Summary: So it's Valentine's Day, and so far I've gotten a rose delivered to me in every one of my classes. Sweet, right? Oh, but they're not from my boyfriend. No, he didn't get me anything. Why? Because he's thoughtless. Believe it or not, these roses aren't from him. They're from my best friend.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. (:

P.S. I like to steal my friends' names.

First Period (English)

We're working on our essays when one of the office TAs comes in and hands something to the teacher. I ignore it, thinking that it couldn't possibly be for me. But then the teacher stands up from her desk, straightens her pencil skirt, and walks over to me.

"Looks like you've got an admirer," she says as she hands me a single white rose. Attached to it is a note.

White roses generally mean purity or innocence. But a lot of people don't know that they also stand for youthfulness. You know, like young people? We were young when we met. Well technically, we're still young. Anyway, the point is, all those memories from when we younger – I hope this rose reminds you of them.

I smile, thinking it's a gift from my boyfriend, Steven. After all, we had met when we were ten. And he is always stumbling over his words, never really knowing how to make something sound elegant or poetic. Not that he cares. He speaks just to be heard, not to be admired.

I tuck the white rose into the side pocket of my backpack and return to my essay with a smile on my face.

Second Period (History)

Again? I think as my History teacher hands me another rose. But this one isn't white, it's orange. Wondering what the note on this one says, I take the flower from my teacher and take a look.

Orange roses stand for enthusiasm and desire. When I first met you, I knew I wanted you. Okay, that sounds creepy. But I mean it!

This note makes me laugh. Typical Steven. My teacher shoots me a look, but I don't think he's really serious about being angry, because he's a real goofball. It's not like we're actually working on anything, anyway, just watching a movie about women's rights.

The girl sitting in front of me turns around and mouths "Aww!" to me, eyeing my two roses with a glint of jealousy in her eyes.

My best friend gives me a smile from the other side of the room.

Third Period (Gym)

We're running laps and my teacher calls my name. This time I'm expecting the rose (and kind of looking forward to it, too), since by now I've caught on to the pattern. Steven has probably sent me one for each period, so that by the end of the day, I'll have a whole bouquet on my hands. How sweet.

"Alexis, this came for you," my teacher says as he hands me a light pink rose.

Pink = thanks and admiration. Of course. People always make the pink stuff mean really girly things. I wonder why that is. Anyway…this rose is a token of my appreciation. Thank you for being there for me whenever I needed you.

Okay, so this is sweet and amusing, just like the other two roses. But now I'm starting to think that maybe these aren't from Steven. I don't think that Steven would use a phrase like "token of my appreciation". I don't think he even knows what appreciation means. Plus, he couldn't care less about why people always associate the color pink with girls.

This gets me thinking, but I must go back to running laps, and so I'm forced to put it out of my mind for now.

Fourth Period (Math)

The fourth rose is yellow.

I looked it up, and yellow roses stand for friendship, joy, and gladness. And also (I'm not sure how this fits in with the others, though…) jealousy. I'm glad you're my friend. I don't know what I'd do without you. And I'm jealous of Steven. He's a lucky guy.

Okay, now I know they're not from Steven. Obviously. But who else could've sent them? For the rest of the period, I can't concentrate on my math because I'm too busy contemplating. But on the bright side…I have four beautiful roses, and all the girls in my class are envious.

Lunch

I'm sitting by Steven and his friends today at lunch, because we usually trade off, and yesterday he sat at our table. Plus, he doesn't have the heart to just be a gentleman and sit with my friends, even if it is Valentine's Day.

I'm feeling slightly awkward now that I know the roses aren't from him. I'm wondering if I should tell him about them, but it turns out I don't have to, because he sees them sticking out of my bag.

"Who're those from?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say. "I thought they were from you at first."

"Sorry, Babe, I don't have any money for roses. But I'll buy you some chocolates or sumthin later, a'ight?"

I suddenly realize how shallow he sounds. It's freaking Valentine's Day, and he hasn't gotten me anything. He isn't even sitting at my table for lunch, and instead making me sit by him and all his stinky, skateboarding friends.

The roses are now laughing at me. I feel aggravated all of the sudden, and so I get up and leave. I don't know where I'm going, I just want to get away from him.

Fifth Period (Art)

I let all my anger out by drawing a particularly expressive picture. I'm not really sure what it is, but it helps me calm down.

By the time the office runner comes in with my rose, I'm already feeling better, knowing that I get to read another sweet note from a boy who is obviously much more thoughtful than my own boyfriend. The art teacher hands me my blue rose, and I practically yank it out of her hands.

