"I beg to differ. Look at Coleman''s hands. He didn''t bring anything with him at all.”


    "Eh? I think you''re right. If he isn''t here to give Bonnie a Valentine''s Day gift, then why is he here? Did hee just to speak up for her?"


    "Why is it so hard to figure it out? Obviously, he''s just here to keep up appearances. Hees from a wealthy family. There''s no way he woulde empty-handed and not give Bonnie anything on Valentine''s Day."


    "You make a fine point. I also think he''s here just for show."


    Bonnie had been wearing a pair of earphones the entire time. Then, she saw Coleman and took it off.


    She sounded puzzled when she asked him, "What are you doing here, Coleman?"


    He stared at her wlessly delicate face, and his heart started pounding like crazy.


    ''How I wish I could prepare a Valentine''s Day gift for her and see the excitement on her face. I''d love to get her praise and validation.


    ''She''s just such an incredibledy. What right do I have to be giving her a gift on Valentine''s Day? If I do it, I just might lose her as a friend for good...''


    The more he thought about it, the more his eyes dimmed. He looked at her with conflicting feelings.


    "Bonnie..."


    She thought there was something strange about him. "Is something wrong, Coleman?"


    He gathered hisposure immediately and forced a smile.


    "I-It''s nothing. I''m just here to tell you that what they said doesn''t define you. So, don''t let them bother you."


    "Oh. Is that why you came here?"


    Bonnie finally understood. She


    shrugged at him and said, "You don''t


    have tofort me over something so insignificant, though. I don''t about what they say."


    He let out a sigh of relief and said, "T-That''s great."


    "Yeah." She responded faintly. Coleman went silent, too.


    An eerie silence hung over the both of them.


    Everyone else in the lecture hall was holding their breath. They were so ready to see how this would unfold. They wanted to see if Coleman would pull out a gift and give it to Bonnie. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He stared at her before tearing his gaze away reluctantly.


    "I''m going to leave now, Bonnie. Let me know if anyone picks on you and badmouths you again. I''ll be back to teach them a lesson!"


    ''I might not be able to give her a gift, but I can certainly teach people lessons for her sake.''


    She responded with a smile, "I got it.


    I don''t really need you toe all


    the way here to teach them a lesson, but I''m happy that you made the


    BUMS


    offer."


    ''None of thesedies have said anything that triggered me. That''s why I left them alone. Otherwise, I would''ve beaten the crap out of them myself.''