Sarah always ate with a tempting *smack!*smack!* sound that she makes with her mouth. The delicious sound of food being savoured with air could fill a room with delight, the way she ate. So, when I was finally alone with her in the stairwells at school, only when everyone else of significance had already departed, I fed her some chocolate, just to hear that delectable sound.

“Oh, what did you do?” she cried as she laughed and took her gift from my hands. I watched as her beautiful mouth opened and closed around the words and smiles she could not hide from me. There, I knew, her heart was easily pleased.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” I said, as shyly as I could muster. “You can eat it now, if you like,” hoping that my intent was not too obvious. Graciously, she opened the box and picked a white one, creamy and gorgeous with its pretty rose-shaped top. She bit it in half, cleanly, and suppressed more smiles as her mouth savoured it. Her two hands waved slightly in the still, stale air in obvious pleasure.

“It’s delicious!” she was close to tears. I smiled sideways at her. Of course it was delicious. I knew, being the one who bought it. She had mentioned it merely to express her joy at receiving it. I was pleased.

“Glad you like it,” I said.

“But, I’m sorry,” she swallowed, “but I didn’t think of getting anything for you.” Her pink lips smacked twice and turned to red.

“It’s okay,” I said. And, to show her that it was truly okay, I reached over her trembling arm to pluck a dark one from the little box. I popped it into my mouth with one swift motion and crushed it between my molars. The syrup from inside of it trickled out and flowed down my throat like warm blood, with a pleasing sweetness. I smiled at her again. It was very good.

Her face relaxed and she laughed in relief. Her mouth puckered and she sucked the last half of her first piece of chocolate into her mouth with a modest sound. She chewed quietly, savouring and smiling quietly under my watchful eye. The tips of her fingers touched her lips lightly, touching, until her lips made a familiar smacking sound again. I could tell she was pleased.

Sarah, I understood all her movements, her actions, the sounds and words that came from her mouth. I knew, more than anything, that no one else would ever know how to please her the way I could. I resolved, that day, today, that no one else would be allowed to have her. Sarah, my angel, my Venus. My heart beat faster for the day that I would finally make her mine.