Okay, that part was the disclaimer. This is an Author's Note: Since the Spectrum Force series is on hiatus until Don resurfaces and finishes "From the Ashes, Reborn," I decided to write a sort of stand-alone. It takes place within the SF continuity, but it doesn't really matter much to the series, since this takes place before they became the Spectrum Force. This is my Valentine's tribute for 1999. This story takes place mostly in February (obviously), so it's about a month before the arrival of the Denebians. Oh, and Keith is still abroad in Japan (remember he returns to the U.S. in Saga of the Spectrum Force).

My Valentine

"I can't get over how warm it is!" Matthew O'Conner exclaimed, a serene smile on his face as comfortable breezes caressed his skin, "It's the middle of February, and it's seventy degrees!"

The tall young man beside him grinned widely, the bright white of his teeth contrasting sharply with his dark skin. "Matt, this is southern California," he stated, "It doesn't get very cold here."

Matt shrugged, glancing up at his companion. "I know, Craig, but it's still so incredible! Not that we get really harsh winters in Connecticut, but you still need a heavy coat, gloves, and the whole ensemble. I remember having to stand outside on a frigid morning for half an hour waiting for the bus to pick us up for school."

"Of course you remember. It was a year ago."

"Yeah, but it feels like a lifetime ago," Matt commented, a pensive expression eroding his smile. "Is that normal?"

"Freshman year at UCLA was easily the longest year of my life," Craig recounted, slowing his stride along Hamilton Walk, "So much happens so fast! You're suddenly all alone, across the country from your family, and responsible for yourself. It's a big change, and a little scary."

Craig's grin then returned. "But you, at least, have a terrific group of supportive friends to make the transition easier."

Matt chuckled, gently slapping Craig's broad shoulder. "What would I do without you guys?"

"Probably sit in your room reading holes into your Organic Chemistry text," Craig quipped.

As the pair continued along the walkway towards the food court, they passed by a rather large booth, with dozens of students cramped around it. Matthew stopped, and curiously observed the crowd. He then glanced up at the large sign, tied to the tree hanging above the booth.

"The Dream Valentine Giveaway?" he read, his eyebrow raising slightly, "What's that?"

"That, my friend, is one of the coolest contests on campus!" Craig said, grabbing Matt's upper arm and muscling through the crowd slightly. At the table sat a young Hispanic woman, her shoulder-length dark hair in a ponytail, wearing a red Dream Valentine t-shirt. She was occupied handing out sheets of pink paper attached to a clipboard, complete with a small pencil. Craig waved at the volunteer eagerly, gaining her attention.

"Craig!" she said, once her dark gaze fell upon her friend, "How are you?"

"Hey, Rachel," he said, finally reaching the table, "I'm fine. I'm here to pick up an entry for Matt."

"What?!" Matt uttered in surprise, moving beside Craig. His eyes widened when he saw the grin creeping on Rachel's countenance. "Forget it! No way!"

"But Matt, you probably don't even know what the Dream Valentine contest is!" Rachel argued, handing him a clipboard. Matt glanced at the attached sheet, his green eyes scanning the questionnaire.

"You're right," he confessed, turning his gaze to Rachel.

"Well, it's simple," she explained, while still handing out clipboards to other interested students, "Each year, UCLA holds this same contest. Anyone who's a student here can enter. All you need to do is fill out the questionnaire, which is formatted to determine the kind of person you are, and the kind of person you'd like to date. Then, all the forms are put in a lottery, and five are selected. Those five are then matched with another entrant of the opposite sex, who fits the description of a perfect date. So basically, ten students are set up with their perfect match, and are treated to a night on the town. I believe this year, the prize is two tickets to The Phantom of the Opera on West Haven Boulevard, followed by dinner and dancing at La Terrace."

"La Terrace?" Matt repeated, "That's as up-scale as restaurants come!"

"You got it," Craig said, "Oh, and the best thing is... the winners don't know who they're paired with until Valentine's Day! They all find out individually two days before, but it's *hush hush* who they are. No one announces them in the paper or anything. Each winner is given a carnation, and a meeting location and time. So you don't know who you're going with until you rendezvous for the limousine pick-up."

"There's a limo, too?" Matt said incredulously.

