Tall, Dark, and Anxious (An Adam Driver fanfic)

7:

"Hailey?"

I chuckled awkwardly.

"You work here?" he asks.

"No, I just love dressing like a gas station attendant in my spare time," I joke.

He laughs then seems to study me for a moment.

"Your hair looks nice. It's shiny," he says.

"Thanks, it's the grease," I say, awkwardly tucking some strands behind my ear.

There's an awkward silence.

"I did give you my number, right?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Oh, okay...Good."

Another awkward silence.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asks.

"For not contacting you. I've been busy."

"I'm sure."

Pause.

"Okay, well, I'm only in town a few more days. Hopefully I'll see you around?"

Hopefully?

I blush.

"We can only hope."

We both smile as he pays for his items, then leaves. I groan to myself, upset that he saw me looking like this.

My shift is over; I'm now sitting in my kitchen, eating cereal and overthinking. What are the odds that not only was I able to attend a meet and greet where I met Adamn, but I also see him at work later? Ileana comes through the front door, groaning and rubbing her neck, her camera hanging from a strap around it.

"There are so many idiots in the world," she says.

"What happened?"

"So picture this, right? I'm photographing a wedding. The whole day the groom is being a total douche, especially to the bride," she starts.

"Wait, he's not even supposed to see her in the dress before making it legal; that's a superstition."

"Oh, Hails, superstition is the least of their issues. Everyone was getting tired of his shit. The bride was so embarrassed. Anyway, group pics roll around and guess what," she continues.

"What?"

"He's nagging his new wife the whole time, about choosing flattering poses to make her stomach look flatter."

"Oh my god!"

"Mhm, then he had the nerve to come up to me later and ask me to photoshop her body."

"No way!"

"Yeah! Then he asked me to take pictures of just him and her best friend, the maid of honor."

"Sus."

"Real sus."

She began to chomp down on my cereal.

"Can you not get your own food?" I ask, slightly annoyed.

She chuckles.

"How was your day?"

"Actually, interesting," I say.

"Oh really?" she asks in intrigue, sitting down at the breakfast bar with me.

"Yeah. Started off normal, y'know, creepy old men coming and going."

"Pervs."

"All kinds of them," I confirm. "And of course, the bratty kids; Running up and down the isles. Spilling stuff and pissing themselves."
"Gross, hate kids."

"Then we had the crackheads in our bathroom," I continue.

"Naturally."

She continues to steal my Cheerios.

"Then, when I had an hour left, guess who I see."

"Who?" she asks.

"Adam."

"That guy who wore a confederate flag shirt every day in high school and smelled like tuna?"

"No, Driver."

"Oh shit, what happened?" she asks.

"We made awkward conversation and I apologized for not texting or calling him. Told him I've been busy."

She stopped eating and raised a brow at me. I ignored her.

"So what happens now?" she asks.

"I don't know."

"Don't you think it's a sign?"

"Maybe."

"You should put yourself out there, Hailey," she advises.

"You think so?"

"Yes."

"What if it's another Jacob situation..." I ask, almost going to that dark mental place.

Illy rubs my back.

"Don't let that piece of shit ruin your outlook on life. You deserve love, affection and respect. The dating pool may have a little pee in it, but you still love to swim, right?" she says.

I scrunch up my face as I chew on the inside of my cheek.

"This could have been such a cute moment if you didn't mention urine."

"Oops."
She kisses the top of my head then goes to her room.

I finish off my malnourished dinner, and head to my bedroom. I'm laying in bed, fiddling with my phone and mulling over mine and Ileana's conversation. I'm going to do it. I work up the nerve, then try to think of something clever to say. I can't think of anything, so I just say,

"Hey"