• Jeffery sighed as he hit the confirm button on Craig’s list. Within a matter of seconds his ad was up on the Internet, for everyone to see.

    ‘They’ll know,’ he thought. ‘They’ll know just by seeing this what a pathetic kind of person I am.’


    He read over his ad again. For sale, diamond engagement ring. Priced around three to five hundred dollars. Contact me at…


    Jeffery got up from his lopsided computer chair and pushed it in with some difficulty . The stupid thing was missing a wheel and never rolled in the right direction. He turned off his five-year-old computer and collapsed on his parent’s old couch, his face pressed in to the cushion that held an odd smell no one could seem to identify.

    “Vanessa.” He groaned. He was such a fool, his friends and family had seen it, why couldn’t he? Was he that out dated that he couldn’t tell when someone wasn’t being sincere? Had his being brought up to trust people no matter what been a mistake on his parents’ part?


    He rolled over and stared up at the ceiling, thinking of what had happened.


    * * *


    Jeffery Mathews had everything planned out. He was taking Vanessa to the restaurant where they had their first date, they would order what they had four months ago, at then, during dessert, he was going to propose.

    “Hey I remember this place.” Vanessa said, she chewed on a piece of gum she’d been working on all day. They walked in together, their arms linked.


    “Reservation for two, Mathews.” Jeffery said to the host.


    “Ah, yes. Right this way.” They were seated at the same table as last time and ordered their dinner.


    “So. What are we doing after this?” Vanessa asked. She was always doing something, like she couldn’t slow down or rest. There were times when she was off for a few days without saying one word to anyone.


    “Well. We could go back to my place.” Jeffery smiled.


    “That technology void? No thanks.”


    “Void? I have a computer and things like that.”


    “Yeah, but it’s all outdated and obsolete. I mean your cell phone is huge and you can’t get any reception on it. Your ipod is an old style radio.” She tossed some of her long black hair behind her shoulder.


    “So I don’t like technology so much, there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t need the newest and best of everything.”


    “Whatever, let’s just not talk about it.” That was another thing about Vanessa; she needed to be connected at all times to everything and everyone. She had two cell phones just so she could text more.

    They finished dinner and then desert came. Jeffery felt the velvet box in his pocket, excitement ran though him, and he felt giddy. He loved Vanessa and he was sure that she felt the same way.


    “‘Nessa, I want to ask you something.” He got out of his chair and went over to her, getting down on one knee.


    “Jeffery-”


    “Vanessa Smith, these past four months I’ve spent with you have been the best four months of my life, and I don’t want it to end here. I love you. Will you marry me?” He looked up at her hopefully.


    People in the restaurant were looking at them; it was always so sweet to see a proposal.


    Vanessa's mouth was a hard line and her eyes held sadness and worry. “No.” She finally said after sometime, her voice was hard and uncaring.


    “W-what?” Jeffery asked, he couldn’t seem to understand.


    “I don’t want to marry you Jeffery. I mean you’re a nice guy and everything, but I don’t feel for you in that way. See, I’ve been seeing this other guy too and he-”


    “You cheated on me?” He stood up slowly.


    “Actually, I was cheating on him with you.” She looked down at her lap.


    “I see.” Jeffery said. He looked around at everyone staring at him and he felt like the biggest idiot in the world.



    He got out of the restaurant as fast as he could and ran all the way home. It had started to rain, and by the time he reached his house he was soaking wet.


    * * *


    Jeffery looked at the black velvet box that sat on the table. He was so stupid. He had spent most of his savings on that ring, all for nothing.

    He turned on his TV and flipped it to the news, trying to get the happenings of three weeks ago out of his mind. There was breaking news about a car accident that happened a few streets down.

    “A speeding car and a motorcycle collided earlier this morning. The driver of the car was injured but it said to be fine, the two riders on the motorcycle were pronounced dead at the scene. One Jason Mac and Vanessa Smith. Their families will be holding a-” Jeffery cut the announcer off and turned off the TV, it made a loud popping noise as the screen slowly grew darker.

    It was wrong and he knew it. But he couldn’t help but smile at this karmic payback.