If you thought Valentine’s Day was just about roses and chocolate, think again—there are 10 bizarre facts lurking beneath the romance, thanks to the ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia, the original Valentine’s Day.

10 Bizarre Facts Overview

10 The Murdering Of The Cute Puppies

When the Romans kicked off the first day of Lupercalia, they didn’t start with a simple toast. Instead, a pair of goats and a tiny, wiggling puppy were hauled into the cavernous Lupercal cave, where a cadre of cloaked priests performed a ritual slaughter. The rules were oddly specific about the canine: it had to be a newborn puppy, not a full‑grown dog, because the ceremony demanded the innocence of a newborn animal.

Even the most diligent historians admit that the ancient Romans themselves were baffled by the puppy‑killing requirement. The surviving accounts were penned centuries after the tradition began, at a time when Lupercalia had already become a rote rite. By then, the participants were merely copying what their ancestors had done, without any clear idea why a helpless pup had to die.

Plutarch, the famous Greek biographer, argued that the Romans might have pilfered the practice from the Greeks. He noted that the Greeks possessed a term—periskulakismoi—which translates to “purification by puppy.” Some modern scholars even render the term as “pupprification,” a tongue‑in‑cheek nod to the gruesome ritual.

Nevertheless, the true motive remains elusive. Plutarch offered a second, more whimsical theory: perhaps the priests were simply annoyed by the puppies’ incessant barking, which might have disturbed the solemnity of the ceremony. He speculated that the dogs were “annoying” the Luperci, the priestly class, and that the killings were a form of venting that irritation.

Regardless of the reason, the ritual persisted for centuries, becoming a staple of the festival even as its original meaning faded into obscurity. The ancient Romans kept the tradition alive, blind to its origins, simply because it was part of their cultural inheritance.

9 The Feigning Of Laughter Of The Blood‑Soaked Boys

After the sacrificial puppies and goats were put to death, the ceremony took a decidedly eerie turn. Two aristocratic boys—chosen for their noble lineage—were ushered into the same cavern, where priests gently pressed the tips of their ceremonial knives against the boys’ foreheads, allowing a few drops of blood to stain their hair. The priests then dipped wool in fresh milk and anointed the boys’ heads, creating a stark, surreal contrast of crimson and white.

What followed was perhaps the most unsettling part of the rite: the blood‑stained, milk‑slicked youths were instructed to force a laugh—an artificial giggle that rang through the dim cavern. The Romans claimed this was a purification act, a symbolic cleansing of the community, yet even contemporary observers admitted they could not grasp why the priests forced children to feign mirth under such macabre circumstances.

Once the forced laughter subsided, the ceremony moved to its climax. The priests fashioned leather thongs from the skins of the slain goats, while the two boys, now stripped of all clothing, prepared for the next phase of the festival, which involved a chaotic, public display of the thongs.

8 The Streaking Of The Thong‑Carrying Men

Plutarch records that, during Lupercalia, “many of the noble youth and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, striking those they meet with shaggy thongs.” These participants, drawn from the upper echelons of Roman society, were first anointed with oil—a privilege denied to the lower classes—before they sprinted through the streets, brandishing leather thongs.

The purpose of the thongs, known as februare, was decidedly fertility‑focused. The men targeted women, who would theatrically flee, yet secretly hoped to be struck. The Romans believed that a gentle lash from a thong could boost a woman’s reproductive potency, turning the public spectacle into a covert matchmaking ritual.

Even famed figures such as Mark Antony took part, shedding their garments, coating themselves in oil, and dashing through the streets with the thongs. The sheer spectacle of aristocrats baring themselves and whipping the populace became a hallmark of the day, a vivid reminder that the entire month of February derived its name—from the very thongs that symbolized the festival’s magical potency.

