Friday the 14th finally rolled around. Over the course of the week, the school had slowly transformed into Cupid's cave, thanks to the staff and students who covered the hallways in heart-shaped decorations, while whispers of Valentine's Day plans buzzed between friends.

      To avoid suspicion as much as possible, Robin had decided to grace the lunch table with his presence today, joining the rest of the group.

     The cafeteria was already filled with pairs of lovestruck eyes at almost every table, and his group was no exception—Lucy and Amber were gazing at each other with that same adoration. Normally, Robin would've found it disgusting, but today, he was just as love-struck, eagerly awaiting what was planned after school.

      "Please, guys, I love you, but can you not?" Jemma appeared, groaning, as she set her tray of half-edible-looking canteen food next to Robin, glaring at Amber and Lucy, who had just parted lips from a not-so-PG13 make-out sesh. "If I see one more person in love, I'm actually going to do an Elliot Rodger." 

     "Fucking hell Jem," Isha said, practically spitting out her food. "There's dark humour, then there's dark humour." 

     "I'm serious," Jemma deadpanned, still glaring at Amber and Lucy. They seemingly took the hint, disentangling themselves from each other in their lovestruck state. "Fuck Valentine's Day and fuck love. This is the last fucking place I want to be today."

     "Sorry, Jem," Amber said coyly, fiddling with a strand of her hair. "We weren't thinking." 

     "It's fine; I shouldn't be taking it out on you guys." She sighed before taking a forkful of what only vaguely resembled Chicken Korma. "My parents said they'd plan something tonight to take my mind off it all, which is sweet." 

     "What are you doing?" Robin said, trying to engage in part of the conversation where he didn't feel like there might be a chance he would give himself away that he too was feeling all soppy and loved up.

      "I don't know; they said they'd surprise me." She said, through mouthfuls, "Nice of you to join us for once, Robin, finally taking a break from mad cramming?"

     "Yeah," Robin laughed nervously. "I think I'm starting to feel more on top of things, and anyways, I've missed you guys." 

     "Missed you too." Jemma gave him a quick side hug, which made Robin tense up. "What are my other two single ladies up too tonight then?" 

     It took Robin a second to realise that when Jemma referred to "ladies," she meant him and Isha. By the time it clicked, Isha had already jumped in with a response, giving Robin no time to fully process the question—or to make up an excusable lie.

     "Same as always—ramen and K-dramas until I pass out," Isha said with a shrug.

     "And you, Robin?"

     "Uhh," Robin stammered, Isha's response giving him less cover than he'd hoped. "Probably just studying, you know... exciting Friday night." Another nervous laugh escaped him; accompanied this time, however, with some awkward jazz hands, which seemed to catch Lucy's attention, cocking an eyebrow in his direction. 

     "Don't even think about telling me what you two will be up to," Jemma said just as Amber opened her mouth to speak, causing her to shut it quickly once more. "I don't want to know."

     "No need to be so bitter," Lucy said, placing a comforting hand on Amber's as she sulked.

     "What did we say about not letting Yohan get to you?"

      Their eyes quickly looked in Robin's direction before looking once more at Jemma. His heart rate spiked. 

     "It just wasn't meant to be, and that's okay. Yes, he was a dick for breaking up with you like that and everything that happened. But you don't need to take it out on us and impact me wanting to be romantic with my girlfriend—on Valentine's Day, might I add? But maybe things are a little bit more complicated than you might be aware of."

     "What the fuck do you mean by that, Lucy?" Jemma snapped, a bit of orangey-yellow sauce flying across the table as she pointed her fork curtly in Lucy's direction. "Are you fucking defending him?" 

      "No, no, don't get it twisted," Lucy said, now releasing their grip from Amber's hand and resting their elbows on the table, arms crossed in a stern look that Robin was getting all too familiar with. "I just mean—"

     They sighed, pausing for a moment, clearly trying to find the right words without completely outing the situation with Robin present. Robin, who was now clenching his fists under the table. Getting more and more panicked by what Lucy was clearly trying to do—lessen the blow when Jemma eventually was going to find out about him and Yohan.

