sᴏʀʀʏ . ᴏ̨ᴜᴀᴄᴋɪᴛʏ

three

     "Thank you guys so much.." Carmen sighs. "Ronnie is working right now and I couldn't ask her to take care of the kids--" her rambling is cut short by Quinn's loud yawning.

"Don't worry about it CJ!" Quinn shakes his head. "We love Mimi and Ax" He crosses his arms. "And, I don't care at all that you wanted me to come to your place to babysit them. In fact: I'm happy, I can eat all your snacks" He grins, he knew he would end up trying his best not to waste her food that she bought for her kids though.

"Thank you" Carmen runs her hands down her tired face. "I gotta go, my shift starts soon"

"I think you're overworking yourself.." Ollie walks into the room, a crayon in his hand. "You can only work so many hours a week and you've worked overtime three times this week" He places the crayon down on the coffee table as he walks over to the two.

"I know.. I know, but I swear, I'm fine" she reassures. "Now, please, I need to go" She grabs her purse, walking to the door.

"Okay.. bye Carmen" Quinn waves, Ollie does as well. She leaves, closing the door behind her. Quinn and Ollie look at each other.

Ollie smiles. "We need to get her the best wedding gift out of everyone.. she deserves it y'know?"

Carmen made it to work on time, she worked at a gas station, a Giddy's GoGo to be more specific. No one really came inside, only some teens to buy some slushies, or old people to buy lottery tickets.

When there was ten more minutes till her shift was over, there was no one in the gas station. Carmen rolled her eyes, deciding to leave early, she knew she had been asking for to much overtime anyways. It was now the afternoon and she had to meet with Ronnie in half an hour to pick her up from work.

She slides her apron (that had Giddy's GoGo stitched on the front) off, the apron showing she worked there. She looks down at the apron, folding it carefully.

"I'm leaving Maria!" She shouts as she picks at the sticker stain on her apron. Maria was one of Carmen's coworkers, she was in the back stocking shelves.

"Got it! I'll take over!" Maria yells back, a small thumbs up popping up from behind a shelf.

When Carmen looks up, a man standing in front of the counter makes her scream.

"O-Oh! I'm sorry, did I scare you?" He chuckles, placing a hand on the back of his black cap, pushing it up a bit.

"No.. no it's fine" she smiles, placing a hand on her chest. She looks down at the items placed on the counter, pink monster energy cans and some chocolate. She subtly raises an eyebrow, was he a teenager? "Is this all?" She asks, the man's face was stuck with a smile, he shakes his head, scratching under his nose with his finger.

"No-- Uh, Yeah!" He nods. "Sorry, yeah, that's all" He giggles, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket, as she scanned his items she questioned how this guy could wear such heavy clothing in 57° weather.

"Aren't you hot?" She cringes, making conversation with a customer, and asking such a stupid question.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I.. I always look like this.. so I'm always this hot" He grins, watching as she bags his items.

She swallows back a laugh, a small scoff coming from her lips. "I meant the jacket, it's warm outside" she looks up from the item after bagging them, staring into his eyes.

"Oh.. oh!" He laughs, covering his face, Carmen smiles as he nods into his palms. "Yes.." He drops his hands. "I-I am a bit warm.. but December's coming up and I.. gotta be prepared?" He shrugs.

She slides the bagged items closer to him. "You seem to have confused yourself, December is in three months" she chuckles. It was the end of August. "$12.78 by the way"

His face scrunches up as he smiles wider, he looks down and takes out his card from his wallet. "Yeah, I confuse myself sometimes-- and others" He jokes, passing her the card and taking the bag from the counter.

She grins and scans the card, the man looked about her age, she assumed that was why they got along so well, or maybe it was because he seemed nervous and confident at the same time.

"Is that so.. have a good day sir" she passes him back his card. He takes it back, carefully placing it back in his wallet. Maria walks over to them, an empty box in her hands.

"Hey uhm.." He whispers his words, trying to get them right. Carmen places the folded apron on the shelf below the counter, grabbing her purse next to her.

"Okay, I'm going" Carmen tells Maria as she slips behind the counter with her.

"Bye" she waves.

"Fuck.. no.." He shakes his head, disagreeing with himself. She steps out from behind the counter, glancing at the man that was lost in thought. "What's your name?" He blurts out.

Carmen looks back at him, smiling. "My name is Carmen sir" she had wanted to get this interaction strictly professional, now she was asking herself if talking to him was the wrong move, if he thought she was flirting.

His eyes widen at that name. "I-I knew it was you!" He smiles, though it fades when he remembers what he had done. "Caca Carmen! It's.. I'm Alex, remember me?"

"Ugh, how could I forget?" Her once nice attitude is replaced with hatred, she scoffs, walking towards the door. Maria stares at the man, glaring.

"W-Wait!" He extends his hand out towards her, she stops, turning her head back to him. He places a hand on the back of his neck, looking away from her. "I guess I should say sorry"

"You should've a long time ago" she rolls her eyes, opening the door to escape the situation she once enjoyed. "Look, I've gotta go" She steps outside, holding the door for him. She hadn't really believed his apology, it seemed fake, how could an asshole such as himself apologize that easily? "I'm meeting a friend and I don't wanna be late.. you might know her actually" Carmen smirks.

"Really? Who?" Alex steps forward, foot in the doorway.

"The door" she drops the door from her hand, it falls shut and hits him in the face, he stumbles back as she happily walks away, thinking it was the perfect comeback.

Alex watches as she walks away towards her car, still as star struck as ever. His lips part with a smile, his face growing warm. He was all giddy in Giddy GoGo's.

"Sir? Do you need anything else?" Maria leans over the counter, poking his shoulder.

Alex quickly snaps out of his trans. "No! No, I don't.. sorry.."

Carmen hops into her car, her smile falling as she takes out her phone, dialing Ronnie's number.

"Hello?" Ronnie's voice speaks into the latter's ear. Carmen slams her head on the wheel, the car was off, though she still was scared it'd honk.

"You will not believe who I just ran into" Carmen starts. "Alex! That bitch from junior high, the kid who fucking called me Caca Carmen!" She rants about him.

Ronnie gasps. "What was it like? Is he different? I'm gonna fucking beat his ass!"

"Well-- let me tell you when we hang out. I gotta drive home, alright?" Carmen starts the car with her key, Ronnie hums.

"Yes, yeah, okay! Bye"

~•~•~•~•~

Froggie speaks!
AH they finally met again
Also giddy gogos isn't a real place