These past few weeks school abruptly picks up a faster pace, the days start to rush by- they become a stream of intensive workloads and the evenings are hardly better. Cramming hours of work into the day seems to speed everything up and you find each week rapidly melting into the next. January gives way to February and suddenly it's Valentine's Day and you could have sworn Christmas was only yesterday.

Ryan and I have arranged to go on a date at The Squirrel and the Acorn. The first thing I heard about the place is that as different as its name is, the food is something else. Everything from its soup to its éclairs have been raved about, and even though I'm more of a café person that a restaurant diner, I'm feeling excited to go.

The place is buzzing at midday when Ryan and I come through the door; it's jam-packed with other Valentine's Day dates or gatherings. The atmosphere's bustling and full of the vibrant hum of conversation whilst the air's pleasantly warm, full of delicious smells drifting from people's meals. Everywhere there are love-struck couples, all looking completely smitten.

Ryan and I are directed to a window seat by a waiter, as soon as we're seated we're given menus and I take a moment to just sit and soak everything in. Peering outside, I see the restaurant's settled in a busy street in Wickworth's core, beyond it you can see a shop's gotten into the romantic spirit by decorating their outside with pink balloons. Others are emblazoned with posters promoting discount prices on things like chocolate and wine. Funny how the world remembers romance on Friday the fourteenth.

"So, what do you want to get?" Ryan asks, peering down at his menu. I do the same with mine and my eyes land on the penne carbonara and immediately my stomach grumbles. Carbonara's my favourite pasta dish and the thought of it's making my mouth water, especially considering how meagre my breakfast of burnt toast was.

I mention the carbonara and Ryan orders steak, as well as a couple of drinks, and our menus are taken away by the same waiter. Then it's just us at the table. I smile abashedly at Ryan, who's looking at me quietly from the other side of the table. His mouth upturns as he leans forward on his elbows. "You look really pretty today."

I feel my cheeks blush at once and Ryan chuckles, he knows I always have no clue how to respond to such out-of-the-blue compliments and he always gets amused by it. I roll my eyes as he continues to grin.

"You get red so easily," he says as we're served two Cokes. I mutter a thank you to the waiter before pretending to be annoyed.

"I thought you'd know I blush easily by know," I say, sipping my fizzy drink slowly and raising my eyebrows at him. Ryan exhales and stretches back in his seat before grinning once more, the broad smile brightening his blue eyes.

"Well," he says, and already I know I'm in for it, "I found that out from day one. Ever since that time by the pond-"

"Hey!" I interrupt as my cheeks heat again as I realise where he's heading. "We're outside!"

Ryan laughs and puts his hands up for surrender. "I was just going to mention a kiss," he says, appearing highly amused. I huff and sip at my drink, feeling a confusing mixture of being flustered, amused and relieved. The last emotion's out of place from the rest but a part of me can't help but be secretly glad that Ryan and I able to still joke around, recently things have been a bit sparse in the conversation department. But right now, it seems like everything might go OK.

The shortest of moments passes and it's as though the thought jinxes everything.

Because then the restaurant door opens and, immediately, I forget all feelings of hunger or enjoyment and freeze. In fact, it feels as though my chair has suddenly disappeared and I'm plummeting down to the ground. Levi stands in the restaurant doorway; his arm is draped around a girl I faintly recognise and a feeling of horror sweeps over me. What is he doing here?

Barely a second elapses and Levi's eyes pass mine. Tthere's no denying the gleam of amusement in them, in that moment I just know he isn't here by coincidence. And that realisaion has me absolutely fuming. I clench my glass tighter, trying hard to control myself as I watch a waitress walk up to the newly arrived pair.

"Ruby, are you OK?" Ryan suddenly asks, his voice interrupting all attention on Levi. I look back towards Ryan, realising I've been completely distracted from whatever he was saying. He has his back towards the door and hasn't seen the new customers. I blink at him as he looks back at me in concern. I'm so rattled I can't even string together a response. All I can do is nod and drink my Coke whilst trying not to choke on the drink.

