Mike
“Ah, the CDs.” Mike took a moment to catch up. “You are the guy that bought three copies of the same CD a couple days ago,” the woman behind the counter explained. “Oh, yeah,” Mike scratched his neck in embarrassment and avoided eye contact. “Well, have you come back to get another one?” “No!” Mike asserted with a bit too much force, “I mean . . . no.” “Hey, I'm just messing with you,” the woman chuckled, “I never caught your name by the way.” “It's Mike.” “What a fitting name for a patron of a record store.” “How so?” “You know, because it sounds like 'mic' as in 'microphone'? Well, maybe that was a stretch. I'm Trish by the way.” She extended her arm across the counter. Mike's mind was racing. Why was she making small talk with him? Was she flirting? Why did he act like a complete idiot in front of her? Probably because he found her hot. Definitely because he found her hot. After she had rung him up on Tuesday he hadn't been able to think of anything else; Her Skull Maniacs shirt, her muscular arms, that cute scar above her left eyebrow, the— He was suddenly brought back to reality when the woman, was it 'Tess'?, pulled away her hand that must've been outstretched for a while. “Anyways, can I ring you up?” “'Anyways' isn't a word.” Wow, that's the first thing you tell her after standing there like your brain had bluescreened? Idiot! Why can't you just be normal? Mike broke out into a heavy sweat. He turned around and started walking. Well, that's a store I can never return to. What a shame, they had such a good selection. “Mike? Where are you going?” How am I literally too stupid to visit a store? I must be the dumbest guy to have ever existed. “Mike?” Let's just go home and sit in the dark for the rest of the day. Or maybe I'm too dumb to do even that? Safe at home, Mike thought when he closed the apartment door behind him and sunk to the ground. Oh, come on! Mike stared in disbelief at the Spinning Sisters album in his hand.