7 The Eating Of The Entrails On A Stick

Lupercalia’s banquet was, by all accounts, far from a lavish feast. Ancient poets dismissed the spread as “scanty,” a description that matches modern readers’ expectations of a rather austere menu. Priests skewered the entrails of the sacrificed goats on willow spits, roasting them over open flames before handing the grimy portions to the assembled crowd.

In addition to the goat offal, Vestal virgins contributed a simple, almost ritualistic side dish: salt cakes, essentially ancient pancakes baked on hot stones. These modest fare items—tiny bits of goat entrails and plain salt cakes—formed the core of the Lupercalian banquet.

Given the unappealing nature of the food, the Romans compensated by flooding the celebration with copious amounts of wine and other alcoholic libations. By the day’s end, participants were often so intoxicated that the line between ritual and revelry blurred, leaving a lasting impression of a holiday that mixed the sacred with the decidedly inebriated.

6 The Hooking Up Of The Swingers

In certain Roman districts, the fertility rites of Lupercalia were taken a step further. Young women eager to conceive would inscribe their names on clay tablets and deposit them in a communal jar. Meanwhile, eligible men would draw a name at random, pairing themselves with a stranger for the duration of the festival.

Although the historical record is patchy, the prevailing interpretation is that these pairings were more than a fleeting flirtation. The selected man’s primary aim was to help the woman achieve pregnancy, turning the random draw into a purposeful, albeit brief, union. Some scholars argue the partnership lasted only through the festival, while others suggest the couples remained intimate for an entire year.

5 The Airing Of Grievances

Lupercalia featured its own bawdy soundtrack. While the exact lyrics have been lost to antiquity, surviving accounts describe the songs as unapologetically licentious and obscene. By the fifth century AD, participants would burst into vulgar verses that detailed every scandalous deed committed by their neighbours—infidelities, brothel visits, and other moral transgressions.

The purpose of these ribald chants was ostensibly to shame the guilty into better behaviour. However, the Pope of the era noted that the songs often seemed more celebratory than condemnatory, turning public shaming into a communal festivity that reveled in scandal.

These songs, full of explicit references and colorful insults, underscore how Lupercalia blended moral instruction with unrestrained revelry, creating a uniquely Roman form of public catharsis.

4 The Celebration Of The Horny God

Every great festival needs a mythic tale, and Lupercalia was no exception. The poet Ovid recounts a raucous story involving the rustic god Faunus and the mighty hero Hercules. Faunus, smitten by Hercules’ lover, declared his desire to claim her, prompting a nocturnal escapade that quickly went awry.

Faunus sneaked into the woman’s bedroom, unaware that she had draped Hercules’ garments over herself for warmth. Mistaking the cloth for the woman herself, Faunus began to grope the fabric, only to feel a sudden, cold coil—an unexpected snake—that made him recoil in horror.

Hercules awoke, confronted the intruder, and the scene erupted into laughter. Ovid notes that both the hero and the Lydian maiden burst into mirth at the absurdity, turning what could have been a violent assault into a comedic tableau.

In the aftermath, Roman celebrants ran naked through the streets, honoring Faunus’s failed advance. Ovid famously wrote that the god “hates clothes that trick the eye,” a line that justified the custom of disrobing during the rites, linking the nakedness to the divine narrative.

3 The Uncertainty Over Whom You Are Worshiping

Even though Lupercalia’s name suggests a clear deity, the Romans themselves were unsure which god they were truly honoring. The festival was conducted by a priestly order known as the Luperci, who performed rites in the Lupercal cave, assuming they served a god named Lupercus.

In reality, the Luperci possessed no concrete knowledge of Lupercus’s attributes or portfolio. Their cult was ancient, rooted in agrarian worship, and the details of its origin had been lost to the passage of time. All they could point to was a solitary statue of a naked male figure clad only in a goatskin girdle, which they presumed represented the elusive deity.

Beyond the statue, the only clue was an association with farming and fertility, inferred from the statue’s attire. Yet, the Romans never uncovered a definitive myth or set of virtues for Lupercus, meaning the entire cult persisted on tradition alone, without a clear theological foundation.

