Notes

As Dayton looked longingly into the mirror, he realized who his true love really was: the small spring inside of a mechanical pencil. There was something he couldn't explain about those springs. They were used to mark every mistake, every round-out, every curve. He always thought of them as people. And maybe that's how you make it through the cruel world. You just close your eyes and hold your breath, knowing that next time you'll get it right.

Even though Dayton wasn't interested in anyone else that night, he still made sure to find a pen for Stephanie, knowing full well that she needed it. She loved that pencil too. It was the only gift she wanted this year. She hadn't even asked for anything else, nor had she taken anything else that day. It was all Dayton. But in the back of his mind, he knew she wasn't his only girlfriend. He also had to think of Jessie, his closeted love, who had always wanted to be with him, who knew it was him and not someone else. And lately, she had been distant, and he was worried. But then, maybe, it wasn't something he should be thinking about at all.

In the dark room, Dayton flipped open the cap of his pen and let the metal spring slide out. He pulled it apart and released the small spring, sending it flying into the air. It shot through the whole room and off of the wooden floor in front of him. It was such a strange and mundane thing to enjoy with such pleasure, but there was something so satisfying about it. It made him feel more like himself, not something he put on.

He grabbed his phone and took a selfie, showing it off to his friends, promising that he was already prepping for his next girlfriend. But there was something he was even more excited about; there was a girl that lived just a few towns over from him who liked him, too.