“Rae! Wait!” He said, chasing after me.

I sped up, but he was right on behind me. I broke from my brisque walk into a casual jog, hoping that he was perceptive enough to tell that I had no interest in talking to him, with out looking like I was fleeing for my life.

Shawn, being the kind of guy who never percieved anything correctly, didn’t get my hint, and walked right in front of me. I ran into him, spilling my steaming drink all over his shirt.

There was an image I’d have to remember to enjoy later.

“What do you want, Shawn?” I asked, wiping my hands on my coat. I could see in his puppy-dog eyes that my annoyance had wounded him.

“I just wanted to get your number… Ask you out to dinner.”

I looked at him. Years ago, we’d been friends. We’d been more than friends. For a while, it had worked well. I opened my mouth to say something, then, Laughed in his face.