*ch-ching*
"Thank you, ma'am, have a nice day." I hope I don't sound too annoyed. The lady in front of me seemed nice enough, but...
"MOMMY MOMMY! I WANT A SCARF LIKE THAT!"
It was her little rugrat that made me want to shove a towel through my skull.
"Calm down, dear. We'll get you a scarf this winter." She kindly dismissed the terrible tot.
"BUT I WANT ONE NOW!"
In one ear and right out the other. That's what they always say.
"Oh my... Excuse me, sir." I refocused ahead. The lady had way too much blush on causing her cheeks to glow ruby red. Her blonde hair was blown out to comedic proportions giving way to the massive steel hoops slicing through her earlobes. That and the grimy green dress made her stand out like an elf in April.
She dipped in close to ask, "Can you tell me where you got that lovely accessory? It would make my little Tobias so happy." The aforementioned gremlin tugged on her shirttail at the mention of his name. Lucky for me, I'd grown used to these kinds of interactions.
NOT!
I'm so tired of people trying to find out the secret of my scarf. I don't even know it. "I'm sorry... it was a gift. From my father."
The boy's wails wouldn't quit when he heard this. He screamed for his mother to find out where I got the garment but even if his head exploded I wouldn't be able to answer. She continued to plead for me to try and find a solution but I refused to budge.
Unfortunately, Tobias wasn't so patient. The miniature monster caught sight of one of my scarf's hanging tails. It must have been covertly cleaning a bit of dust off my red work vest. Whatever it was doing, it made a mistake. Terrible T quickly latched a sticky mitt onto its delicate fabric. "I WANNA!"
My scarf jolted at the sudden contact. Worse than that, since it had decided to double wrap itself around my neck when Tobias yanked its chain it tightened around my throat like a boa constrictor. I could feel my skin turn blue while his simple mother smacked his hand away. Once I could access oxygen again I enjoyed a mild coughing fit beneath the countertop.
That twerp! He's gonna pay for that!
At least that is what I want to say. But while I was trying to regain consciousness, I had the unfortunate honor of locking eyes with him. Griff. My so-called boss. The golden trim along his boxed cheek had a dangerous glimmer. His paystub eyes weren't the usual dollar signs of joy. Instead, they were two big null values to match the angry glare. I couldn't tell who they were directed at. Me or the monsters I was being forced to serve. Who am I kidding? It's obviously me.
When I first met the machine he showed me so much glee. I figured it was all an act but this was just absurd. He lacked a single strand of compassion for his workers unless they were making him money. He really was a pain.
But since he writes my checks. I'll just have to go along with it. So I took a few moments of reprieve before I once again arose with my name tag being straightened by my scarf before the mother could notice. I tried my best to put on a sincere smile. Maybe I tried too hard because the face I gave clearly sent chills down both of their spines.
I gave a toothy grin. My eyes were closed less they take scene of the bloodshot veins threatening to burst behind them. Maybe I looked like one of those Halloween masks with the ghost face. Or maybe it was because of how my scarf again decided to dramatize my stance by flapping ever so slightly behind me. But what I said next seemed much more aggressive than I meant.
"I'm sorry. But as much as you would like this scarf. You're just too young to wear it." I accidentally cracked open a single lid. The one hidden beneath my massive black bang. The mother must not have noticed. But from his position below me, I know he saw. "Tobias. Maybe you should get a scarf big enough for your attitude?"
What he saw beneath my hair I'll never know. Not from his perspective. But what I do know is how sweet his reaction was. He ripped himself out of his mother's arms and fled the store. His golden locks matched his mother's as the wind caught his scalp. I stifled a snicker when he tripped and nearly rammed face-first into the slow sliding doors.
His mother was less than ecstatic with the reaction. But she couldn't understand nor contemplate what happened. Her motherly instincts compelled her to chase after her son. Even if he was a snot-nosed brat.
Once the chime of the door chirped for the last time I was able to drop the act. It was always so tiring to put on that show. I hated standing out more than I hated brawlers. But I lost the ability to effectively hide after I joined forces with this cloth.
So instead I took the quiet time to clean up the register. I didn't get many opportunities to work up front. Hopefully that display didn't just steal any future opportunities I might get. But on the bright side. If I'm not working here then that means I'll know where she is at all times.
"EDGAR!" her shrill screech was surprisingly bearable compared to that brat's whines. I turned into a teal and crimson swirl of obsessive joy. "Good news!" When wasn't she spouting some 'good news?' "I just finished talking to Mr. Griff."