     "It was just the wrong place, wrong time." They continued. "You knew the relationship wasn't good or positive for either of you. Yes, he should have ended it sooner if that was the case, but you could have done the same. How many times did you complain about him when you two were dating? Something was clearly wrong. You had rose-tinted glasses on the whole situation, and it wasn't until it was over that you were even able to see the bad. So, what I'm trying to say, without trying to sound like a dick, maybe it's time you, like, move on?" 

     As Lucy was talking, Jemma's face contorted from anger and frustration to a look of sadness as she finally slumped down in her chair, feigning defeat. 

     "Fuck, I hate it when you're all fucking wise. But you do sound like a dick."

     "Didn't really know how else to put it." Lucy admitted, shrugging.

     Throughout this conversation, Robin was trying to look anywhere but in Jemma's direction, which arguably was making him look even more guilty. But apart from his head being filled with a sense of dread and panic, there was a small part of him that appreciated what Lucy was clearly trying to do. 

     "Fine, well, Valentine's Day, Shmalantines Day." Jemma finally said after a long, uncomfortable silence. "Fuck men, maybe I should just become a lesbian."

     "Don't think it works like that," Amber chimed in. "Plus, that's a little bit insensitive." 

     "Try homophobic." Lucy corrected. 

      "Sorry," Jemma said, finally sitting upright again, staring down at her half-finished tray of food. "I'm just—I don't even know. You're right. He's not worth it. I'm going to have a nice time with my family tonight; I'm going to pass my exams, and fuck, even if we don't find another bass guitarist, it'll be fine. Makes my decision about university choices easier anyways if the whole band falls apart." She took another mouthful and murmured, "Love you guys, sorry I've been such an ass." 

     "Don't worry about it," Isha nudged her with a grin. "At least you've got an ex to complain about. I've never even had a boyfriend."

     "Love you too, Jem." Amber smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand; she then took Isha's hand across the table as well. "Love will find you girls when you least expect it. Promise." 

     After Jemma scolded Amber about her cheesy quote, the group continued chatting and finally moved on to a topic of conversation that wasn't about Yohan. Which, by the relieved look on everyone's faces, had not been the case for quite some time. But even though Robin joined in, chatting away about different topics that didn't involve his secret dating life, he couldn't help but still feel the continuous gnaw of guilt nibbling at his insides every time he saw Jemma smile, knowing full well that he was part of the reason they hadn't seen it in so long.

♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡

      The decision to meet at the roller-skating rink separately had been a mutual one—both agreeing that walking there together straight after school might raise some eyebrows. Still, Robin was caught off guard when he spotted Yohan already leaning against the wall by the entrance, cigarette in hand.

     "How the fuck did you get here so quick?" Robin asked, startling Yohan out of what seemed like a momentary daydream. "I literally left as soon as the bell went, and I was in the sociology class, which is right next to the main entrance."

     Yohan shrugged, standing up from the wall and taking a final drag of his cigarette. "Couldn't be fucked with art," he replied nonchalantly, flicking the cigarette away. Robin couldn't help but remember that certain someone—Jemma—was in Yohan's art class.

     Robin shot Yohan a look he hoped came across as disapproving.

     "I've basically finished my final piece," Yohan said, stepping closer and playfully reaching out to ruffle Robin's hair. Robin managed to swat his hand away just in time.

     "Yohan, seriously, you're going to get kicked out if you keep skipping class," Robin said, his voice slipping into a tone that felt almost parental, trying to match the stern expression he was aiming for.

     "You're even cuter when you're mad," Yohan teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

     Robin felt his face flush with a familiar, unmistakable warmth, caught off guard by the comment. His brain short-circuited for a second, scrambling for a comeback.

      "What?" Yohan said, grinning down at him, eyes gleaming with amusement. "I can't compliment my date?"

      "Uh—well—" Robin stammered, desperately trying to regain composure. "Not when I'm trying to be serious! You threw me off guard."

      Yohan chuckled, grabbing Robin's hand with a natural ease that made Robin's stomach flip. "Come on," he said, gently pulling him toward the entrance. "Let's go inside."

