Valentine's Day from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures) Read online

  draw Cupid. As I remember, a

  cupid is a little baby with wings,

  wearing a diaper and holding a

  bow. He shoots arrows into your

  heart and you’re in love.

  That’s the way I feel about

  Tiffany. What a beautiful name—

  I just love to say it.

  “Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany . . . !”

  I exclaim. Cupid has hurled a

  harpoon into my heart.

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  CHAPTER 13

  CUT TO THE QUICK

  On the school bus in the

  morning, Tiffany is sitting

  between Eric and Derrick. She’s

  smiling at both of them and

  doesn’t even notice when I get

  on. I sit down two rows behind

  them.

  Eric is telling her jokes. She’s

  laughing. How could they do this

  to me? I hate Eric. His jokes aren’t

  even funny. Besides, I’ve heard

  them all before.

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  Derrick is showing off. He’s

  pulling out all his baseball cards.

  I’ll really hate him if he shows her

  his 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie

  card. Then I’m sunk.

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  Tiffany doesn’t even turn

  around to look at me. Now I hate

  her.

  When the school bus stops, I

  walk right by her. I’ll show her!

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  I won’t even say, “Hello!” if she

  says, “Hello!”

  She doesn’t even bother. That’s

  it—we’re through!

  The dragons can have her.

  She can climb up her own

  mountains. She can swim across

  her own seas. I want a divorce!

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  CHAPTER 14

  HEARTBURN

  At lunch, Tiff

  any sits down next

  to me. I get up and move my tray

  to another table. That’ll teach her

  a lesson. Now she’s sitting at the

  table alone. Good! That’ll teach

  her to break my heart.

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  There’s a tear running down

  her cheek. I’m about to go back

  when Eric and Derrick sit down

  next to her. In no time, she’s

  laughing.

  It’s probably at the same jokes

  she heard this morning. She

  wipes her cheek and puts her

  nose in the air.

  Falling in love is easy . . . it’s

  landing that’s hard!

  I’ve lost Tiffany for good. And

  now, I’m stuck with a four-foot-

  tall valentine card!

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  CHAPTER 15

  HEARTFELT

  I don’t talk to anyone for the

  rest of the day. When a heart

  breaks, it leaves sharp pieces. I

  head straight home after school.

  It’s good to get back home, into

  my own room, and onto my own

  bed.

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  I think I’ll become a hermit.

  I’ll go live in a cave, one without

  bats. My friends will all be sorr y.

  One day they will miss me. I start

  to daydream . . .

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  Eric will ask, “What ever

  happened to Hubie?”

  “He missed the Valentine’s Day

  party,” Derrick will answer.

  “I still have his cookie,” Freddy

  will announce.

  “Let’s go find him,” they will all

  agree.

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  So they’ll set out to find me.

  They’ll swim a sea. They’ll climb

  a mountain and they’ll find me

  sitting on a stalagmite. Or is it a

  stalactite? I can never remember

  which one hangs from the ceiling,

  and which one grows up from the

  ground.

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  “We miss you,” they will say.

  “Won’t you come back?” they

  will plead.

  “We have a heart-shaped cookie

  for you,” Freddy will say. “It got a

  little wet when we swam the sea,

  but it is still good.”

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  “What ever happened to

  Tiffany?” I will ask.

  “Oh, she married Henry

  Stillman,” they will answer.

  “My mom was in love with

  Henry Stillman,” I will say. “Love

  is very confusing.”

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  “No, it’s simple. You are our

  friend, and we love you,” they will

  all shout with huge smiles.

  Freddy will hand me a soggy

  cookie. . . .

  Hey, tomorrow’s Valentine’s

  Day. I get a pair of scissors. I’ve

  still got a lot of work to do.

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  CHAPTER 16

  WITH ALL ONE’S

  HEART

  Mrs. Green has decorated our

  room with lots of hearts. Freddy’s

  cookies are on a paper heart-

  shaped party platter.

  We sing the old Beatles’ song

  “All You Need Is Love.” Now it is

  time to exchange cards.

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  I have one for everyone in our

  class. I hand them all out. I’m glad

  that I bought such a big piece of

  paper. Many hearts came from

  one.

  I even give a card to Mrs.

  Green. It makes her smile. I wrote

  on it . . .

  Roses are red

  Violets are blue

  I want to be a teacher

  Just like you!

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  I did get some cards, too.

  Including one from Tiffany!

  But you know what I learned?

  It’s really more important what

  you give, than what you get. Also,

  I learned that a big heart goes a

  long way.

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