Valentine's Day love

Valentine's Day is in three days. Oh... how I hate this holiday! My clients are more resentful than ever then. And what's worse, they claim they don't need me at all. They must really think they owe everything to themselves. What idiots! If they knew how much I have to work hard before I can unite their hearts with passionate love, they'd respect my work more. But they just keep ruining and ruining everything. Sometimes I hate my job.

If anyone's wondering, I'm a cupid. Of course, that's just a job title, and I certainly don't look like a sweet little boy in diapers with a bow and arrow. I'm a staid old man, or rather, what's left of a person after death. I joined the army of cupids because I didn't want to sit idle in Heaven. But now, when I think about the drudgery I have to put in day after day, I think I'll probably quit this job. Don't be afraid that love will disappear with me. Besides me, there are many, many other unfortunate people working.

You ordinary people surely can't understand what I'm even talking about here, because you think you're the masters of your own fate. But that's not true. In every aspect of your life, you have some otherworldly guide whose existence you're not even aware of. But perhaps I'll tell you what my job is. First, I have to find two people who are a good match, and then I do everything I can to get them to know each other. And then most of them decide the other person isn't right for them.

I know that by the time this letter reaches Earth, probably no one will be able to read it. But oh well. Sometimes I just HAVE to vent. Sigh... I hope someone reads this this time and tells others about my work.

"No one will read it anyway. Seventy years on Earth, a hundred in Heaven. I think I'm slowly going crazy," thought Mieczysław, a lover, as he stood on a cloud and threw the crumpled letter toward Earth. Then he went to his sky-high office and began browsing through photos of single women and girls, men and boys. On the back were descriptions of their personalities and expectations for their ideal partner.

"Well..." Mieczysław muttered. "Another sixteen-year-old blonde girl wants to find a beautiful, intelligent boy with a generous allowance and tons of ideas. I don't understand how anyone could be so stupid as to believe that's all it takes to be happy. And then they wonder why it doesn't work out. Oh well... I'll try to find someone suitable for her."

After these words, the lover searched through photos and data on the boys. Hundreds of them were piled up on his desk, even though he only served one small city. He was so busy he didn't even hear anyone enter.

"Mieczysław," Jadwiga said gently, "how's work going? Can I make you some coffee?"

"Work as usual, and I'd love a coffee."

Jadwiga was his private secretary. She started working with him today. Her job was to help match people and make working hours more enjoyable. When she returned with coffee, she and Mieczysław decided that the best partner for sixteen-year-old Ania would be seventeen-year-old Marek. He received a rather generous allowance, was quite handsome, and never lacked for ideas, and I guess you could say he was smart. He expected nothing more from a girl than for her to be pretty.

"Another flirt," the lover said with dissatisfaction. "Maybe he'll break poor Ania's heart?" he worried.

"Maybe he'll change for her...

" "How do we introduce them?

" "Maybe in some secluded, unusual place?" Jadwiga suggested with a twinkle in her eye.

***

"That Agnieszka is a nice ass," Arek said.

"You! Indeed... Assuming I'm going out with her in a week?" "Marek asked boldly.

"I don't bet on such nonsense.

" "No, not really. But I'll still pick her up."

After these words, the boy Ania had chosen for him approached one of the prettiest girls in his school. He hadn't planned out what to do or say, but he knew he'd come up with something on the spot. And so he did. But he decided that up close, Agnieszka wasn't so pretty after all. Then he saw the girl he'd always dreamed of. It was strange that he'd only just now seen her. She was sitting on a bench, reading a thick book. Marek instantly decided he was going to go out with her. He walked toward her, seeing nothing but her. She, however, never once lifted her nose from her book. When he was standing in front of her, she still didn't seem to see him.

"Hi! I'm Marek," he said, extending his hand in a friendly gesture.

***

Leaving the math classroom, Ania breathed a sigh of relief: she hadn't been questioned, and the teacher hadn't yelled at her for reading "Harry Potter" instead of calculating problems. So she sat down on the bench and continued reading. Or at least she tried, because her mind was occupied by a completely different matter. Or rather, a problem. Valentine's Day would be in three days, and as usual, she would spend it alone. And so she thought, staring blankly at the letters. A boy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Are you alive?" Marek was looking at her worriedly.

"Well, yes..." she replied slowly, very surprised that a stranger wanted to talk to her.

"I'm Marek, and you?

" "Ania."

Their conversation was interrupted by the shrill sound of the bell. Before leaving, Marek managed to ask where his new friend had classes. Ania walked to class with a book under her arm and her mouth open. She had never had a boy (not from her class) speak to her before. But she had to wake up from this blissful state of numbness, as she had a very difficult physics test ahead of her.

