he loves me, he loves me not

part four

Ever since the day at the treehouse, things between Shawn and Jezabel were different. A little better than they were before. Shawn began to make a habit of showing up at the flower shop whenever he wanted. Sure, sometimes it would be a good hiding spot when he'd get in trouble because who'd expect a delinquent like Shawn DeMarco to hang around tulips and daisies? They were beginning to grow on each other. He would hang around the store and do some homework for a while and just keep her company. They'd talk for a while, he'd help her water plants, they'd eat, then he'd go home. Other times he'd stop by and Jezabel wouldn't even be working that day. So, he'd purchase a zinnia and leave it on her window. Her little vase had become full in the span of a couple of weeks. Her white camellia had withered away a little over a week ago but she couldn't bring herself to throw it away.
Today was the first of December and Shawn was in the store sitting against the wall behind the counter enthralled by the book in his hand. Jezabel on the other hand was told to finish redecorating the store for Christmas time. Most of it was already done but she was still left with some of the hardest tasks, such as having her 5'1'' self hang a garland from the ceiling.
"Are you just going to sit there?" Jezabel asks from on top of the stool she was standing on which was probably breaking a bunch of different OSHA codes to hang the garland.
"Yup, pretty much," He says, popping the 'p' not even bothering to look up from his book.
"You could at least be studying for your history test instead if you're not going to help me." Jezabel sighs.
"This is studying!" He stands up defensively holding out his book Beneath A Scarlet Sky, "This is a book about an Italian guy who, during World War II led Jews out of Italy to be safe and then worked as a spy for Hitler's right-hand man! Super educational."
"I thought you took American History?" She says, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, right..." His face reddens as he slumps back down to the floor, "still a cool book though."
"Yeah, I'm sure" Jezabel rolls her eyes smiling.
Some time goes by without either of them speaking until Shawn voices a thought, "What's even the point of decorating for Christmas?"
"Cause it's Christmas duh," she scoffs, "most profitable holiday."
"Yeah not for you though," Shawn gestures to the empty store.
"Not true," It's Jezabel's turn to act defensively, "statistically people have more anniversaries and special events in the wintertime."
"Mhm, sure. I bet this place is going to be packed soon," He teases with a smile on his face.
That stupid smile. Sure, they were just friends, but something inside of her always jumped a little anytime he smiled which was too many times according to her stomach. Especially after that night in the treehouse, she saw him a different way. He was sweet and caring and genuine. She could see herself falling in love with this guy.
"Whatever just help, please." She begs with a pout.
"Why? It's not like I work here," He shrugs.
"Yeah, but you spend enough time here to be a full-time employee so act like it,"
"Fine. Your gold string is crooked," He points at the garland that she'd just set up.
"Gee, thanks," Jezabel steps higher onto the stool in an attempt to fix it but she isn't quite tall enough to grab the garland to straighten it out.
"Careful you're going to fall," Shawn looks up at her and places his book down, heading towards the stool. "Here, steady," he walks up behind her and attempts to balance her out so she won't fall by grabbing onto the stool but doesn't fail to accidentally touch Jezabel's leg. Jezabel is grateful that he was behind her instead of in front of her or else he'd be able to see just how bright red a face can get in a matter of 2 seconds.
"No, it's fine I got it," she lets out but her hand was trembling as she tried her best to focus on the task at hand more than Shawn's slight graze on her lower calf.
"No, let me help out," he insists.
"No, I got it," She repeats with more frustration.
"No, really let me help you,"
"I got it!"
"Be careful!"
"I'm fine!"
"Stop it! You're moving too much you're going t-" and before she knew it, the stool moved a little too much below her and she was heading straight for the floor. Or she thought she was before Shawn caught her in his arms.
