His Little Diamond

7~ Spring Eyes In Isle Five

༻𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐚༺

I sat up from bed that morning, wondering if last night was real. When I saw a piece of paper with words written upon it next to my pillow and underneath my angry octopus plushie, I blinked.

It really happened?!

I wondered if this man really was someone I could trust. I had acted a bit softer yesterday in the beginning to not anger his motives, only to truly warm up to him in the end. I didn't know why...

Why I'd feel safer with a stranger more than anyone else...

I got out of bed, going to my in-room bathroom to start a fresh warm shower. When I was in, all I could hear were my thoughts roaming. My heart was beating so fastly over a simple number on a piece of paper.

That man had every opportunity to ruin me, but he didn't. And I highly doubted he'd waste his time on someone like me who had a bed full of stuffed animals and loved to eat cake until I couldn't walk. Maybe I'd give it a shot.

If all goes well, my unsettling nerves would have been for nothing.

If all goes wrong, then what more can I say? My mother would be right when she told me to not trust a soul.

• • •

"Um, excuse me?"

I looked behind me, seeing a customer holding up a sundress. "May I help you?" I asked her, placing some new Nikes down in the men's section.

Working in retail was sometimes either okay or terrible, but no in between, especially during the afternoons, holidays, or weekends.

"Yes. Do you have this in a large anywhere mayhaps?"

I pointed diagonal from me, "Most larges for women are in that section beside the display. Let me know if you need anything else, or if you can't find it."

She did prayer hands and "thanks" before walking off.

I let out a sigh of relief. Customers that didn't ask too many questions were always the best.

There wasn't a word for how much I hated being questioned. At times, sure, it was unavoidable, but most times they were a pain. I often couldn't think of an answer quickly if I was being caught off guard while being asked something.

• • •

After a moment of restocking, I pulled the now empty cart towards the back room where most of the supplies were. However, I slowed down a bit when I caught a man staring at me.

His appearance was rather boyish. The style of his reddish brown hair was half up and half down. A very noticeable black ring was pierced on his lower lip, and he casually licked over it, causing me to awkwardly avert my eyes.

He was in a different isle, beside mine, walking the opposite way in which I was coming. When we paralleled, he turned his head to face me as I turned mine.

Those eyes...

Green like dewy grass in spring.

Almost like that man I laid beside last night.

We had passed each other, but he didn't leave without a word. He had a mesmerizing voice that contrasted with his uniquely vibrant appearance.

"Guardati le spalle, principessa."

I froze and turned back to see the man walking out of the door.

His dark cardigan was so long that it stopped at the back of his knees. The wind had no other choice but to gently pick it up as he walked further and further from the building, almost as if it was a cape.

"Hey," someone said, suddenly snapping me out of my trance.

I gulped, and almost jumped when I looked back to see that same woman earlier with a full buggy. "Sorry, but do you mind if you check these out for me? The cashier is leaving for break and she said you knew the roll well."

I internally sighed in annoyance.

"Sure thing!" I said with a smile on my face and pushed the cart over to the register, getting behind the counter to do a job I wasn't supposed to be doing right now.

As I scanned the clothes and punched in her membership pass, I couldn't quit thinking about that man.

He didn't seem like he was up to any good.

The way those spring-colored irises violently eyed my face and my necklace.

His language.

The fact that he walked out with literally nothing almost made me feel like he had it out for me.

I really didn't want to call this stranger. What if he was with him?

My hands started to shake. Am I overthinking it?

"Everything alright?" the woman asked me.

"Yes," I giggled, clearly uncomfortable.

To hell with everything, I thought.

I know who to call.