Valentine's Day special (again)

Chapter Ten

February 14 2023
Mateo
12:50pm

“Thanks for helping out dude, your alright” He said to me as I carried an box pull of Funko Pops and started stacking them away

When I walked in I thought it would be the easiest part, GameStop is usually empty and what I needed would’ve been easy to get, but when I walked in I saw only one guy was working and he seemed like he needed help.

So I offered and now I was doing his job without getting paid, I finished stacking and walked back to the counter and saw he had the games on the counter.

“Your boyfriend an lucky guy, my ex-girlfriend hates me playing video games so much she threw my switch out the window into my apartment pool” He laughed as he charged me

“Oh wow” Is all I said because I was running out of time and I didn’t know what to say

“Ex for a reason right?” He joked and I have him the money and he gave me back the change

“Yeah, Thank you, have a great day?” I told him and ran out and realized I missed the bus so I had to get an taxi

I got the attention of one and got into a taxi that smelled like a mixture of cheap cologne and weed; but I ignored it, not having time to be picky and started driving to the movie theater where we agreed to meet.

February 14, 2023
Lidia
1:00pm

Penny was doing the chicken dance with her new friend and I never wanted to drink more in my life. Malcolm and I were sitting at a table covered in pink table sheet paper eating cheap pizza that cost us 3 dollars each slice.

“Penny gonna come eat soon” he told me and he stood up

“How do you know that?” I asked him

“Is she making her ‘I’m hungry face’ I’ll get her some pizza want anything?” He asked me

“No” I told him and watched him leave

“You two are adorable” An older woman said behind me

“Oh thank you, which one is yours?” I asked her

“Aren’t you kind, my grandson is in the corner playing pokemon” She told me and I saw an cute redhead boy playing with another boy

“Aw cute” I said sweetly

“Was that your husband?” She asked me

I hated this question; this was one of the reasons why I hate coming to these, I was already the youngest mom and it didn’t help that Penny's dad was in jail.

“No he’s my boyfriend’ I answered

“Thats nice, she definitely has her mother looks” She said noticing that she doesn’t look like Malcom

“She mostly looks like her dad, my boyfriend isn’t her dad” I told her feeling weight on my shoulders

“Oh well good luck to your darling” She said sipping her capri sun

“Good luck?” I asked confused

“I know he seems like the perfect guy but trust me once things get too hard he’ll be gone” She told me

“That's not true” I said feeling defensive

“Honey, you're like what? 19? And a single mom? He’ll stick around until he remembers that your daughter isn’t his daughter and he should be out living his life not folding clothes and buying McDonalds” She told me then her grandson came up to her

“Okay it’s been 20 minutes, can I go home now grandma?” Her grandson asked

“Fine, lets go” She said and grabbed her purse and they both walked away

“Hey bought some pizza and juice for Penny” Malcolm told me then kissed my forehead as he walked on stage and picked up Penny while her friend went to his parents

I watched him kiss Penny’s cheek and hold her close to his chest and I felt so happy, Until I remembered that woman's words and my smile faded away replaced with heartache.