Rachel nodded, a big smile on her face. "Yep, it's really a formal date. And the school picks up the tab entirely."

Matt nodded slightly, glancing down at the survey again. "Still... I don't like not knowing who I'd be paired with until the actual date..."

Craig smirked. "Matt, there are thousands of girls on campus, and just about everyone enters each year! Chances are, you won't even know her."

"Besides," Rachel added, "the mystery is the best part!"

A smile crossed Matt's face, as he lifted the pencil. He quickly wrote in his name, and the rest of the basic information... but some of the following questions needed more thought.

"What do I look for in a potential boyfriend/girlfriend?" he read aloud, rubbing his scalp with his pencil, "There's a whole big space for this!"

"Well, take a seat and fill it all in," Rachel said, beckoning to the patch of green grass behind the booth, "Take your time."

Rachel then turned her attention to Craig, holding up a clipboard. "And, how about you, Mr. Gillis? Care to try your luck?"

"Why not?" he answered, taking the board, "Maybe I'll meet the girl of my dreams!"

Later that evening, an exhausted Rachel Castaneda dragged herself into the three bedroom apartment she shared with her close friends Tamara Fox and Jocelyn Armand. With a heavy exhalation, Rachel tossed her backpack onto the couch, and collapsed on the seat beside it, untying her ponytail to let her chocolate curls hang freely about her shoulders.

"Hey, Rachel," Tamara said, emerging from her bedroom when she heard her roommate returning, "Where've you been all day?"

"Working on the Valentine's Giveaway," she replied, tiredly, "After two hours of collecting questionnaires on Hamilton Walk, I had to deliver them to the main office, and help organize them. This month is going to be a nightmare! We have over six-thousand entries!"

"Yeah, that's a big chunk of the undergraduate community," Tamara said, a grin lighting up her face as she sat on a stool in the small kitchenette, "How many people are in the VG Committee?"

"One hundred-eight," Rachel answered, "Still, even though computers do the majority of the matching, people have to read the paragraph answers, and convert the answers into the rating system to feed into the computer for matching. If there are a hundred people reading six thousand papers..."

Tamara grimaced. "Yeah, I can see how you'll be passing the next five weeks." A sigh suddenly escaped her, as she rested her elbow on the countertop. "If you ask me, I think Valentine's Day is overrated."

A smirk crossed Rachel's face. "You wouldn't think so if Keith weren't still studying abroad in Tokyo."

Tamara shrugged. "I guess you're right. Valentine's is so depressing when you can't be with the one you love."

"Trust me," Rachel sighed, "it's no more appealing when you don't have a 'special someone' in your life."

A playful glimmer flashed in Tamara's eyes. Rachel shuddered when she saw that familiar expression on her best friend's face.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, sitting up on the couch, "Don't even think about setting me up, Tammy!"

"But I know the perfect guy for you--"

"Stop right there," Rachel growled, "You know how I feel about blind dates. Trust me, I'm not in a rush to meet Mr. Perfect."

Tamara pouted, and leaned her chin lazily on her palm. "Well, will you at least enter that Giveaway? Maybe the school will find the man of your dreams for you."

Rachel shook her head, pulling her heavy backpack into her lap and unzipping it. "I can't. I'm on the committee, so I'm disqualified."

Tamara frowned. "That stinks."

Rachel shrugged in response, pulling out a sheet of pink paper. A grin crossed her face. "Still, you are eligible."

"No thanks," she said, waving the sheet away, "I've already met the man of my dreams." A dreamy expression clouded her dark brown eyes.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "If you say so..."

Rachel began slipping the sheet back into her bag, when Tamara gasped in surprise, her eyes widening. Rachel stared at her friend curiously.

"Ray," Tammy said, standing up from her stool, "Has Jocelyn been on a date since you've known her?"

Rachel's forehead wrinkled as she thought it over. "Not that she's mentioned, and I've known her since she got here in September. I was her Big Sister in the Mentor program."

"So, give her that survey," Tamara prodded, her excitement building, "I'm sure she'd have a blast, and maybe it'll help her out of that shell of hers."

Rachel's eyebrow rose. "Jocie's not in a shell! She's really active. She plays beach volleyball, and she's on the diving team. She's certainly not shy."

