6th November 2022
The week seems long and I get home from work exhausted. I sloppily toss my bag onto the sofa and settle into it. My phone beeps and so I pick it up. A message from a friend pops out containing an invitation to her wedding on weekend. The last message quite annoys me.
"Don't forget to bring your partner. Love you Bes 😘."
"This bitch (just an expression). Is she really teasing me? She knows I'm single for long freaking years."
I have never been in a serious relationship with another man since my ex and I split up. I was afraid of experiencing the same pain again, so I chose to love myself as much as I could. But I can't deny that there are times when I wish for a serious man who would truly love me and walk with me down the aisle someday, just like my best friend will on Sunday.
I was mulling over that when the doorbell interrupted my thoughts.
"Ding dong."
I open the door and see a delivery man holding a box. I am certain that I haven't ordered anything online, so it makes me confused.
"Delivery for Miss Jane." The man said.
"Pardon me. But I haven't ordered anything."
"But it says here, the box is for you." The man retorts.
"Okay. I'll accept this for now. Thank you."
Image from Unsplash by RoseBox رز باکس
I opt to receive the box just so I could go back to my room. I put it down on my desk, and get the cutter to open it.
Inside the box are collections of paper dolls with the note, "Create your weekend partner."
Image from Freepik by macrovector
"WTH is this? Who the hell will play paper dolls? A weekend partner? Seriously?"
A plethora of questions bombarded my mind, and I don't know what to feel, laugh at it, or be annoyed.
"I am not a kid anymore!"
I throw the box to the side, but it falls making the paper dolls scatter onto the floor. A complete paper doll of a man slides out of the box and I pick it up. It has a pretty face, fair skin, and tantalizing eyes. As if I am drawn into it and I feel something weird while staring at it. I found myself rubbing its face and lips and something glitters.
I feel it weird so I put it down on the table and I step back to sit on my chair supposedly, but my hand hit the glass of water next to the paper doll. The water spread onto the paper doll and I pick it up right away. I shake it to remove the excess water as I worry that it might fade. Gladly, it didn't, but my pants got soaked with the water.
I opt to go to the toilet to remove my wet pants and suit, and just put on my favorite white shirt. I feel cold so I grab a cup of coffee in the kitchen. I return to my room and sit by the glass wall overlooking our backyard. The sky starts to cry and its tears sprinkle on the glass wall. It's mesmerizing and I stay for a while forgetting about the paper dolls.
Image from Unsplash by Roberto Nickson
All of a sudden, a sneeze from a man startles me, and I jump out of my seat.
"haachooo!"
"Aaaaahhhhh!!! Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in? And why are you naked? F-ck. You are naked!!!"
He covers his dignity dangling in between his thighs when I realize that I am not wearing my pants as well. I pick my vase up aiming to throw it to him when he says...
"Stop it. I'm your weekend boyfriend." He explains.
"I'm not in the mood to make a fuss, so get your big ass out of here before I call a cop!" I shouted angrily.
Instead of walking out, he walks to my table and picks up the box of paper dolls.
"Because of this." He utters.
The paper doll of a man isn't there and so I scan my eyes searching for it. The naked man leans against the table and crosses his arms. "I am here." He teases.
"You're making me out of my mind. Now, explain it!" I order him while aiming the vase at him. But at the back of my mind I know I can't defend myself with a porcelain vase, lol.
"Before that, can you give me something to cover? I'm freaking cold because you throw a glass of water onto me."
"It was an accident!" I beckon but my eyes spot his long dignity down his body. "K. Fine." The only words I utter before I throw my blanket into him.
I order him to wait in the living room while getting a hot cup of water for him.
Image from Pexels by cottonbro studio
After he feels better, he starts to explain everything and I feel like I'll be totally out of my mind if I will believe his story. I don't believe in magic, especially if it happens to me.
"WTF. Now I'm crazy. So for how long you'll be staying here?"
"The magic will expire after the weekend."
"Great." I toss the pair of clothes onto him and say, "Now put on your clothes and be ready for tomorrow's event. We'll be attending a wedding of my friend, and you'll be my partner."
