• tab After slamming the snooze button around 10 times, I finally dragged myself out of bed, the groggily part of me really showing. I was not a morning person.
    tab Taking a shower was a pain. I guess I shouldn't expect that much from a cheap apartment that I had to share with an obnoxious room mate, but even so, I'd like to explain thoroughly to the makers of the shower that usually when you turn the knob to the hot side, the water tends to be hot, on the contrary to...cold.
    tab Shivering away my not-so-warm shower, I began down stairs, where I saw my, as I said, obnoxious room mate, already eating breakfast. And when he turned around and saw me, I knew all hell would break loose.
    tab "Good morning, Jack." He looked at his watch, and then said in mock surprise,
    tab "Oh, never mind! Good afternoon!" He laughed at his own joke, slapping his knee like an animated stereotype.
    tab "Shut up." I walked up to the refrigerator, and swung open the door. Bagels...
    tab "You know, for a second, I thought you actually just got up. But that's impossible, right? I mean, it's 1:00 in the afternoon!"
    tab "Bagels...Bagels..."
    tab "Seriously, though, what--"
    tab "Shut up, David." I took a bagel from the fridge, and closed the door. I noticed a note I posted a couple days earlier on the fridge door, and read it silently to myself,
    tab "Buy wedding ring for Sarah..." I slapped myself on the forehead.
    tab "Wedding ring! Shoot!"
    tab "Wedding ring?" Suddenly, David jumped up, all smiles. "Whoah, whoah, whoah! You're gonna get...whoah...Wedding ring?!" Another thing about David: When he's surprised, his sentences are even more nonsensical than usual. I grabbed my coat and rushed outside, ignoring David's pleads for understanding.

    tab I guess I haven't told you yet. I was going to propose to Sarah on Christmas. Like a perfect Christmas present.
    tab Though sounding good at the time, Christmas rush made it difficult to get something with my little "due date" in hand, especially seeing the little money I had. $150...Been saving it up for weeks now, but what cheap ring was only $150?
    tab I walked into the ring store, not surprised to see rings far beyond my budget.
    tab I was surprised, though, to see Susan Heartfield there.
    tab Five years I hadn't seen her. Then, I see her twice in a row.
    tab She, then, noticed me of course, and to my surprise, voluntarily walked up to me.
    tab "Oh, hi, Sarah," I said, again, nervously. Thankfully, the feeling was mutual. Looking at her feet, she whispered,
    tab "Aren't you surprised, Jack?" I bent back a little.
    tab "What?" She looked up, and went on,
    tab "I've been gone for five years." She stared back down at her shoes. "Five years is a long time. So did you ever wonder why I came back?" I blinked a couple times, trying to think of something to say.
    tab "What are you getting at?" I couldn't say it straight to her face. Maybe it was just because I didn't really want to know what she was getting at.
    tab "All these five years...I couldn't forget...There was only one thing on my mind." I almost covered my ears. This was too much to bear.
    tab "Susan..."
    tab "I couldn't stop thinking of you, Jack. And now I know...I know for sure..."
    tab "Please don't do this, Susan. Please don't."
    tab "I love you, Jack."

    tab There was a time...Before, that is, when these words would've been the only words I wanted to hear. But now...Now I just looked at her with a blank stare. I opened my mouth. I attempted to say something. But nothing came out, as I slowly stepped backwards towards the exit.
    tab There was no wedding ring in hand as I got into the taxi to my apartment. Empty hands. Empty heart.