Ignore the Status Quo

Secret Amirer

A/N this is Linnea meeting Thomas. Hope you enjoy!

'My friends think you look like a dork, but I think you're cute,' was the message inscribed in Linnea's coffee cup that she had ordered from the nearby Starbucks. She was on her way to her weekend job as a cashier for the children's store down the street. It wasn't her dream job, but everyone had to start somewhere, right? Besides, across the street was the bookstore. Now, Linnea obviously loved books, but one of the perks of being the cashier was that there was a window that faced the bookstore, and every other day or so, right in the middle of her shift, this cute guy, with sandy-ish hair and thick glasses and converse would go to one of the outdoor benches in the front, sit down, and pull out his lunch. When this time rolled around, Linnea would glance out of her eye, every few minutes or so to watch the glasses guy (this is why she had been calling him for the past few weeks). Now, she wasn't a stalker, and watched in a professional sort of way, the way one would watch birds. She ignored what her co-workers said about pinning and dreamy staring. Unfortunately, the cute stranger would be gone by the time Linnea was done with work. Maybe someday, Linnea would catch him looking at her, and they could wave cliché-ly, like they do in the movies.
She sighed and waved to the woman working at the counter as she walked out of the store. Spring finally seemed have gotten the memo, and the snow was almost completely gone, just the occasional patch here and there. Linnea's rain boots splashed muddy water everywhere as she crossed the street to the shop. The little bell rung over her head as she got ready for her shift.

-

'Why are you dressed up today? Btw, you look nice. :)' the second one read. Linnea smiled as she walked down the side walk. It had been two days since her last coffee message. She was indeed dressed up today. She was planning on negotiating with her boss on work hours, and knew she wouldn't get anything if she wore jeans and a sweater. She was decked out in a knee-length light blue dress with a white collar, a sliver necklace and a nice pair of white ballet flats. It may have been a bit much, but she could never be under prepared. The sun shone brightly in cloudy less sky. The extra sunshine made the faded green paint on the book store shine that much more. Linnea had spotted her glasses-guy yesterday, and he had brought a container or chile. She hoped he had somewhere to heat it up. Cold chile was gross. Linnea blushed to her-self as she realized that she must have been staring more than she thought yesterday, considering that she had noticed that he was eating chile, from all the way across the road, for goodness sakes! She rushed across the street to the store front. She offered one last smile to the bench, hoping for not only good luck with her boss.

-

It was now a few hours into her shift, and Linnea was smiling to herself. Her talk with her boss had gone well, and she even got a compliment on her shoes. At she settled herself on her stool, she glanced down at her watch, the out the window. It was almost twelve o'clock, and glasses-guy would be sitting down soon. And sure enough, about three customers later, he settled down across the street, and as Linnea peaked out of her the corner of her eye, she could tell that he had a club sandwich today. She blushed,
smiled softly to herself, and got back to work. This already perfect day had improved that much more.

-

'I put extra marshmallows in your hot chocolate. I hope you like them,' the notes kept coming. This was probably Linnea's seventh one. She never threw out the cups with notes, and she now had a considerable stack in her room. Each one was different, but with a continuing theme. They always had nice things to say about her. From her hair to her choice in books. Her secret admirer was quite the charmer, and though the notes still made her smile, the overwhelming feeling she got was that of wondering and confusion. She desperately wanted to know who it was. And, though she hated to admit it, she was developing quite the crush on this little note writer. Unfortunately, she also had her sights set on glasses-guy. Oh the troubles! She had a crush on two different people, neither of which she had even met! Linnea scowled into her hot chocolate. A small drop of rain landed on her nose. As she peered up, another hit her cheek, then he forehead. She scurried inside. Linnea peered gloomily outside at the soaked park bench. Not chance of seeing glasses-guy today, she supposed.

-

Today, as Linnea bust into Starbucks, she notice an exceptionally long line winding around the store. As she stood on her tip toes to look up, she observers that there were not nearly as many workers today as usually. That must have been what the hold up was about. Linnea tapped her foot anxiously as people grumbled and complained around her about being late to work. When she finally got up to the front, the woman who was taking her order smiled apologetically.
"I'm so sorry! The flu has been going around and wiped out a good portion of the crew. Everyone's on double duty." Linnea laughed.
"No need to worry, I just hope I don't get it!" She scooted back after she gave her order. She looked around that the other people in the store, waiting for her order.
"Linnea!" A voice called out. She stepped up to the counter, and when he looked up she was met with a pair of familiar thick rimmed glasses. Glasses-guy, THE glasses-guy, was standing in front of her, wearing one of the unflattering Starbucks aprons tie around the front. Linnea noticed that he was blushing slightly beneath his glasses and he pushed the cup towards her. As Linnea picked it up, she noticed a few words written in sharpie on the side. As she turned over, she saw another message on the side.
'You look always look so pretty when you talk with the kids at your store. I hope that doesn't sound creepy.' Linnea looked up at boy, for once noticing his name tag. Thomas. She looked up at Thomas and saw him blushing even more.
"Do you, um, do you know who keeps writing these messages?" She managed to get out. Thomas looked away. He seemed to be biting his lip.
"Um... Well, I, um. It-it was me." He stuttered out. His face was the color of a tomato now. Linnea smiled broadly.
"Do you happen to eat your lunch across from the children's store?" She questioned?
Tomas looked up at her. "Yes, actually, why?" It was Linnea's turn to blush now.
"Well, my window faces the bench that you sit on during your lunch. I've been trying to work up the nerve to talk to you for weeks, but you always leave before my shift."
Thomas looked down again. "Oh, well, I guess now is a s good a time as any?" He asked.
They both smiled at each other. A shout from the order woman, telling the to hurry up broke the moment. As Linnea made to leave, Thomas burst out,
"Wait! Would you, like to, um, meet you sometime?" He said. Linnea, smiling, asked,
"So, like a date." She concluded. Thomas blushed.
"Yes, like a date." Grinning, Linnea pulled a pen out her back pocket. She grabbed Thomas's wrist.
"Here's my number. Called for that date, ok?" She said. Thomas smiled and nodded emphatically. Linnea turned with a wave and made her way out of the shop.