"Well, I was talking about Mrs Gillgrew," Ryan says before starting a story about his History teacher. I follow what he's recounting but all the while my mind's a busy, chaotic mess. The need to look over at Levi again grows until I give in and try to discreetly glance towards the front of the restaurant again.

I watch the evil git sit down at a table barely a few metres away from mine; he drags a chair backward for the girl before sitting down himself. I then recognise the girl he's with as Grace, a girl who used to go to our school but left when we were thirteen. She's undeniably pretty with long, wispy blonde hair and a tall, slim stature; she appears perfectly snug wrapped around Levi.

Just watching him has my blood boiling. I've already lost track of whatever Ryan's saying and all I can do is just scowl at Levi and his date, internally thinking of every foul swear word to hurl at him mentally. Some of them are particularly colourful.

I look back at Ryan who's completely absorbed telling his story. I nod and hum along, in the corner of my vision watching Levi pick up a menu; I take this as an opportunity to outright glare at him. He nods at whatever Grace is saying as she reads her menu, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. Then he looks toward me.

My heart jolts so violently it's as though an electric current's just passed through me. Levi continues to talk to Grace and even laughs at whatever she's saying as he continues to look right at me, his eyebrows furrow a little and the corner of his lips lift, as if he were saying hello.

I'm going to murder him.

Just then a waiter arrives with our food; even the delicious smell of carbonara doesn't distract me from Levi. Breathing becomes a harder task as his gaze languidly moves to Ryan before settling on me. When his eyes meet mine again they appear darkly amused.

I have to look away then in fear of stampeding over to his table and beating him to death with the bread that's sitting on his table. Ryan's started eating his food and I do the same, appreciating the taste of the pasta that manages to momentarily distract me from the actual devil that's sitting here in this very restaurant.

"So, what did you think of this week's episode of Hannibal?" Ryan asks. I relax in my seat; my muscles loosen a little in relief at the fact I've got a discussion to focus on.

We launch into a conversation over the gory T.V show, and for a moment, I actually forget about Levi. It's as though Ryan and I have returned to our usual state; way back when we weren't even dating but were just friends, great friends who could talk for hours about nonsensical things.

And that could have happened all over again today if it weren't for a certain someone who's made things that used to be easy near impossible to the point at which I question how life was could be so easy before him.

The sound of loud laughter drifts over from Levi's table. I look over to see what all the noise is about. I have no control over the scowl that twists my lips into a grimace as Levi leans in to whisper something to Grace, shifting her blonde ringlets away from her ear to do so. She immediately begins to laugh uncontrollably once more at whatever Levi has to say. I glare harder. What could he have even said to make her laugh so much? Levi's not that funny.

With effort, I look back at Ryan and continue talking about fictional T.V characters. It becomes increasingly difficult, however, as in my peripheral vision I see Levi and Grace lean in close. For a moment I think they're kissing but upon closer inspection I see that Levi's moved on from whispering moronic pick-up lines to Grace to being fed spoonfuls of Isobel's chocolate mousse.

I scoff, internally gagging at the nauseating view. The idiots are acting sicklier than the chocolate desert he's eating. Levi suddenly smirks as he leans back in his seat, finishing his spoonful of desert; the amused expression that shapes his features seems all too familiar. I narrow my eyes, curious as to why he has reason to look like he's just hit Cloud Nine.

At that moment, my phone buzzes quietly, its silent mode discreetly notifying me I've got a message. Ryan's started talking about his favourite Hannibal characters and I take the chance to read the message. I don't feel surprised to see it's from Levi.

'Someone might notice you're staring.'

My chest tightens at the words. I glower down at my phone screen, as though I were looking at the culprit of the text himself. It's as though Levi wants me to make his death day the fourteenth of February. I breathe in through my nose, trying to calm myself and forget about the message. It'll be an insult to Ryan if I reply.

I look back up at Ryan and start to focus in on what he's saying. My phone buzzes again.

Underneath the table, I read the message, internally scolding myself for not ignoring him.

'You can't look away then you don't reply? You're sending some mixed-signals Bug.'

