price tag boy: a really short story
Beneath the heel of his shoe there stuck a price tag. It wasn't the original price tag for the shoes but rather a tag he picked up at the thrift store he works at, he figured. He originally hadn't notice it himself. It was Anna who took it off when they were sitting side by side chatting the other night at the coffee shop by her apartment. Anna didn't really know it but when she ripped the sticker off his shoe, like a doting mother, his feelings for her went from crush, to like. And even more, which Anna had no idea, he wasn't dreading the 57 minute commute home.
Usually if someone asked him to meet them in the city he would decline but the trip was well worth it in this case.
When Anna wasn't looking he put the tag back on his shoe to remind him of this moment. He figured if Anna noticed again it would be unlikely for her to again take it off as a person generally doesn't care that much for price tags, he reasoned. And if she did care that much then he figured it would have more to do with him than the price tag, he hoped.
When they said goodnight he didn't indicate how long it would take him to get home and hoped she wouldn't ask. But she did . And he said 15 minutes. Why 15 minutes came out he can't decide now. In the moment it sounded easy and effortless, quite the opposite of all his thoughts actually. But now it sounds more like a lie. Because it is. He repeats the stupid phrase over and over in his mind "oh just 15 minutes".
The next day Anna texted him to join her at a play in the city. "starts in 1/2 hour. if you leave now..." He made up an excuse instead of explaining that he actually just doesn't live in the city and he's sorry he basically lied to his future wife who doesn't really know that about herself yet he knows, but still.
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