2 The Crowning Of Julius Caesar

A pivotal moment in Roman history unfolded amid the raucous celebrations of Lupercalia. While the festival’s revelers sprinted naked through the streets, Mark Antony approached Julius Caesar, wreath in hand, and offered him the imperial throne.

Antony was not merely a spectator; he was one of the oiled, thong‑wielding runners, striding confidently toward Caesar while clutching a shaggy leather thong in one hand and a laurel crown in the other. This dramatic, unclothed presentation added a theatrical flourish to the political overture.

Thus, the historic crowning of Caesar took place against the backdrop of a festival that celebrated fertility, chaos, and communal excess—an unlikely stage for the rise of one of Rome’s most infamous leaders.

1 The Killing Of People Named Valentine

The final Lupercalia celebration occurred at the close of the fifth century, a time when Christianity had begun to dominate the Roman Empire. Pope Gelasius formally terminated the pagan rites, condemning the festival as a blood‑soaked celebration of sexuality that clashed with Christian morals.

Even before the papal edict, many of the more scandalous elements of Lupercalia—such as the naked running—had already faded. When the Pope demanded that the remaining participants actually perform the infamous streaking, none complied, signaling the end of the public spectacle.

Faced with the loss of their beloved holiday, the Roman populace gradually shifted toward a new celebration. Although Pope Gelasius replaced Lupercalia with the “Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” over time the day evolved into what we now know as St. Valentine’s Day, named after two martyrs who both died on February 14.

Over the ensuing 1,500 years, the customs transformed dramatically: lovers exchanged handwritten notes instead of drawing names from jars, and the brutal thongs gave way to bouquets of flowers. Yet the core of the holiday—a focus on love, fertility, and partnership—traces its roots back to the chaotic, blood‑stained rites of ancient Lupercalia.

When you hear the phrase 10 sweet stories, you probably picture heart‑shaped candies and roses, but the tale of Valentine’s Day is anything but ordinary. From ancient rites to modern marketing blitzes, this holiday has been shaped by martyrs, poets, chocolate barons, and even a few odd customs from across the globe. Grab a cup of cocoa, settle in, and let’s wander through the ten most captivating chapters of Valentine’s Day history.

10 Sweet Stories of Valentine’s Day

10 An Uncertain Pagan Origin

The earliest threads of Valentine’s Day are tangled in mystery, making it hard to pinpoint a single birth date. Scholars generally agree that the celebration sprouted from a Christian effort to rebrand a pre‑existing springtime fertility festival called Lupercalia. This raucous rite took place each year as winter melted away, honoring both Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the legendary founders Romulus and Remus. The festival was a lively affair, full of rituals meant to boost fertility and communal spirit.

When Christianity began to dominate the Roman Empire, church leaders sought to overlay their own holy calendar atop popular pagan customs. By assigning February 14 as the fixed day for a Christian feast, they hoped to draw former Lupercalia revelers into the new faith. This strategic move helped smooth the transition for many who were accustomed to celebrating love and renewal during early February.

Thus, the ancient pagan celebration was gradually reshaped, its original exuberance softened into a more solemn observance that still carried the echo of love’s triumph over winter’s chill. The Christian overlay gave the day a lasting religious anchor while preserving the core theme of affection that still resonates today.

9 Made After a Martyr

The name “St. Valentine” traces back to a courageous clergyman who chose love over imperial decree. In the late third century, a Roman priest—sometimes identified as a bishop—defied Emperor Claudius II, who had banned marriages on the belief that single men made better soldiers. Claudius, who took the throne in AD 268, thought that unwed soldiers would be more disciplined and less distracted by family ties.

Outraged by this edict, Valentine secretly performed wedding ceremonies for couples yearning to unite. He believed that love was a divine right, not a political tool, and risked his own safety to uphold that principle. Eventually, the emperor’s spies uncovered Valentine’s underground nuptials, leading to his arrest and execution for treason against the state.

