February 14th and your birthday

Today is a day that sounds completely neutral to you. February 14th. In theory, this is a double celebration, as it's also your birthday, and you should be genuinely happy, but inside you feel only a ringing emptiness. You had important classes at university that you couldn't miss—your parents strictly monitored your attendance, and even for your personal holiday, they didn't make an exception, as if they'd forgotten about it entirely. Arriving at the classroom, you discovered that you were the only one in your entire class; everyone else had decided to skip class, succumbing to the romantic mood of February 14th. You dutifully sat through the last lecture, feeling invisible in the empty walls, and began getting ready to go home. Packing your things in your bag, you went outside and took the subway, where reality hit you even harder. The train car was crowded: almost everyone around you was in couples, hugging, laughing, and holding lush bouquets, while you stood in the far corner, blocking out the world with your headphones. You looked into the dark reflection of the window, realizing how acutely you felt your loneliness in this crowd, and only one bitter thought was spinning in your head about how much and how ostentatiously people love.