"She is when it comes to guys," Tamara pointed out, "She's never had a boyfriend... not even in high school."

"There's nothing abnormal about that," Rachel argued, "She's sixteen! She's two solid years younger than everyone else here. I'm not surprised she's hesitant to date."

"Still, she should enter," Tammy decided, snatching the pink sheet from Rachel's grip, "I'll just leave this on her bed. Where is she, anyway? It's a quarter after ten o'clock!"

Rachel pinched her chin, mulling through her memory. "She didn't say she was staying out late. Maybe she's at the library or something?"

Jocelyn Armand chewed on her bottom lip, her fawn eyes focused on her goal. She took a cautious glance at her opponent, slight relief washing over her when she realized that she had pulled ahead. Determination rising, she pushed harder. Slowly, the gap between them increased... until... victory!

"Yes!" she shrieked, holding up the controller to the Super Nintendo as she rose to her knees, "Princess Toadstool is number one!"

Matthew groaned, watching as his player, Luigi, exploded on the screen. "Super Mario Kart sucks anyway," he muttered, "Okay... how about another one?"

Jocelyn smiled at him innocently, "But I thought we decided we'd only play best of five races."

Matt's eyes narrowed. "Then let's go best of seven."

Jocelyn immediately burst into a fit of giggles, picking up the pillow she had rested her elbows on, and tossed it at her best friend. "Sore loser!"

Matt cried out as the pillow made contact with his face. He blew his wayward bangs out of his green eyes, a twinkle of mischief reflecting in them. "We'll see about that..."

Without warning, Matthew pounced on the breathless girl, mercilessly tickling her bare feet. Jocelyn, shrieked, trying desperately to break free from the cruel torture.

"No... FAIR!" she gasped between helpless giggles, "S... stop!"

"Are you two at it again?" Craig sighed, walking passed the living room towards the kitchenette. Jocelyn and Matt disentangled themselves as their friend searched the refrigerator casually.

"He.. started it," Jocelyn panted, her face still flushed, "He can't stand losing! So he cheated!"

Matthew feigned surprise. "Cheated? How?"

"You tickled me!" she accused.

Matt shrugged. "It's not my fault you're so ticklish!"

Craig pulled an apple out of the refrigerator, closing the door behind him. As he sank his teeth into the red fruit, his eyes scanned across the kitchenette wall to fall upon the round clock hanging by the table.

"You've been playing that video game for over an hour, you know," he commented through a mouth full of apple.

Jocelyn gasped. "Omigod! It's passed ten! I gotta leave!"

She hurriedly grabbed her shoes, and slipped them on. "I have diving practice tomorrow morning at nine, and I have to read the rest of 'Middlemarch' for my British Novels class..."

"Relax," Matt said, handing her the keys she was desperately searching for, "You'll get it done. You always do."

Jocelyn smiled, threw her bookbag on her shoulder, and waved as she headed to the door.

"Bye, guys! See you both tomorrow!"

Matthew watched the door for several moments after she had left, a warm smile on his face.

"Want an apple?" Craig offered, eyeing his roommate expectantly.

"No thanks," Matt responded, turning off the television and stretching his arms, "I guess I should get back to Organic Chemistry."

Craig smiled, biting into his snack once again. "The story of your life, Kid."

"...And will you rend our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your dear friend?
Our sex as well as I may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury."

No sooner did the young actress finish her words, when she suddenly snapped back into reality. Her impassioned voice, dripping with anguish and anger, immediately relapsed into an almost giddy, excited chime.

"Well?" she demanded, "How did I do?"

Rachel nodded, clearly impressed by Tamara's performance. "You got the entire speech... almost."

Tamara's bright smile fell. "Almost? What did I miss?"

"You said 'To join with men in scorning your dear friend'," Rachel read from the book she was holding, "but the line is 'To join with men in scorning your poor friend'. It's not a huge deal, but it is incorrect, and you'll be docked for it in class."

Tamara sighed, heavily sitting down on the couch beside Rachel. She took the copy of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and glanced over the lines one more time.

"I can't believe we have to do all of Act III Scene 2 in class!" she groaned, "Why did I take this Shakespearean Drama course again?"