The Catholic Church later canonized him, honoring his devotion to love as martyrdom. Valentine was interred along the Via Flaminia on February 14, 270, a year after his death, and his story gradually merged with the broader celebration of love that blossomed in the eighth century. Today, his legacy lives on every February 14 as the heart of the holiday.

8 But There Are More?

While the tale of the priest‑martyr is the most famous, history hints at several other figures named Valentine who may have contributed to the holiday’s evolution. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes at least three distinct individuals—bishops, priests, or other holy men—whose stories intertwined to form the modern narrative.

Besides the Roman priest executed by Claudius, there was a bishop of Interamna (modern‑day Terni, Italy) who also suffered martyrdom for championing love. Like his counterpart, he was buried on the Via Flaminia, reinforcing the geographical link between the two saints and the early Christian celebration.

Adding a quirky twist, medieval folklore introduced a patron saint of love who also presided over beekeepers and epilepsy. Though the combination sounds odd, this multifaceted saint helped cement the holiday’s association with both romance and a broader spectrum of human concerns, weaving a richer tapestry of myth around Valentine’s Day.

7 Chaucer’s Chance at Love

Fast forward to the 14th century, when an English poet named Geoffrey Chaucer inadvertently turned the day into a romance‑focused celebration. Chaucer, best known for The Canterbury Tales, penned a whimsical poem called “The Parliament of Fowls,” in which he referenced February 14 as a day dedicated to love.

Before Chaucer’s verses, the holiday was primarily a religious feast honoring Saint Valentine. His poetic nod suggested that the day could also serve as an occasion for lovers to express affection, planting the seed for the romantic customs we recognize today. Though it’s unclear whether ordinary folk already celebrated love on this date, Chaucer’s literary endorsement amplified the idea across England and beyond.

Since then, the poet’s influence has rippled through centuries, inspiring generations to exchange roses, chocolates, and heartfelt notes on February 14. Chaucer’s clever line of verse helped shift the holiday’s focus from solely saintly reverence to a broader celebration of romantic love.

6 History WAY Before Hallmark

The earliest known Valentine’s card may have emerged from the grim walls of the Tower of London in 1415. Charles, the Duke of Orléans, was imprisoned there at the age of twenty‑one and reportedly sent a handwritten missive to his wife, expressing his affection across the stone barriers.

Although that particular letter has not survived, historians have uncovered another remarkable artifact from the same era—a love stanza penned by Margery Brews to her fiancé, John Paston. Preserved in the British Library, this document stands as the oldest surviving Valentine’s correspondence, showcasing the timeless desire to declare love in ink and parchment.

The survival of Margery’s poem underscores how deeply personal sentiment has always been woven into the holiday, long before the rise of mass‑produced greeting cards. Even in the Middle Ages, lovers found creative ways to bridge distance and danger with heartfelt words.

5 It All Gets Commercialized

While Chaucer and medieval scribes kept the flame alive, it wasn’t until the 18th century that Valentine’s Day entered the commercial arena. In England, people began producing and purchasing printed cards to send to beloved partners, friends, and family members. The practice quickly spread, and by the 19th century, the United States had adopted the custom, fueling a booming market for romantic ephemera.

Beyond paper, merchants added chocolates, confectionery, and floral arrangements to the gift‑giving repertoire. Hallmark and other greeting‑card giants now report that roughly 150 million Valentine’s cards exchange hands each year, making the holiday the second‑largest card‑sending occasion worldwide—just behind Christmas.

These staggering numbers exclude the countless school‑yard notes and informal messages exchanged among children, highlighting just how massive the love‑industry truly is. The commercial surge transformed Valentine’s Day from a modest observance into a global economic powerhouse.

