Every year, as best friends, Mitch and Hazel gathered. Today was the day again. The same room and box. Smiles as they laughed and shrieked as things came out of the box, reminding them of Hazel's stupid exes, practically walking red flags. A couple of things came out once in a while, and she would look mournfully at them, then continue giggling with Mitch as sparkly bows or tacky rings came out.

Soon her box was pushed aside by both of their legs, in a show of dramatic idiocy, with Hazel being flung off balance in the process and landing on her back. As she stretched, lamenting melodramatically, she picked herself up, and Mitch fetched his box, and they both clapped excitedly, keen for some laughs.

Wallets, keychains, self-help books, and a gym pass came out, and they gabbed loudly, Hazel practically hooting at mentions of his weird exes. Some items invoked nostalgia while others were openly cringed at. A lot of them were welcomed by reminders from Hazel that she had forewarned about them. The Mitch would look at her hard, and she would break after realizing he warned her of past exes, too.

The trunk was getting lighter and less full as Mitch set each item down on his blue rope rug for Hazel to look at. A few more trinkets came out. Mitch jumbled the box around, and Hazel perked up.

"C'mon, you saw ALL of mine!" She grinned as she teased him, but his eyes seemed remorseful as he looked down, squinting. Slowly, he reached down, being very direct as he grasped something. His hands cradled it and thwarted it from Hazel's view. She shifted around, wriggling to catch a glimpse. Woosh! His hands swung back to his shoulders, and he laughed at Hazel's startled face. She groaned, "You idiot..." He chuckled and turned back to the box. He spotted something in the clutter, and his hands felt sweaty; his ears felt red-hot; and his eyes slightly widened. He picked it up cautiously, and Hazel rolled her eyes. He criss-cross-applesuaced with her and put his knee up, casually passing her a small blue and green woven bracelet. She held it and looked up at him, confused. Finally, she turned her attention to the object and thought carefully. "I-I think I remember this... Was it that girl with the horse?" Mitch shook his head 'no'. Leaning towards it, she inspected it thoroughly, rotating it this way and that. She put her cupped hands down and straightened up, stared for a second out his window, then regained her position intently. "Nooo... it can't be," she looked at him weirdly, " Is this the bracelet I gave you at your graduation?" He nodded. She slowly got up and placed the bracelet down on his desk, took her book bag off his bed, and calmly walked up to him. He scrambled to stand up and meet her eyes. She whispered, "That wasn't a date..." He took her hands and said, "Yes, yes, it was." Tears seeped out of her eyes. "But we're friends." He shook his head.

Hazel left that day, and Mitch added a hole to his wall, but in years they would find each other again. Alone and single, sad and regretful, until Hazel realized that Mitch was right, it was a date.