“ I brought you flowers.”

Of all the people I expected to see framed in my doorway, Roman Davis definitely was the last person I thought I’d see there. Least of all on Valentine’s Day.

“ What are you doing here? ”

He shifted on his feet. For a baseball jock, math enthusiast, and all-around fairly popular guy at our high school, he seemed very nervous.

“ It’s Valentine’s Day.” He said

“ So?” I replied.

He rubbed his neck and sighed, seeming to try to stand a little straighter. Although it didn't matter to me. I had always found his dark turquoise eyes his best feature. Although that wasn’t all he had going for him. He had dark brown hair, which often fell in waves around a square jaw that led up to those gorgeous blue-green eyes.

Not that I noticed.

Or cared.

He took another deep breath, closed his eyes, and seemingly all at once, blurted out a string of words:

“ WillyoubemyvalentineJeanette?”

I gaped at him. He, however, seemed to have relaxed after saying what he wanted to say, and now stared at me expectantly.

“ Did you—”

“ I heard what you said.” I said, still gaping at him, “ I just don't understand why you said it.” And I meant it. I was the bookish girl who always kept her head down and did her work. I was also pretty plain, with auburn brown wavy hair, pale skin, amber eyes, and a light smattering of freckles.

Now he was gaping at me, seemingly perplexed

“ What do you mean you don't understand?”

“ I mean..” I said, feeling suddenly flustered. Words, I mentally screamed Why are words so hard for you now?! You're usually good with words.

I took a deep breath and finally settled on something. “ Aren't you with Lina?”

He grinned at that, and my shoulders instantly relaxed, relieved I hadn't said something stupid.

“ I broke up with her three weeks ago. Didn't you know?”

No, I wanted to say, No, I didn't know that. But instead, I, like the fool I was, blurted out something else. “ Why me? Why now?”

I was even surprised that he was awake and dressed for school at this ungodly hour. I, however, was dressed for my morning run in black sweats, Adidas sneakers, and my favorite deep yellow hoodie.

He grinned again, that familiar devilish smile setting my heart racing, before his face settled back into a soft gentleness, as if he needed to assure me.

“ I want you to go out with me, Jeanette Thornfield, because you are lovely and smart and pretty dang sharp-witted. I really like you, and I’ve liked you for a while now, actually.”

I gasped like a fish, opening and shutting my mouth, unsure of what to say. He laughed when he saw my face, and then smiled broadly, and at that, I couldn’t help but blush. His gaze immediately quieted, and his face softened around the edges.

“You can decide whether or not you want to go out with me. But I, for one, am sincerely hoping you’ll say yes.”

Say something!, my brain shouted at me: Say anything. Say yes!

“Yes!” I stuttered, my mouth finally catching up with my brain. “Yes, Roman, I would love to go out with you!” I smiled, and he smiled back, his giddy grin stretching the broad planes of his face.

“Perfect! I’ll pick you up at six.”He winked, and then strode back to his car, a red Toyota, whistling as he walked. I looked until his car swerved out of view, and then ran up to my room, screaming into my pillow. I couldn’t believe it. I, Jeanette Elizabeth Thornfield, a silly sixteen-year-old sophomore, was going to go on a date with Roman Davis, the cool senior baseball jock and insanely smart math fanatic. It seemed almost too good to be true.

I stared out the window, a blithe smile on my lips. In the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a shadow cross the lawn and head toward the neighbor’s house. Probably Mr. Eckman, I thought: Taking Billy out for a walk. Or maybe Mr. Jensen, chasing Billy away from his roses.

I smiled, not really caring who or what, still reveling in my happiness.

Only later did I find out I was mistaken.