Rachel smirked. "Because you're a Theater Arts major, and you're required to take at least two Renaissance Drama courses, including one Shakespeare."

"Hey guys," Jocelyn called, pushing open the front door, "What's going on?"

"We're fine," Rachel said, watching as the girl walked into her bedroom, "Where've you been hiding?"

"I was playing Super Mario Kart with Matt," she shouted, after she had disappeared into her room, "What's this?"

Tamara then looked up from her text, a wide grin on her face. Jocelyn emerged from her room, a sheet of pink paper hanging from her fingers.

"It's a contest, for a Dream Valentine's Giveaway," Tamara said, hopping off her seat with renewed energy, "Each year, ten students get..."

"I know, I know," Jocelyn sighed, rolling her eyes, "the Valentine's Day of their dreams. Sorry, not interested."

"But why not?" Tamara pouted, "It's not like you have something better to do on Valentine's Day."

Jocelyn shot Tamara a cold look, startling the older girl. "Believe me, there are far better things for me to occupy my time with than a blind date with a perfect stranger. Sorry, but I'm not one to believe in those fairy tale romances."

With that, Jocelyn crumbled the rose-colored paper into a tight ball, and fired it into the air, landing perfectly in the waste basket next to the kitchen counter. Then, Jocelyn returned to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Befuddled, Tamara went to the waste basket, and pulled out the questionnaire. "What was that all about?" she wondered aloud, smoothing the wrinkles from the paper.

"I didn't expect her to react that way," Rachel commented, rising from her seat on the couch, "Maybe we should talk to her?"

Tamara nodded, her lips pressed tightly.

Jocelyn lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. A frown forming on her face, she rolled onto her stomach, and unearthed a paperback novel from beneath a pile of clothing on the floor beside her bed. She tried to lose herself in the novel's plot, but for some reason, it was even less engaging than she had expected.

"I hate Valentine's Day," she muttered, her frown deepening, "Why on earth do I have to be reminded of it now... over a month before it happens!"

A sigh escaped her lips as she heard a gentle knock on her door. "Come in," she called. Rachel and Tamara entered the room, and each took a seat at opposite corners of Jocelyn's bed. Jocelyn rose to a sitting position, and eyed her roommates expectantly.

"Well?" she inquired.

"What's bothering you, Jocie?" Tamara asked, getting directly to the point, "What got you so upset?"

Jocelyn shrugged. "I'm just tired is all."

Rachel grimaced. "I think there's something more to it. Care to share?"

"Not really," was her answer, as she reached for her book again.

One glance at her roommates convinced her that they weren't planning on leaving before she told them.

"Fine," she sighed, gathering her knees to her chest, "You guys both know that I graduated from high school really early, so I'm easily the youngest person on campus, right?"

Two nods were her answers.

"Well, that's basically it. It's the same problem that's made social life hell for me. Last year, senior year in high school, there was a Valentine's Ball, only for the senior class. Needless to say... no one asked me. So, I bravely went alone. I figured, hey... I was a senior, and I had every right to attend. But, I knew I was out of place. Everyone ignored me. They just knew that a fifteen year old girl had no business being at a senior dance. They knew it... and I knew it."

A shadow crossed Jocelyn's eyes. "I was never so humiliated in all my life."

Jocelyn looked back at her roommates once again. "Now, it's even worse. I'm as old as juniors in high school. What college student would want to go out with a sixteen year old? It's robbing the cradle!"

"Jocelyn, there isn't that much of a discrepancy between you and the other freshman," Tamara said soothingly, "Don't forget, Keith's two years older than me. That never made a difference."

"Well... I've had a bad experience," Jocelyn muttered, tightening her arms around her legs, "I'd rather avoid it. I mean, how comfortable would I be, alone with a perfect stranger? And chances are he'll look at me, and see someone more like his little sister than a date. I'd rather spare myself."

Tamara opened her mouth to say more, but Rachel grasped her upper arm, and shook her head. Grudgingly, Tamara rose to her feet, taking the pink sheet of paper with her. Once they left the bedroom, Rachel gently closed the door behind her.

"Poor thing," she sighed, "That's the kind of experience every girl dreads."

