Chapter 11; Hugging a Stranger, Anytime Kiddo, and an I.O.U.
okay
so I'm just going to start off by saying thank you everyone so so so much for reading this. I cannot believe it has reached over two thousand reads. thank you thank you thank you!
oh and Happy Memorial Day tomorrow!
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There he was.
Leaning against the counter, grinning with his elbow propped atop the register.
Drew.
It was like just at that very moment a huge weight just fell from my shoulders. I could finally breathe for the first time in two weeks. I didn't have to worry about how he was, or where he was, because he was right here in front of me.
But yet, that still left me with one simple question; why had I cared so much in the first place?
"Drew," I whispered, but it was hardly audible. Granted, I was still quite shocked. I thought he might've fallen off the face of the earth or something, or worse, he had been more hurt then from what I could tell on the surface during that night.
Suddenly, Drew's expression changed into something strange, and he looked kind of worried. His dark eyebrows furrowed, his lips parted slightly. "Are you okay Hailey?" he asked, and that's when I realized I had been staring. And also not saying anything.
Two bad combinations. I probably looked like a creep.
And then before I could even realize what I was doing, my feet started moving and my pace quickened towards him. And then before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him.
I knew I probably shouldn't do this, but it was kind of too late now. Oh well.
So here I was, hugging a jerk. A complete jerk, who I had been terribly worried about, who I had wondered whether or not was okay. Who could be really annoying, freaks me out half the time, who is really stubborn and difficult. And a stranger, none the less.
But could I really call him a stranger anymore?
"W-woah," Drew muttered, stumbling backwards from the force of my hug, which yeah, was a little forceful. But it didn't matter, I was just glad he was okay.
"Maybe I should leave more often. I didn't think you appreciated my help that much around here." he chuckled jokingly as I pulled away.
Then my mind caught up with my body, and I realized what I had just done. And being me, my face flushed, because it was a little embarrassing. I took a few steps back away from him, internally yelling at myself for being so childish and and stupid.
I looked up at him, hoping he didn't notice that my cheeks were probably burning red like I knew they were.
"I was just so worried. I didn't know if you were okay, and you weren't answering any of Odie's calls-"
"I'm alright." he said calmly, interrupting my worried ramble. "Or at least I am now."
Now his cheeks turned red, and his eyes bulged a little. I don't think he meant to say that. Actually, I'm pretty positive he didn't mean to say that, because then he got all flustered.
"I- um. That's not what I meant." he covered, "Or I mean- um, just- just never mind." I watched him as he he retreated from the counter and took quick strides towards the back room, shutting the door behind him once inside.
Then it hit me.
Wait a minute, what the heck was that?
Like seriously, did that really just happen?
First of all, we hated each other. He was the boy on the motorcycle, who had been a complete ass. I was the maniac who almost hit him and wrecked my moms car, which was the reason I was even here anyway.
He hated me. I hated him. We argued and disagreed and yelled at each other. We did not hug or flirt or whatever the hell that was.
But I was smirking anyway, because I was just able to make one of the toughest and most stubborn person I know flustered. And that, in it's self, was some kind of accomplishment.
Feeling a little lighter than before, I went back to wiping down shelves. Man, I couldn't wait until Odie came back with lunch.
Too bad he didn't know he should've bought lunch for three.
-DREW'S POINT OF VIEW-
Stupid stupid stupid. Why did I say that? I wasn't even thinking it. I have no idea how the hell it even came out of my mouth.
Plus, it caught me off guard and then I got all flustered and stupid and ran off. Why did I run off? Why the hell did she even have to hug me in the first place?
We hated each other. We fought, we argued. We didn't hug and say stupid things. We were suppose to hate each other. She almost hit me with her car!
Hate is really such a strong word though.
Maybe I didn't hate her. Maybe I liked that she hugged me. Maybe, just maybe, I liked that someone had actually worried about me for real instead of just pretending because they had to.
No. I hated her. I was only thinking these things because I felt like I owed her. She fixed me up and even took me home that night, and dammit, I felt like I owed her something. And I hated owing people.
Suddenly, the back door creaked open and Odie wobbled in, carrying a white paper bag and a tray of sodas on his arm.
"So, I heard the magic magician suddenly decided to finally reappear." he joked, closing the door with his hip and setting down everything on the coffee table.
"I told you it would be for a while," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
Odie picked up a soda from the tray, taking long gulps from the straw.
"Well I knew you were fine." he grinned, waving his fingers at me. "It was Hailey who was all worried about you."
The way he said that, it was like he knew something I didn't. I raised my eyebrows. She couldn't have told him about that night, could she? I decided to test it out.
"Well I have no idea why-"
"Oh pleaseeee." Odie chuckled, "I heard you were a mess. Maybe a little incoherent even."
She did tell him. I should've known.
"I can't believe she told you! That was suppose to be a secret." I frowned, looking over at him as he pulled about six fries from the bag and shoved them all into his mouth.
"Says who?" he mumbled in between chews, "You didn't exactly tell her to keep it a secret you know. Plus, this is my shop."
I sighed. "I just didn't want you to think I couldn't take care of the store myself."
Odie sighed to. Then he walked over to where I was standing and patted me on the back.
