The Dairy Queen

The Boy to Avoid

A/N Start this dreamy number at the first ***

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The next week moves painfully slow.

I'm somewhere between being depressed, angry, and hormonal. Getting my period while already miserable just ups the ante. I pretty much bite everyone's head off every morning and spend the afternoons apologizing.

My mom is sympathetic, my dad is oblivious.

Sarah and Ella try their hardest to pick me up. There have been beach days—I got sunburned, an off-island shopping trip—my purse was stolen and I had to cancel my debit card and schedule a date to get a new license, and finally a bowling night—the ball slipped out of Sarah's hand and landed on my pinky, it is now in a splint. I thanked them for trying but, told them to not call me again as I would be living out the rest of my days as an island hermit.

I am constantly on high alert at work in case of a Damon or Matt sighting. Luckily, it seems like Matt and I are still being scheduled on opposite days. I'm not as lucky with Damon. Our shifts tend to overlap three times over the week.

We barely talk. When we do it is usually, "hey can you hand me a cone?", "The sprite in the soda machine needs to be changed.", "We're out of Rocky Road, can you grab some out of the freezer?"

He stares at me, a lot. Every time I look up his eyes are on me. When I catch him he frowns and looks away.

Occasionally, he'll place a tender hand on my lower back when he passes me behind the counter. Two days ago he accidentally backed into me. He quickly spun around, my face turned bright red and he muttered an apology and rushed off.

It's the week of the 4th of July and everyone and their God damned grandmother, literally, is on the Vineyard. Every single night in the ice cream shop is what I imagine hell is like. However, I've been grateful for the distraction. It's been a shit week and I'd rather just bury myself in work than to actually deal with my feelings.

I'm working till 8 tonight and my attention is only on the clock and the hot shower I plan on taking when I get home.

It's about 7 p.m. when I hear Kim ask Damon if he could stay until 8, he agrees and looks up, catching me staring at him. I look away quickly but find my cheeks heating up. I make a mental note to take my time punching out and making my way out to my car. I'd like to avoid an uncomfortable interaction at all costs.

It's a little before 8 and I finish taking the order for a family of 6. 3 banana splits, 1 milk shake and 2 kid's monster sundaes.

"Damon, help Vi with that order and then you guys can take off.'" Kim calls from the other side of the shop.

Damon comes up behind me an exhales, sounding annoyed.

"I can do it myself. You can just go." I snap at him.

"You heard boss lady Kim. She already hates me."

"You seem to have that effect on people." I say with a bit less sass.

We start on the order. Working silently side by side. We finish up and head to the office to punch out. Damon lets me go first but stands dangerously close to me.

"Do you always smell this good, Violet?" He asks his nose rubbing into my hair.

I take a step to the side. "Like waffle cones and chocolate syrup?" I ask sarcastically. "Yeah it's my new eau de parfum, courtesy of Daddy's Dairy Bar."