***

"Marek, why did you go to see that 'sick porter' fan?" Arek said mockingly.

"What? What porter? And how do you know so much about her? Maybe you could tell me something?" Marek said hopefully.

"What are you? Are you stupid? Are you crazy? That girl is simply ugly, you better go after Agnieszka!

" "If anyone is ugly, it's Agnieszka!" Marek said indignantly.

"I think something's wrong with your head. Now shut up, because here comes the Polish woman."

***

Meanwhile, much, much higher up, Mietek and Jadwiga were discussing what they had done and would do.

"I wonder if love will blossom from their infatuation..." Jadwiga wondered aloud.

"I don't know. The most important thing is that they're happy, even for a moment.

" "You know what? It's wonderful to see how you make someone fall in love with someone else.

" (Note from the amateur author: To make two people fall in love, cupid must place their photos on a heart drawn on the table.)

"It's not that difficult! Even you could do something like that!

" "I know, but..." Jadwiga didn't know how to finish. "Maybe we should arrange for them to go mushroom picking in the forest, or into the bushes for beets?"

"No! That's too outdated," Mietek grimaced. "We need to come up with something modern.

" "Then maybe we should send them to...

" ***

"Don't go to that Anka!" Arek warned.

"Why not?

" "Because you'll ruin your reputation!

" "I don't care about reputations," Marek stated.

And he went to classroom 25 and waited for Ania. That's when he saw her. Her face flushed and her hands smeared with pen (note from the amateur author: Marek! You'd better focus on the positive aspects of your beloved's appearance!). "Okay! I'll try," Marek thought to himself, "maybe it's better if I rewind the tape."

And he went to classroom 25 and waited for Ania. That's when he saw her. With beautiful, shining blond hair and white teeth. With piercing blue eyes framed by long, curled, but unfortunately light lashes. "What else could I possibly think about her?" Marek thought. But he didn't have time for that—he had to act.

"Hi Ania!" he exclaimed, "how was your lesson?

" "Uh... I had a test." As he said this, Ania simultaneously thought that this was her last lesson and she wished she were already in the cloakroom.

"What about?" the boy asked.

"Uh... physics!" "Why is he keeping me?!" the confused girl thought to herself.

"Maybe you'd like to go to a concert with me?" Marek suggested.

"What kind?" Ania showed genuine interest.

"BOYS," the boy replied proudly.

"Okay, I'd love to. But I have to go now. Bye!

" "Bye..." Marek replied thoughtfully, but Ania didn't hear him, as she was already running to the cloakroom.

***

"Why didn't she talk to him longer?" Jadwiga fumed.

"Well, you know, it's the principle of delayed reflexes," Mietek explained.

"Aha..." the secretary nodded understandingly, "but what exactly does it involve?

" "Well, I already sent her a love impulse, and it must have reached her—because it already reached Marek. But she hasn't accepted it yet. Do you understand?"

"In a way...

" ***

Despite her conversation with the unknown Mark, Ania caught the bus. She sat down, and then a very strange feeling came over her. She felt very happy, as happy as she'd ever been. She felt like she was floating five centimeters above the ground. She felt like she was drowning in her incomprehensible joy. She seemed to be unable to hear or hear anything around her.

The worst part was that she literally couldn't see or hear anything around her and had missed her stop.

"Damn!" she exclaimed, furious at her own gawking, "what an idiot I am! I'm happy about who knows what, and..." she stopped mid-sentence.

After those words, she felt as if a revelation had come over her. Yes! In that very moment, she understood what she should have known since the break before physics.

"I love him!" she screamed happily, bursting into loud laughter.

People were giving her strange looks, but that didn't bother her at all. All that mattered now was that she was in love and that Valentine's Day would be the day after tomorrow.

***

"Why did she run away from me so quickly?" Marek wondered. "Maybe she doesn't like me at all? No, no, no! That's impossible! Everyone likes me." After that, Marek fell asleep with a smile on his face.

***

During the night, someone sneaked into the office and carved a large heart into the ceiling. Then he went to the secret personnel files and selected two photos: a woman and a man. Then, taking some super-strong glue, he stuck them to the ceiling, where the heart was.

"Well. Now everything will be as it should be..." he muttered and left.

***

For the first time in a long time, Ania walked to school with a smile on her face. She wasn't even stressed that today was biology and she knew absolutely nothing. Her heart was filled with love.

As she walked, lost in thought, she didn't notice Marek approaching her. She only saw him when he said:

"Hi, Ania!

