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J A Y
The famous Rufus Lensherr; top roster in the pecking order leaned against the counter. His football jersey peering out from underneath his blue coat.
He ran a hand through his dark brown hair and looked down at me, "Babydoll, I swear you're here everyday."
"That'd be because I work here," I raised an eyebrow at him, internally cringing at the cheesey pet name, "and I could say the same for you, don't you ever get sick of drinking smoothie?"
The self-centred boy took off his gloves and gave me a sarcastic smile, "Someone's in a good mood."
Rufus was known for choosing his prize (a girl) then doing anything and everything to get the girl. Sounds romantic but as soon as he knows that girls likes him, he ditches them. The only thing I didn't understand was why he was choosing me out everyone as his next target.
"Babydoll, when's your lunch break?" He asked conversationally as I typed the order in of a strawberry-banana-raspberry smoothie.
"When you're gone," I whispered under my breath before looking at him with a happy smile, "Soon," I checked my watch, "Twenty minutes."
"I think it's about time I ask you to lunch." Rufus flashed me with his perfect row of straight teeth, running his hand through his hair once again.
"Well, I kinda already have—" a chair screeched against the floor as it was pushed back. Rufus stared into my eyes with confidence and I refused to look at the big figure walking towards us.
Soren rubbed the top of Rufus's head affectionately, purposely pushing his beanie over his eyes, "What's up, pipsqueak?"
It was in that moment I realised the only reason why Rufus was taking notice of me was because I was seen with Soren. They had always been competitive, through sport, girls, even grades. Then one day Soren just, stopped.
"Haven't seen you in awhile." Soren leant against the counter as he turned his body to face Rufus who was glaring at him.
"We take three core subjects together." Rufus spat, before smirking as he stood up straighter using his height to his advantage.
"Do we? I guess you kinda blend into the background." Soren stated bluntly, ignoring Rufus' intimidating stance and turning to me, "I'd love a mango smoothie, thanks."
I shut my mouth quickly and typed the ordered in, secretly hoping the boys didn't start a wrestling match while I was gone.
Jamie, my smoothie partner whispered in my ear, "Are they going to punch it up? We don't want them scaring away customers."
"No, it'll be—" the obvious sound of a punch echoed through the smoothie bar, and I ran out of the back room into the counter area.
Was I a bad person for wishing Rufus was the one who got punched? Yes, probably. Soren glared down at the ground where I suspected Rufus lay.
I ran through the small swing-door and held a strong hand against Soren chest, "Go, Soren just go."
His heavy breathing fanned my cheeks as he gave me a surprised look, anger still pumping through his veins, "He said shit about you right after you left."
I looked down at Rufus' bleeding nose, then back to Soren who was staring at me with hurt eyes, "I know, it's okay. Just go."
Jamie handed a cloth to Rufus who pressed it against his nose when we pulled him over to a seat. Jamie promised him a hot mug of cocoa and disappeared into the back room.
It wasn't until the customers had calmed down and Rufus was in deep conversation with Jamie, that I walked outside into the snow.
Soren was leaning against the brick wall at a shop down, with a cigarette between his lips. My shoes crunched against the snow, causing him turn to look at me. His cheeks were flushed and his nose bright red.
I sighed, "I don't know how well mangos go with the taste of cigarettes... I guess a smoothie isn't much help in this weather anyways." He took the smoothie out of my hand, then took a sip before handing it back to me.
"It tastes alright." His voice was flat, he turned away and took a deep breath in, I watched as the tip of the cigarette light up.
Leaning against the wall, Soren's arm leaned against my shoulder and I rested my head against the cold bricks.
"Matilda has banned you from going inside the shop." My breath turning into mist, Soren zipped his jacket up to his chin.
"Fuck her." He grumbled.
I laughed softly, "No, not fuck her. I like this job, thank you very much."
"Can we leave now?" He asked, blowing smoke through his nose and I watched it flowed through the falling snowflakes.
S O R E N
Jay wrapped her hands around the warm cup of cocoa, her hair falling over her face as she bent down to breath the smell in. I watched as she got her spoon and scooped all the baby marshmallows out except one, eating each marshmallow.
She looked up at with an embarrassed expression, "I leave the last one so when I've finished the drink I've got something yummy to eat at the end."
