Why You Should Never Go To CVS Without A Pen





by E. A., Somerville, MA



He turned around and asked me for a pen. My heart stopped. Was it fate that drew us to the same CVS? Did fate prompt us to get our film developed at the same time? I handed him a pen I had just dug out of my purse. I carefully watched over him as he filled out his envelope. He stood tall with his beat-up leather jacket. His jeans were faded and fit snugly. His old high-tops were laced up tightly. I began to wonder what his pictures were of. Himself? His band? But what if they were pictures of - his girlfriend!

I felt pathetic as I looked down at my own roll of film. It consisted of pictures from my little sister's birthday party. What would a guy like him see in a girl like me anyway? I guess fate didn't bring us together after all. I was stupid thinking such a thing.

He tossed his long, dark hair to one side as he turned back toward me. His emerald eyes looked deeply into mine. He smiled. "Thank you," he said. I couldn't resist smiling back. I took the pen back and shoved it into my purse. What should I say? I looked up from my purse to find that he was still standing there. "What?" I asked him. He smiled even more. "Can I have your pen back for a second?" I was confused but I gladly gave him my pen. He walked back to the counter where he had just filled out his envelope. He started writing on a second one. When he was done he gave me back the pen and the envelope he had mysteriously written on. He smiled once again and left. I looked down at the envelope. It read "Jay 555-0948 Call me! P.S. Those weren't pictures of my girlfriend! (I don't have one!)"

I smiled excitedly as I filled out my envelope. I grasped the one Jay had given me tightly in my hand. As I stepped out of CVS, I saw him leaning on a midnight blue Camaro. "You want a lift?" he asked. I answered with a simple "No, thank you. I live across the street!" He smiled as he got into his car, reminding me to call him just before he drove off.