Tug-at-your-heartstrings new adult first love story.
What starts as a bet to avoid cleanup duties at her minimum wage cashier job, wins Amelie D'Amico more than she's ever hoped for.
When Ben, a cute customer who always checkouts at her register, fi...
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My body aches. I move my head side to side and open one eye to peek at him through my eyelashes. My neck is stiff.
Only my eyelashes don't hurt. Does Taekwondo translate into English as torture?
"You need to leave in half an hour," says Ben. "You better get up."
"I'm getting up." I open both eyes and look at Ben.
"I'm off to the shower."
"Hold on." I lift my head up and try to sit up. "Uh." My abs scream in pain. My side muscles twinge when I slide my hand from under the blanket, and I struggle to hold myself up with my elbows. "Help me get up."
Ben comes back to the bed, and I try to move my legs off the bed. That is an exquisite form of torture.
"What do you need me to do?" He's right next to me. I clasp his forearm.
"Tug me off the bed."
He takes both of my hands into his and bends down to pull me toward him, slides his arms under my armpits, and lifts me up. I'm like a rag doll in his embrace. My feet find the floor and he lowers me down.
"You overdid it last night," he says.
"Most definitely." The Taekwondo class was way above my level of physical fitness.
"Couple of stretches might help."
"Not so sure. A pain pill maybe. And a hot bath." Going back in time and saying no to Ben and to the class would be best.
"I only have the showers and you don't have time. Are you okay to stand?"
"I think so."
He lets go of me, and I don't fall over.
"I'll help you in the shower if you'd like."
He puts my hair up for me, because I can't lift my arms above my waist, and makes sure the water is as hot as I can bear. He dries me off. Every movement is a struggle, and Ben puts my arms through the long sleeves of my sweater, squeezes me into my jeans and ties my shoes for me. Bending down is an impossible task—out of my reach, just like my laces.
He kisses me on my nose and hands me my backpack. "A couple of minutes late, but I think you'll make it."
***
Ben: I will not be at the store tonight.
Dread pools in my stomach when I read Ben's text on my first break.
Me: Okay...why?
Ben: Urgent research I have to work on.
Me: d'you need me to get your groceries and drop them off?
Ben: No, I will pick something up later in the week. Thank you.
