First Valentine
She had come close to giving him a valentine. Twice, in fact.
But every year, it was the same old thing. Another Valentine's Day. Another week of depression for Charlie Brown. And she didn't like admitting it. Heck, she had hardly admitted it to herself. But she felt sorry for him. Year after year, she'd watch her neighbor sit underneath the mailbox, his head resting on his knees as he'd stare ahead, waiting. Waiting patiently. Every few minutes he'd get up and look into the mailbox, as if he honestly expected to find a Valentine in it. There had been times when she had wanted to go outside and smack him, telling him to get up and move on with life, because it was obvious nobody cared enough to give him a stupid little paper heart.
But something always stopped her. It was his look. Charlie Brown had always been one for looking depressed, sure, but it was always during Valentine's week that he looked even more dejected; looked even more lonely.
And as she watched her semi-friend sit underneath the mailbox, snow chilling the ground as well as him, she sighed, and before she knew what she was doing, she headed to her desk, pulled out a red piece of paper, and began cutting it into the shape of a heart.
She had no idea what came over her as she decorated the heart with glitter and wrote his name in her very best penmanship. She had no idea what inspired her as she reached for her jacket, opened the front door and stepped out into the cool February afternoon.
With the Valentine in hand, the girl made her way over to Charlie Brown, who was looking down into the snow, sighing to himself. Suddenly, she stopped.
"Hey!" she called obnoxiously. "Charlie Brown! Guess what?"
Slowly, the lonely boy raised his head to glance at his neighbor, the one whom he didn't think he'd ever understand. He didn't even bother to speak, because he knew if he did, he'd just complain about being all alone, and then she'd tease him. And he hated it when she teased him.
"Well?" she prompted. "Aren't ya gonna ask?" The boy shook his head and looked back down.
"Nobody cares," he whispered softly, hoping she wouldn't be able to hear him.
"Charlie Brown!" she cried angrily, glaring. "Guess what?"
"Oh good grief!" the boy snapped as he whirled around. "What is it?"
The girl and boy stared at each other for a minute, the only sound being the wind as it slowly blew the snow from the ground. Charlie Brown shivered. The girl blinked.
"You got a Valentine." Her voice was soft. Extremely soft. But Charlie Brown still heard it, and he blinked in surprise.
"You're joking."
"'Course not. Who do ya think I am?" She pulled the Valentine out from behind her back, and she stuck out her hand, offering it to the boy, who sat three feet from her, still looking shocked.
"Who's it from?" He sounded reluctant.
"It doesn't say."
"Then how do you know it's for me?"
"'Cause it has your name on it, you blockhead!" She threw the heart onto the wet ground. "Now go on an' take it! I'm cold!" And with that, the girl stomped off, back into her house, wondering for the first time if it had been worth it. If Charlie Brown was worth it.
''Course he is…'
Charlie Brown watched as his neighbor walked off, and after hearing the front door slam, he reached out a tentative hand, reaching for the red card. His fingers trembling, he opened the heart slowly.
-Charlie Brown,
Happy Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown, it read. Now stop complaining. You got your first stupid Valentine.
-Someone Anonymous
The boy smiled, his eyes brightening. Maybe the Valentine had been from the little red-head girl! Maybe she liked him!
Glancing up, Charlie Brown found himself looking towards Lucy's house. A face was poking out from behind the curtains. A girl's face. His neighbor's face.
Charlie Brown's face warmed.
His first Valentine had come from the craziest, most out-going girl he knew. And upon his redden face lay a soft smile.