" "Oh, hi..." she replied, surprised. And even more surprised was that he was holding a red, heart-shaped lollipop with the inscription "ajm rili lowing ju :)" and was giving it to her with a fiery smile.

"Here! This is for you..." and after a moment he added, "I made the inscription myself." Then he smiled proudly.

"Oh... thank you," said Ania, embarrassed, "me too. But I have to go now, bye!

" "Wait!"

But Ania was already gone. She ran quickly to school, not knowing why. And Marek was left in the schoolyard with mixed feelings. He didn't know what "me too" meant. Probably that she was going too. But... he didn't really know this Ania and didn't know how she expressed herself.

***

"Why is it going so slowly?" Mietek wondered. "Usually, people, in this phase of love, were already clinging to each other. And this Ania is so resistant! I need to increase her dose of the natural love drug – phenylethylamine." After this statement, cupid moved to the place where Ania's photo was and placed a very red paint next to it.

"What are you doing, Mieciu?" Jadzia asked.

"Eh... I'm adding pace to this love." After these words, cupid looked at Jadwiga. He was surprised that she was so pretty. He hadn't seen it before. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress and looked somehow blooming. "Jadzia? And why are you all dressed up like that?

" "Me?" she asked in surprise. "I always look like that.

" "Really? I wonder... Maybe we should go somewhere together?

" "But of course!"

Mietek wanted to take back his words, but they were already spoken – he had a dinner appointment at the most exclusive restaurant in the sky.

***

"You're so stupid!" You want to waste two tickets to the Boys concert on that ugly Anka?! Arek fumed.

"What? It's my tickets and I can do whatever I want with them. And if you want to know, Ania is pretty!" Marek shouted.

"Yeah... pretty as a trampled wildflower.

" "You and your comparisons," Marek said contemptuously, and after a moment added, "and what are you going to do on Valentine's Day? He's probably shitting in a tub?

" "Valentine's Day is a commercial affair. I don't care about such nonsense!" Arek retorted.

***

The biology teacher gave an unexpected quiz. Ania usually trembled and looked through her notebook at such moments. And now, instead, she was sitting calmly and smiling. Suddenly she felt a strong desire to sleep. Her vision began to blur, all the voices blended into one great murmur. Ania lost consciousness.

***

"Were you at that ball then too?!" - Mietek asked enthusiastically - how could I not see you then?!

"I don't know. I didn't see you either. That's strange. I should have seen you," Jadwiga replied, surprised.

Mietek sat gazing into Jadwiga's beautiful, deep blue eyes, and she looked into his very dark brown ones. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't notice something dripping. And they should have noticed...

***

"Did you hear that, Marek? Some girl overdosed," Arek said.

"Yeah? I wonder who it is.

" "Come on, let's see. Maybe it's someone we know.

" After these words, the boys went to the nurse's office and saw an astonishing sight. Ania was lying on the table, a wide smile on her face and tears in her eyes. The nurse stood beside her, completely helpless. A strange gibberish escaped Ania's lips, but a single word was clearly audible: "I love you." Marek, seeing the object of his affections as a drug addict, opened his mouth in surprise and was completely at a loss for words.

"Stupid girl!" She goes to school and does drugs!" said the nervous nurse.

"No! That's impossible. Not her!" said Marek.

"I'm not sleeping," Ania stammered, "I'm so tired.

" "It's just me! That's what they say. You're afraid of the prosecutor!" the nurse continued.

"I wasn't sleeping. Naplawde. I just fell in love. With him," and she pointed at Marek.

"Ania! What are you doing to yourself?" Marek asked, worried.

"I only love you," Ania stammered.

"Oh, these young people today. I think we should call the ambulance.

" ***

"Oh, shit! The red paint's dripping!" Mietek shouted.

"So what if it's dripping," Jadwiga began, "but..." She stopped mid-sentence because she was sitting on her lover's lap and he had just gotten up. "Mieciu! What are you doing?! You're throwing ME off your lap for some stupid paint?"

"Jadzia, calm down! This isn't just any paint! It's a natural love drug. I gave it to Ania to get her going. But the paint frothed up, which means Ania has too much of it now. She's probably lying unconscious somewhere. What have I done!?

" "Oh, come on! We'll clean this place up soon and everything will be fine," Jadzia consoled the lover.

"I don't know. You clean this up and I'll see what's happening with Ania.

" ***

"He has to come with me!" Ania shouted at the ambulance. "I love him!"

"My dear child, calm down already," the doctor said.

"So will he be able to go?" she asked through tears.

"Yes. Just don't get upset anymore."