4 Roses Are Red…

Even if you’ve never studied mythology, the link between red roses and Valentine’s Day feels instinctive. This association dates back to ancient Rome, where the goddess of love, Venus (Aphrodite in Greek lore), wept over her wounded lover, Adonis. Legend says her tears mingled with his blood, sprouting the first red rose bush—a symbol of love born from sorrow and beauty.

Because of this mythic origin, red roses became the quintessential token of affection. Over centuries, they have remained the most popular flower gifted on February 14, embodying passion, desire, and timeless romance.

In recent decades, however, couples have broadened their floral choices, opting for tulips, lilies, and other spring blooms. These alternatives offer fresh colors and scents, proving that while roses reign supreme, love can be celebrated through a diverse garden of petals.

3 Strange Celebrations

Valentine’s Day is not a one‑size‑fits‑all affair; cultures around the world have crafted their own unique twists. In Japan, the holiday became a chocolate‑giving day for women in 1958 after a confectionery company encouraged the practice as a marketing gimmick. Since then, Japanese women hand out chocolates to boyfriends, colleagues, bosses, and friends, turning the custom into a widespread social ritual.

South Korea responded with “White Day” one month later, on March 14, when men return the favor by gifting sweets and other treats to the women who honored them in February. This reciprocal celebration balances the gendered exchange and adds a second layer of romance to the calendar.

Meanwhile, China has its own counter‑holiday: Singles’ Day on November 11 (11/11), a day for unattached individuals to pamper themselves with shopping sprees. The date’s repetitive “1” digits symbolize solitude, and the event has become one of the world’s biggest retail bonanzas, rivaling even Black Friday.

2 A Craving for Chocolate

The sweet partnership between chocolate and Valentine’s Day began in 1861 when Richard Cadbury—of the famed Cadbury chocolate family—designed the first heart‑shaped box of chocolates marketed specifically for the holiday. This clever packaging turned chocolate into a romantic symbol, and the tradition has endured for more than a century.

Today, the United States alone purchases roughly 58 million pounds (about 26 million kilograms) of chocolate in the week leading up to February 14. This massive consumption fuels the profits of companies like Hershey’s, making the holiday a lucrative period for confectioners.

While the sweet indulgence brings joy, it also adds a few extra pounds and occasional toothaches—small trade‑offs for the pleasure of sharing delicious treats with loved ones.

1 Popping the Question!

Given its reputation as a romance‑centric holiday, Valentine’s Day naturally doubles as a popular day for proposals. Surveys estimate that about six million couples become engaged each February 14, making it one of the most favored dates for popping the question.

Beyond engagements, the day has inspired the global phenomenon of love locks. Couples affix padlocks bearing their initials to bridges—most famously the Seine in Paris—then toss the keys into the river, symbolizing an unbreakable bond.

These “forever” locks, whether on Parisian railings or city fences worldwide, serve as tangible reminders that love can be both tender and enduring, cemented (quite literally) in metal for all to see.

As cheesy as it can be, Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a time of love. Couples worldwide show kindness and love to their partners through gifts, experiences, and special treatment. It can be a really joyful and exciting time for people in a new or committed relationship. Unfortunately, it is not all roses, greeting cards, bath bombs, and chocolate. Sometimes, Valentine’s Day can lead to feelings of jealousy, distressing realizations, and even breakups due to high expectations.

From cheaters and misunderstandings to simply bad partners, cupid’s arrow is not always on target for these Valentine’s Day couples. Continue reading below to journey with us through the top 10 worst Valentine’s Day breakups.

Related: 10 Interesting Facts About Falling In Love From Modern Science

10 Bagged a Winner!

According to Pedestrian.tv, Lola was 18 at the time of this story. She was dating a guy who she “Just thought was so attractive that I [she] was almost waiting for him to unceremoniously dump me—and he did!” When Lola asked for more clarity, this super attractive guy did not simply “ghost” her. Instead, he told her to come to his house, and he would explain the whole situation.

