Tug-at-your-heartstrings new adult first love story.
What starts as a bet to avoid cleanup duties at her minimum wage cashier job, wins Amelie D'Amico more than she's ever hoped for.
When Ben, a cute customer who always checkouts at her register, fi...
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By my first break, I've not heard from Ben. My mind is reeling. The distress moves from my stomach up into my lungs, making it hard to breathe, forcing my heart to race. It's been hours since I sent him the text. He always replies right away. Always. My spidey sense tingles. Something is not right. What's going on? Should have I waited and told him in person? But the delivery doesn't change the facts. I send Ben another message. How long should I wait before calling his Mom or friends and not sound like a crazy girlfriend?
When the shift ends, I rush to the locker and check my phone.
Mike: Call ASAP.
Mike: Don't call Ben. Call me.
I call Ben. He doesn't pick up. I call Mike.
"You've reached the voicemail of Mike Stavros—" Mike's detached voice plays in my ear.
"It's Am. What happened to Ben? I'm at work, and I can come right now. Is he in the hospital? Please, text me the details." I hang up and try calling him a couple more times, still getting the voicemail. I text him the same message and also text Marguerite, Tall and Jaimie. I don't know who else to reach out to.
Me: do you know what happened to ben?
Me: text me if you know anything.
No reply. Is Ben in a hospital again? Or he is dead, and I'm the last to find out?
I grab my stuff, rush out and head toward my car when a hand grabs my shoulder from behind and turns me around. Disoriented, I forget to scream when I face a menacing giant in biking gear with a helmet in one hand. He steps closer. It's Mike. My panic subsides. A muscle ticks under one of his worried eyes. His expression is solemn. Mike without a smile curls my blood.
"What happened? Where is Ben? Why is no one replying to me?" I do sound like a crazy girlfriend.
"Ben had a...shit...an episode."
"What episode?" I rub my temples and try not to scream. "What are you talking about?"
"You know Ben has Asperger's, right? He'd better fucking told you."
"He told me he was diagnosed with some stuff, yes."
"Some stuff? How much do you know about his history? Do you know anything about the Autism Spectrum?"
"Well, the general stuff I read for one of my psychology courses," I say.
"Jeeze, you might've invested some time into learning about it."
"I—" I scrunch my face. I'm an awful person.
"Doesn't matter now," Mike cuts me off. "Listen, sometimes, if there's a stressor or a dramatic event, he..." Mike looks around, blows out a short burst of air. "He goes into this...state where he doesn't interact."
"What does that mean?" I wait for more explanations.
"It doesn't sound like much but when he's in this state it can appear like he's catatonic. Does it make sense?"
