His Brown paper box

I sat on the sofa with a long sigh, after a long day at work I finally had time to myself. My phone buzzed, I picked it up to find a text from my friend Derek which said “Mark! You ready for me to kick your butt at Battle busters!? Should be there in 30.” I almost forgot I invited Derek over the other day. My lazy slouch and exhausted demeanor changes into a more excited one as that reminder breathes new life into me. I rush to my game console, turn it on, grab 2 controllers, and rush back to the sofa to load Battle busters. “No way he's gonna beat me this time.” I say to myself as I start practicing, as cute as Derek is when he wins against me I will destroy him his time.

A little over half an hour Derek arrives, his brown eyes look past me as I open the door, his hair is wet and his face is clean shaven, his pale skin and curly black hair is looking flawless. “Dude! You started without me?” Derek says with a mischievous grin.

“I've been Practicing, no way you are gonna beat me this time.”

“Care to put a wager on that?”

“I'm willing to put money on it. Come on in and we can discuss.”

Derek and I walk in and sit on my couch and we both grab our respective controllers.

“I was thinking more like the other would have to do whatever the winner want’s” Derek says with a cheeky grin which causes me to blush like a fool.

“That sounds like it could be fun, I’ve got a few ideas”

“That’s if you win, and no amount of training is gonna help in beating me.”

“Oh, you are on! Get ready to lose so badly.”

An hour of Me getting utterly Destroyed by Derek later and I have to Submit to my defeat.

“How, how are you this good?!” I question as I see my Blaster avatar disintegrated for the final time.

“Skill my dude, train as much as you want but you can’t overcome this raw skill!” Derek beams proudly and flexes his biceps, dang all his time at the gym is really paying off.

“So I guess I gotta do whatever you want huh? What is it? something embarrassing that you are gonna record and send to our friends, or tell you my darkest secrets?” I ask with a bit of a joking manner. I am a bit afraid he’s gonna ask me to do something dumb however.

Derek grins and leans in “Well I was thinking something more private.” he leans in closer “Something you are gonna have to be open minded for.” our faces are so close now and I am flushed. “Something That's definitely gonna be memorable”

I wanna kiss him so badly!

Ding dong!

Flip! Flip flop flip! Of course as soon as the tension between us gets like this, like I dreamed of, the doorbell rings, Gosh flip!

He leans back in a relaxed position smiling with confidence “better go get that.” he says like we didn't almost kiss.

“Oh ya, I will, um, one sec.” as I unfreeze and tear my eyes off him and towards the door.

As I get up to answer the door I feel those thoughts rile up in my mind. Was I reading the situation wrong? Was he just playing a joke on me while leaning in? What did I have to be open minded for? Gay?

All these thoughts stop as I open the door and I don't see anyone but a large brown paper bag at the foot of my entrance way, it’s unmarked, tightly fitted around what I suspect to be a cube like box with tape haphazardly holding the Brown paper box closed around this container.

I looked about before bringing the brown paper box inside, I didn't see anyone walking away and there are no address markers on it.

“What you got there?” Derek asked.

“I'm not sure. I guess someone dropped it off but I didn't catch them in time. Not expecting anything today, not quite sure what it is.” I say as I look curiously at the package.

“Maybe it's a Chris gift?” Derek Asks excitedly.

“Yes! I would love a Chris gift right now.”

Chris is our mutual friend, he makes the best desserts and would bring our friend group desserts randomly, we have all come to call them Chris gifts, like he's the Santa of desserts. I’m always so hyped when Chris drops off a desert, he has a gift with sweets. I remember the last time he brought a dessert, it was homemade donuts. He made too many Because he just got his fryer and kind of went overboard so decided to run around giving all his friends a baker's dozen. How do you accidentally make that many donuts? Sometimes I think he does it on purpose as an excuse to visit us, I don't mind tho Chris is always fun to hang out with. Now that I'm thinking, if it was Chris he wouldn’t just leave it at the door.