      Surprisingly, it had been Yohan's idea to go roller skating for their date. It didn't exactly fit his usual vibe—the neon 80s music blasting from the speakers, the rainbow disco lights scattered across the floor, and the light-up pink roller skates—but Yohan had made a convincing argument, even after Robin complained about the fact he had never skated in his life. No one they knew would come here, he'd reasoned, and the place was mostly filled with retirees and families. The whole thing was just too dated for anyone from their school to bother with.

      Still, Robin couldn't shake the anxiety swirling in his chest. Yohan held his hand like it was no big deal, leading him to the front desk with a calmness that felt so foreign to Robin.

      What if someone sees us? What if they figure it out? Why is he so relaxed about this? About dating me—in public?

      "Two tickets, please," Yohan said to the woman at the front desk, still holding Robin's hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. Robin, meanwhile, was torn between spiralling with anxious thoughts and feeling an undeniable warmth spreading from Yohan's hand all the way to his chest. He could hardly believe he was on an actual date with someone he genuinely liked—romantically, not just platonically. 

      What do you even do on a date? Is there some kind of unspoken rulebook? Like, am I supposed to know what to do just because other people talk about it all the time?

     He briefly considered going to the bathroom to Google 'date etiquette' just to avoid messing up.

      But, before he could dwell on it further, Yohan beeped his card to pay for the tickets, cutting off any protest Robin might've had. The woman behind the counter asked for their shoe sizes for the rental skates, forcing Yohan to let go of Robin's hand. 

      They swapped shoes and grabbed their pink, sparkly skates, sitting on a bench beside a few other people ready to enjoy their Friday night. Robin busied himself scanning the faces around them while lacing up his skates, feeling a flood of relief when he didn't recognise anyone. 

      "How the hell are you supposed to walk in these?" Robin asked, attempting to stand with all the grace of a newborn deer, wobbling precariously.

     "Easy," Yohan said, standing up beside Robin as if he had done this a million times before. "Just walk like normal, but lift your feet a bit higher."

      Robin gave him a sceptical look. "Right, because that sounds easy," he muttered, stumbling toward the rink entrance. Fortunately, the carpet provided just enough friction to keep him from immediately falling to the ground. 

      When they finally reached the rink, Robin felt a surge of relief—it wasn't too busy. As predicted, only a few families were there with their kids dotted around the rink, who were wobbling around with the same clumsiness Robin fully expected from himself. There was also a group of older people who looked like they were in some sort of pensioners roller skating club, skating with a strange grace in unison, in time to the music. 

     Yohan stepped onto the rink without hesitation, moving so smoothly he didn't even need to steady himself. He turned effortlessly, doing a casual one-eighty to face Robin with a smirk.

     "Come on," Yohan said, beckoning with one hand. "You'll get the hang of it; it's easy once you know the basics."

      Robin grimaced, "Why have I got the feeling I'm about to make a right tit of myself?" 

      "Don't be stupid," Yohan's grin grew even wider, teetering on the territory of mocking. "Like I said, you'll get the hang of it." 

      Robin took a deep breath and, with all the caution of someone stepping into a field filled with landmines, lifted one pink-sparkly-wheeled foot and placed it gingerly onto the slick wooden floor. He followed with the other foot, but the moment the wheels hit the surface, they did exactly what they were supposed to—roll.

      Robin shot forward, arms flailing in a desperate attempt to stay upright. With a sharp gasp, he lunged for the rink's edge, just barely managing to grab the rail before what felt like certain death.

      Yohan glided over effortlessly, a concerned look on his face as he slowed to a stop. "You okay?"

     "Just about," Robin muttered, feeling like he'd just done the most unflattering thing of his life. If anyone had recorded that, it was sure to end up on 'You've been framed'. "How the hell are you doing that so easily?"

      Yohan had a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes before saying, "Skated a lot as a kid. Gran used to bring me here all the time, so I picked it up quickly. You'll get the hang of it too."

      "Not sure about that," Robin said, attempting to push himself upright, though his legs wobbled like jelly.

