Valentine's Day is very good day for people who have love to exchange presents and flowers to express their love and friendship. On one Valentine's Day, Vichea thought it was a very good chance to show his love for Mom, his dearest girl. He spent all his pocket money, which he had saved for a long period of time to buy a stem of red rose for Mom. On that Valentine's Day morning, Vichea got up so early and wore a very nice cloth of university uniform and went to the university by his old bicycle—a gift from his father when he passed the diploma degree of grade nine. He put his rose in a very safe place in his old bag. As he arrived at university, he saw a few of his classmates, carrying a very big bunch of beautiful roses, were standing and waiting for someone. "Don't you have flowers for your girlfriend?" One of his friend asked." No, I have no girlfriend and no money to buy it." a poor countryside boy answered with a wondering face that he had just known for his first time. Mom also wore a very nice dress to come to the class on that day. She expected to get roses from Vichea, her lovely boy in her heart. As she arrived at the university, she left from her expensive car and she saw Vichea and walked toward him with a perfect smile. Suddenly, she asked Vichea without letting him say hi to her" Whom do you plan to buy and give flowers today?" "I don't know who should give because I don't have a girlfriend like others." Vichea answered coldly. Then one of the rich and handsome classmate called Sangha had a bunch of about twenty five roses in his hands and said "Mom could you kindly receive my roses? I bought for you only." Mom replied in a friendly way that she didn't want to receive any roses from anyone, for she was waiting from someone else. Two more of Vichea's classmates also asked Mom to receive their roses, but they all had the same answers like Sangha. Because of these problems, Vichea dare not to give his flower to Mom. He kept the rose in one of his book and took it back to his home. When Mom waited for roses from Vichea for a long time, Vichea seemed to ignore her. So at the end of the class, she went home with a sad feeling and she also was very disappointed with Vichea. Vichea felt so regretful and hopeless, for he hadn't gave the rose to his dearest girl. They both still kept everything secretly not to spread it out as their hearts nearly stopped working when they dared not to say the words "I love you".
One day, there was a rich, handsome guy named Sambo came to contact with her family and asked for marring Mom. When Mom got this information, she could hardly decide, and she didn't love that guy she loved only Vichea. She was not sure whether Vichea loved her or not? She tried to express her words related to love with Vichea, but Vichea acted like he didn't love her whenever she talked to him. One day after class, she tried to meet Vichea and asked him" Have you loved anyone that you dare not to say?" "No, I am a student and poor countryside boy, I don't want to think about love." Vichea answered normally." If you love someone who is rich, do you dare to tell her that you love her?" she raised another question." Yes, why not?" he responded quickly. Mom learnt that she was not the one in Vichea's heart, so she decided to marry Sambo. She told her parents that she agreed with the request of Sambo. And both Mom and Sambo's family arranged the marriage. Both parents found a good day for their children wedding. The wedding day of Mom was coming soon; she invited many guests for her wedding party and Vichea was one of her guests she had invited. A few days before her wedding day, Mom tried to meet Vichea at the university, for she really wanted to ask him with her last question before she got marry. As they met each other," Do you feel regretful when you do not dare to say something to the one you love and she gets marry with another guy?" Mom asked. He felt tense and confused when Mom kept on pestering him. He was about to tell the truth but when he knew that his dearest girl was about to marry her rich fiancé, he dared not to break his lovely girl happiness. That's why he replied with a hurt heart" I don't feel regretful."
The wedding day of Mom was coming sooner and sooner. Vichea, the strongly hearted guy could not accept the fact and decided to leave the city and university for working in field with his family in the province. He felt very sorry of what he had done to Mom. He tried to remind what he had done and what he had not done during the time he studied and was with her. He tried to read books to forget everything he had done with her. On the wedding day of Mom, Vichea felt very sad and hopeless; he read many books, and he came across with one book, which he kept the rose for Mom on the Valentine's Day. The power of the dry rose made him strongly miss Mom and break the wall of shyness and he decided to go to join Mom's wedding on that day.
When he arrived at the party where was in Mom's villa in Toul Kork it was a bit late. He saw many people happily participating in her wedding. He saw some of his classmates at the wedding party and he asked where the bride was. Then as he knew where Mom was, he went to meet Mom at the make-up room. He went to meet her with hands carrying a dry rose and passed it to her. "This is the rose which I planed to give you on the Valentine's Day, but I was so shy and dared not to give you. I think I have no more chance to give you, that's why I have to give yon now." Vichea said bravely to Mom. As soon as Mom got these words she gave Vichea a big slap. "Only one word which I have been waiting for long time you dare not to say and now it's too late. You are not a boy. "She cried." Now I'm not available to receive your sweet words anymore. I am Sambo's wife. I've just known a coward boy like you today" She continued." I'm sorry, but the poverty made me refuse to say so. I feel really regretful, I'm sorry" Vichea said." Sorry? Is it a good word to say now? You make me like this" She asked. Then she hugged Vichea tightly to her chest, and they both expressed their strongly true love. Sambo, who had been told what happened with his lovely wife, came with a gun. And at the time he saw they both were hugging each other, he came up with a great anger. He quickly pointed the gun to Vichea " Who are you? What is the relationship between you and my wife?" Sambo asked and he was very curious about Vichea's answer." She's my girlfriend." Vichea replied bravely to Sambo." No you are not my boyfriend. This is my husband. You are my classmate who I have known for about eight months." Said Mom abruptly. As she saw Sambo was ready to fight with Vichea. She just said those words out in order to protect Vichea from Sambo's bad treatments. As Mom had just finished her words, Sambo raised his gun and shot Vichea two ballets. Vichea fell down to the earth soaking blood over his body, and Mom ran to lift Vichea up and held him tightly." I love you only one. Do you love me?" Vichea asked Mom. Mom was hard to hear Vichea's voice rising and falling." Yes, Yes, Yes! I love you I stood still and waited this word for ages since we were in the university together. I love you very much my love!" She quickly responded and her voice was hoarse as tears choked her. Then, Vichea died with a smiling face and closing eyes in Mom's hands. Mom cried very loudly as she knew that Vichea had left this world. Sambo was caught to jail and the wedding party became the funeral ceremony of Vichea.
The End