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I’m surrounded by university students and a few professor-types. Chuck, the cashier waves at me. His name isn’t really Chuck. I just call him that because he’s got these kick-butt bright red Converse he always wears.
“What’s new Chuck?”
“Not much, got the new Stefanie Conrad in. I saved you a copy.”
“Chuck, you know the way to this girl’s heart,” I said, feigning a light head.
“Snoop around. I’ll get it for you when I get rid of this line.”
I wink. It’s gonna’ be a good day. I hum a little ditty under my breath and scan the titles of each aisle while I wait for Chuck. I wonder into the self-help section and almost trip over myself. I absently trail my fingers along the titles, praying there would be one that read ‘You’re insane Julia Jacobs. Stop obsessing about Elliott Gray’ or ‘He’s just a normal boy dummy, a surprisingly kind and sweet boy who just happens to share literal electricity with you but that’s nothing to get so worked up about’. There wasn’t, but there was one ironically titled ‘Getting over the one you’re obsessed with’. I laugh out loud and get a few shushes. I almost pick it up but meander over to the Fantasy section instead. I pick up a random book and start reading the first chapter.
My head picks up when I hear the jingle of the door. Someone just left. My heart tingles slightly but I shrug it off. I take the book I’m reading over to the checkout line when Chuck waves me over with Stefanie’s new book in hand. I stand there waiting for my turn when I hear the door jingle again. I look up and suck in a breath. Elliott. My eyes widen then narrow, trying to figure out if he’s been near me that entire time, if he was the reason my chest ached. My heart tingles yet again. I lock eyes with him.
Elliott trips over a chair. His face and neck turn a brilliant red and I feel so sorry for him. The girl in front of me laughs. That infuriates me. I fight the urge to pull her hair. Violent. Why so violent? That’s not like me. He yanks his coat from a chair and storms toward the door without so much as a second glance. My heart aches for him, cries for him.
d myself drawn to Elliott then, like a string connects our hearts and that string is coiling tighter and tighter, drawing me closer and closer to him. I realize that I’m seeing Elliott at his best and the ironic part is that he isn’t even doing this in show. This is genuinely who he is. As far as he’s concerned, no one knows what he’s doing and that melts away one of the protective layers I’ve so carefully built around my heart.
It clamors in that instant and I begin to daydream what it would be like to run my fingers through his hair and hold his face in my hands. If I could, I would let him know just what I think of what he’s doing. Perhaps I’d do just that with a kiss. What would that be li....
“Boo,” I hear from behind me.
I jump and shriek. Everyone’s eyes turn my way. I can’t see Elliott but I’m more than positive he and Karen are looking our direction, as curious as the rest of the store’s patrons are. I hit Sawyer.
“Sawyer!” I whisper yell.
“Julia!” He mocks, holding his gut in laughter. “What the heck are you doing?”
I start laughing with him.
“Nothing. I’m just a big buffoon. Hanging on the end cap like an overgrown monkey.”
“Oh, is that why you were dragging your knuckles on the ground outside?”
I hit him once more and start laughing again.
“What are you looking at?” He asks, trying to peek over my shoulder at the checkout lines.
“Nothing. Nothing,” I say, pushing him towards Dairy.
“Uh, huh.”
“Seriously Sawyer. Stop.”
“Alright, alright.”
“My early man poses are just between you and me. Agreed?”
“Alright but it’ll cost ya’.”
“Yeah, yeah. Put it on my tab.”
“Where’s your bell pepper?” He asks studying my empty hands.
“Uh, I haven’t gotten it yet,” I say, shoving my hands in the back pockets of my jeans.
“Where’s your list?”
I square my shoulders, “In my pocket.”
