The Beginning

Chris walked down the sidewalk, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He was on his way to the small convenience store on the corner. He went there almost every morning, and usually bought one or two really, really small things. He never actually needed anything from the store, but the boy behind the counter had become something of a friend to him. And he didn't have many other friends.

"You know, if you didn't always buy something, I'd think you were just here to see me," the boy joked. Chris laughed, bowed his head nervously, and shuffled his feet a bit.

"Why would I come just to see you?" he asked, playing along.

"Maybe because if I like you well enough, I can get you a ten percent discount."

Chris raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the boy. "You can not!"

"No, I can't," the boy admitted. "So, then, why would you come just to see me?"

Chris mentally told himself not to blush, but he wasn't thoroughly convinced that it worked. "Well, Jonny, for starters, you're a much better conversationalist than my wall is."

"I don't doubt that."

"And then there's the fact that..."

"The fact that what?" Jonny asked.

"Well, I don't know," Chris said. "I just get lonely sometimes, and you're good company." He looked up at Jonny, trying to hide what was behind his eyes. "That's all."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Jonny said, his voice sounding more sad and sincere than it had before. "I get lonely, too."


What is that, some kind of hint or something? Ask him out!
Shhhh, don't say anything. People get lonely sometimes, it's not like he's trying to tell you anything.

What is that, some kind of hint or something? Ask him out!

"Being lonely sucks, doesn't it?" Chris nervously asked.

Jonny nodded. "Yeah."

"Well... maybe sometime... we could keep each other company... in a place other than here?" Chris's voice began to shake a little, and he could feel the sweat seeping through his palms.

Jonny stared at him blankly for a while, which he didn't take as such a good sign.

"Um... I'm... I'm not sure that... What I mean to say is... I don't think we're on the same page here." Jonny winced a little. Chris could tell he was trying to let him down easy, but it wasn't helping much.

Lie! Pretend you weren't asking him out.
Be a man, accept your rejection.

Be a man, accept your rejection.

"Oh." Chris stared at his shoes and frowned. "OK."

"Sorry..."

"No, it's all right," Chris said. "I mean, I didn't really expect you to... Well, anyway, it's done and over with now."

Jonny nodded along, and for a few minutes afterward they were both silent.

"Well," Chris finally said, "I best be heading out now, I think. Got a long day ahead of me."

"See you tomorrow, man," Jonny smiled.

Chris returned the smile halfheartedly, then slowly made his way out the door. He began to walk back to his apartment, feeling very down and almost lost. But along the way, something laying on the ground caught his eye.

See what it is!
Keep walking.

Lie! Pretend you weren't asking him out.

Chris threw his hands up in the air. "Wait, wait. Did you... did you think I was asking you out??"

"You mean you weren't?" Jonny asked with wide eyes.

"God, no."

"Oh. I am so sorry." Jonny's cheeks began to turn red, and he tried to hide a little.

"It's fine," Chris said. Then, with a painfully fake laugh, he added, "Could you imagine if I asked you out? Ha! Us... going out on a date.. Ha. That's a laugh."

"That would be pretty weird," Jonny agreed.

Chris nodded along, and for a few minutes afterward they were both silent.

"Well," Chris finally said, "I best be heading out now, I think. Got a long day ahead of me."

"See you tomorrow, man," Jonny smiled.

Chris returned the smile halfheartedly, then slowly made his way out the door. He began to walk back to his apartment, feeling very down and almost lost. But along the way, something laying on the ground caught his eye.

See what it is!
Keep walking.

Keep walking.

It was really tempting to see what was on the ground, but Chris decided to ignore it. After all, he walked past a million things a day that he never looked at, why should this be any different?

He shuffled back to his apartment, taking what seemed like years to finally get back. When he finally got in and shut the door behind him, he went over to the couch and collapsed down.

What an awful morning.




WHAT? That's not a good ending. :(

See what it is!

Chris bent down and examined the thing. It was a white sheet of paper, folded in half and carelessly discarded on the ground. He picked it up and opened it, but there was nothing inside. He creased it again and carried it with him, planning on disposing of it whenever he reached the nearest trash can.

It only took a few seconds before he was in front of the trash can, hand up and ready to drop the paper in. But just before he let it go, words began to appear on its surface...

Wait!

Chris blinked a few times, making sure that he wasn't just seeing things.

Don't you want all your dreams to come true?

Chris thought it was a rather ridiculous question. No, he wants all of his dreams to die.

All you have to do is write them down...

He stared at the paper for a few moments longer, rereading the words and thinking rather deeply.

Keep the paper! 
Toss it. 

Toss it.

Chris decided to just toss the paper. He figured he was probably just not feeling too good at the moment, which is why he was seeing the words appear. Like a paper could talk to someone.

He shuffled back to his apartment, taking what seemed like years to finally get back. When he finally got in and shut the door behind him, he went over to the couch and collapsed down.

What an awful morning.




WHAT? That's not a good ending. :(