"But she can't let it hinder her from living her life," Tamara said, glancing at the questionnaire again, "This match system really does work. It'll make sure to match her with a guy who knows how to treat her. It's not like the lottery or something. There's a selection process."

"Well, she doesn't want to risk it," Rachel said, a yawn escaping her, "Anyway, I've got to get to work on that history report," she muttered, slowly moving towards her bedroom, "See you, Tammy."

Tamara watched Rachel step into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Biting her lower lip, Tamara's gaze fell back to the pink sheet, still slightly wrinkled. After taking another quick glance at both the closed bedroom doors, Tamara grabbed a pen from the cup of writing utensils on the counter, and read the questionnaire carefully.

"What do I look for in a potential boyfriend/girlfriend?" she whispered, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought. Jocie's very delicate, so she needs a sensitive guy, who'll know how to treat a girl, and get her to open up and have a good time. He'll also need a sense of humor, to help break the ice and make her feel comfortable. She's really afraid of older, more serious guys... so a playful, fun-loving guy, but who's mature enough to know a lady deserves respect and flattery...

Then, Tamara began quickly writing down the criteria that raced through her hyperactive mind.

February 10th

"Okay," Rachel said, pushing the door of the office open. She looked around, and saw volunteers for that year's Dream Valentine's Giveaway rushing to and fro, carrying sheets of pink surveys, counting, and assorting. After surveying the chaos, she made her way to a desk near the entrance, where a young man with wire frame glasses and short black hair was seated, gnawing at a Pay Day candy bar while scrolling down a computer screen.

"Well?" she asked, leaning over the desk, "Are the results in?"

"Here you go, Boss," he said, handing her a pink sheet of paper, "Those are the five couples, with their names and addresses. Who's supposed to mail them their little invitations?"

"I'll take care of it," she said, unfolding the paper as she walked away, "Thanks, Jerry."

Jerry nodded, and returned to what he was doing.

Rachel found her seat in the corner of the hectic office, and read the names of the couples silently. Her dark eyes widened to saucers as she processed the last couple on the list.

"What?!" she shrieked with disbelief, staring up at Jerry, "Are you sure about this?"

Jerry nodded, a perplexed expression on his face. "This is the fourth year I've done this! Of course I did it right."

Rachel blinked, leaning back into her chair. "I don't understand. I thought she didn't even bother entering this contest..."

Then, a smirk crossed her face. "This could be quite interesting... but we have to make sure that they don't find out who they're paired with."

Immediately, Rachel picked up the telephone, and dialed her own phone number. "Craig and Tammy are gonna flip when they hear this!"

February 12th

Jocelyn exhaled slowly, shaking her head slightly as she fumbled through her keychain to locate her mailbox key.

"I can't believe how hard that exam was," she muttered, slowly turning the lock. She pulled open the small door, and stuck her hand blindly inside. Her eyes widened when she felt something soft and delicate within. Grasping it, she pulled it out.

"A red carnation?" she uttered in bewilderment. She then realized a small pink envelope was in her mailbox. Still in shock, she pulled it out and tore the small heart-shaped sticker holding it closed.

"Congratulations, Miss Jocelyn Armand, for being one of the ten winners of the Dream Valentine's Giveaway..."

Her jaw dropped, as she continued to stare at the card.

"On Valentine's Day you will receive another card like this one, telling you the rendezvous location for your evening out. You will receive the note by noon."

Bewildered, Jocelyn slowly began walking to the elevator. "But... I didn't even enter the contest!"

Her eyes widened with realization, as she pushed the Up button. "Tammy! It had to be!"

"Today's the big day," Rachel said, watching as Tamara stepped out of the bathroom, wrapping her long raven hair in a towel.

An excited smile tugged on Tamara's lips. "When's she due back?"

"She had an exam at five, so she should be coming back any minute now," Rachel answered, glancing at her watch, "I put the carnation in her mailbox myself, so it will certainly be there when she checks her mail."

Tamara pulled the towel from her hair, draping it over her shoulders, and shaking her damp waves slightly. "So, what are we gonna do to keep it a secret?" she inquired.

