The Night Before Valentine's Day

What is it about Valentine's Day that makes it seem so stupid? Is it because it is a fabricated holiday? One that was probably started by a corporation to make money in the middle of February, when no one wants to spend money. Is it because it is a make or break day for a lot of budding couples? If you don't do something for you're special someone on that day you are probably not serious about them. And, lets be honest, no one these days is serious about much of anything when it comes to dating. Everything is based on convenience, making an effort is looked down upon. Naturally, a lot of couples break up right before or right after Valentines Day. Why bother pulling out all the stops for someone you are not serious about? After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea, right?  February 14th is likely the date responsible for the most number of breakups. The only other day that comes close is the first very warm day of spring. To be fair this can be seen as a good thing too. If you're relationship cant make it through something as small and insignificant as Valentines Day, you were probably not meant to be together. You save yourself a lot of pain and heartache in the long term. But is the short term pain even necessary? Why dial up pressure on a population that is so eagerly running away from it? We don't want the commitment of love, we want the optionality of lust. Why be serious if you can just go with the flow? We know we can't take the heat, so why go into the kitchen?

One day after improv class Jake had to use the bathroom. He put his bag down on the benches across from the restrooms and went to the men's toilet. It was right after the end of class, a busy time for the hallways. Jake was eager to beat the rush. When he got back the floor was packed with people waiting for the elevators. It was a cold day in February and everyone wanted to be in the comfort of their own homes. A hundred people looking to leave at the exact same time with 2 elevators that only fit 6-7 people max. Usually he beat the rush but today his bladder had put him squarely at the back of the line. He just took a seat next to his things and decided to wait it out. Next to him, he saw a very pretty girl in the same predicament that he was in. Back of the line.

"We got a long wait ahead of us," offered Jake.
"Huh, oh yea i guess," said the girl.
"What level of improv are you in?"
"Level one, how about you?"
"Level four. How do you like it so far?"
"It's ok. I'm not really good at it."
"What's there to be good at? You just start talking and it will make sense of itself."
"So you're good at improv?"
"I can talk about anything forever."
"Ok. Talk about this bench."
"Well this is a top notch bench. It brings people together. It gives people a place to sit while they're waiting for the elevator. People talk here, they get together here. You can even sleep on it before class if you are tired from a long day's work. Not to mention you have a great view of the bathrooms and the vending machines. You can sit here and time it just right so that you never have to wait on a line for either. This bench is really the most efficient way to wait. If they had this bench at the DMV, the DMV wouldn't have such a bad rep. Not to mention it is the perfect shade of brown. Need i go on?"
"No," she said with a beautiful smile. "I get the point."
"What's you're name?"
"Sarah, you?"
"Jake, nice to meet you Sarah," he offered his hand."
"Nice to meet you too Jake," she shook it.

The line for the elevator was winding down, their moment was almost over. Jake wasn't as smooth as he currently seemed but improv was his booster. He always felt great while he did it and doing it gave him a lot of confidence. He never really knew how to ask women out so he had been working on a line for situations just like this one.

"So do you have a boyfriend?" asked Jake.
"Umm I don't know. I've been seeing this guy but I think its over," replied Sarah.
"Why do you think that?"
"He hasn't texted me this week and its Valentines Day tomorrow."
"Ah, I see."

The line for the elevator had dwindled down to 5 people. It was time to get up.

"Do you want to get a drink with me sometime?" asked Jake.
"What, like right now?" replied Sarah. Jake was shocked.
"Right now works," he said meekly.

They both got on the elevator with smiles on their faces. They walked to a classy cocktail bar nearby. Jake was in sweatpants but it didn't matter much, Sarah was into him. Maybe she was just trying to get over the other guy. Jake was probably in love.

She got a vodka martini, he got a Long Island iced tea. They started talking. He was born and raised in the city, she had moved there from Austin in the hopes of becoming a dancer. She really missed Austin, her family, and her dog. Jake showed her pictures of his dog. She was very happy.

"Did you like the other guy a lot?" asked Jake.
"I don't know. I think so. We had been hanging out for a couple of months and now this. I hate Valentine's Day. Are you seeing anyone?" she replied.
"I don't think I could be here if I was. She would be pretty mad."
"We'll you could always not tell her, guys do it all the time."
"Why cheat when you can just be single? Who needs the bad karma?"
"Fair point. But sometimes its just hard to be lonely you know?"
"That's why I have a dog."
"You've got it all figured out, huh?" she said with a smile. She was really starting to like him a lot.
"I think I actually might," he replied with a cheeky smile. He was so in love. "Should we get another drink?"
"I actually have an early wake up, can we do this again?"
"Yeah of course." Sarah did not want to leave.

They exchanged numbers, he paid the bill, and they made their way down the subway steps. They faced each other and she gave him that look women give when they want a man to kiss them.

"You're downtown right?" asked Jake, he was too scared to kiss her.
"Yeah," replied Sarah.
"Okay, I'm uptown. I'll be in touch," said Jake, offering a hug.
"Okay." They hugged.
"I'll text you in three days just so you know I'm not desperate," Jake said with a smile. Sarah laughed and they parted ways.

He wished her a happy Valentine's Day via text the next day. She loved the message and wished him one as well. Then he took his three days to message her again. Lame, but you do what you have to do. After a bit of posturing on her part they were all set for the following Saturday. He followed up with her the night before.

No response.

Every guy has been here a million times. Everything is set and then the other shoe drops. Jake was tired of the other shoe always dropping. He would really fall for a girl, do everything by the book only to have her not show up in person. In the last year this had happened to him seven times. Most of the time he would get ghosted, other times the woman would message a day after the date was planned. He rolled with the punches but he had a come up with a system to deal with this in the future. If a girl didn't show up to a preplanned date, he would block her and delete her number. He figured if a girl liked him as much as he liked her she would show up.

Sarah was busy with an audition that night. The audition ran till 2 am but at the end of it she was ecstatic to receive her first callback. She had been auditioning for a year and had never made the first cut. This was a big deal for her. When she finally checked her phone it was 3 am. She knew she had a date the next day but now she couldn't make it. She waited till the morning to text Jake, surely he would understand. At 7 am she wrote the following message.

"Hey Jake, I cant make today. I was auditioning all of last night and at the end of it they told me that i had made the cut for a callback. The callback is later today so i cant make the date today."

Jake saw the text when he woke up. At no point did she say she was sorry. He replied,

"Break a leg."

He blocked her number and deleted it.