Chapter 3The Sneaker Flip

"Don't!" he interrupted sharply.

"But didn't you say you didn't like them?"

"I... I actually wore them outside already," he said, speaking faster. "There's dirt on the soles, and I threw the box away. Definitely can't return them."

"Oh," I drawled. "Never mind then. But do you really think they're childish?"

"Yeah," his tone returned to that calm, almost lecturing vibe. "Chloe, don't buy me stuff like this anymore. I won't have many chances to wear it. I'm about to start my internship. If you really want to get me something, buy something practical."

"Like what?"

"Like a watch, or the new iPhone. That fits my status better. It looks good when I meet clients."

I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles turned white.

He hasn't even graduated, and he's talking to me about status.

No wonder he thought the shoes were childish. He was setting the stage for this.

I suddenly remembered when I sent him the order screenshot three days ago, he just replied with "Cool."

I thought he was busy. I didn't expect him to be so disappointed he couldn't even fake enthusiasm.

"You're right," I said slowly. "I agree. You're starting your career; you need to look the part."

Brad sounded thrilled. "Right? I knew you'd understand! Actually, I saw a Longines watch, it's only about two grand, if you..."

I cut him off.

"That's why I hid a watch in the shoe box. A vintage Patek Philippe. You didn't see it?"

Dead silence on the other end.

I could only hear his breathing getting heavier.

A few seconds later, Brad's voice cracked.

"What?"

"A Patek Philippe," I said innocently. "It's at the very bottom of the box, wrapped in velvet. You didn't open it? There's a handwritten letter from me in there too."

"I..." He stammered. "You put a watch inside the shoe box?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "If I knew you didn't like the shoes, I would have just given you the watch. That thing was so expensive. My heart hurt when I swiped the card."

I heard a dull thud on the other end, like a fist hitting a table.

Then, a girl's lowered, whiny voice: "What are you doing? Why are you mad..."

Brad lowered his voice too, sounding frantic. "Because you wanted that bag! How else could I sell the shoes so fast?! This is a disaster! We lost big time!"

The girl scoffed. "I told you they were limited edition. The price would go up if you held them. You're the one who insisted on selling..."

"If I didn't sell them now, how would I get them in time for your birthday?!"

I pretended not to hear their whispers and asked with concern:

"Brad? Are you okay?"

"Nothing," his voice was dry. "Chloe, did you just say... how much was that watch?"

"Over seventy thousand," I said casually. "I was going to buy a new car, but I thought you needed a good watch for your interviews more. So I bought it."

"Seventy thousand?" His voice started to tremble. "Where did you get that kind of money?"

"Year-end bonus," I said, sounding aggrieved. "My project did really well this year. I got an eighty-five thousand dollar bonus. I spent almost all of it on your watch."

"You..." He gasped. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise." I paused, then injected panic into my voice. "Wait, why are you asking like that? Is the watch missing?"

"I... might have missed it..." He was rambling now. "I haven't looked at the box closely..."

"Go look for it!" I shouted. "It's a classic model. Even second-hand, it's worth forty or fifty grand! If it's lost, I'm going to die!"

I sent Brad a photo of the watch and the receipt from the boutique.

"Look, this style suits you perfectly. It's a bit mature, but you can wear it for years."