After these words, Ania and Marek got into the ambulance, and the boy couldn't take his eyes off Ania's face. Only now did he notice that she had a multitude of freckles on her nose. The girl also took a closer look at Marek. He had short brown hair and blue eyes. They both couldn't get enough of each other. They didn't even notice that they weren't talking, nor did they know how it happened that they were sitting so close together, holding hands.

"Ania? Why are you taking drugs?

" "I'm not taking drugs at all!" Ania denied. "I don't know how I got so unconscious. Because I'm over it now.

" "But you're sure you're not lying?

" "Don't you trust me?" Ania said indignantly.

"Okay, I believe you. So, shall we go to the Boys concert the day after tomorrow?

" "Of course! It's my favorite fr—" Ania didn't finish, as the ambulance braked suddenly and the girl fell out of bed.

A moment later, the door opened, and Ania and Marek had to go to the hospital. The doctor led them to the poisoning room and briefly explained to the other doctor what was wrong with Ania.

"So, Ania, tell us now, what drugs have you been taking?" the doctor asked.

"Nothing, sir! Really. You can examine me and you won't find anything," said Ania.

"Okay, if you want. But I need to take some of your blood. And if you had confessed, I wouldn't have pricked you.

" "Prick me."

After the tests, the doctor must have been surprised to find that Ania had indeed not taken anything. He decided it was a very strange case. He told his patient to wait for her parents in the hospital lounge.

"See? You'll meet my parents by the way," said Ania.

"Well. Cool. But will they definitely let you go to that concert?" Marek asked, concerned. "

They will. I'm sure they will. They know how much I like the Boys." After these words, Ania looked out the window. "They've already arrived. Say hello nicely."

Marek followed Ania's instructions, but despite this, her parents seemed to barely notice him. They focused all their attention on Ania because they'd been told at school that she was on drugs. They were very surprised, because the word "drugs" didn't suit their beloved Ania at all. Now they were simply bursting with joy. When their daughter mentioned the concert, they immediately agreed. But they wanted to take her home from the hospital as quickly as possible. The girl didn't even have time to say goodbye to Marek. But as she was leaving, she managed to shout, "Come see me tomorrow and we'll talk!" and she was gone.

Marek was left alone in the common room and after a moment realized he didn't know where Ania lived. So he quickly ran after her and asked for her address. Then he calmly returned home. He couldn't wait to see her again. He felt this was true love.

***

"Phew..." Mietek sighed. "It's lucky nothing happened to her.

" "Well, actually," Jadzia confirmed. "Maybe you'd better go to bed now. It's late.

" "No. I love you, Jadzia. I don't know how I could have lived so long—without love," Mietek said unexpectedly.

"I love you too, Mietek. But now go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.

" Mietek lay down on the office sofa and looked at the ceiling. He couldn't believe what he saw. There was a picture of himself smeared in red paint, and next to it was a picture of Jadwiga. They were placed inside a heart. He was surprised by what he saw. But after a moment, he decided it was utter nonsense and fell asleep.

The next morning, he asked Jadzia if it wasn't she who had placed his picture and hers there.

"No. What are you doing!" she replied, blushing.

"Oh, Jadzia, Jadzia! You silly boy!" Here in Heaven, there are no more magics like on Earth. Here, you can only truly love.

"So you really love me? Without those, as you said, magics?" Jadwiga rejoiced.

"But of course, my love! And there comes a time for love!" Mietek said with a smile, then hugged Jadzia tightly.

***

Marek woke up at six o'clock on Saturday morning and didn't feel like sleeping anymore, even though he was a heavy sleeper and it was hard to get him out of bed even at ten. And now he dreamed of only one thing: to finally be next to Ania. He got dressed, ate breakfast, and ran to her house, buying a large, red lollipop with the words "I love you" written on it on the way. He had barely knocked on the door when it was already open. Ania stood there, smiling.

"Hi, Marek!" she said.

"Hi, Ania. I have a lollipop for you. "

"Great," the girl said happily, "Mom! This is Marek."

"Oh, Marek! I've heard a lot about you," said Ania's mother. "I heard you're going to the concert together?"

"Yes, ma'am. We have seats of honor," Marek replied.

"Well, that's great."

After this brief exchange, Ania and Marek went to her room. A large, gray Great Dane appeared before Marek.

"Does he bite?" he asked, frightened.

"No, what are you doing?" Ania reassured him. "He is, he's old. But he's always been gentle.

" "Well, that's good. I have a cat. A regular one. But he's very nice. But you probably don't like cats?

" "I like all animals.

" "Oh! That's just like me. We already have something in common," Marek said happily.

"And what kind of sweets do you like best?

" "Uh," Marek wondered, "probably all of them. And you?

