"Here you go sweetie." I grinned down at the little girl as she grabbed her cotton candy. She sent me a toothy grin before running towards her parents.
It was about two in the afternoon and I was currently working the cotton candy machine at the festival. Since I had volunteered I was put wherever they needed me and that so happened to be here. I didn't mind but my right arm was already sore from twisting the cotton candy on the stick, and I was covered in the sticky stuff.
I have been serving people non-stop since I got placed here. A small line went out past the little booth of kids waiting anxiously for their candy. While I got to work on the next batch my eyes darted around trying to find the girl I was suppose to be working with. She had walked off ten minutes ago to use the restroom, leaving me here to do all the work. She was some high school girl and I had already forgotten her name.
So while she was gone I have been whipping out cotton candy like no ones business. When the line was finally gone I got a drink and tried to pick off some of the dried candy. My whole right arm was covered, I was pretty sure some was in my hair and on my clothes too. My arm was exhausted as I moved it around. I really needed to hit the gym more.
Sadly I only had about another minute of peace before a few people came up to the booth. Reminding myself that I volunteered for this I plastered on a smile and helped the little boy that was staring at me.
Handing out the last bag of cotton candy I smiled to myself. Not too bad. But of course as luck would have it the cotton candy machine started to make a weird noise. Groaning I looked over at it wondering what was wrong. Of course it was going to stop working on me and I would probably get blamed for it too.
Peeking over into the machine I looked around trying to find out what was wrong with it. I was definitely no expert but the noise it was making couldn't be good. Right as I started to pull back to unplug the machine it suddenly exploded.
Little pieces of cotton candy flew out of the little hole you put the mixture in. Because I was still leaning over it it all went right into my face. Instantly the machine stopped making the noise as pieces of left over candy floated around me.
Spitting out pieces that landed in my mouth I waved a hand in front of my face and took a step back. I could feel it sticking to every inch of my face and to my hair. It was going to be a bitch to get out I have a feeling.
In-between choking and wiping my face I heard someone clear their throat. Inwardly I prayed no wanted any candy. I was pretty sure the machine was broke and I was done being here. All I wanted was to go home and shower right now.
Gathering myself so I wouldn't go off on the person I took a deep breath before turning to look over at the person who cleared their throat.
"Haley?" As luck would have it none other than Brock stood there staring at me with an amused expression.
"Oh god." I muttered closing my eyes. Out of everyone it had to be him.
"You okay there?" I could hear the laughter in his voice making my eyes snap open.
"Just peachy." I wiped at my face again and grimaced at the sticky feeling.
"Did you purposely put your face in the cotton candy? I'm pretty sure that doesn't make health code." Brock joked.
"Didn't you know that this is the new look? Everyone is wearing it in Milan." I shot back sarcastically.
"I can definitely see it on the runway." He went along with it, making me smile.
"Just know they stole it from me first." Hearing Brock laugh sent a shiver down my spine. That use to be my favorite sound in the entire world.
"Here." He leaned forward, reaching a hand towards me. I stood there not knowing what he was doing. The voice inside of my head was screaming at me to say something but my mouth wasn't working.
I stood there as his thumb touched my bottom lip gently. My lips parted at the touch of him. Brock's thumb moved softly across my lip and his eyes moved up to mine. I stared into the blue eyes I use to spend every night dreaming about. The same eyes I fell in love the moment I met Brock in high school.
Neither of us looked away and his thumb kept moving across my lip ever so slightly. Being this close to him was making my stomach erupt into butterflies and my heart race. Brock went to open his mouth but a different voice interrupted him.
"Hey I am...woah what happened to you?"
The moment was broken at those words. Brock pulled away, his thumb leaving my lip making it tingle. He took a step back and pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants, his eyes darting past me. Inwardly I cursed at the bad timing and at myself for letting him touch me like that.
Clenching my jaw I turned to face Jane, the girl who left me to use the bathroom about thirty minutes ago. She stood there looking at me with wide eyes. I wanted nothing more than to say something to her but instead I grabbed my bag, the water I was drinking from and an extra bag of cotton candy sitting there.
"All yours." Was all I sat as I marched past her and out of the booth. I was hungry, tired from no sleep last night, and now I was covered in sticky cotton candy.
"Haley!" My feet slowed as Brock jogged up beside me. "Where are you going?"
"To get cleaned up." I couldn't stand the feel of my face and hands right now.
"Do you want to maybe go grab a cup of coffee?" Brock asked suddenly. My feet slowed even more and my head snapped in his direction.
"Get coffee together?" I wasn't sure I heard him right.
"Yeah, we can catch up. It's been a while." Yeah it has been. I wanted to tell him but I stopped myself.
"Uh..." I wasn't sure that was a good idea, A part of me wanted to say yes and to catch up but the other half, the more rational part, was telling me it was a bad idea.
"We could go to Rosie's down the road and you can get cleaned up there." Rosie's did have a good bathroom and a cup of coffee did sound pretty tempting right now. Seeing him look over at me with hope in his eyes I found myself caving.
"Sure." My respond surprised the both of us but Brock quickly recovered.
"Okay good." I stared at his breath-taking smile for a second before quickly turning my head so he wouldn't see me. Brock always had a good smile.