Lola believed this charming young fellow (as romantics like to do). She went to his house to have a mature conversation and learn where things went wrong. Unfortunately, when she arrived, he was not there. Instead, outside of his house, he left all of her belongings. They were all thrown together into a Ziploc bag. Talk about a rough way to spend a holiday that is supposed to be about love!

9 Valentine’s Day Surprise

Another Valentine’s Day breakup full of twists and turns comes from CafeMom.com. According to the website, woman E.A. had taken a pregnancy test and knew that she was pregnant. She planned to surprise her husband with the wonderful news on the day of love, Valentine’s Day. The day before, however, she was the one who was in for a surprise.

The day before Valentine’s Day, E.A.’s husband told her that he wanted to “find himself” and was taking a solo trip around the world. This did not sit well with E.A. An emotional reaction was to be expected. According to E.A., she threw the test at her husband and cried all day on Valentine’s Day. If you are upset with your partner for forgetting flowers or getting you the wrong kind of chocolate, maybe consider E.A.’s story and remember it is not so bad!

8 Valentine’s Day “Prank”

Not all Valentine’s breakups are quite as dramatic as E.A.’s. Our next story is based on a middle school relationship. As you can guess from the memory of middle school, it revolves around immaturity and trying to impress peers.

According to Seventeen.com, Carolynn of New York City was dumped on Valentine’s Day, cutting short her middle school romance. Carolynn recalls that her biggest crush wanted her to be his girlfriend. Of course, she accepted. Shortly after, she began to send “Cute glitter texts saying how much I [she] loved him and missed him.” Possibly, she was coming on a little strong. Later, however, it was revealed that Carolynn’s heartthrob “Told my best friend to tell me he was only pulling a prank on me.”

Wow. Middle school students are so creative in finding ways to hurt their peers. While her boyfriend was no Ashton Kutcher and his “prank” was in no way funny, we can hope that Carolynn has recovered and had better Valentine’s Days since.

7 The Candy Man Valentine’s Day Breakup

Depending on how you look at it, the next breakup we’re delving into was ironically sweet. This breakup happened to D.B., according to CafeMom.com. D.B.’s story is about a boyfriend that she had in college. Unfortunately, it is common for couples to break up right before Valentine’s Day in high school and college. This is because one of the partners does not want to give a gift. D.B.’s college boyfriend did not take this approach. In fact, he did kind of the opposite.

Instead of breaking up with D.B. before Valentine’s Day, he waited until the day itself. Whether it was an attempt to soften the blow or make himself look better, the man in question bought D. B. flowers and candy. True, her boyfriend was not cheap. But maybe he should have bought her a teddy bear too. That way, she could hold something while she cried. Instead, she had the flowers to serve as a reminder of her Valentine’s Day heartbreak.

6 Home-Cooked Breakup

Cooking a delicious meal for a partner is not only kind; there is a kind of intimacy to it. Sharing recipes and cooking with a new partner can be a big step. However, maybe it is not always the right step. According to Pedestrian.tv, Chloe had a messy experience. She felt close to her boyfriend, to the point that she wanted to share her “world-famous spaghetti” with him. According to Chloe, preparing the meal took her hours.

Her boyfriend came into the apartment and enjoyed the spaghetti (helping himself to two servings). After eating, the lovebirds got ready for bed with full stomachs. Chloe says the two were “romantically spooning” when “he casually announces he isn’t falling in love with me at all, and we should just cut our losses.”

What was in that spaghetti?!? In all seriousness, it seems as though Chloe dodged a bullet. If a person is willing to eat two plates of your world-famous spaghetti that you spent hours preparing on Valentine’s Day to only break up with you while you are spooning, what else can you expect from them?

5 High Steaks Dinner

Our next Valentine’s Day breakup is another culinary misadventure. AskMen.com reports on a comment from Reddit user u/devilized. U/devilized, who went through a traumatic Valentine’s Day breakup as well. Reportedly, he made his longtime girlfriend a steak dinner. He cooked homemade Italian bread, marinated ribeye, and steamed fresh green beans and carrots. All of this was served to his partner with music and candlelight. Sounds pretty romantic, right?