I took a peek at the glazed window embedded into his door. "And?"
"He said that since we're such amazing employees and we earn so many tips-"
"We haven't gotten any tips tod-"
"Since we get so many TIPS!" She made sure to drown out my discourse. "He'd let us leave early."
Needless to say, "I don't believe you." Even my scarf made a huffing motion.
"Well believe it grumpy puss. And since Griff is letting us out early you know what that means?"
"I can get a full eight hours of sleep tonight?"
"No. Well maybe. But more importantly."
I think I know what she's getting at. "Colette."
"We can go." I caught her arms reaching into her massive sleeves.
"Colette, NO!"
"We can go to-!" She had those passes in hand.
"COLETTE!"
-~-~-~-
"How do you manage to drag me to this garbage."
She jumped in front of me again. This time our opposing eyes stared at each other. My dull black right into her vibrate ebony left. It's astonishing how drastically different our tones could be. "It's because..." She turned back to the open stage. "Starr Park is the GREATEST!" I merrily joined her celebration.
NOT!
There's no reason for me to pretend to care. She'd be living the dream even without my help. This was her kind of crowd after all. A congregation of greasy fanboys all brainwashed by the simplest of actions. Professional Wrestling.
They weren't even at a stadium. This show was run by the mega-corporation Starr Park. They had a stadium dedicated to Brawl Ball with a regenerating turf field that stretched over ninety meters in either direction. But do we get that luxury? No. Instead, I'm sitting in a steel chair harder than the wooden stool that Griff called a seat behind our register. On an acre of dusty compact dirt like some peasant.
"Colette. Why aren't we inside the stadium?" She couldn't hear me over the constant roaring of the crowd. So I pulled on her blue jacket till she was down to ear level. "WHY ARE WE OUTSIDE?!"
Colette squealed back, "It adds to the atmosphere!"
Atmosphere? What atmosphere? The same one that's choking me to death. The one that's currently layered with B-O and testosterone.
I mean, it's honestly amazing that even in an open arena I can feel this claustrophobic. The 'seats' were a slew of steel chairs arranged around the flimsy metal barricade that was supposed to contain the action that would occur within. There were a few bleachers sitting on the left and right of us that sat most of the fans. And since there was no roof, I had an immaculate view of the starless night sky.
Even though they weren't sitting as close they were probably twice as wild as the ones up front. And our seats were top-notch. Those passes were no joke. We were sitting in the juxtaposition of the entrance ramp. I'm sure once the performers began to make their way down to the boxed mat, we'd be exchanging eye contact. And that thought made my skin crawl.
Seriously, why me? What did I do to deserve this punishment? Then I looked to my right. Jumping up and down all the same as before was that giddy child. My coworker and a somewhat close friend. If it wasn't for her I would surely be stuck inside my room blasting heavy metal while I painted my face like Smack's lead bassist. So while I hate these kinds of events. I do love her antics.
What I don't love, are the glares of the audience. A villain hasn't even entered the ring and I can already feel their ire. And it was all pointed at me. I guess most of these goons were the same simpletons from the show before. And they've certainly memorized my face.
Maybe Colette and I should just get out of here. That's what I want to ask her. But with how giddy she is now, I could never ruin her fun with my personal gripes. I'll just focus on her excitement and see if I can feed off of that energy. So I listened closely to her. Tuning out the annoying banter of these creatures.
"I can't wait. Can't Wait. Can't WAIT. CAN'T WAIT!" She dangled off the steel border. "He's gonna be here. He's gonna be here soon!"
Here she goes again. I leaned forward a bit, "Who's 'he' this time?"
Colette stood to my right. And her voice is squeaky when she's excited. So when I heard the gravel-like growl of a monster beside me- "That's He with a capital 'H' to you kid-" I was shook.
I ended up jumping back and bumping into Colette. We both looked up at this man. Or maybe it was a bus. Hell, it might have been. This guy was huge. Way bigger than anyone I've ever seen before.
His massive height wasn't the limit. He was broad as a bear and blacker than night. At least his jacket was black. His complexion was cool as ice cream which made his face stand out against his skintight white tee shirt. There were some wrinkles under his eyes but that was quickly forgotten once I saw the massive golden nose-ring lodge into his nostrils.
I couldn't even get a chance to take in the blue jeans or inspect his dusty knuckles before Colette squealed behind me. After adjusting to the ringing in my ears I turned to find her sitting silently in her chair. I know the reason for her especially spazzy behavior.