Everything was rehearsed that night, from his name, job, and how we met just so we wouldn't be busted in the wedding. I don't want to be humiliated either. Besides, they won't believe me if I explain everything to them.
At the wedding...
My tears well up in my eyes seeing my best friend happy with his husband. The wedding successfully ended with only close friends and family invited.
Image from Unsplash by Jonathan Borba
We stays for a while to mingle with my friends and the girls just keep asking about when I will get married too. Peter, my weekend boyfriend, is just smiling at the corner while listening to the girls. I have to stop the Q&A as it gets deeper so I bid goodbye after the last question.
We return home, and as I enter our yard, there is a mat with some cushions, a plate of food, and a bottle of wine, all surrounded by lights. It appears to be a dating place for a couple.
"What is this?" I asked whoever made it.
"Sorry, but I made it for us. I'm your weekend boyfriend, right? Can we have a date?"
"You're not playing, aren't you?"
"Of course, not. This will be our last night together. I just want to make you happy, as your boyfriend."
"Are you being paid, or what? Tss. You're a weird doll man."
Perfect by Ed Sheeran is playing in the background, and he is holding my hand as we dance. As his body touches mine and my gaze meets his, there appears to be a spark. We continue to sway to the music and stare into each other's eyes. The longer I stare at him, the more strange I feel, or Is it something beautiful? my mind wonders.
From soft music to an unexpected disco number, a remix of rock jazz, pop, libertango, and more. I just laugh at the type of music he chose, but we happily dance to the beat. We jump, sing, laugh, and dance to our hearts' content. As if my concerns and exhaustion had been replaced by joy and good times.
"You are crazy, aren't you?" I joke at him.
"Yes, I'm getting crazy for you." He answers.
I just smile and gesture to sit down instead, as I feel hungry from dancing.
"Let's eat what you prepared."
Peter has a great sense of humor, and I found myself laughing throughout our conversation. Even though he appears to be a stranger to me, there is a sense of comfort when I am with him. Why did I even let a stranger get into my weekend? That is the question I was unable to answer. What I am certain of is that I am happy and at ease with his presence. Or is it because I've been waiting for something like this to happen for a long time? My mind appears to be filled with unanswerable questions. I simply don't bother.
"What if there isn't magic?" The place turns silent and I don't know how to react to his question.
"Then I'll spank you. Who the hell are you then?"
"Let's say, your long-time admirer."
"Then I rather think there's magic because that thing is impossible to happen."
"You look fragile, can I handle you with care?" He asks then sit closer to me. "Why don't you just let go of your past, and be happy in present? Live and be loved?"
Image from Unsplash by Jonathan Borba
Whoever this guy is, he seems to know a lot about me. Should I be scared or glad? Rather than answering my mind, I let his lips land on mine. And for a moment, I feel something different again that I rather not contemplate about it. Everything is just for a weekend, and I just want to live with it. I just feel happy at the moment, and sad to think that the next day, I'll be back to my real mundane life again.
The sense of romance fills the night until it ends, and I drift off to sleep in his arms.
The next day...
I wake up due to the light that passes through the window. I am not on the mat, but I'm in my bed. I get up to look for Peter, but he is nowhere to be found. He had an immediate impact on my life, and I realized, "things don't last, so I should live each day of my life happily, and move on from the past." Perhaps, he was sent to help me realize such things and, more importantly, to allow myself to love again? This time, the answer is clear.
While mulling over that matter, the doorbell rings. I get up and open the door. A man with a familiar face is standing by the door, holding a box of chocolates and a bouquet. I smile upon seeing him smiling.
"Delivery for Miss Jane. There isn't magic this time." He says while smiling.
"You, liar. Get in or I'll spank you." Then I drag him in.
THE END
That concludes my entry to 
Weekend package
You're receiving a single package in the mail this weekend and in it is whatever you would like. Tell us in at least 400 words, what you would like to be in that package and why. What do you do with it and how it may impact upon your life? You can choose something alive or an inanimate object.
Just another fictional story created by this boring mind. I hope you like it. It's good to be back after two weeks of not joining the Weekend Engagement. Happy weekend everyone.
