentine's day is the day to honour, to recognize your significant other for what they mean to you, so I think I might have been a little disappointed."

He didn't try to conceal his, astonishment perhaps, of my little speech. His mouth hung wide but quickly transferred into a coat hanger grin, making crinkles around his eyes that were so damn cute.

"Sometimes, baby," he said, kissing my lips so quickly I didn't have the time to enjoy it. "Sometimes I think you have the brain of someone who has lived and died a hundred times. Your way of thinking is sophisticated and mature and purely incredible, and it solidifies my belief that you are way too smart for me."

If it weren't for the comical end, I might have been in tears. I was a deeply emotional girl and what he had just said was the highest compliment I could have received. But I ended up laughing, and not acknowledging his words like I knew I should have.

"You may be two and a bit years older than me in age, but I'm that much older than you in mentality."

"Ada, you're twenty years older than me in mentality," he corrected. He went to say something but caught himself, shaking his head.

"What?" I asked, my head tilting slightly to the side.

"It's nothing," he brushed off, but it was something. It was in his eyes, and I wasn't scared to ask again.

"It's something," My voice was soft. "But I understand if you don't want to share."

Hayden laughed, but it wasn't his normal laugh. It sounded off, and I was starting to worry that something was the matter. "Believe me, I want to tell you, but that would be a bad idea."

"Why?"

His nose scrunched up in a look of hesitance. "I'm nearly positive it would scare you away."

I looked at my watch and nodded, realizing we only had a few minutes until the first bell. I had none of my books and Hayden had none of his, not that the latter was a problem. He didn't mind tardiness but I did, so I gave him one more kiss while I could reach his lips without him bending down, trying not to get too invested before I forced myself to pull away.

"Let's save it for another day then," I told him and stood up, holding out my hands to help him up. I didn't do it because I thought I was capable of pulling up a seventeen year old boy of whose chest I reached in height and arms were double mine in thickness, but he appreciated the thought and took them, using predominantly his legs to help him up.

"It may have to be," his face pulled into a frown as he took my hand, and started leading me out the back door. "There's this party I have to go to tonight, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to see you."

"Jacob mentioned that." I said it to hide my disappointment, but our secret relationship had to come with sacrifices, even if one was not being able to see each other on Valentine's day night.

"Stupid party," he muttered, and I hummed in agreement, weaving through the aisles of books and to the hidden back door. It led out onto the grass outside the cafeteria, where Hayden and I would have to split in order to keep us hidden.

"Stupid secrecy."

"Stupid Jacob and his protectiveness."

That made me laugh, as he pulled me in for a hug behind the shelter of the door. "Stupid Jacob and his protectiveness," I agreed. He squeezed me tight before letting me go, promising to talk to me later in whatever form he could. I left the building on a high, but also with the feeling that he was right. Whatever he hadn't told me today, would be something I mightn't be ready to hear. I didn't know what it was, but I wanted to be prepared.

It would undoubtedly test our relationship, and I didn't want the result to be losing Hayden forever.