All I had to do was look up. His name is Bull. The monstrous owner of Bull's Family Diner. And more importantly, "A Brawler..." I can't help but throw up just at the thought of these freaks. Beings that can regenerate their wounds without the need for external stimulus. Able to summon strange outlandish abilities at the drop of a hat. And they've slowly been taking over the world. Now there's a whole park dedicated to them. How despicable.
While I continued my inner monologue I unknowingly stared a hole through Bull's chest. One that he seemed most unpleased with. He grumbled out, "Favor or Hater?"
I don't know why, but this guy gives me the chills. When I fought Colt weeks ago, I was able to easily overpower him once I got close. But this guy, "Wh-What?"
Bull made a low groan. He had his burly arms crossed over his broad chest. When he turned to me I heard Colette let out a little peep. I could feel my scarf getting defensive behind my back. Bull groaned, "Do you Favor or are you a Hater..."
He glared down at us. I could see a glint in his eyes. The same black eyes as me. Was it a sign of his struggle? Did he and I share similar origins? Or maybe it's just a coincidence. Maybe it was sheer luck that our eyes are so similar yet carry controversial opinions. But unlike mine, looking up at them froze the blood of anyone under its gaze. Then Bull finished by saying, "My Food."
I could feel my scarf drop like a rock. "Huh?"
"My Food. Do you Favor it or are you a Hater of it?"
The previously dangerous glare had been replaced with an inquisitive stare. Maybe it was the increase in context that lightened the mood, but the previously massive monster seemed like a lovable teddy bear. I allowed myself a sigh of relief and closed my eyes, "I don't eat at your restaurant."
When they opened, I was quickly reminded of how bears in the wild are still wild. And while they seem cute and cuddly, they can quickly turn into the lords of the forests. That's how I felt when I saw his eyes again. He bared his teeth a bit at my statement. Grinding out, "You've never been there, huh?"
It was like getting shaken down by a mobster. Luckily there was someone to cover my tracks. Colette quickly chimed in, "That's not true. Edgar's ate there lots. His favorite order is the Starr Salad Supreme with extra chicken and no baby tomatoes."
I take it back. She's not here to help me. She's here to embarrass me! How could I recover from this blatant lie?
"Oh-ho. So you're the Edgar I've heard so much about?" So much about? What's he heard? "Yeah, yeah. Rosa came in and told me all about it. Said she was heading back to her bio-dome when she caught the back end of your little brawl. Said Colt was practically pushing up daisies after getting walloped by the new kid at the Starr Shop."
Ah. Nothing but good things then.
"Yeah, yeah. Colt wouldn't stop screaming about it at the bar that night. Something about a punk kid. Called you a bunch of messed-up things too. But don't worry. Brawlers gotta look out for each other." He gave me a fatherly nudge on the shoulder. "He'll turn around once he gets over the loss."
I was beside myself, "I'm not like you." I whispered under my breath. If Bull heard. He didn't react. He instead stared onward as the announcer finally took the stage. I was bored as I listened to him spout some nonsense about how these were the greatest performers in the world. He even gave a grand procession introducing the first match of what would be a long night.
For the most part, oh who am I kidding? The entire match was garbage. I was sitting in my chair practically falling asleep had it not been for the random taps from my scarf. Not even Colette's overreactions could keep up afloat.
When I looked to the left I saw Bull, still standing, still staring. He wasn't smiling, he showed no frown, but I couldn't tell if he loved or hated it. Actually. He never explained why he came at all.
I stood up as the second match began. Two muscular men oiled up and grappled each other like wild apes. A savage's sport.
I figured that since I've only made one friend since entering this establishment, it might be a good idea to get on Bull's good side. And that is the only reason why. I'm definitely not hoping for a discount on my next purchase. I'm just trying to be friendly.
But what do I talk about? I'm not the most well-versed in 'social interactions'. But I'm sure I can figure this out. First, observe our surroundings what's a key object around us?
*BOOM*
The duo of commentators at ringside roared, "OH!!! AND THE IRON CURTAIN HAS SLAMMED YOZAM HARDER THAN SOCIALISM SLAMS YOUR ECONOMY!"
"Maybe not the best analogy, King..." Came his colleague's addendum.
"BUT ACCURATE!"
Oh. Duh. I earned a light smack in the head from my clothed companion. It's been right in front of me. This joke of a show. A Brawler like Bull must find this display amusing. That's why he's here. To laugh at how weak they are.
While making friends with Brawlers is the last thing on my agenda. I must get that discount. I mean ally! A friend. That isn't my coworker. Now to execute my master plan.
