Five Finger Discount

Chapter 6

R O M A N ◇

Exactly a week today, I met a girl, the clumsiest, graceless, and messiest girl I have ever seen. But she left quite an impression because from the second I saw her, she never left my mind. I can't seem to comprehend why a girl like that could comfortably live in my head rent-free.

I saw her at a convenience store, on my way to the dog park, that same day I almost didn't go to the dog park because I had an assignment to finish.

Now I don't know whether to thank the heavens or curse it for making me ignore the assignment and head to the dog park.

I usually buy treats for my dogs at the pet shop next to the convenience store and that day Axel freed his leash and entered the convenience store. I clasped him and decided to grab a drink. And there she was, the dark-haired girl, conceivably a high school student, green-eyed, plumpy lips with a nose piercing, an average-looking girl and it took five seconds, just five seconds for me to miss a heartbeat and my stomach to sink. I couldn't believe it.

She had AirPods on and was so lost in whatever she was listening to that she didn't even realize someone was standing next to her, staring deep into her soul.

I watched her grab an apple cider and walk to the counter, I grabbed my energy orange juice with my gaze still fixed on her. She paid and stepped out and that was when my turmoil started.

I followed her as she took small steps, watched her laugh at her phone a few times, watched her sip her apple cider, watched her disgustingly as she picked her nose but the worse part was, she ate it, could you believe that?. That was when I was supposed to stop pursuing her but I didn't. I stupidly followed her and watched her eat her nose a million times as if I admired watching her do that but to be honest just looking at her made me nauseous.

Unfortunately for me, she was going to the dog park too. I sat in my car as I gawked her smile dazzlingly at the dogs and pet a couple of them with her nose-eating fingers.

I followed her to do her daily routine and followed her back home.

I decided to go to my graffiti space to finish a painting I was working on and ended up covering it up with a painting of her.

The sad part was when I got home, she was everywhere, my bedroom, in the kitchen she even pursued me to the bathroom once, I just couldn't sleep.

The last time I hallucinated like that was when I was in high school when I was in a huge scandal. So I don't know why all this happening again after I saw a clumsy-looking girl.

I drove there first thing in the morning and followed her to her school and got disgruntled all over again.
I was happy but yet uncomfortable that she went to the same high school I graduated from. My intrusive thoughts kept warning me to be worried and I couldn't help but be in fret.

I've been in her school since last week, she had not given me any reason to be uneasy, which made me loosen up. She usually leaves the school, walking alone to her car. She seems like a pretty loner to me.

☆☆☆☆☆

Today, I had to combat myself hard enough not to follow her car to wherever she went after the dog park. I had to keep myself busy in the dog park, which was not susceptible.