" "Me too. And what kind of music do you listen to?

" "Mainly disco polo. Because it's such a cool kitsch.

" "Yeah. I agree with you. You know what? So far, we agree on everything." I wonder when it will end, Ania wondered aloud.

"Don't think about when it'll end, just about how long it'll last. And you see? There's already something separating us. You're a pessimist, and I'm an optimist.

" "Do you think so," she said with a smile.

"Will you go out with me?" Marek asked.

"You're still asking? Of course you will! I love you!

From that very moment on, Ania and Marek started going out. That moment seems to be the beginning of an innocent, youthful love that could end just as quickly as it began.

" "Listen, Marek. Tomorrow's Valentine's Day. Maybe we should write each other some letters?" Ania suggested.

"Okay, Ania!

" ***

"How beautifully it all ends!" Jadzia said.

"Honey! It's only just beginning," Mietek corrected her.

"Oh Mieciu... How can you not like your job? It's probably the most beautiful job there is!

" "You think so?" Mietek said incredulously.

"Of course! You bring happiness to people!" "Jadzia argued fervently.

"Well..." Mietek smacked his lips. "You know... maybe you're right.

" "I'm definitely right!"

"Oh, you're so sweet! Maybe we should go to that Boys concert tomorrow too?" Mietek suggested.

"How could we? We're dead.

" "You'll see how. But it's possible," Mietek said with a mysterious smile.

Ania and Marek stood right in front of the stage. They were waiting tensely for their idols to enter. Even though it was crowded around them, they felt like they were in a romantic, secluded place. They couldn't get enough of each other. And when the men in tracksuits entered, jumping up and down happily and singing their favorite song, "You're Crazy," they simply couldn't contain their joy. They felt the positive vibes coming from the band's leader.

"Oh Ania! How I love this song!

" "Me too!" Ania exclaimed happily. "Am I a little crazy?"

"Well, you're no angel, kitty..." Marek whispered romantically.

Then, several times, Ania tried to say something to Marek, and he tried to say something to her, but the loud music drowned them out. Then the boy decided to sing along with the singer.

"You know I love you secretly, I'm not ashamed!" he sang directly into Ania's ear.

"I know, I know!" Ania shouted back. "Do you have the letter?!"

"I do! And you?!

"Too! Give it to me, and I'll give it to you too!"

Then they both exchanged their Valentine's Day letters. Marek wrote: "Dear Ania! I have to admit that you're the first person I truly love. And also the first person I write a Valentine's Day letter to. Usually, I only sent a card. So, most importantly: Ania! I LOVE YOU!" The girl smiled as she pondered the piece of paper. She then wrote: "Dearest Mareczek! You're my first boyfriend, and I'm so happy about that, because you're worth it. My life has finally picked up speed—all thanks to you, my love. I've always wanted to write to someone like that—"My love." It's such a beautiful word, but even more beautiful is the declaration: "I LOVE YOU, MARECZEK!" After reading the letter, Marek shook his head disapprovingly.

"Ania, this is probably the most wonderful day of my life!" Marek exclaimed.

"Mine too!" Ania replied, looking at Marek with buttery eyes.

***

Meanwhile, Mietek and Jadzia were sitting backstage. They really enjoyed the contemporary music. At one point, the singer sang, "I'm a guy from Masuria, and that's how you call me—a guy from Masuria. So everyone, go to Masuria, not the mountains!" Mietek told Jadzia that he was also from Masuria.

"And I'm from Warmia," Jadzia said.

"Well, that's close. Fuck! What a small world," Mietek said.

"Of course it is. You know what? It's a bit noisy here. Come to Heaven.

" "Okay, if you want, honey. But first, I have to ask you something.

" "Ask," Jadzia encouraged.

"Will you be my wife?

" "And is that even possible in Heaven?" Jadzia asked in surprise.

"Of course! The wedding is officiated by John the Baptist himself.

" "Wow! Great! Of course he does!" Jadzia agreed.

My wedding to Jadzia will take place in a week. Oh! Life is wonderful. And even Valentine's Day isn't so bad!" I'm glad I'm a cupid. After all, I bring people happiness. People can fall in love without me, but then it's worthless, because love isn't reciprocated.

Oh, people! I hope someone reads this letter. Believe in love! It catches up with everyone eventually. Best

regards – your cupid.

***

"Who threw that paper!?" the furious cleaning lady shouted.

"We don't know," the children in the sandbox replied.

"Yeah, you don't!" she said incredulously, and after a moment, she added more quietly, "These kids today just litter and litter!" Then she threw the cupid's letter into the wastebasket...

THE END