Cole's never received flowers on Valentine's Day before, let alone twelve flowers from five different people, and he makes no effort to hide how happy this makes him. He smiles and admires each of them, breathing in their delicate scents and touching their soft petals and memorizing their shapes and colors. They're beautiful. Then he starts reading the cards: Gabi's and Zoey's and Hazel's (which makes him laugh -- he'll draw her any time she wants, really, and he'll tell her so later). Then he reads Micah's and looks at the accompanying picture for a long time; the picture of all his friends and classmates at the sophomore seance. And him and Calvin huddled together under a cloak because he'd forgotten to bring a jacket. He doesn't have many pictures (or any pictures?) of them all together and, even if the seance had been unsettling in some ways, he'll treasure this one. He thinks he might even know where to put it.

Then, finally, he picks up Calvin's card, which is attached to six lovely irises. This one takes him more time to read, both because it's longer and because he has to read it more than once before he actually comprehends the words. But even he knows what more than just a friend means. He thinks. Apart from a hint of uncertainty, his expression is difficult to read when he looks up in search of Calvin...only to find he isn't there. Then he recalls that his roommate had said something about helping the Event Committee this morning. He hesitates, silently considering as he brings the irises to his face and breathes in their sweet and subtle aroma again. It's nice.

Abruptly, he stands up, leaving the flowers and his friends at the table to look for his roommate.