Nugget Valentine

Day 1

Okay I'm going to have to tell you one of my shittiest experiences as a 17 year old. I am a hopeless romantic, very single and valentine-less for almost 2 years. I'm talking not a single crush on me. I've had a couple of crushes on people but forget that bit, it's irrelevant.

Let me take you back one week, when it all started.

February 14th

So I'm casually just riding home from school with my best friend and neighbour Jumana Perez on our bicycles when we have to stop because there was this HUGE delivery truck blocking the entrance into our apartment building. I have to get off and leave my bike on the side before I go to tell the driver to give us some space. There was no driver. I turn to Jumana and motion with my hand. She only shrugs and frowns at me. 

I'm turning towards my door when a man comes out of our building in a uniform, empty handed. He only glances at me before climbing into the truck. Before I can tell him off, he drives away. 

"What was that about? Why was he parked so close to out door?" Juma asks me. 

"I don't know man, let's just get inside." I grab my bike and we get them both in through the door. We kept them down the hallway so we can ride to school, which was quite far from our home. 

Jumana lived on the floor below mine. We've been best friends since we were born. Our parents had moved here together, coincidentally. They met and bonded. Then we were born.

When I walk in through the front door, I notice the box kept on the counter. My mom is slowly working away knitting something. 

"You have a package." She says, not looking up at me. 

"Oh..." I walk towards it. It's a plain white box. "Who's it from?"

"I didn't check. It's not from the post." she shrugged. I took the box and started to head towards my room. Dropping my bag on the floor, I put the box down on the bed and sit down in front of it. I near never got packages and I did't remember ordering anything online either. Not recently anyway.

I cut through the tape and open it. 

Even before I lifted the top properly, the aroma of something fried came out to greet me. Food? I didn't order any food?

I opened the box all the way and frowned. Inside was a wrapped bouquet. Not just any bouquet. 

A chicken nugget bouquet. What in hell's blazes was this?

I notice the card stuck to the inside of the top and pull it off. It was stuck on with tape so it wasn't too difficult. 

Dear fine lady, 

What a fine lady you are. Hope you appreciate this. Happy Valentine's Day, my dear valentine. 

-H

Who?

I'm staring at the card in confusion. Behind the bouquet's cloth is a little closed bottle full of ketchup. 

Was this supposed to be a Valentine's day gift??? I haven't gotten a Valentine's gift in near two years, ever since I switched to the all girl's school. My love life was practically nonexistent after I had transferred. Sure I had some guy pals I still met up with once in a while but none of them had a name starting with H. This was beyond unbelievable. Who was this?!

The thought occurred to me that it could be a girl from school but I didn't know any girls who liked girls who's name started with H either. 

Whoever this was, it's quite a romantic gesture–even if it was unbelievably creepy that some stranger I didn't know knew where I lived. I enjoyed the nuggets and pushed the card into my desk drawer before throwing away the bouquet cloth which was covered in grease. Who even thought that was a good idea?!