Love In The Bucket

Chapter 5: I think I accidentally got a job at a coffee shop

It's been three months since that new kid came to school- and yes, I'm still calling him that. I refuse to call him by name. 

He's made my life real shit lately, from pushing me into the mud most days, to actively bullying me in the locker rooms, and he even stole one of my sketchbooks. Why the fuck would he want that to begin with? 

We're getting closer and closer to fall break, and oh boy am I looking forward to two weeks of not seeing the little prick. It'll be just like everything was before: decent. 

I was at the store, buying a new sketchbook. I had filled up the house practice one, and I needed a new one. While I was there, I tried my best to ignore it, but I finally gave in and trudged over to the sticker section. I'm a sucker for stickers, I have a box in my room filled with them. 

I smiled as I ran my finger through the different sticker packs, and I picked up a couple frog packs and some mushroom stickers, too. Just as I was about to grab a pack of Mario stickers, I felt two hands clamp down on my shoulders. My breath hitched and my body tensed up.

"Hey, ya little fuckwad."

I knew that voice all too well- that manly, husky voice that pushes me in the mud every morning.  I felt my heart racing as he took one of his hands off of my shoulder and spun me around so we were staring each other in the eyes. I clenched the handle of the shopping basket I was carrying so hard that I could feel my stubby little nails digging into my palm, but I was too scared to loosen my grip. 

A- the new kid- was inches away from my face, glaring at me. His grey eyes sparkled, the tops in shadows from his hair. I could see his pupils growing and shrinking, adjusting to the light. I shakily inhaled.

"Uh, hi?" I said, trying to not sound as scared shitless as I was. My heart felt like it was about to pound out of my body and shoot through the store. 

He scowled and backed away from me so that I could see his whole face. 

"What are you doing here, prick?" 

I blinked rapidly, pursing my lips. 

"Oh-just uh, just buying some stickers and a new sketchbook is all and I'm on my way to leave now so you don't need to do anything because I'm leaving-"

He scoffed and crossed his arms, his eyes still piercing into my soul.

"You really think that I'm just gonna let you leave like that?"

"I mean, kind of-" I stopped, placing my hand on my forehead. The little shit just flicked me in the head!

"Shut up and let me talk." He was resting one hand on his hip, the other combing through his hair. "Look, I can tell you don't like me, and I hate your guts, but let me propose something."

I nodded my head, intrigued by what he was going to say.

"I'll...leave you alone at school. But school only, okay? I'm still pushing you in the mud every morning, you little shit." 

His face immediately went back to scowling at me, clearly back to hating me. 

I sighed a breath of relief, finally loosening the grip I had on the shopping basket. 

"Uh, thanks, I guess." 

He nodded at me and walked away, not saying anything. 

I turned back around to the sticker section, quickly grabbed the pack of Mario stickers, and made my way to the self checkout. After I was done scanning the items, I quickly ran outside to the car, shoving the shopping bag under my shirt. It was raining hard, just like always, and I wasn't letting this sketchbook get water damaged.