|505 — arctic monkeys|
"You danced for Fez?" Rue exclaimed as Juniper hid behind her locker. "Was it all hot or--"
"Rue," Juniper groaned under her breath. "Yes, I danced for him-- he's a customer, remember?" She shut her locker and started to walk down the hall. "I can't be awkward about it or else he'll know somethings up."
"But was it all hot or?" Rue repeated her question as Juniper twisted a corner. "Come on, you never tell me things from your job."
Juniper scoffed with a smile. "Rue, I tell you everything from my job."
"Okay-- you're right but..."
"Can we not talk about my work here?" Juniper pleaded. "Its weird."
"Its only weird if you make it weird," Rue shrugged. "and when are you going to tell Fez that it you he's been going to see."
"I'm not," Rue stopped walking, and pulled Juniper to the side of the hallway. "Rue, I have to go to class--"
"You're not going to tell him?" Rue asked with her mouth slightly hanging open.
"Well no..."
"You can't just live this double life Juniper," Rue shook her head. She knew that the secret would start to eat Juniper alive. "So why not just tell him?"
"Because I don't want him to just see me as the dancer he pays to entertain him, okay?" Juniper ran her hands over her eyes. A heavy sigh bubbled past her lips. "He met 'Cherry' before he met me... and I just want him to like me for me, not for the things I do at night."
Rue nodded, and pulled Juniper into a hug. "Fez wouldn't do shit like that, Juni," she whispered. "and I know you can't keep lying to him."
"I hate how well you know me," Juniper mumbled into the material of Rue's sweater.
"Yeah, I love you too," Rue pulled away from the hug and lightly cupped her cheek with her hand. "Now let's get to class."
"Okay," Juniper nodded as they merged back into the crowds of the hallways.
Rue smiled over at Juniper and leaned closer to her. "Seriously though... was it hot?"
"Oh my god."
Juniper had finally found the courage to go back to the gas station after both her real interaction with Fezco after the party, and Cherry's interaction with him. She felt like ignoring him every chance she got, but she couldn't bring herself to stay away from him. Juniper couldn't place the feeling she got when she was with Fez, but she knew that she didn't want it to go away.
Juniper sighed as she reached up to tighten the strap of her overalls. She stumbled over the pavement as she made her way to the gas station doors. There was a pit in her stomach, and it only grew the closer she got to the doors. Juniper's hand was on the handle when she heard a voice.
"Juniper Riot," Juniper looked to her left to see Fez sitting in a chair smoking. "It's been a while."
"Only a few days," She replied as she stepped closer to him.
Fez shrugged as he kept his head down. "Shit, I know... I was just hopin' you'd be around."
Juniper felt color rush to her cheeks at his sheepish words. "I'm here now," she leaned up against the wall across from Fez. "And if you wanted me around more," Juniper paused as she kicked at some rocks. "You could have called."
Fez flicked his cigarette and stomped it out. "Yeah but I don't have your number."
Juniper stitched her eyebrows together. "You should," she murmured softly. "I wrote down my number on the note I left you."
"Note?" Fez leaned back into his chair. "You left me a note, Red?"
Juniper replayed the events from that morning, before realizing she had told Ash about the note. She let out a quiet groan. "I think Ash took it..." Juniper muttered. "I told him to make sure you saw it."
"Shit... you can't really be mad at him though," Fez shook his head. He stood from his chair and started to make his way over to Juniper.
"What do you mean?"
"Promise not to tell him I told you?" Fez smiled, his words hushed so the boy in the store wouldn't hear him.
"Swear on my life," Juniper nodded with an eager smile. Fezco leaned in close so the two were about a foot apart.
"Ash gets mad jealous sometimes," Fez snickered. "I mean, he don't like me bringing people around, 'cause it's always just been us two."
"Really?" Juniper asked. She watched Fez shuffle away from her once he had realized just how close they were. He leaned up against the hall next to her.