Blue roses stand for the unattainable. That's you, Lexi. I can't have you, but I wish I could. Maybe after you get all my roses that'll change, but I don't know. You tell me.

My breath catches; there's only one person that calls me Lexi, and that would be my best friend, Carrigan. I wonder if the roses are from him, but then shake that thought out of my head, because that would just be ridiculous. Carrigan isn't in love with me. He can't be…can he?

Sixth Period (Biology)

Of course he would save the red rose for last; whoever he is. This time, the note is only a single sentence.

I'm pretty sure you know what red roses stand for, and I hope you've figured out who this is by now.

So now the rose sender has confessed his love to me? And…he expects me to know who he is, just from those six short notes? I take out all my roses, abandoning my bio lab, and start to examine all the notes for clues.

Someone I've known since I was young: Carrigan. We met each other when we were two and in the same preschool class. We've been best friends since. Someone who's shown interest in me since day one: Carrigan, although I'm not so sure it was romantic interest. Someone who I've helped through hard times? Carrigan again. Uh oh…I'm sensing a pattern.

Someone who is a good friend? Well, Carrigan's my BEST friend, so that's more than appropriate. Someone who can't have me. Or better yet, someone who calls me Lexi. That would also be Carrigan. I mean, of course he would feel like he can't have me…we're best friends. Isn't that kind of awkward? And lastly…someone who loves me.

…Carrigan?

After School

Because he's my next door neighbor and best friend, Carrigan is my ride home from school.

I think the roses are from him. At first I thought it would be weird if they were, but the more I think about it, the more I get used to the idea. I never really realized it before, but I actually wouldn't mind dating him. In fact, I think I'd love it.

I've been going over the notes in my head all day long, and I've managed to convince myself that they are, indeed, from Carrigan. I decide to ask him about it. But if I'm wrong and they aren't from him, then I think I'll be disappointed. So I'm scared.

"…Carrigan?"

We're driving down the road without any music on, so I figure it's a good time to talk.

"Mmhmm?" he responds absentmindedly. I think his thoughts are elsewhere, which kind of pisses me off. I want his attention! If he's really rose boy, then he should be listening to me.

I was going to ask, "Did you send me these roses?" but then I notice that we're not going to way we normally do. In fact, I'm not even sure where we are. "Um…where are we going?" I ask him.

"It's a surprise," he says.

Later

We finally arrive at wherever it is Carrigan has taken me. It's about time, too, because we were driving for nearly two hours, and it's almost dark already.

"My parents – " I begin.

"They know you're with me," he finishes. He grabs my hand and pulls me with him. I realize then that we're at a beach, and a familiar one at that.

"This is -"

"Yeah."

Can't a girl finish her own sentences?! Sheesh.

Carrigan continues leading me by the hand, and we finally stop at a large boulder. The same boulder that we used to climb on as kids when we weren't supposed to, just to see who's parents would come looking for us first. It was always mine.

He lets go of my hand and I follow him up the rock, already feeling a sense of nostalgia sweeping across me. It almost makes me tear up, although I'm not sure why.

When I get to the top, Carrigan is already sitting, watching the now setting sun. I gasp at the breathtaking view, and I know that that's what he brought me here to see.

"That's beautiful," I say.

"I know," he agrees.

We sit there in a comfortable silence, watching the brilliant sun set, our hands intertwined. I'm not even thinking about Steven; in fact it's almost as if he doesn't exist at all. It's just Carrigan and I, sitting on our rock, just like old times.

I'm tired. My eyes start to droop as I rest my head on Carrigan's shoulder, but he gently shakes me awake.

"Lexi," he says. "I should get you home."

"No," I say drowsily. "This is nice. Thank you for taking me here, Carrigan."

"You're welcome," he says. "Happy Valentine's Day."

I look up at him, and wonder why I've never noticed it before. He is definitely in love with me. And…I am definitely in love with him.

"So, you figured out who sent the roses?" he asks, as if he can read my mind.

"I knew it was you," I say breathlessly.

He leans in and kisses me. It's perfect. He's perfect.

And this is officially the best Valentine's Day ever.

The end. I feel sort of bad for Steven, but it had to be done. And he's a jerkface anyway, so I don't feel as bad when I think of it that way. Haha.

Anyway, Happy V-Day everyone! I know this is insanely corny. I don't care. It's a Valentine's story, it's supposed to be horribly fluffy. Review?