We walked silently side by side as we headed for Rosie's. It felt weird being so close to Brock after all this time. I was all aware of his warm body inches from mine. Even though we had to dodge people heading to the festival Brock somehow stayed beside me. I could feel people staring at us as we passed and I knew it wasn't because of me. It was a little weird knowing that Brock was basically famous.
We reached Rosie's in no time. With a hand on my lower back, Brock opened the door for me to go first. The feel of his hand on my back made me shiver involuntarily. It seemed Brock could still have an affect on me.
The moment we entered I was reminded of me and Brock coming here regularly back in the day. It was our spot and we came basically every day to get coffee and one their amazing pastries.
After Brock left it took me a little while to come back here and not be assaulted with memories of us. Over time it got easier, especially when I ended up getting a job here. There is just something about Rosie's that made you feel like you were at home.
It was a town favorite. Teens would come in after school to get a drink, a snack, and sit in one of the comfortable chairs/tables they had spaced out around the shop. It was basically a coffee shop but if you knew the owner she would make you a little something else.
I had only stepped one foot in before I was greeted by none other than Rosie herself.
"Haley." She greeted loudly. Rosie Michael's looked like your regular grandma type but she was anything but. She could give you so much crap and told you how it was. Her brown was still brown, only because she dyed it. Her brown eyes were bright and filled with warmth.
"Hey, Rosie." I greeted as I was pulled into a tight hug. She smelled like home and cookies.
"What happened to you dear." She pulled back and looked me up and down.
"Cotton Candy machine." At my words she nodded in understanding.
"You can go clean up in the back." I smiled in thanks before her eyes moved away from me. "Is my eyes deceiving me? Is that my Brock Spencer?"
I held in a laugh as I stepped to the side so Rosie could pull Brock into a tight hug. He shot me a look over her shoulder to which I smirked at. Rosie wasn't going to let him go anytime soon.
"While you two catch up I am going to go get cleaned." My smirk turned into a smile at the Brock's face as Rosie pulled away and started commenting about him needing to eat more. Shaking my head I moved around them and headed for the bathroom.
Behind me I could hear Rosie going on to Brock about how she hasn't seem him in ages and that she was too old for him to not come around and see her. I shook with silent laughter before disappearing.
It took me a good ten minutes to get my face clear of all cotton candy, which sadly meant m makeup was completely gone. I had to scrub my arms about a dozen times before they finally felt clean. I grabbed a wet paper towel and wiped my hair as best as I could, but ended up pulling it into a ponytail.
Once I was done I looked at my reflection and gave myself the look.
"Don't fall for any of it Haley. You know you will only get your heartbroken again. He is only here for a few days, that is it." I had to remind myself this. I could not fall into the trap that is Brock Spencer again. Been there, done that, and not doing it again.
Nodding to myself I grabbed my bag and headed back. Leaving the bathroom I was met with voices around the place. Even though the festival was in full swing people were still coming into Rosie's. You can never just come in here once.
Coming out I glanced around trying to find Brock but couldn't see him. After another pass around the room I felt the all too familiar sinking in my chest. He left.
"Hay!" At the sound of my name I perked up. Off in the far corner sat Brock, a smile on his face. It was our spot. Weaving around the tables I stopped at the table we use to sit at. Sitting in front of Brock were two coffee cups as well as an assortment of pastries.
"I hope you still like your coffee with tons of sugar." He rubbed the back of his neck almost embarrassingly.
"You remember."
"Of course. You are the only person I know that drinks their coffee with so much sugar you could get diabetes."
"It is the only way to drink it." I grinned. I plopped into the chair and reached for my coffee.
"You look cleaner." He teased as I sipped my coffee. I held back a moan at the taste of it. No one had better coffee than Rosie's.
"Cotton Candy is a bitch to get off." Brock chuckled at me.
"I forgot about how good the pastries were." He commented after a few minutes of silence. He took a huge bite out of one and hummed.
"That means you need to come back more often." At my words he glanced down at his coffee not answering.
"So...how have you been?" I asked changing the topic.
"Good. Just healing from surgery."
"Oh yeah. How is the shoulder?" I sipped my coffee, looking at him over the rim.
"Someone's been stalking me." Amusement flashed in his blue eyes.
"In your dreams Spencer. You are basically the towns hero, so everyone talks about you. It came up a few times." I shrugged.
"Well I won't be if my shoulder doesn't heal right." His tone changed as he spoke and he glared at his right shoulder.
"You don't think it will?"
"I don't know. Not many baseball players come back after they've had surgery on their shoulders."
"Brock, it will be fine. You were made to be a baseball player." I sent him an encouraging smile.
"How about you though?" He put his elbows on the table and leaned forward waiting for my response.
"Been good. Just busy with work honestly."
"Oh, what do you do? Last I remember you wanted to go into Biology. Do you work at some huge building making the world a better place?"
"Um no." I looked down into my coffee mug. "I am a first grade teacher." Brock was quiet for a minute.
"That's great Haley. You were great with kids."
"It is pretty great. The kids are amazing and the cutest things."
"I know I would have loved you as my first grade teacher. I would have paid more attention."
"Gross. You would have been like 6-7!"
"So?" Shaking my head I couldn't help but laugh.
Same old Brock.