He put it back. But he was still grinning—that loose, unguarded grin I only ever saw when we were alone.
I found what I was looking for near the back—a rack of flannels, the heavy kind, not the thin fashion ones that fell apart after two washes. I pulled a green-and-white one off the hanger. Held it up. Good weight. Good condition. The right kind of worn-in.
"That would look good on you," Alex said.
I checked the tag. Fourteen dollars. My wallet had a twenty and some change from my last work-study deposit. I could swing it, but it meant skipping something else this week.
"It's alright," I said. I put it back on the rack.
Alex watched me like he saw something but he didn't say anything. He just kept browsing and wandered into the depths of the store like an archaeologist discovering long lost oddities.
Ten minutes later, I was flipping through the vinyl bin when I noticed I lost sight of him. I looked up. He wasn't in the aisle. Wasn't at the books. Wasn't at the weird lamp shelf.
He was at the register. Card out. The woman behind the counter was scanning something I couldn't see.
I hope he isn't buying the cat sweater.
Whatever it was the woman bagged it, he tapped his card, and he headed over to me.
He walked up to me, a smile bubbling underneath his cool composure.
I put down the record I was looking at. "What'd you get?"
He pulled the green flannel from the bag and held it out. "The green is going to bring out your eyes."
"My eyes are fine."
"This is going to make them even better." He smiled and handed me the shirt.
I grabbed it. No one really bought me something before and it was uncomfortable, especially considering he just bought lunch too.
"Alex you didn't have to—"
"Liam, I wanted to. It's not a big deal. Something to remember the day." He gestured with the plastic bag still in his hand.
"Fine."
"Fine?" He asked.
I smiled. "I mean thank you."
"But I have one condition."
"A condition?" I raised my eye brows.
"You wear it with no undershirt. Top two buttons undone."
Heat climbed up my neck. "You're ridiculous."
"Those are my terms. Take it or leave it."
"If that's what my golden boy wants, then that's what he gets."
I couldn't even believe I was saying it but he did something to me, something I didn't understand.
Alex blushed.
"I'll be right back," I said.
