Iris & Mason

3. Iris

The next day of work was, well, eventful.

Delilah and I opened the shop up in the morning, casually lounging around like we always did. She wouldn't stop thanking me for yesterday, saying that she and Nate had such a nice time together. I wanted to thank her for leaving, or else I never would've met Mason.

It was pathetic, but as soon as I got to my apartment last night, I was thinking about what I would wear to work, how I would do my hair, makeup, everything. I imagined what would happen when Mason came in, and it kind of made me crazy. I kept trying to tell myself that we were just beginning to be friends. I mean, we met yesterday after all.

"What's on your mind?" Delilah asked. I had been a little spaced out all morning.

"Nothing, I'm just a little distracted." I assured her truthfully.

A few customers came in and browsed around, but didn't end up buying anything. Then a set of teenagers came in and tore the sale section up again, but at least they bought a few each. This was the usual everyday thing. It was a pretty easy job. There was never too much to do, never too many customers.

I kept looking at the door, waiting for Mason to walk in, but he never showed.  Delilah kept asking me if I was okay, and I gave her the same answer each time.

"Yeah, just distracted like I said before."

"Iris, I see you staring at the door. Are you expecting someone or something?" She pressed.

"No." I answered a little too quickly.

"That's a yes." She sing-songed.

I sighed. I guess it wasn't a huge deal, so why not tell her, right? "Okay fine."

"Is it a long story?"

"Kind of." I shrugged.

"Good, because we have hours until we get out of here. Go." She prompted.

"Yesterday while you and Nate went out, this guy came in and bought a record. He was really cute."

"Oooh!" Delilah clapped her hands together.

"Right. So I was just kind of taking in his features, but then he basically called me out for checking him out, and then gave me a twenty, and left without waiting for the change."

Delilah motioned for me to go on.

"After work, I went to that Chinese restaurant I told you about. And guess who walked in."

"No way." She laughed in disbelief.

"He accused me of following him but guess he was just joking, and didn't think I was weird because he ended up sitting with me and we started talking. It turns out he's a really nice guy. We talked for a while and then he bought my dinner. He said I could make it up to him, and then asked me when my shift is, so he's supposed to be coming in today." I smiled as I replayed yesterday's events in my head.

"That's so cute!" Delilah grinned.

I shrugged. "It's kind of weird, but a good weird I guess."

"Now I understand why you smell like you've dumped an entire bottle of perfume on yourself." My friend scrunched her nose as she laughed at my reaction to her snide comment. She wasn't wrong, though. I wanted to smell nice and figured the perfume would ware off as the day went on. Apparently I was wrong.

"I may have gone overboard, but at least I don't smell like a dumpster, right?"

"Don't flatter yourself." I jumped at the sound of the familiar voice I had been waiting to hear. How much had he heard of that conversation? Shit.