Just Sh*t: A New York City Story

Chapter 15: The Package

The package sat innocuously in the middle of the living room, blending in with the usual clutter of the boys' apartment. But there was one detail that drew everyone's attention: Jamie's name scrawled across the label in thick, bold black ink, with no return address. The box was medium-sized, large enough to hold something unexpected but not oversized.

Alex glanced at it and smirked. "Yo, Jamie, you expecting something?" He gave the box a nudge with his foot, curiosity piqued.

Jamie, lying sprawled across the couch, answered nonchalantly. "Uh, no... not that I know of."

Judah picked up the package and gave it a cautious shake, listening for any telltale sound. "It's not heavy. But what's inside?"

Ryan squinted at the label. "There's no return address either. That's kind of sketchy."

The room fell silent for a moment as they all stared at the box, exchanging uncertain glances.

Alex crossed his arms and grinned, always one for stirring things up. "Well, it's got your name on it. Maybe it's some secret admirer sending you a surprise."

Jamie sat up, rolling his eyes. "If that's the case, I don't think I want to know what's inside."

Jackson, who had been sitting quietly on the floor spoke up, his tone more serious. "We should be careful. Could be something... dangerous." He eyed the package as if it might suddenly explode. Maybe it would.

A tense, awkward silence followed. No one wanted to be the one to open the mystery box, but none of them could resist the curiosity gnawing at the edges of their minds.

Ryan gave Jamie a playful nudge. "C'mon, man, it's your package. Open it!"

Jamie, sighing dramatically as if he was doing them all a favor, shrugged. "Fine, fine! But if this thing blows up, I'm haunting all of you." He grabbed a knife from the kitchen.

With exaggerated caution, Jamie sliced through the tape sealing the box while the rest of the group gathered around, leaning in expectantly. Their eyes were glued to the box, each waiting for some grand reveal. Jamie hesitated for a second, then slowly pulled back the flaps.

Inside was... a plush toy of a pirate. The toy had a crooked grin, an eye patch, and a tiny plastic sword sewn into its soft hands. The pirate's fabric beard and wonky hat made it all the more ridiculous. Next to it was a folded piece of paper.

Judah raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh, come on. What is that?"

Jamie stared down at the pirate in confusion, pulling it out by its tiny peg leg. "This... is not what I expected."

Alex burst out laughing, leaning forward to get a closer look. "Dude, who's sending you pirate plushies?" he asked, clearly enjoying Jamie's confusion.

Still frowning, Jamie unfolded the note and squinted at the nearly illegible handwriting. "For Captain Jamie, the bravest of all pirates. Keep sailing the seas!" he read aloud.

The boys erupted into laughter.

Ryan clapped a hand on Jamie's shoulder, barely able to contain his amusement. "Captain Jamie! Looks like someone thinks you're leading a secret pirate life."

Jamie grinned but still looked bewildered, glancing between the note and the plush pirate. "Okay, this is weird. Who sent this?"

Jackson deadpanned, "Maybe it's a message. You need to embrace your pirate destiny."

Judah chuckled and crossed his arms. "You never know, man. This could be the start of something big."

As they passed the toy around, playfully inspecting its shoddy craftsmanship, Jamie still couldn't figure out who had sent it. But one thing was certain—whether he liked it or not, for the rest of the night, he was stuck with the nickname Captain Jamie.