“I don't think so, Chris would have at least said hi and the package is not a traditional dessert shape.” I responded after thinking it through letting my excitement come down.

“Could be a cake”

“Like he just dropped off a cake in a strange paper bag and dipped?

“Ok, ya that does sound weird” Derek leans in closer to the brown paper box as I Set it down on the table in front of the sofa.

“Oh, oh no.” Derek says with a sort of realization.

“What oh no?”

“It might be a prank from Melissa, she told me she was gonna get you back after that car prank.”

“What makes you think that this could be a prank package?”

“Well when I leaned in it kinda smelled.”

I get in close and take a whiff, it smells slightly off, like old pizza or that moldy cheese stuff people apparently like. I catch Derek taking a picture of me and smile as he quickly texts something on his phone.

“Gonna see if I can get her to spill what she sent, no way she's gonna prank my bro without me having your back.”

“Oh, ya thanks… bro” I say with disappointment. Bro, he called me bro, ughhh. Just as I thought maybe we could be something more, the bro word ruined what I thought was flirting. I go on my phone, forgetting about the brown paper bag trying to drown my sorrow in media. I flip through my recommended list of hot guys, food, video games, and street art when I notice a quick news video where the summary has the name of our town. I click the video, the news caster is this lady in a thick brown coat outside of Meadows sign that indicates the entrance to the neighborhood. She talks about how a disembodied hand was found in a lunch bag outside of someone's home in the Meadows. The Meadows is not far from here, I didn't think much about this at first as the newscaster says it might be gang oriented but the story is still too new. My mind goes to various murder investigation shows as a chill goes down my spine of how scary that must have been for everyone in the meadows. My eyes wander to the brown paper box sitting on the table in front of me, unmarked, hastily taped closed, no sign of who left it. I run cold as fear grips me, there's no way, there's no way it could be something as gruesome as that.

“Weird, Melissa says it wasn't her, I mean she even told me she planned a prank for you Saturday. Gotta be someone else.” Derek says looking away from his phone and back at the brown paper bag with curiosity then at me with concern.

“What's wrong?” I hand him my phone and replay the video after he asks that. Derek goes even more pale after watching the video, then hands me back my phone. We both are silent, as we stare at the brown paper box for what feels like hours not even the bugs outside were making a peep.

“It can't be right?” I ask, trembling.

“I mean, it's gotta be a coincidence right?”

“But who just leaves a random unmarked brown paper box outside someone's door.”

“Wait, you and Melissa aren't pranking me are you?!” Derek asks with a bit of aggression.

“What no, I thought you and Melissa were pranking me.” I responded with worry which seemed to calm him down.

More silence.

“I'm gonna open it.” Derek stands and reaches for the brown paper box.

“Derek are you crazy what if…”

“No I'm not gonna just sit here afraid of what it could be when we could just find out.”

“Please Derek I don't want it open, it's my package I guess and I think, I don't know, but I don't want it opened right now. I'm too freaked out, I'm sorry.” I say in a panicked rush.

Derek seemed determined despite what I was saying until I admitted I was freaked out. He turns to look at, with his face changing from mad determination to a soft concern. He walks closer to me and sits down.

“Ok, ok. It's your home, maybe we can call someone tomorrow when we’ve calmed down.” we are both silent after that then he stands back up. “I think it's time I head back home.” I nod after he says this knowing that today has been a lot for both of us now. I can't stop staring at the brown paper box, I don't know how I'm gonna sleep tonight with this in my home, whatever it is. As if Derek knew what I was thinking when he reached the door he began to ask sheepishly “Hey you still owe me from my win. I was thinking maybe you can sleep over at my place for my reward.”

He’s blushing, Derek is blushing. I almost forgot about the brown paper box, I was so filled with joy.

“Ya, I think I would like that.” I respond, getting up, pulling myself away from the source of my curiosity and fear.

I grab my coat and keys taking one last look at the brown paper box, standing like an obelisk on my living room table, before I close and lock the door behind me focusing now on what staying over with Derek could mean for me tonight.