I feel my cheeks immediately blaze as my eyes widen at the sight of the message. 'Mixed-signals'?! Mixed-signals, my arse! All I feel towards this prat is pure and utter loathing, and to prove it I look up towards Levi and give him the best glare I can muster.

He inclines his head to the side, his eyes glinting as he inspects my scowl. He doesn't appear in any way put-off by my scary look and instead appears amused, as if I'm putting on a circus act instead of trying to insinuate I want to kill him.

He then looks away and I grit my teeth, looking down at my half-finished carbonara. It suddenly doesn't seem as appetising any more. For the third time, my phone alerts that I have a text message. It doesn't take a three year old, never mind a genius, to guess who it's from.

There's the scowl. I was starting to get worried I might not see it.

The message just has me scowling again and suddenly I can't go on being silent. I need to give the git a warning or who knows what might happen?

Get back to your date and leave me alone you evil prat!!! I press the send button as violently as I can before taking a triumphant swallow of my drink, thinking maybe now I can get some peace.

Levi's reply is instantaneous, as if he were waiting for my response. You know, I've never found jealousy so cute. I choke on my Coke.

Ryan looks at me in concern. "Hey, are you alright?"

I nod, grabbing a tissue to wipe my mouth, all the while feeling as though I've just ran a mile my heart stammers so hard. It's ridiculous how quickly I lose my composure at Levi's taunts, usually I have control over situations but that control frustratingly seems to be thrown out the window whenever he's around.

Ryan notices the phone that's clenched in my hand.

"Are you texting someone?"

I stare back at him like a deer caught in headlights. I am such a idiot. I don't know why I expected to blatantly text someone at a table and think I can get away with it. Quickly, I attempt to think up of an excuse, any excuse that steers away from the truth as to why I actually have my phone in my hand.

"Er... my Mum," I begin, my mind still calculating a response. "Sorry, I didn't want to reply to her but she's pretty insistent." Guilt washes over as Ryan nods understandingly. He doesn't question anything even though I'm behaving in a way that gives him full reason to.

"I need to go to the loos," Ryan says, getting up. I nod. As I watch him go, I groan quietly, thinking of how underserving I am to be his girlfriend. Ryan deserves better than what I'm giving him, especially today of all days. In an effort to stop being such a selfish prat, I switch off my phone and pocket it.

The action doesn't turn out to be that clever because now I'm left with nothing to do, considering Ryan's just left. I sit, staring down at my pasta which still doesn't seem appealing any more. I can't think why it suddenly seems so unappealing.

"Having fun on your date?"

I jump in my seat and look up at the deep voice in shock, clutching my chest as I do so. My heart rises up into my throat as I view Levi standing at my table; he looks down at me with his hands pocketed in his black jeans. His expression gives nothing away; in fact he appears perfectly composed.

If looks could kill, Levi would be ten feet under right now from the way I angrily stare up at him, thinking of the texts he sent. "I swear to god- I am going to strangle you in your sleep!" I threaten quietly through gritted teeth.

He chuckles at the threat, the low, light noise sends butterflies spilling into my stomach and up into my chest- filling it with a fluttering sensation. "Can't say I've ever been strangled in bed before," he says, his voice lazy and sarcastic. "But I'm always up for new things."

I feel a blush invade my cheeks, setting the skin burning and red in embarrassment. As each passing second ticks by I'm finding it increasingly hard to keep my patience. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm just ordering a coffee." Levi shrugs. "And I happened to see you on the way."

I scoff, shaking my head as I smile cynically. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

Levi returns the smile but his is more amused. He leans in ever so lightly and my mouth turns dry. "And what is it I'm doing, Bug?" he asks in a low, quiet voice that sends goose-bumps rising all over my skin. He sounds confidential, as though we were exchanging secrets or sweet nothings.

"You know what you're doing," I reply, my voice isn't nearly as quiet or as composed, in fact it sounds as though it's about to break and I'm going to start shouting.

"Surprisingly, I'm not psychic," Levi replies. I fight the urge to slap him.

"You're, you're- sabotaging my date!" I cry accusingly. Levi straightens, putting back the earlier distance between us as he laughs.

