ACT I

With a deep breath, Arin went into the convenience store that was right outside the building she lived in. She kept her eyes on the floor and her hands in her pockets, and lowered her head so that her hair covered her face and line of vision.

She grabbed a basket from the counter and quickly browsed through the aisles for cat food and toilet paper. That was all she needed for now.

When she was done collecting her items (plus a bar of chocolate she craved while browsing), she slowed her steps and her anxiety swelled. Now was the time for the dreaded interaction.

She stood up straight and put her frizzy hair behind her ear, and locked eyes with the boy who worked at the counter. Maybe she should have just kept her head down, but she really wanted to look at him.

God, he was cute, she thought as she neared him. She kept her eyes fixated on his face, frightfully aware of a very deadly word that was dangerously close to where she was looking. However, she was careful not to let herself read that word which was pinned to his chest, no matter how tempting it was.

This boy worked the 2pm-11pm shift. Arin had gone to that convenience store so often that she memorized who worked when, and this one was definitely her favorite. He was the cutest, and the nicest, and the one she often daydreamed about, living unfulfilled fantasies of love and romance through him.

“Good afternoon,” he told her, flashing her a kind smile.

“Afternoon,” she replied, trying to smile but coming off extremely awkward instead. Her hands fumbled to place her items on the counter for him to scan.

“What’s your cat’s name?” the boy asked as he scanned the barcode of her new box of cat food.

“Uh… Meemo,” she mumbled as she nervously picked the skin around her nails. She dreadfully wished that the boy would ask no more questions.

“That’s a cute name. Recently I’ve actually been wanting to get a cat, but my mom’s telling me I should get a girlfriend instead,” he joked with a light chuckle.

Arin continued smiling awkwardly, hoping her lack of response would make him stop trying to be friendly with her.

“I’m Joshua, by the way,” the boy said.

“Huh?” she felt her heart stop.

“Joshua. That’s my name.”

Arin froze. Her nerves made her drive her nail deeper into the skin around her thumb.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when he saw how her face had become yellow.

“Uh… I have to go,” she said before swiftly turning away and leaving the convenience store, never looking back as Joshua called for her to pay and get her things. But she was definitely never returning.

You see, she could no longer be around this boy, because that dangerous word she had consciously wanted to avoid was now in her head. She had now inadvertently carried a weapon that she may accidentally use against him.

One slip-up, and he’d be gone.

She learned his name. And for Arin, a person’s name was all she needed to kill them.