Beauty and the Nerd

Chapter Seven

I'm handling a large pan when I accident let it slip through my fingers and it causes a large splash to cover Kassie's front of her shirt.

I make an O form with my mouth and apologize right away. She surprises me though with a smirk that I've never seen her wear before and splashes me back, but worse. She laughs at my horrified face.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" I ask her and before she can respond I dip my hand in the bubbles and pull out a lot of foam and lay it on her head.

"You're going to regret that, Hanlin." She takes the soap on the counter and squeezes it on my head next.

That's when we both go to war with the soap and just start to drench each other. I'm laughing so hard yet trying to get a good shot while she continues to attack me with the water.

She takes a step forward, but she slips on some stray away soap and falls to the floor on her butt. I'm still laughing and put out a hand for her to take but she pulls me down instead. I land on the floor with a thud and she giggles which makes me smile.

When she looks me straight in the eyes that's when I notice how close our faces are. Her smile slowly fades away and her eyes slowly widen. My hand lifts to Kassie's face and pushes away a small wet strand dangling in her face. I hear her breath catch and it feels like my heart has stopped beating. She opens her mouth and says-

Just then the manager walks in and notices the area around us that looks like a Tidal wave occurred and scold us, "What are you two doing? Get back to work and fix this mess." He turns around and walks away.

Kassie quickly gets up and takes the nearest dry cloth to dry herself off.  I get up besides her and it's dead silence between us right now.  I have no clue what to say or what to think for that matter.  Something happened between us right then and I would love to figure out what.

"Sorry" I quietly mumble to her.

Her beautiful brown eyes find mine and she gives me a small smile. "It's as much of yours as mine. I don't think I've done something like that in a long time."  She looks almost sad.  She probably hates me now when out of no where she says, "Thank you, Peter."

"Really?"  I ask confused, "for what?"  This girl always catches me off guard.  It's part of the reason why I like her so much.  I can never predict what Kassie going to do next.

"You bring something out of me sometimes that others can't seem too.  I don't know what it is with you, but your humor and slight awkwardness is freshing."  She stands on her tip-toes and kisses me on the cheek quickly and walks back into the diner.

I probably stood there for about ten minutes when I finally snap out of it.  I can feel my face turning beet red and am caught off guard by her.  Man I wished she would do that again.

I clean up the area with the mop and smile to myself the whole time.  Today in no doubt is the best day ever.  The dishes are also finished and I put those away as well.

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I'm standing outside waiting for my dad to come pick me up when I'm sent a text from Gabe.

Gabe: Hey how was your first day of work with "You know who shall not be named?"

Me: We're not in harry potter you know & words cannot describe how the "Quest" is going.

Gabe:  I know how that is...

Me: Really?  now tell me your secret ways Mr. Bachelor...

Gabe:  A bachelor never gives away his secrets.

I laugh and shake my head at his comment.

Me: I could use some tips Gabe.  Know anybody who could help?

Gabe:  There is always your brother or Tyler...

Me: No thanks.  I rather scratch a baboon's butt

Gabe:  Okay.. That's not random or anything...

Before I can answer back a big black pick-up arrives out front and out comes Brandon.  He strolls up with smile and then sees me which quickly disappears.

"You work here.  Seriously?  How sad can you be."  He pokes me in the chest. "She's my girlfriend, not yours.  Maybe you're just a stalker?"

"Says the guy who cheated on her"  I have no idea where that came from. 

"Oh, all of the sudden the nerd has a mouth that actually works."  He laughs and crosses his arms.

"I've had a mouth.  My mother said that if you have nothing nice to say; don't say anything at all.  I took her word for it."  I glare into his blue eyes and feel good on the inside for standing up for myself.

"Well guess what?  Kassie's all mine.  Not yours and not anyone else's." He takes a step towards me,  "I'd be careful what you do around her or else you are going to get it."

"You act like you own her?"  I question and take another step backwards.

"I revolve around Kassie's little world and she would still love me even if she found out what I did to her.  I enjoyed it anyways."  Brandon's smirk makes a reappearence.

I'm fuming mad and before I can control my actions; my fist swings forward right into Brandon's jaw catching him off-guard.  It barely knocks him back, but I feel like I broke my hand in the process.  Brandon comes back and growls and is about to knock the living day-light out of me.

"Oh man, I really shouldn't have done that!"  I think to myself and am prepared to see darkness.