Still The One

Three

Maybe it’s sad that these are now memories. And maybe it’s not sad. – The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

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Three
Six years ago – July 11, 2012

For the seventh time in the past twenty minutes, I readjusted the cap on my head. The snap fasteners on the back couldn’t be altered to fit me perfectly; it was either falling off, or stopping the circulation from flowing through and to my brain. And that was when I realized I was becoming bored out of my mind.

After smoothing and straightening my hair out, I trifled with the pencil I always placed behind my ear out of strange habit. I was running out of things to entertain myself with. Already, I had filled the backs of the counter’s customer evaluations with my shoddy drawings – mostly composed of willow trees and clouds.

Looking up, I grinned. There was a tile on the ceiling above me where I had thrown six pencils – all of which were still stuck up there. I wondered what would happen if Evan saw them.

And I even resorted to making mild conversation with everyone. Usually, I was only charitably friendly to those who deserved it – blissfully ignoring the ruder people.

Icy was very busy today. Customers were irregularly appearing in and out. But once they got their ice cream, I was left to reside by the register and continue to be notably uninterested in anything, besides waiting for the two boys to arrive.

Ever since Sunday, they had been here every day. Didn’t matter that it was indecently crowded, or that it was moderately late at night, they were here. I was beginning to suppose that they were becoming regulars, coming in four days in a row. I didn’t mind it at all, aside from the seldom peeks they made at me, even as I could clearly see them. Usually, if someone catches you, you look away. These bizarre, uncanny guys didn’t even attempt to look discreet.

But I enjoyed their company nonetheless, though we didn’t know one another. It gave me something to patiently look forward to in the day. Evan noticed as well, shaking his head at me from a distance. He was like a second father – a very odd and more protective one.

And as if right on time, they showed up. Although this time, there was a guy with tousled, unkempt bleach-blonde hair in a light grey sweater tagging along with them. He was also attractive, with striking blue eyes and a heart-melting smile. But he was also louder; his funny, booming laugh could be heard from the other side of the shop. I couldn’t possibly imagine what was so funny to him.

Ordering what they routinely always did, I handed them their ice cream and they left to their usual table – directly across from me.

I grabbed a rag and began wiping the marble counter, hoping to look as if I wasn’t staring right at them. The one with the dimples I adored continued to glance up at me, mentally removing himself from the conversation between his friends. Can’t say that I loved it, but it was sort of nice to know that I captured the attention of a guy as cute as him.

I couldn’t tell what it was, but something about him was very different. The guys with him were good-looking too, but I felt they lacked an element that he had. Or maybe it was just something he had over me. From the curious silence he resonated, to the prolonging stares, I had to admit, he definitely had me thinking about him.