Title: Rejection
Rating: K
Pairing: Howie/Sue (unrequited)
Episode: 105 "A Snitch In Time"
Summary: Howie's thoughts after Sue rejects him.
Word
Count: 331
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Nothing like the taste of rejection, Howie thought as he walked away from the table. He kicked a pebble down the street. Well, not like he hadn't experienced it before, right? Just not from a girl like Sue...
He turned the black velvet box over in his hands, and briefly wondered if he should have gotten the earrings instead. Stupid, he thought. It wasn't the necklace. It was him. Girls with class didn't go for him. He should have known that. It was embarrassing. She was smart; she would realize that he had only joined up because of her.
Was that a bad thing? After all, he was on the right side of the law for the first time in... a while. So, no, not such a bad thing after all.
He suddenly stopped and backtracked. The jewelry store. "Excuse me!" came an annoyed female voice from behind him. The woman pushed past him and continued through the crowd. Howie opened the door and walked in.
The man behind the counter looked up at the sound of the bell. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah. Uh..." Howie opened the box and set it on the counter. "I'd like to return this?"
The man picked up the necklace. "Lady friend didn't like it?"
"Heh." Howie shoved his hands into his pockets awkwardly. "Something like that."
The man nodded sympathetically. "I'll need your receipt."
"Right. I have it in here..." Howie pulled out his wallet and began ruffling through it. Several papers fell out onto the floor. He bent to pick them up. "No, that's from my groceries." He looked up. The man was drumming his fingers on the counter. "You know what? I, uh, must have left it at home." He took the necklace back. "I'll bring this in tomorrow."
The man shrugged. "Maybe you should keep it. She might change her mind."
Howie frowned. "I doubt it." But he put the box back into his pocket. A man could try, couldn't he?