"Thank you for being a good friend, Justin. Really, thank you." He smiled, nodded his head and then tried to take advantage of the opportunity.
"I'm guessing I've been good enough to get another slice of your pizza, right?" He tried to sell his request with a puppy dog look.
"It's not working Justin. Go to bed. Goodnight." He rolled his eyes at me, lifted his body from the dining table and walked into the kitchen to put the dishes away. It seemed like he had his fill of pasta also.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the doorbell chiming. I laid back a while, expecting that Justin would get it. The doorbell went off again, and yet again. I heard Justin screaming my name from somewhere in the apartment.
I had fallen asleep on the couch. I look at my phone screen, it's only 8:30am. Who could that be? Justin hardly gets any visitors and neither do I.
"Justin!" I yelled out.
"Get the door! I am in the restroom." I got up lazily from the couch as the doorbell went off yet again.
"Hold on please!" I walked towards the door, ensuring my night wear is properly covered up and in order. I opened the door and a delivery man is standing in front of it with a package in his hands.
"Good morning, miss. I have a delivery for Ashley Lane." A delivery? I am sure the new work clothes I ordered could not have arrived already. I just placed the order late in the evening yesterday.
"I am Ashley." I said, giving him the assurance that he was at the right place and speaking to the right person.
"Oh, alrighty then. Please sign here Miss Ashley to confirm that you received the package." He extended a form on a clipboard and a pen to me, which I collected and began to sign.
"I wonder who sent this package to me and what’s in it” I said still curious as I handed back the signed form and a pen back to him. He collected his items and handed me the package with a smile.
"I'm guessing you'll get the answers to that when you open the package, miss."
With that, he turned to leave. I watched him walk down the hallway and then I glanced at the package in my hands again.
I heard Justin’s voice and I immediately drew my head back into the apartment and shut the door. I turned to see Justin standing in front of me.
"Who was it?" He asked with his eyes on the package in my hands.
"Some delivery guy. He came to drop this off. It was for me." I responded peeping into the package to see if I could spot the contents.
"Did he say who it's from?" Justin was surprised as much as I was.
"No, not at all. He didn’t say."
"Well, open it up then." He stood close to me as I went ahead to place the package on the table while carefully unwrapping it to open the package.
The contents revealed a box with a note at the top which read - Just making sure you have something to wear for the night.
I went on to open the box. It contained a dress, a pair of shoes and a set of really nice and seemingly expensive jewelry. I looked at Justin who was staring at me with a grin from ear to ear.
"What's so funny? Are you the one behind this?" I asked, not being able to think of anyone else who could pull off such a stunt.
"Me? No. Do you see that Jewelry? I would have to save up for several months to get you all of these. I think you have a secret admirer now. It's about time, you know." He winked at me as he proceeded to check out the dress.
"Wow! This is lovely and it's also just about your size. I bet it’ll be the perfect fit!"
"Isn't this somewhat creepy? I mean, there's no name on the note, yet the person knows my size, where I live, even about the party tonight. How am I sure that I am not dealing with a stalker? Or worse, a serial killer?" Justin rolled his eyes at me.
"You keep watching all those horror movies even when I ask you not to. Now you can't even appreciate a simple romantic gesture."
"Justin...come on!"
"Try out the dress, Ashley. Let's see how it fits. There's nothing to get frantic about. Your secret admirer probably does not intend to reveal himself just yet. Maybe he's just shy. Enjoy the serenade while it lasts. Try on the dress please, I'm dying to see how it looks on you."
Justin just made me feel a bit better. I suddenly find myself smiling.