"He won't ever admit it," Fez shrugged.
"I think it's cute."
"For real?" Fez questioned, softly lifting his eyes from the ground to meet hers.
"Yeah," Juniper laughed as she kicked off the wall using her foot. "He's looking out for you Fez, and maybe he just doesn't know how to show it all that well."
"Where you goin' ?" Fez eyed the girl as she started to walk away from him.
"To buy a drink."
Fezco jogged after her like a lost puppy dog, making sure he reached the door first so he could hold it open for her. "Well we got plenty of those."
Juniper chuckled under her breath. "So," she twisted her face to look at Fez, who was now behind the counter. "Where do you actually keep the lemonade?" She asked, referring to the mess that was the first day they met.
Fez flicked his eyes from Juniper down to the counter. He reached down under the counter and pulled out a bottle of lemonade. His cheeks twisted a soft pink hue before sliding it across the counter for Juniper to take.
"Fezco," Juniper raised an eyebrow as she grabbed the bottle. "You keep the lemonade under the counter?"
"Only a few," He looked away from her. "For when you come around," Juniper felt her heart flutter as an awestruck smile slipped onto her lips. She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to look up at her. "I thought it would be easier."
"You don't have to explain," Juniper bit her lip and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "That's really sweet of you Fez."
"Shit well, it's no big deal," Fez reached up to scratch the back of his neck.
The two looked at each other with soft smiles and gentle eyes. Neither one wanted to be the first one to look away.
"Fez," Ash spoke up, halfway out of the back room. "Come on, it's 5:00."
"Just a sec," He replied with a roll of his eyes.
"We're going to be late man," Ash walked up to the counter. He looked Juniper up and down as he shuffled past her. Juniper heard him let out a light scoff. "I'm goin' to the car."
"Damnit Ash, I said give me a second," Fez mumbled as Ash rushed out of the store. Fez clicked his tongue in annoyance. He shook his head before coming out from behind the counter. "I gotta go," He whispered. " 'M sorry."
"Don't be," Juniper looked up at him. She grabbed ahold of her lemonade before looking behind her. "Do you think he'll ever like me?"
"Ash takes a while to come around," Fez stuck his hands in his pockets. "Gotta make sure you're a good person or somethin'"
"Oh," was all Juniper came up with to reply. Fez reached into his front pocket and grabbed his phone. He lightly reached out and brushed his hand against her arm to get her attention.
"Maybe I could get your phone number?" He inquired, shy undertones in his voice. "For real this time."
Juniper chuckled softly and grabbed his phone. She filled out her contact info quickly, and made sure to make her contact name something he would recognize.
red 🍋
"Here you go," she murmured, handing his phone back to him. She watched him slip his phone back into his pocket.
"You'll be around?" Fez asked, inching his way toward the door of the gas station.
Juniper cradled her lemonade in her arms as they walked. She kept her eyes to the ground. "If you'd like me to be."
Fezco opened his mouth to reply when they heard car honking. They directed their eyes to the window. Ash was hanging out of the driver side window with his hands out to express his irritation. He slammed his hand on the horn again.
"I'm comin'!" Fez shouted, and it must have been loud enough because they watched Ash duck back inside the car. He turned back to Juniper and gazed down at her. His eyes danced across her face. Fez smiled at her, and thought about how Juniper made him feel. It was a feeling like no other, and he didn't want it to go away. "I think I want you around."
Juniper tilted her head and gave him a soft smile. "You think?"
Fezco opened the gas station door, and held it open for Juniper. The sun was starting to set down the hills and the air was cold. "Well I," he stumbled over his thoughts, and it caused him to stutter. "I want you to stick around Red."
The two started to walked in two different directions. "I think I want to stick around too," Juniper breathed out before turning her back from him and starting her journey home.
As Juniper reached her front doorstep, she felt her phone buzz in her back pocket. She slipped her shoes off once she was inside and fished her phone out of her jeans.
unknown:
I like when we talk red