Love was in the air. It was Valentine's day! Even though the Khaotic Kids were in middle school they still made their own Valentine's day mailbox for their Valentine cards. Valentine boxes are usually only made by elementary kids, but the crew were still kids at heart no matter how old they get. They arrived at school with their decorated boxes and they got looks and a few giggles from their upperclassmen. Aaron, Mya, and Larry shrugged it off while Asor cracked his knuckles to show the older kids that he meant business. The older kids quickly looked away and got as far away as possible.

The group walked over to their lockers to grab their textbooks for class, when something fell out of Aaron's locker. It was a note covered in hearts with Aaron's name written in cursive handwriting on it. Mya saw the paper right away and gasped.

"Aww! Someone has a secret admirer!" She squealed.

"Or an assassin! Someone finally is plotting to kill us for our evil deeds." Larry said chiming in.

"I knew this day would come. Karma skips no man." Asor said.

Mya brought up her fist in annoyance. "Don't listen to those idiots! What does the letter say?"

Aaron opened the letter and began to read:

    Hello, my love. I have been admiring you from afar for a while now. I don't think you notice me. You're really cute you know. That adorable blond hair, your glasses covering those eyes... you're beautiful. I wish we could be together. But until we can, I can only write this poem to you.

    Your hair is of sunshine.

    Your eyes of the sea

    Your khaotic nature

    Is cool as can be

    You're the most adorable foodie

    I wish I was with you.

    But no matter what,

My love will never turn blue.

Until our meeting, my love.

                        Love,

                    Your Secret Admirer.

"Wow! So romantic!" Mya turned and faced Larry. "Why don't you do something like this for me?!"

"Uh... Don't even get me started! You.. you... KAREN!"

Mya gasped. "KAREN?! I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S KAREN!" Mya shouted with her fists ready to pummel larry. You could hear a bell ringing and someone shouting "ROUND ONE" in the distance.

"Uh oh," Asor said and took out his secret stash of popcorn to enjoy the show. "Some drama is about to go down."

"Guys, let us focus on the more important task rather than Larry and Mya's divorce! An actual girl likes me!" Aaron said. "Now to find out who it is..."

"Now that's the hard part," Larry replied. Aaron stared into the hallway thinking about who it could be. He thought about the potential girls in his class.

Sydney the snitch? Ashley Pink? Emma the Emo? Isabelle Waters? Gracie (Greasy) Blue Jeans?

The bell rung signaling that it was time for class to start. They sat down in their seats while Ms. Trebeh, their french teacher, wrote down the bellwork. 

"Hello, class! Because today is Valentine's day we will be reenacting a line from Romeo and Juliet. Everyone will need to pair up with one partner."

Aaron looked around the room and suddenly a group of girls surrounded him. He looked at his friends for help but they were busy finding their own partners.

"Aaron! Be my partner!"

"No, pick me!' Another one shouted.

"NO ME!" Someone screamed.

The crowd got more aggressive and began to fight over him. He struggled to escape the crowd's grasp. Aaron panicked and escaped the crowd. He ran behind Asor for shelter and used him as a shield.  Asor pulled out pencils from his hair and threw them.

"STAY AWAY FROM ROMEO YOU SAVAGE BEASTS!" Asor did his best to protect Aaron from the wrath of the rabid animals but in the end, he failed because he ran out of ammo. Asor saluted, already accepting defeat as the crowd slowly devoured them.

"Why did I have to be born so beautiful?!" Aaron shouted in despair.

The teacher ran in and shooed them away with her mighty whiteboard.

"Leave the boy be!" Ms. Trebah said. "Alright, I will pick the partners. Since y'all can't handle it." 

Ms. Trebeh assembled groups as if they were puzzle pieces, even though some clearly didn't fit together. Unfortunately Emma the Emo was paired with Ashley Pink, her complete opposite. Larry was snatched away from his beloved Mya and was paired with Sydney the Snitch. Asor was paired with Isabelle Waters, a girl with virtually no bladder since she pees her pants all the time. Mya was paired with Noremac, her worst enemy.

Last but not least, Aaron was paired with Gracie Blue Jeans (A.K.A. Jean Gracie), her house was built next to a grease factory. Everything within five miles of the factory would inevitably be covered in grease.

Gracie shyly sat next to Aaron. Aaron was too distracted reading over the letter he found to see her coming over. Gracie took a deep breath and...

"HI AARON!" She screamed.

Aaron nearly fell out of his chair.  "Yo..." He said shakily, getting up.

"Sorry. I was just trying to snap you out of your trance." Jean Gracie said apologizing.

"Well, it definitely worked! Anyway, you be Romeo and I'll be Juliet." Aaron said.

"Huh? Shouldn't I be Juliet and you should be Romeo?" Jean Gracie said puzzled.

"I already stole a custom-made dress from a bridal shop and I want it to be put into great use and a wig is already getting delivered!" Aaron said.

Jean Gracie nodded. "It makes sense to me! Wouldn't want a good costume to go to waste."

"I'm glad someone finally understands my artistic vision!" Aaron said professionally.

Aaron picked up his letter and showed it to Jean Gracie.

"Do you recognize this handwriting?" Aaron asked.

She blushed and tried to deny it. But then realized that this was fate and her chance to reveal her love for Aaron.

"I.. LIKE TACOS!" 

"OH MY GOSH ME TOO!" Aaron screamed.

"Want to get some tacos later?" Jean Gracie asked.

" I would love to. But..."

"But?"

"I really want to know who wrote this," Aaron said looking at the letter.

Jean Gracie sighed deeply. "I did."

Gasps went around the classroom like the plague. Girls wailed and began to secretly plot against Jean Gracie.

"We're gutting her tonight..." Ashley Pink whispered. Emma the Emo nodded and sharpened her knife collection.

"I-I...like you," Jean concluded.

"I CALLED IT! Trebeh Symone Baxter strikes again!" Ms. Trebeh said, getting some weird looks from the students.

He blushed. "Then, I would love to get tacos with you then."

"AWW MY NEW SHIP!" Mya yelled from across the room.

"Young love," Asor said. "It's so stupid."

"Stop lying, you know it's beautiful." Larry countered.

"Save your breath, Larry. He's just jealous, he hasn't found the love of his life yet."

"I AM A LONE WOLF! AWOOOOOOO!" He howled.
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Poem used in this story was written by Short Story Contest winner: Misty_Potato

And our second place winner of the Valentine's contest of 2019 was Jean_Gracie and she was featured as Greasy Blue Jeans!