Candy Coated Kisses

Chapter One- Fairy Floss Wishes

FAIRY FLOSS WISHES.

There’s something about the way the sweet aroma of cotton candy emits from its cloud of delectable flavour. The way it engulfs the pearl plastic stick in all its luscious glory, -creating baby pink clouds of a mouth-watering sensation- it was clearly enough to send you in an astonishing sugar rush frenzy. My fingers picked delicately at the ball of cotton candy that I held in my hands, and devoured the remaining pieces of the elliptical cloud of deliciousness. I smiled contentedly as I savoured the candy, feeling its soft texture melt on my tongue. Ah, pure bliss.

 “Candy, I really think you should cut down on the sugar,” my gaze snapped to the auburn haired, American girl that stood in the corner of the room, stacking boxes of our new stocks of heaven. Kristie was one of the sales assistants, that my father –God, rest his soul- had hired before death decided to steal him away from me. She had a good physique, although you could never see it through the selection of clothes she wore, she had the looks but she never flaunted it. She was currently studying business at a Private College in Sydney and in order to become a young entrepreneur, The Candy Corner (TCC) was the only source of income she had to pay for her college tuition fees.

 “Yeah, I don’t think so honey. How about you get someone to pay me a billion bucks, then maybe I’ll consider it,” I joked as I rearranged the rainbow lollipops that sat in a jar like a bouquet on the counter. Kristie rolled her piercing ocean-green eyes at me and resumed placing the last of the items on the illuminated shelves.

 The Candy Corner was every little fat kid’s dream come true, literally. Standing in the corner of Norwest Marketown in Sydney’s western suburbs, it was one of the most successful self-owned businesses in the suburb of BellaVista.  Drowning in boxes of skittles and shelves full of mouth-watering chocolate treats, it’s no wonder why we haven’t closed down like every other store around here. And after all, we did work in one of the wealthiest suburbs in the west.

 “Someday Candy, your fast metabolism is going to disappear, then BAM! Once you’ve hit the whale stage, you’re going to wish you took my advice,” Kristie threw me one of her infamous smirks. So sue me for my deep love for sweets, it’s not my fault they’re so tempting. I mean, look at them, they’re practically screaming, EAT ME!

 “Let’s hope that day never comes, now let me eat in peace please!” Okay, so maybe I was a little of a pig when it came to sweets, but I have a perfectly good excuse…they’re my one weakness. I leaned against the counter with my head resting on my left hand, staring at the analog clock that hung on the wall to the left and read 1:49 PM. I was so ready to get out of here. I mean, I loved working at TCC but I was planning to go on a shopping spree today and I couldn’t just up and leave the store in the hands of Kristie, ‘cause that would be like total chaos.

 “I’m so bloody damn bored,” I muttered softly as Kristie gaze got caught by a group of boys heading this way.

 “Oh hottie-alert, five o’clock,” now, I must say, that Kristie and boys equals bad news. You know those certain people that happen to change the tone of their voice when they’re surrounded by a group of guys? Or maybe those girls that twirls and flicks their hair around to make themselves appear ‘adorable’? Or worse, those girls that laugh at the lame joke the guy has just stated, just to seem interested so he can ask her out? Check, check and check. Kristie was all of the above, she might not flaunt her looks, but she sure was a hell of a flirt, and boys didn’t need to give her a one over. I mean, they think with their dicks and not their heads right? Well, at least the guys around here do.

 “That’s twelve o’clock you douche,” I rolled my eyes as Kristie as she straightened her outfit and combed her fingers through her hair. My expression had been one of pure boredom, it was Wednesday and majority of our customers who had been little kids were in school, so I’ve just been standing around practically doing nothing. The sound of the automatic doors filled my ears and the atmosphere had suddenly been filled with loud chatter from the group that stood before me. I sent a menacing glare in the direction of the boys who had just entered the store and was met with none other than Dustin Rivers’ mesmerising hazel eyes -which occasional contained specks of green- that had pierced through my own.

 Whenever I look at him or think about him, I feel a heart-wrenching pang in my chest, like I had just hit a brick wall…a rather hard brick wall. It’s always been like this though, ever since that day three years in the past. But right now, I could care less, because he had a wonderful girlfriend and was going to be attending New York Film Academy in a couple of months. Once he is finally gone, I’ll be able to move on completely, even if my heart's still shattered into pieces.

 “Welcome to The Candy Corner, how may I be of service?” Kristie flashed one of them one of her hypnotising pearl white smiles, which caused me to smile at how pathetic she was being. I turned my back on them to fix a box of Time-Outs that were on the verge of falling off the shelf.

 “Excuse me Miss?” the too familiar voice behind me had said. I did not want to deal with him right now because ever since that day, I have never once spoken a single word to Dustin Rivers. Okay Candy, it’s strictly business, he probably won’t remember you anyway. It’s not like he recognises you since graduation. Besides, you’ve changed your appearance, so it shouldn’t be too hard.

 “Hi,” the greeting came out as a high-pitched tone. Great. Clearing my throat, I rested my forearms on the counter and readjusted myself. “How may I help you?” Surprisingly my voice didn’t quiver like I had expected it to.

 “I was just wondering if you have a, uh sort of ‘candy bouquet’ or whatever you call it,” His phone vibrated in the back pocket of his faded jeans and he replied to whatever text message was sent to him.

 “Yeah, they’re right over there on aisle two,” I said in the indolent voice I could produce. So far, so good.

 As soon as he had chosen his bouquet of sweets and paid $50 for it, he thanked me greatly and retreated from the counter. Before departing through the automatic doors he looked over his shoulder and caught my eye.

 “You look good C,” and with that he flashed me his overbearing charming smile that had all those naïve girls back in high school fall for him (guilty- me being one of them-) and exited the store along with his mates. I sighed heavily and thought, Dustin Rivers, I wish you had chosen me.