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Today was going to be the day. John had decided that as soon as he’d woken up that morning and gotten ready for daily classes at Chicago University. Thought about it in the shower, while he was changing, as he ate breakfast, drove to school. During his lunch hour, he’d go into the drug store and talk to him. *Really* talk to him, make conversation, make plans. They’d go out somewhere together, maybe eat dinner at a restaurant, and the next day they’d see a movie. And before he’d know it, the boy behind the counter would be his friend.


Except that was what he told himself every morning. He knew, during the course of the day, he’d build his confidence and muster up courage, but as soon as it was his turn in line the only thing he would say was a polite hello and then he’d pay for his bottle of water and leave, feeling dejected and like a complete loser.

But today was different. Today was going to be the day. He was almost sure of it. And as his turn in line came around and he gave the boy behind the counter his water, he took a deep breath and…

“Hello.” Damn it! He wasn’t supposed to say that!

“Dollar seven, please.” And he definitely wasn’t supposed to say *that*. They were supposed to be talking. They were supposed to be having a conversation. Except they weren’t, and the only thing John could do was hand over the money. “Thank you, have a good day.”
“You too,” he said, dejectedly, feeling like a complete loser as he stepped away from the counter. He began walking to the door, sighing heavily when he heard something. He turned quickly, his brow furrowed. “What?”

“I said, see you tomorrow.”

And then the boy behind the counter smiled. At him. At John. Right *at* him. No one else. *Him*. But before John could even react, the boy was turning to the next customer in line, his smile gone, along with his voice. Because he rarely smiled, and he rarely spoke. Unless he wanted to. And John smiled too, as he left the store. Because they boy behind the counter wanted to smile at him. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to be friends with him.

Tomorrow would be the day, he decided. Because tomorrow was, without a doubt, most definitely different.
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