"Told you," he smiles not breaking eye contact with her for a second. It was probably only a couple of seconds, yet it felt like minutes, maybe hours that she was in that position until he finally dropped her down onto the floor. Jezabel was quick to get as much distance as possible between the two and focused her attention on the floor. Shawn seems to follow suit because the smug look on his face is dropped in an instant and was perusing the store like some tourist.
"Umm, *cough* I-I got some uh hidden ice cream in the employee fridge if you want some," Jezabel struggles through her words still flustered by what had just happened.
"Yes!!!" Shawn says a little too enthusiastically as if also trying to break the tension that was shared.
"Great, I'll be right back," and so she heads towards the back room. Once there, Jezabel sicks her head in the freezer to cool down from all the heat that was still very present in her cheeks. Once she felt cooled down, she grabbed the mint chocolate chip and two spoons then headed out to the store.
"Mint chocolate chip? Really?" he voices disgusted.
"What you're telling me you don't like mint chocolate chip ice cream?"
"No it just wouldn't be my first choice," Shawn replies propping himself into the counter.
"Do you want the ice cream or not?" Jezabel gestures the ice cream away from him.
"Oh... I want the ice cream," He stretches his arms out begging for the frozen dessert.
    They devour what's left of the ice cream and after a while, Jezabel finishes setting up all of the Christmas decorations and the store looks straight up like the north pole with candy canes the size of her, snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, and the windows decorated with fluff with her prettiest poinsettias on display front and center. Shawn did end up helping in the store after the incident from earlier because he felt bad about it. They ended up doing homework for a while, helped out the 3 customers that walked in that day, and watered some plants. Jezabel had just finished closing up and was walking to the back to get her coat and leave the box of decorations that they hadn't put up.
    "Hey, come look," Shawn shouts from the front of the store.
    So, Jezabel walks up to see Shawn just standing there looking directly at her. "What?"
    He continues to just give her a blank stare so she's left to walk up to him stomping dramatically with every step. She'd grown used to this behavior of his so she didn't question it even though it annoyed her.
    Once they were only a foot apart, Shawn points up and starts talking, "Isn't that a flower?"
    Jezabel looks up to where he was pointing confused and to her horror sees a mistletoe that she hadn't noticed before with her and Shawn directly below it. Jezabel is hesitant on stepping away out of the fear of seeming rude or awkward so she stays in that position trying her best to keep her cool, "Technically yes but it's more like a plant. It's actually a really bad plant with like bird feces and everything... plus it's poisonous." That was a little too much information.
    "Gross," Shawn scrunches his face, "but it's got a meaning too right?"
    "You don't know what a mistletoe means?" she questions smiling while crossing her arms. She takes a small step forward without realizing it. She really just wanted to see where this would go. Would he even dare? She knew that the true symbolism behind mistletoe was to liven in spirit because mistletoe could blossom during the frozen winter much like Jezabel's cold dead heart at this very moment which was beating ten thousand miles per second. But she refrains from spewing all that out.
"Oh, I know exactly what it means," He takes a step forward. There were only a couple of inches separating the two. That smug smile of his returned looking down into Jezabel's eyes. Nothing happens for a couple of seconds. They are just staring at each other. Shawn's smile slowly begins to disappear and Jezabel swears that Shawn looked down at her lips for a second. Shawn begins to lean forward...one inch...two inches... there was only a couple of centimeters apart. Jezabel leans in as well, then suddenly-
*BUZZ BUZZ*
Her phone. She opens it to reveal a message from her mom asking when she was going to be home. Jezabel steps away from under the mistletoe realizing how stupid the idea of possibly kissing Shawn was. He was just her friend. Does he think of us as more than friends? "That's my mom I should-" she points in the direction of the door.
"Yeah, yeah no of course me too," he waves an arm down understandingly but his face was bright red. Jezabel walks up and locks the door to the shop and heads to her car. Shawn normally gets in the passenger seat which is what he did tonight. The ride home was extremely silent.
"Bye," is the only exchange between them the whole night as she drops Shawn off at his house and parks in her driveway.