It seemed such a good idea at the time.

She was single. He was single.

Why not?

This thought echoed in his mind as if waiting clarification, it was a good idea.

Building up the courage and justifying to himself, it was a reasonable request he approached her and popped the question.

Her reaction was not as he imagined. She looked at him as if he was the carrier of some exotic disease and took a step back.

He had imagined their date would be as if sailing high above the clouds, the two of them wrapped in each other, talking incessantly, telling each the story of their lives, one fascinated in the other.

Reality was the sight of her turned up lip, the curt NO, the look in her eyes telling him she wouldn’t be seen dead with him.

Instead of floating into a world of belonging, he found himself deflated, his ego flopping to a lifeless heap.

He watched as she walked away, and made a resolution to never again put himself in that position. Humiliation leaves an eternal scar, he dropped his head, praying no one was watching what had just happened.

Written for: https://flashfictionforthepracticalpractitioner.wordpress.com/2019/08/14/flash-fiction-for-the-purposeful-practitioner-week-37/