"You know, irrational paranoia is kind of seen as worrying."

"Oh, piss off," I reply moodily, tightly folding my arms across my chest.

"Gladly," Levi responds before nodding towards someone across the restaurant. "Your knight in shining armour's coming back." I scowl at his mocking jibe and let him walk off without any further comment, for once trying to be the one in control.

I watch Ryan weave his way back towards our table and the rattled feeling Levi left me with manifests into something that leaves me with wanting revenge. He can't always have the upper hand, I can't be the one always left speechless or annoyed. For once it's going to be him.

I get up onto my feet as Ryan gets to our table. "You're back!" I say, welcoming him with a smile.

He looks at me confusedly, probably bemused as to why I'm standing. "Uh, yeah-" he begins but I cut off whatever he as to say with a kiss. Flinging my arms around him, I kiss Ryan full on the mouth. It fills me with worry at how it feels like I'm kissing someone I barely know. I've never felt like this, not even during our first kiss.

I pull away, brushing my hair away from my face as Ryan looks dazedly back at me.

"I... that," he says before pausing to find the right words. "That was unexpected."

I grin, pressing my palms against my cheeks to calm them down. They still feel as though they're burning. I don't know if it's because of the kiss or from the conversation with Levi I'd had just a moment earlier.

"It's Valentine's Day," I say, "no kiss is unexpected."

Ryan laughs and we both sit down again. I dare to glance up at the queue at the front of the restaurant where I see Levi standing. He's not looking my way, his expression, however, seems a whole lot more disgruntled as he stares down at his phone with furrowed eyebrows and a frown that downturns his lips. I look away with a satisfied smile.

The next quarter of an hour involves finishing off our meal and paying the bill and leaving a tip. The both of us leave the restaurant, the air outside's much cooler than the warm, food-scented air inside but it feels pleasant to stand in.

Ryan turns toward me, suddenly looking a little more nervous as we stand near the restaurant's front. He runs a hand through his black hair, ruffling it up in the process as he surveys me before swallowing. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to head back to mine now?"

I turn speechless. The both of us knew perfectly well what his words mean and all I can feel in response is horrible surprise. I'd felt spontaneous just kissing him, never mind... I open my mouth but nothing comes out and a look of slowly-dawning understanding comes across Ryan's face.

"I, I can't," I say, trying to think of something to say. The offer's come out of nowhere, it's left me dumbstruck. I wouldn't even have guessed he'd want me to come over, not when things have been so... uneventful between us lately. "That Chemistry paper is due in for tomorrow and I've only got half of it done-"

"Right," Ryan suddenly says, cutting in. His face has gone bright red and the guilt I felt earlier comes hurting back a hundred times stronger. He gives a nod of his head, as though he's suddenly realised something, before giving an abashed smile that looks painful. "Er... don't worry."

I try and return the smile but now there's a horrible awkwardness between us, it hangs in the air as heavily as smoke and both of us find it difficult to even speak. We just stare at each other, silently mortified. "I, uh, need to go," Ryan says, scratching the back of his head and not looking my in the eye. There's no mistaking how hurt he looks.

Ryan leaves it at that, he doesn't so much as say goodby as he walks off, turning his back on me and striding quickly away. I stare after him, hot-faced and humiliated. No date should end like this. I can't even comprehend what's just happened. It all went from something good to something that's left me feeling like an idiotic prude and mad at myself.

The last person I want to see right now walks out of the restaurant door, one hand occupied with a cup of coffee and the other holding a girl's hand. I watch Levi as he talks to Grace, and suddenly the anger I'm feeling at myself intensifies and rushes through me, hindering all other emotions.

I stride over to them, my clenched fists ridged at my sides. "I need to talk to you," I say, my voice sounding lethal. Grace stares at me like I'm mad before glancing towards Levi who looks questioningly at me.

He turns to Grace. "Give us two minutes," he says and she looks at him questioningly. After a moment she relents, reluctantly.

"I'll meet you in the car park," she says before giving one last inquisitive look towards me and walking away.