I coughed into my hand with a little laughter to boot. "Pathetic, right?" I put the bravado on hard for this move. I've got to make it sound like I'm on the same page as him. Shouldn't be too hard. I do think this is dumb. "It's pretty embarrassing how these guys call this fighting. Am I right?" And to seal the deal, "Pretty funny, huh?" A gentle jab into his forearm. His massive body dwarfs my smaller limbs, but this is a surefire way to make friends. There's nothing like laughing at the failure of others to bring people together.
I caught a glimpse above me. Bull's face was supposed to be brimming with a mocking smile. Instead, he gave me the side-eye. One that shouted, "What did you just say you little punk?"
Oh, wait. He said that out loud. And I could feel the goosebumps running up my arm. "Wh-What...?"
Bull leaned down a bit. I was practically reeling back to try and get away from him. "Watch ya mouth short round." His massive finger pointed at the bridge of my nose, "Or I'll finish what Colt started. Yeah, yeah."
DAMMIT! Where did I go wrong?! Bull's massive index prodded my nose before he arose again. "I'm joking." He had on a bright smile but I could still feel the dangerous undertone in his voice. I guess I'll take this silver lining and run with it.
"Ha-Ahha. Right. Very funny."
We both chuckled softly until the bell roared over our interaction. When the theme music kicked in for the victor, Bull leaned in close once more. "But seriously kid. Watch ya mouth. Cause from what I've heard, it's gonna get ya in trouble."
Again with this 'what he's heard' drivel. I've barely been here a month how's my name running around the park like an Olympic sprinter?
Bull quickly arose when the music died down. He was loud and proud now, "Yeah, yeah. Though I know how ya feel. Being a brawler and all." I kept my anger quiet for now. "I was the same way too. Professional wrestling does look like a joke." So he agrees with me? Then why did he- "But there's one man. One match that I'm here for." I lost sense of our location. This super-man was looking forward to a match. "Once you see him. Once you feel his presence... you'll sing a different tune."
Again, with this him. Are they talking about the same guy? I turned to my right, "Colette, is he talking about-"
Few things can silence me. Most of them are lethal weapons in the states. But now, my mouth snapped shut. My coworker's face. Her usual plucky grin and wild eyes had fallen silent and shut. With her sulking stature, the snow-white silk atop her scalp shaded away the usually upbeat iris within her head. I followed her collarbone down to her elbows as I searched for her hands. They had been sheathed within her sleeves but from her tenor, I knew she was fiddling with her thumbs.
What was up with her? She's never been one to shy away from others. I tried crouching down to her level. Maybe I should comfort her? But when I got down low, low enough for our eyes to meet, she jumped in her seat a bit then turned away.
Did... Did she blush? Blushing. She's blushing. I recoiled as well when I saw her ruby cheeks. Those weren't fever symptoms. At least, not this time. Was she embarrassed by me for angering Bull? Or...
No. There's no way. It doesn't make sense. Why would it happen here? No matter how hard I think I can't figure out how it's possible. But since there's no way she would be embarrassed (I've seen what makes her proud). That can only mean that she's...
In love.
But with who? Me? Why now? I'm not upset. It's flattering. But this is the worse place to have that epiphany. What event sparked it? Was it something I said? It couldn't be that. I sound like a total dork. So why's she so smitten all of a sudden?
I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as well. Thankfully my scarf reached up with its width and swallowed half my head. But I still can't handle this. Not right now. Maybe it'd be better if I gave her some space. So I managed to clamor past her without bothering her internal struggle.
When I made it into the walkway I realized how big of a mistake I was making. Colette's been sitting there for almost an hour and I never bought her a drink. I turned back and saw her still fidgeting about in her seat. That wasn't odd. What was odd, is how she was still looking to her left.
Whatever fuzzy feelings that were welling up in my stomach shot straight out my rear. Now it made sense. The constant whimpering, the fidgeting, and the direction she was looking at.
Now that I was out of the way, I could see that the object causing this phenomenon was the towering figure of Bull. And whenever he huffed or stretched his supposedly stiff limbs, Colette could be seen spazzing out just a bit harder. Worse of all, if Bull ever turned her way (not even looking at her, just turning!) she would immediately turn in the opposite direction. Lest he sees her blush.
My scarf drooped with my mood. Of course, she was smitten with him. I just happened to be in the middle. I continued my grumpy stroll through this sea of screams and cheers. Only one thought rolled around in my rapidly emptying head.
"Whatever."