Lana's body went rigid instantly. She heard Jack say something but could not make out the words coming out of his mouth.

She finally managed to look up at him. Jack paused as if in hopes she would say something back—anything. She looked back down at the box and stayed frozen, unable to speak.

Jack jumped up and started to pace back and forth in front of her, seeming to want to pass the time until Lana was ready to talk to him. But after several more minutes of silence, he grew too impatient and spoke louder so that Lana was sure to hear him.

"Believe me Lana, I've gone over this in my head millions of times—of what was the best way to tell you. I wanted you to see I'm not such a bad guy after all. I figured if you could get to know me then you would be happy it was me that returned the box and not anyone else. I see now that it was yet again a stupid decision. I should have just left it somewhere for you to find and let it be. But I can't stand the thought of not starting off being honest. It was killing me. I wasn't intending—"

"This isn't the right box," Lana cutting him off quietly. It was finally time to say something. She'd expected the first words out of her mouth to address the fact that Jack was a liar... and a thief! But giving her the incorrect box seemed to find its way past her lips first.

"What?" Jack stopped pacing and looked at Lana.

"Jack, this isn't the right box. Mine was the red one." Tears fell down Lana's face. But truthfully it wasn't about it being the wrong box. It was the betrayal. Betrayal from a guy she was starting to like.

This is why I don't venture out on dates. Something bad is always bound to happen.

"No, no, no, no, no! Please, please don't cry!" Jack jumped and sat beside her to try to console her. He came close but stopped himself when Lana flinched at his nearness. He settled for putting his arm on the wooden bench behind her back.

"I'm so, so sorry, Lana. I will get you the red box! I thought this one was it when we had texted about a box!"

Lana wiped her tears and took a few deep breaths. She was strong. She knew it would all be okay. And she was fine on her own without Jack. She had already decided that she was not going to chase after the red box. So maybe she would be fine without it.

Then, something in her snapped. "What the hell were you thinking?" Heat started to seep through her, and her skin began to tingle.

"I know, I know, I was-"

"Not just about taking me out and lying to me!" Lana continued, her voice rising, "But also stealing from a freaking Goodwill?" Lana stood up abruptly and Jack followed. She was done with Jack and didn't have anything to lose at this point. "No seriously, Jack, what in the actual hell was that?"

"Okay, okay, I know! Like I said, I'm not exactly proud of myself. But I can explain everything!"

Lana stayed silent and raised her eyebrows in a way that showed Jack he better get talking.

"Okay, so again, not at all proud of myself. Essentially that night was due to a bet I lost earlier in the year."

Lana's eyes grew wide, and her head began to shake involuntarily as Jack made his case—which was off to a terrible start.

Jack continued in an even tone, "I am, or actually, was, a part of this fantasy football league. At the beginning of each season, the group decides not only what the winners get, but also what the losers have to do. Each year it's been something really stupid, and each year I always manage to not end up at the bottom... until this year.

"I've never actually stolen anything before in my life. And I was planning to donate it all back this week. I also never expected to be seeing you there. Trust me when I say this, I haven't been able to get you out of my head all week. And I was just kicking myself for it to have happened while you were there!"

Lana could hardly believe her ears. She knew some of her coworkers did fantasy football leagues but never realized just how idiotic some people were with it. "Okay, I guess now it's all adding up as to why you were literally the world's worst thief. But why did you take our stuff?" she asked with arms crossed and in a slightly calmer voice than before.

Jack responded, "It was all a part of the criteria for the evening. I felt like hell the whole day leading up to it. Absolutely sick to my stomach. I did errands to try to distract myself. That was when I was at Trader Joe's earlier and met you."

Lana thought back to the first time she had met Jack. He looked like a zombie and was buying a bottle of vodka. A tinge of sympathy swept over her, but she quickly brushed it away. She went back to the endless amount of questions formulating in her mind. "Why did you ask for my number that night if you knew where I worked? You could've easily come back and asked me, just like you did!"

"Again, wasn't thinking ahead. It was a very stressful situation, and I wanted you to feel like you could get your stuff back somehow. I regretted it as soon as I got back to the car and decided I'd go back to Trader Joe's and ask you myself." Jack paused as Lana tried to process his words. He continued, "Can I ask you something?"

Lana looked up and nodded slowly, calmly, unsure of what he was about to say.

"Why did you give me your number that night?" he asked.

Lana stood frozen, thinking for a moment. She finally answered, "I, um, I don't know. The box is important to me and I think... I'm pretty sure it was my grandmother's. I was excited to have found it."

At her words, Jack fell on the bench and made an audible grunting noise. Like Lana's words had just doubled the anguish that he was experiencing. "Oh my God, I am so, so unbelievably sorry." He put his head in his hands to seemingly shield himself from it all. "What a cluster of a situation."

Lana sat down beside him, unsure of how to react or what to do next.

Jack picked his head up and looked at her. "I can fix it. Please, please let me fix this. I have all of the stuff in my apartment, and I can get you your box back."

Lana stayed still for a moment, contemplating if getting the box back was even worth it. She had already decided that she didn't need it. But now, having it be so close, she couldn't resist the thought of getting it back and finding out what her late grandmother had left for her. She needed some more information before deciding, "So, how are you going to get it back to me?"

"I can right now! If we just go to my apartment, I will personally hand it to you."

"Oh, no, no, no! You think I'm going to go into your apartment? I do not trust you at all."

"Fair enough." Jack paused, trying to think of a solution. "How about you wait at the concierge desk while I run up and get it? Or I can stop by Trader Joe's on a day you're working and give it to you then?"

Lana pondered for a moment. It would be nice to just get this whole ordeal over with and be on her way.

"Okay, fine. Let's just get this over with tonight. I'll wait downstairs. But, a couple of ground rules," she said.

"Yes, anything! Whatever you want."

"Number one, this thing between you and me. It's just not going to work out," Lana said as she held up her hand and started waving it in between them. Jack's face looked sullen, but he kept his gaze on Lana. She continued, "Not only will it be so hard to ever trust you, but that fantasy football thing is just the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life. I just cannot date someone who would ever do that. Can you promise me you will not under any circumstances pursue me?"

His expression was unreadable when he spoke, "Fine, okay. What's number two?"

"Promise me, Jack!"

"Fine, I promise I won't pursue you in a romantic way!" Jack said, irritation evident in his voice.

"Number two," Lana continued, "I need to see your ID. I'm going to text Chloe your address and have her watch me on Find My Friends until I get there. If I stay past eleven PM, she's going to call the cops."

Jack immediately took out his wallet and handed his ID to Lana.

"And number three, I need you to make a very large donation of one thousand dollars to Goodwill."

"Oh easy, can definitely do that," Jack responded.

Lana quickly decided to add in another criterion, trying her luck, "And fourth, you need to make a very large donation to me, Lana Asfoor. I take cash or Venmo."

Jack half-smiled and said, "Okay cool it, I have money, but it's not like candy. I'll get you your box soon enough."

Lana rolled her eyes and took out her phone. She quickly texted Chloe.

Lana: Hey Chlo, long story and don't worry, but could you just keep an eye on me on Find My Friends? If I'm not back home by 11, call me. And if I don't answer, call the cops.

Lana took a picture of Jack's ID and sent it to Chloe along with her text. She looked up at Jack and said, "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go get me my grandmother's box."

***

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