"Oh Drew. You know that I know that you can handle this shop all on your own. I'm just glad you're okay." Then he held up the fry container, offering me some, but I just shook my head.
"You are okay right?" he suddenly had that same expression Hailey had when I walked in. "Everything alright at home? Family's doing good?"
"The usual." I said, sighing again.
Odie looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry. I hope it won't always be like that."
I just shook my head again. "Thanks Odie. Like really, thank you. For more things than one." And then I reached down to give him a hug.
He was the best person I knew, he really was. I couldn't believe it had been three years since I started working here. It seemed like just yesterday.
"Anytime, kiddo."
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A few hours had passed since mine and Odie's conversation. He was now in the back room by himself, probably napping. And I was now in the front room with Hailey, trying to avoid her at all costs. But that was a little hard when the store really wasn't all that big, and the farthest I could get away from her would be the corner. And there wasn't much to do in the corner.
Let's just say, it was really awkward. And I was never really the awkward type, so I don't know why I didn't just say something. Hailey looked fine though. Totally unfazed, prancing around the shop running her fingers along everything and dusting and swaying to the music playing on the record player. I wondered how she did it. Looked so careless and happy, so free and unaffected. I was pretty sure I looked strained and angry most of the time, even though I didn't always feel that way.
I was sitting behind the counter, trying to find a way to break the silence. More for me then for her, because she still looked totally fine. Why was I the one who cared so much? It really wasn't that big of a deal.
While I played with the register buttons, in between the music, I heard a faint beeping noise. And then I concentrated on it, and it seemed to get louder and louder until I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Okay, what the hell is that noise?" I asked, and Hailey looked up from whatever shelf she was dusting, her green eyes staring into mine.
"What noise?" she asked innocently, placing the duster down and putting her hand on her hip.
"That- that god awful beeping noise. Don't you hear it?" I questioned. God, I better not be going crazy. My life was already crazy enough.
"Why don't you look above you Drew?" Hailey said sarcastically, like I was some child in kindergarden, and then laughed. I frowned. I was pretty sure it wasn't coming from above me.
But sure enough, when I looked up, there was a humongous camera hanging above my head. Wires were strung all around it and there was a red light at the top, which beeped every time it flashed.
That's when I noticed multiple beeping sounds, coming from all sections of the room. And as I looked around the shop, I noticed huge cameras in every corner, all hanging around and looming over the shop.
When did those get there? They surely weren't there when I left.
"What the hell are those things?" I looked over at Hailey, who was still giggling.
"Security cameras. After that night," she paused, "Odie decided we might just need a little more protection around here."
"Protection?"
"Uh, yeah."
I huffed, crossing my arms. We wouldn't need all that if Hailey had never said anything in the first place. I hated that Odie now thought we needed security cameras, when before he trusted me to keep the shop under control myself.
That's also when I noticed something else too.
"What happened to the other record?" I said, gesturing to the record player behind me at the counter. It had been changed. All the songs were different.
"Oh," Hailey replied, looking up from couch cushions she was now fixing. "I was getting sick of that record. I swear, I loved the Beatles at first. But if I ever have to listen to another song by them again, I'm going to-"
"Hailey," I interrupted.
"What?"
"You realize that this is still a Beatles record. Just a different one. It's still them." I smirked at her.
"What! No freaking way!" she stopped fluffing cushions abruptly, running over to the record player to examine the record. "Shit. You're right."
I just laughed. I was glad we were getting along better now, at least for two people who hate each other anyway.
But something still lingered in the back of my mind.
You owe her. She helped you, and you owe her.
I really, really hated owing people.
I looked over at Hailey, hunched over the record player mumbling angry obscenities to herself. Then she lifted the top and yanked out the record, stomping back over to the shelves. As she searched for a new one that specifically didn't say "The Beatles" at the top, I decided to speak up again.
You owe her still rang in my ears, causing me to go against everything I was thinking.
"Hailey?" I asked.
No, don't do this. What are you doing. You don't owe her. You hate her, you hate her. And then my mind wandered back to when she hugged me, and the smell of vanilla on her clothes and the look she had in her eyes. She had cared, and I needed more people in my life who actually cared.
"Yeah?" she said, holding a new record cover in her hand.
"I feel like I owe you something." I sighed.
"Owe me?" she looked confused. "For what?"
"For that night." I replied, putting emphasis on the last part. "You helped me and drove me home and everything, and I never did anything for you."
"Don't be ridiculous," she laughed, "You don't owe me anything. I don't know why you're even saying that."
"I owe you. I don't care what you say, I owe you, and I hate owing people." I admitted, leaning towards the wall and wincing as my shoulder rammed into it too hard. I still had a few bruises that weren't quite healed, but other than new little pink scars between my knuckles, there was really nothing left from that night.
"Okay. Well then, what are you going to do about it Drew?" she joked, dancing around in a circle as a new song started.
"Have dinner with me tonight."
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Oooo romance? Maybe? Yes?
No?
Anyway, thanks for reading. Please remember to vote, comment, comment, or comment. I love writing this story, but I also really love your feedback. Anything at all.
Thanks! And remember to come back for the next chapter!
-Elizabeth