I shook my head in amazement, "Whatever floats your...marshmallow," I looked around at the cosy cafe, "I've been meaning to ask you, what does your father think of all this?"
She took a sip of her drink before eyeing the glazed donut on her plate, "All this?"
"Quitting your job. You hanging out with me, you know he threatened to kill to me." Jay just laughed taking a bite out of the donut, "I'm serious, are you getting in trouble?"
"He doesn't know about me hanging out with you, he thinks I'm working. And I kinda am, I'm getting money, aren't I?" Her eyes widened and she swallowed as if it hurt her, "I didn't mean it like that."
I shrugged, ignoring the sharp pain in my chest. I distracted myself by taking in the scenery. It was warm and cosy. The cafe served mostly food and drinks but there was a pool table further down the cafe. It was neat, with good customer service and an expensive building.
"Why don't you work here?" Her eyes widened at my suggestion and watched as she ate the last marshmallow in the bottom of her mug.
"Why? I'm happy with my job, also they're probably not hiring new staff." She said seriously, I kept a straight face as I stared at the chocolate stain moustache that had formed above her top lip.
"That'd pay more, meaning you wouldn't have to spend as much time with me," she opened her mouth but I continued, "I can't go in the smoothie cafe and I don't plan on waiting outside in the snow. And three, I'm Soren McKinin. I can get you the job."
She closed her mouth and rested her head on hand, "Thank you... It seems you do have a heart."
Jay didn't go back to the smoothie bar, that was the last time she had to look Rufus in the eyes and politely tell him, "Fuck off."
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Jay sneezed in my ear making me jump, causing an echo of laughter from the boys of my family. Of course father didn't come out and help us set up the Christmas lights. Though, it wasn't like we needed help... Or wanted it at that matter.
The Evansons family across the road always competed with my mother in the city Christmas competition. They had won last year meaning all the maids got the night off and we were outside in the snow setting up lights.
"Sorry," Jay whispered, rubbing the top of her nose and she hugged herself.
"Are you still cold? Jay, you have three jumpers, a coat and gloves on." I pitched the ridge of nose in frustration, being toasty warm myself.
"Hey Jay!" Colin called, sitting into the harness as he hung in midair, strapping lights to the front of house. He pulled his beanie off and dropped it, his blonde hair standing straight up.
Jay caught it and smiled up at him, placing it on her head. She yelled a thank you up to him before Jay continued to stick the Christmas small lamp post into the ground.
I bent down and turned the lamp post on, moving to the next one that Jay had just planted into the ground. I glanced over at her gloves which were shaking. With a nose that was bright red and pink cheeks, it was obvious she was still freezing.
"Jay, stand up, you cold potato." I grumbled, watching her move from her crouched position, looking at me with a confused expression.
I walked towards her and pulled her into my chest, wrapping arms around her small frame, and rubbed her back in an effort to get her warm. My heart jumped when she snuggled into me, so I rested my chin on her head. We just stood there, in silence. She didn't wrap her hands around me, instead she stuck them between us her palms resting against my chest.
"Thanks." She mumbled into me, her cold breath tickling my neck through the small gap in my scarf.
I leant down and put my cheek against her forehead, "Jay, you're like ice. You need to go instead and warm up before you catch a cold."
"You know that's actually a myth. You really can't catch a cold from cold weath—" Her sentence was cut short as she sneezed straight in my face, her hands trying to her cover her mouth but failing badly.
I opened my closed eyes and blinked a few times, "And now we're both going to be sick."
She giggled, "I'm sorry."
"You look like Rudolph," I kissed her nose lightly, before grinning, "Go, that's an order."
Christmas was the ugliest time of the year, nothing will change that. Everyone was just so...Happy. It was so unusual and freaky to me.
The worst part was that as Jay walked away, I realised I was turning into one of those happy elves you see at the shopping malls (the ones you secretly hope fall down the stairs).
I couldn't stop smiling.
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Who can be the first to name the snowflakes ;)
Vote if you smiled, cried, blushed, gushed ect (so practically showed a facial expression)
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I update for the one reader that probably is a wattpad fake (someone they put in to make you feel better) because writing should be fun, to let my imagination run wild.
So I thank anyone who reads, I update for you.
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Book 3 [How To Drown Colin Mckinin] of the Flammable Hearts series.