Rose- A year well spent

Lover Boy

'CALL ME' She mouths on her way out.

The minute those doors slam shut I melt on the spot. My face feels hot and a knot tied is my stomach. Ben gives me a little nudge. "Nice one, dumbass." He laughs.
"Thanks dickhead."

"So," he rubs a cloth on the counter. "You gonna call her?" I playfully punch him in the shoulder, he throws the cloth to the side and punches me back.
"Hell yeah."
"Your as red as a pomegranate, Will." He starts cackling away, a little tear in his eye starts to form but he brushes it off. "I'm not!" I say, rubbing my hands on my face. I shake my head and pinch my hand. "That was real..?" Ben wheezes so Lidl that people are starting to get concerned and give him an awkward stare. "Sure was," he sighs, still goofily smiling to himself.
"Twat."
"You're one to talk." He raises a brow and I wave a hand in his face. "Don't get your hopes up. Nothing good is going to come out of this."
"Say that at the alter and then you can talk-"
"Welcome to Millydeas, what can I get for you?" I abruptly interrupt. Ben sighs and helps the next customer in line.

5:45pm

There's only 15 minutes until closing time. I'm so desperate to call her right now but there's still tables to be scrubbed clean and people who's orders i still have to take.

"Vanilla latte!" Ben yells, a man gets up from his seat and takes the drink from his hand, pays and leaves.
"D'you think Jordan would notice if I left now?"
"Probably."
"Dammit."
"Cool it lover boy, you got the rest of the evening for that." Ben opens the half door to get to an empty table in the corner and starts spraying it down.
"Lover Boy!?" I whisper shout. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"
He chuckles. "You'll see soon enough."

6:00pm

My fingers are restless. I can't stop tapping this damn countertop nor can i take my eyes off the clock. The minute that it strikes six I dash out of the counter, throwing my apron and cap onto a hook tucked away in the corner of the barista station. I shove my coat on, give Ben a little wave and blast open the double doors to the café.

I swing my bag on and throw my hood up because it starts to rain. It's not too bad so i think I can take the long way home this time. I pull out my phone so fast that it almost drops onto the pavement.

I skim and scan through my contacts, it's not like I have many, but it takes a while to get to Rose's name. I hesitate for a second, wondering if I should call her or not. Then again, who knows when I'll see her again?

It rings for a while but she doesn't answer. I think I might've creeped her out or maybe said something stupid at the café. I don't know what I did, but I start recalling every word I might've fucked up on back when I spoke to her. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realise that it was still ringing, so by the time she picks up, my brains still trying to make fake scenarios.

It's quiet for a few seconds. I break the silence quite quickly for my liking.
"Hi." I say.
"Hey cutie~" she coos. I feel myself turn various shades of red. "Wilbur, right?"
"Y-yeah." I stupidly stutter.
"Aww," She giggles cutely. "I guess my friends were right."
I raise a brow. "About what?"
"That you are honestly adorable."
"Who the hell are you calling adorable!?" I cross the road and we both laugh.
"How old are you?" She asks. "I'm 17, if that helps."
I feel my face get warmer and my eyes widen. "I'm 17 too."
"You wanna be my mate?" She asks, and I can feel her west Londoner accent kick in.
"Yeah!" I say, a little too enthusiastically. She giggles again.

"Let's get to know each other," she says. "You listen to music?"
"A lot." I say.
"Favourite bands?"
"Lovejoy, Artic Monkeys, Gorillas and Snail Mail, just to name a few."
"Exactly what I was gonna say!" Rose says, and you can hear the happiness in her voice exhilarate.
"Favourite food?" I ask.
"I'm a big fan of spicy food, especially peri peri chicken. Sushi is also a pretty big fav of mine too."
"Me too." I chuckle.
Rose gasps, "We've got so much in common!"
"I know right!?" I say. "So unexpected too, I would've thought that we liked so many of the same things!"
"Exactly!" She says.
We laugh together for a bit.

"Same time tomorrow?" She asks.
"I can't." I say.
"Aw man, why's that?"
"..."

I don't want to tell her the truth do I'll cover it up with the usual Wilbur lies I use. See, I got kicked out of my parents house at 16, so I've gotten myself a little flat with a roommate called Valerie. I met her at college and we've been best friends since then. In order to provide for myself as a whole, I have to work at least two jobs.

I work at Millydeas from Monday-Friday and on the weekends, I work at local shopping centre really far from me. I have to take the tube to get to Millydeas, and two buses to get to that shopping centre.

It's too embarrassing to admit that I can't meet up with her just because I'm broke as fuck, it's much easier to lie about it.
"I've got family coming over." I say.
"Ah that's alright." She sighs and I feel like I've really let her down. "When are you free?"
I think real hard for a moment or two. I've got a two week Christmas break from college next week.
"In one weeks time."
"Can we meet on Friday?"
"What time?"
"Around 4, is that alright with you?"
"That's perfect."
"I'll see you soon then, lover boy~"
"I-"

She hangs up.
I feel so fucking red it's hilarious.