"I already talked to Craig about it. We just have to keep them apart for the next two days. It shouldn't be that hard, especially considering how much preparation they'll need to do. Considering Jocie had absolutely no intention of dating, I doubt she has a nice dress."

Tamara began rubbing her hands in anticipation. "Don't worry, my friend. I'll make sure Jocelyn looks like a movie star! Ooo, I can't wait!"

Rachel shrugged in reply, although Tamara could easily discern her preoccupation.

"What's wrong, Ray?"

"I was just thinking... what if this date doesn't go well? There's a lot at stake here. It could completely ruin their friendship."

Tamara frowned. "Nah, I don't think so. They get along too well to be separated by a little date. And to be perfectly honest, I think they'd make an adorable couple! I'm really surprised nothing's happened between them yet. Maybe this is the chance they needed."

Just then, both girls heard a key turn in the front door. They quickly separated, and busied themselves to appear as unexpecting as possible of the news they knew Jocelyn had brought with her.

"Hey guys," Jocelyn said, pushing the door open. Her greeting was rather flat, and her expression was unreadable.

"Did the test go okay?" Rachel inquired, glancing up from the book she was reading.

"Yeah," Tamara added, stepping out of the bathroom while pulling a comb through her long hair, "With all the studying you did, it couldn't have been that hard."

Jocelyn shrugged. "The test went fine. But this is another matter." Then, Jocelyn pulled a red carnation from behind her back.

Rachel gasped. "Jocie, that's wonderful! Who's it from?"

"The Dream Valentine thing," she responded, light brown eyes fixed on her other roommate, "You know, that contest I decided not to enter."

Tamara glanced away sheepishly. "I just figured you'd need a little push is all."

"But I told you I wanted nothing to do with this!" Jocelyn muttered, folding her arms, "Now I'm stuck on a date with a perfect stranger. Do you have any idea what kind of pressure I'm dealing with here?"

"I think that's your first problem, Joce," Rachel commented, standing up and taking the flower from Jocelyn's grasp, "Valentine's Day is supposed to be a fun holiday... a day for people to reflect on love, and have a good time. Now, I understand how you'd be hesitant about a blind date, but again, you're not being asked to marry the guy. You've been matched with someone carefully chosen to match your particular personality. You may not fall in love with him, but at least you're bound to have a good time with him. Try and look at it that way."

Jocelyn sighed weakly, sitting down on the couch. "But, I have nothing to wear..."

"Leave that to me!" Tamara said, abruptly grabbing Jocelyn's arm, and leading her to her room, "Tell me what your schedule looks like for the next couple of days, so I can figure out when we'll get your hair and nails done, and buy your dress..."

Rachel laughed slightly. "Well, have fun, Ladies. I'll go see what Craig and Matt are up to."

"Wait!" Jocelyn called, pulling out of Tamara's grip, "Don't tell either of them about this! In fact, don't tell anyone. It'll be a lot less embarrassing if no one else is the wiser."

"You got it," Rachel conceded, hiding her smile.

A few minutes later, Rachel knocked on the front door to Craig and Matthew's apartment. She heard footsteps approaching, and smiled when she saw Craig open the door for her.

"What's up?" she asked, stepping into the apartment.

"Well, you're not going to believe this," he said, winking at her, "but Matt's won the Dream Valentine competition!"

"Hey!" Matthew shouted, stepping out of his room, "I wanted to tell her!"

"Congratulations!" Rachel exclaimed, hugging her friend tightly, "See? I told you to enter."

Matt stepped away from Rachel, a frown on his face. "Hey... you didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

"Huh?"

"You're on the selection committee, right?"

"Yes," Rachel conceded, "but all the questionnaires are anonymous for our reading. The names are blanked off our copies, so we can't bias the selection. You wont fair and square."

Matt's smile returned. "Well, is there any way you can figure out for me who I'm going out with?"

Rachel glared at him. "Do you want to ruin the surprise?!"

"Well... I guess not," he decided.

"So," said Craig, "do you have anything to wear? La Terrace is a very exclusive restaurant, you know. And, you want to make sure to impress your dream date."

"I don't think I brought a suit with me," Matt said, walking back into his bedroom, "Lemme check."

While Matthew was gone, Craig turned to Rachel.

"So, how're things with Jocie?"

