The pen hadn’t been worth stealing. He had known from the moment he’d taken it that it would do nothing to improve the situation. It was a pointless petty crime, but the deed had been done and now here he was with the pen in his hand. She wouldn’t even know the pen was missing, it wasn’t important enough for her to care about it. He should’ve taken something of greater value; a notebook perhaps. She would need notes, no doubt she would notice that was gone. Yet here he chose to take the stupid pen. She probably had at least 3 other pens exactly identical to it. He might as well just throw the pen away and forget the plan entirely. It had taken so long to think of; and though simple, the plan seemed almost fool-proof. And he had screwed it up in a moment of panic by taking the pen. No, he couldn’t back down now; he had worked too hard for this. She was standing only a few feet away by the doorway to the school, it was now or never. He began to approach her, more nervous by the second. “Um, hey,” he muttered nervously. Get it together, he thought. He straightened up and looked her in the eyes. “I found this pen, is it yours?” She smiled at him, taking the pen back. “I’ve been looking everywhere for that! What’s your name?” Mission accomplished.