Team Damon's Cupids - Enteries!

February 14^th, this date meant a lot of things for many people. For some it was just another regular day, for others it was a day to spend with loved ones. For 30 year old Linet she was in latter category. As she rose from her bed, a soft smile adorned her face and then she started to laugh at the irony of her situation. A few years back she was a cynic she didn't believe in Valentine's Day and was happy spending her day alone but now everything has changed for her. She glanced at her clock and noted that she still had some time left before Mark would show up. So she allowed herself to lie back, she tilted her neck to the right and smiled at their photograph which she kept on her nightstand. Mark, she didn't know how and when she allowed herself to become so attached to him that she wanted to spend every minute with him and do things that make him happy such as celebrating Vday. She still considered the day overrated but Mark enjoyed this day so here she was waiting for him and she did feel excited about what he would have planned.

Linet was going through her phone when she found an old picture of her and Mark which she had saved up in her phone. They were in school and the picture was of the last day of 12^th grade. She and Mark were classmates since 4^th grade however, they were never friends. She used to be the quiet one while he used to be the clown of the class. He used to make everyone laugh and was popular with everyone while she was happy with her small group of friends. As they grew older, they exchanged pleasantries but they never could become good friends. She very much remembered the one thing that made them connect in school was acting. They were in 10^th grade when they had a chance to perform a drama. She loved acting and she always loved taking part in small skits in her community but she never performed in school. For Mark acting was something he was passionate about, he saw it as a way of being someone else for a day. They had a month to practice during this, she and Mark got to spend time together. She still remembered one of their conversations.

"How do you manage to be so confident? I couldn't even lift my eyes during the audition" Linet asked Mark while they were working on the props.

He replied without thinking for a second, "It's simple, I love doing this and besides I will tell you a small secret as long as you promise you won't tell anyone".

"Okay, I Promise".

"I was pretty nervous I thought I would faint on the stage", he replied with a mischievous smile.

She found herself warming up to him, this was the longest talk they had ever had and she realized from then on she liked talking to him.

Soon only a week was left before the performance, she was scared even though she knew all her lines well she couldn't gather enough confidence in herself.

"Linet, listen you can do it I will practice with you and I promise you would not freeze on the stage".

She was still not sure and Mark told her while laughing Since your act is after mine so if you freeze on the stage I will come back on the stage and carry you away".

Mark always made jokes like these, but she had come to know the intention behind it.

"Promise ?".

"Pinky Promise", as he intertwined their little fingers.

She smiled thinking about how it was one the first real promise he made, from there they became really good friends. She admired his ability to laugh and to make others laugh. But she also knew his sensitive side; he could talk for hours about how life is unfair and how we have to make the best out of it. She loved listening to his talks and they did have many things in common.

She found herself opening up to him more, she could tell him anything and he would always hear her and if it was something serious he would make a joke out of it and make her laugh till the tears fell from her eyes.

"Linet, you are making me a good listener I love listening to your thoughts", Mark told her one day at school.

"Really? Are you sure you don't get bored".

"I would never get bored, unless you talk about zoology which is obviously the love of your life".

It had become their daily routine after school they would ride together on their bikes and go home. They would stop on the way for lunch or they would race with each other on the streets. She loved doing crazy things with him and they always would end up laughing about something or the other.

She remembered when they were in 11^th grade and it was valentine week she could literally see her classmates asking each other out. She would find almost every day a girl asking Mark to be her valentine but he would refuse every one of them. She decided to ask him the reason.

"Mark, you don't have a girlfriend right?"

He replied with a quick no, she noticed that he didn't want to carry the conversation further so she decided to probe more.

"So, why are you breaking all the girls hearts there has to be a reason why you are saying no to all of them"

"It's because I like someone already" he blurted out.

Before she could ask him anything he diverted the conversation and asked her if she liked someone or if someone asked her out.

"Mark, you know I am not at all interested in all this besides this whole thing is so overrated"

She further said, "Right now I think all this is a distraction I would rather be friends with someone than be their valentine".

Little did she know that the girl Mark mentioned a few minutes back was her. He was going to ask her out but after what Linet said he stopped himself. He thought it was for the best as he wanted to be friends with her forever.

Soon it was their graduation day both of them were going to different colleges and they had no idea when they would meet up with each other.

"Promise me, we would at least talk to each other and not lose touch" Linet said.

"Linet, I promise you that we will still be the best of friends when we are old and in nursing homes when we can chase each other in our mobile chairs" Mark told her and they both burst out laughing.

They kept their promise; they didn't meet every day but spoke to each other. On days when they didn't speak Linet felt something missing in her day. She came to know that how important Mark was to her.

Her phone vibrated and she broke herself free from her thoughts. It was his message; he wants to see her in the Lakeview Park. Linet smiled as she knew very well why he wanted to call her at that particular park.

She lifted her right hand and looked at a beautiful ring adorned on her ring finger. It was a simple white gold band with two trees and two birds carved on it. She simply loved the ring not only because of its design but because of what it signified.

Six months back, Mark called her to the same park and gave her this ring. She still remembers what he had told her that day.

"Linet, I want to be with you always, I want to hear your stories and do crazy things with you. I don't want us to be in a perfect relationship but I want us to be together and take each day as it is. I want to be with you, make you laugh, hold your hands, and spend nights talking to you about things that I can never talk about with others. I want us to be friends always and I want to keep my promise which I made to you on the day of our graduation".

Before she could say anything, Mark took out the ring and placed it on her hand.

"Linet, this is not an engagement ring. This is a promise ring that will bear testament to our new beginnings and new promises.

She didn't know what to say, but she knew what she wanted.

So she wore the ring and told him "Mark, I promise that I will be there for you whenever you need me. Even though all this is new for me I know I will make mistakes but I promise you I will try my best. Lastly I promise you that we will always be best friends"

It has been six months and things have been like a roller coaster ride and she wouldn't want to change a single thing. That's when it hit her almost like a Eureka moment that she is in love with him. Overwhelmed by these feelings she dressed and rushed to the park.

As soon as she saw Mark there, she ran to him and embraced him. He was slightly taken aback but quickly completed their embrace. She broke the hug and looked at his eyes; she knew that she had to tell him.

Without even a slight hesitation she said from her heart "Mark, I Love You".

Hearing these words, Mark enclosed her in a hug and held onto her tightly.

He whispered softly "I Love you too".

No more words were exchanged, there was no need to. They hugged each other for a long time processing these intense feelings and making silent promises to each other.