"Going great!" Rachel whispered back, keeping a careful eye on the portal to Matt's room, "She's clearly nervous, but at least she wants to keep it a secret that she's won. So, all we need to do is keep Matt quiet about winning, and then neither of them will have the foggiest idea."

Craig's grin widened. "I just love a good conspiracy!"

February 14th

The warm breezes wove through the air, rustling the ivy vines that were wrapped around the white stone arch that was the entrance to the Fine Arts school at UCLA. It was also the perfect place to meet a mystery date.

White steps climbed to the arch, and then became a white stone walkway, through the green front yard, with flower beds all along the building. Then, the majestic Gothic building stood about fifty yards back from the arch, a work of art in and of itself.

The place felt like something from a fairy tale.

Matthew gulped, playing with the knot of his deep green tie, as he thought about it. Here he was... Matthew O'Conner, a skinny kid from Connecticut, who'd never had any luck with the opposite sex.

Here he was, about to meet the girl of his dreams.

Of course, he didn't let that thought run away with him. After all, chances were very good that they won't hit it off at all. Or, they could wind up being good friends. Yet, he was still convinced that the young woman he was about to encounter was probably the best match for him at the university.

He'd do his best to sweep her off her feet.

His heart leapt into his throat as he heard the sounds of heels clicking along the stone walkway. He quickly straightened out the carnation pinned to his jacket, cleared his throat slightly, and took a breath.

He heard the footsteps behind him getting louder.

"Um, excuse me," said a charming, yet startlingly familiar voice, "I..."

Matthew spun around, confusion wrinkling his brow. He knew that voice as well as he had known his own.

His emerald eyes widened as they were treated to a sight that literally swept his breath away.

A simple black cocktail dress draped her athletic body, leaving her arms and much of her shapely legs plainly visible. Her legs were bound in black nylons, taking up where the dress left off at about mid thigh, and trailing down to her shoes, where a slightly daring heel brought the short girl several inches higher from the ground. An elegant pearl necklace adorned her neck, and matched perfectly with a dainty bracelet hanging from her slender wrist, and the pendulum earrings that dangled from her ears. Her golden brown hair was curled, and was allowed to freely bounce about her bare shoulders, framing her angelic face, which was lightly kissed with make-up to accentuate her natural beauty.

Matthew was speechless with surprise... and admiration.

"Matt?!" she cried, her fawn eyes wide with shock as she stepped back, "Is that you? You look..."

Jocelyn then blushed faintly, brushing away the thought quickly. "What are you doing here?!"

It was then that Jocelyn noticed the carnation, that contrasted greatly to the elegant black of his suit. She gasped.

"Oh..." she whispered, clearly overwhelmed with surprise. She blinked, as if trying to come to grips with the startling revelation. "You're my date?!"

Jocelyn's bewildered expression melted through Matthew's state of stupefaction, causing a smile to highlight his face. At first, he smiled... but the smile soon became a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked, even more confused by Matthew's reaction.

Despite herself, she began laughing as well.

"And here I was, expecting the most stressful night of my life," Matt said, between laughs, "You have no idea how nervous I was!"

Jocelyn continued to giggle. "Me too. Honestly, I was dreading this."

Her laughs died, and she wrapped her arms around one of Matt's. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend Valentine's Day with, than my best friend."

Matt's laughter died as well, and a warm grin crossed his face. "Ditto." Just then, a car horn grasped the pair's attention. They looked to the street, and saw a black stretch limousine parked just in front of the arch.

"Shall we?" Matt asked, gazing down at his date.

"Let's," she replied, letting him escort her to the car. As Matt helped Jocelyn into the car, his smile widened.

Here he was, going on a date with the smartest, sweetest, most beautiful person he knew. Even if this was only a one-time event, it was something to be cherished.

As he stepped into the car beside her, he noticed she was busily pouring a bottled beverage into two glasses.

"What's that?" he inquired.

Jocelyn smiled, handing him a glass. "It's sparkling apple cider. You know the university isn't going to supply us with real alcohol."

Matt grinned, accepting the glass. Jocelyn then lifted her own. "So, what do we toast?"

Matthew raised his glass, and tapped it against Jocelyn's. "To... my best friend... my Valentine."