According to u/devilized, his girlfriend told him several upsetting things that night. Evidently, she said she was “No longer completely devoted to me, doesn’t like when I touch her, and might break up with me because I don’t want kids.”

That is a lot to take in, and we’re not even considering the tasty meal. Though the results of this encounter were inconclusive, we can all hope that u/devilized and his new girlfriend have found a happier, more fulfilling relationship since.

4 Valentine’s Day Dinner Without Reservations?

Not everyone likes to cook for Valentine’s Day. If you plan to go out to eat with your partner, the best idea is to get a reservation. Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for many restaurants. Waiting in a lobby for your turn to be seated is not most people’s idea of a romantic evening. Suppose you and your partner choose to go out for Valentine’s Day without a dinner reservation. In that case, you may end up in the same situation as D.R.

According to CafeMom.com, D.R. said she and her partner had “been bickering all day, what I thought was normal couple stuff, but still decided to go out for our Valentine’s Day dinner. The restaurant had a 45-minute wait, so we went outside. We ended up bickering some more, and then he got up and left… WITHOUT me.” While this sounds like it was already somewhat of a tense situation, the hunger and wait time for the restaurant certainly did not help.

D.R. indicates that she had to find her own ride home from the restaurant via Uber and that her boyfriend moved out the following week. It seems like these two were maybe already not seeing eye to eye, but Valentine’s Day is certainly a sad day for their romance to end.

3 The Most Secret Admirer

Our next Valentine’s Day fiasco was reported by Seventeen.com. While the school is not specified, it seems like this was a high school or college romance. Lauren, from Denver, says that a secret admirer first contacted her on her phone. She did not know the number, and the person did not want to reveal their identity. She was intrigued by this mysterious admirer and continued to text with him, apparently for hours.

The anticipation built up in Lauren. She wanted to know who her admirer was. Finally, he invited her to meet at a coffee shop for a blind date. Reportedly, Lauren was somewhat suspicious and took precautions, “including telling all my friends where I was going and letting the barista know I was on a blind date.” Lauren was smart to take these precautions but still excited to be meeting her mysterious, romantic admirer.

She waited at the coffee shop on Valentine’s day for half an hour, but the admirer never showed. Lauren got a text from the admirer a week later, apparently teasing her for being stood up. The identity of this admirer was never revealed. Unfortunately, I suspect this may have been the admirer’s intentions all along. People can be so mean!

2 Not the Valentine She Was Expecting

Our next Valentine’s Day breakup is a short one from CafeMom.com. Unlike many other stories, this one takes place early on Valentine’s Day morning. K.S. recalls that she was dating a new person, and things were going well from her perspective.

The night before Valentine’s Day, the couple slept together for the first time. According to K.S., “It was kind of awkward, like first-time sex can be, but basically okay.” It seems her partner may have had a different perspective. On Valentine’s Day morning, she awoke not to chocolates, roses, and kisses. Instead, she awoke to find a note on her nightstand. She never heard from him again, and the note simply said he “Just wasn’t feeling this.” Ouch! That’s definitely not how Valentine’s Day should be started.

1 Valentine’s Day Confession

Grace from Milwaukee tells us our final heartbreaking Valentine’s Day tale. Seventeen.com shared her story. Grace confessed her love for her best friend on Valentine’s Day. Like all of the other items on our list, this did not go as she hoped.

Her best friend told her several things. First, he told her that he did not share her feelings. Then, he described his feelings for their other mutual friend. He even described her as “hot.” Of course, this left Grace feeling unwanted and rejected.

According to Grace, she was “heartbroken for a long time.” She has dated “some other guy” as a rebound since, but it took a while to recover emotionally. But…doesn’t it make you wonder if her “best friend” was really her friend after all?