      "You've already done the hardest part—getting into the rink. You're practically halfway there."

     "Yeah, halfway to breaking my neck," Robin muttered, still clutching the rail as if his life depended on it.

      "You won't," Yohan said, his voice softening. He extended his hand, his expression warm and encouraging. "I've got you."

     So, Robin took his hand—and arguably his life—into Yohan's. For the first ten minutes, it was less skating and more Robin clinging to the side of the wall with one hand, gripping Yohan's with the other as if without it, he would definitely break more than just his neck. He was so focused on not falling that he didn't even notice how tight his hold was, probably cutting off Yohan's circulation.

      But slowly, with Yohan's patient guidance, Robin started to get the hang of it. After Yohan had a done couple of demonstrations, guiding Robin in the way to move his feet correctly and, most importantly, stop, something seemed to click. Little by little, his grip loosened, and he felt himself relaxing, and starting to get the hang of it.

      Before he even realised it, Robin wasn't clinging to Yohan's hand for dear life anymore. They were holding hands like an actual couple—a real-life couple—on a date, celebrating Valentine's Day together.

      They skated like that for a while, with Yohan slowing his pace to match Robin's cautious movements. Even though they moved more carefully, Robin felt like he was flying as they glided around the rink, weaving between families and other skaters. Despite Yohan's gentle nudges to be more adventurous, they stayed near the edge, just in case Robin lost his balance again.

      But he didn't. Not once.

      And before he knew it, the hour had flown by, and it was time for them to leave.

      "See?" Yohan said as they flopped down onto the benches across from each other after having retrieved their shoes to change. "Told you you'd get it in the end."

      Robin couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he removed the skates, his feet finally touching solid ground. "Yeah, thanks, Yohan. I surprisingly had a really nice time."

     Yohan raised an eyebrow, smirking as he slipped on one of his boots. "Wow, you mean you weren't expecting to have a nice time with me?"

      Robin blushed, "I mean—sorry, that came out wrong." He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. "I just meant, like, us doing this... a proper date, you know? Like normal people have." He fumbled with his shoelaces, focussing intently on the loops, desperately avoiding eye contact. "A date with someone I actually really like."

     There was a pause, much longer than Robin had hoped. Robin could feel his hand getting increasingly sweatier as he struggled to do the bunny-loop method he had never quite grown out of. But just as he finished tying his shoes into a neat bow, he felt a warmth touch his hands. He looked up to Yohan, leaning down to take Robin's hand in his own, sandwiching them, gently using his thumb to stroke his.

      "I really like you too, Robin," Yohan murmured with a slight air of caution. Yohan's face, normally so composed, was tinged with a faint blush, a shade of pink Robin had never seen on him before. "Like... more than I've liked anyone. Ever."

     Robin blinked, unsure if he had heard that correctly. "You... like me?"

     Yohan let out a soft, affectionate chuckle, squeezing Robin's hands just a little tighter.

     "Robin, of course I fucking like you. I wouldn't have asked you on a date if I didn't."

      Robin felt his heart do a little flutter, his body feeling warm yet cold at the same time. He looked into Yohan's eyes intently, like he was trying to figure out if he was lying or not. But Yohan just met his gaze with a soft, earnest look. This had to be, hands down, the most romantic thing he had ever experienced in his entire seventeen years on this earth. 

     Fuck, he really does like me. And I... really fucking like him.

      Albeit for this romantic moment, his stomach seemed to have other ideas—growling loudly enough to be heard over the music.

      "Sorry," Robin mumbled, flushing with embarrassment. "I must be hungry."

      Yohan grinned, "Good thing there's an incredible falafel place next door."

      "That does sound," Robin began, but his words trailed off as, all of a sudden, the smile that was plastered on Yohan's face vanished, his face draining from soft pink to an alarming, ghostly white.

     "Yohan?" Robin's brows knitted together in a confused look, but Yohan had already let go of his hands, his gaze frozen on something behind Robin, eyes wide with unmistakable shock.

     Robin's heart dropped. He turned slowly, almost dreading what he might see, and there she was.

      Jemma.