me & tomfoolery

On the Run pt. 4 | Killian Hayes Short Story

"BLESS THE RAIN DOWN IN AFRICAAAAA!" Azera yelled with the radio that played in the store. It was a pretty moderate day and she was working all day while her co-workers had shorter shifts. She started her morning with Rafié, her afternoon being with Mr. Harry and soon Killian would be coming in for his.

He hadn't worked with her the last two days and she barely saw him in passing. They weren't avoiding one another, just hadn't crossed paths. Today would be the day though.

Killian had every intention of coming into work with an upbeat attitude but it was ruined by his mother and father arguing over the phone, about him. He didn't want to be bothered at all and he ignored most of the people passed on his way to the pier, it was bound to get worse.

"I'm heading out Lil Zeze. I'll see you later."
"See you Mr. Harry."

Harry held the door open for Killian who muttered a quick "thank you" before catching the tail end of the door. He spotted Azera through the aisle and made note of where she was so he could avoid it. He knew he was a ticking time bomb and didn't want to snap on her because he couldn't control his emotions.

Azera looked at her watch and noticed that it should be time for him to come in but she hadn't laid eyes on him yet. She wanted to talk to killian about what happened the other night. She did some reflecting and although she didn't regret it, she thought they moved way too fast. She had the tendency of doing that and it was hard to control herself when she was 'going with the flow'. Now here they were. Killian's eyes landed on her first and there was something they both couldn't explain but very well understood. She would let him come to her whenever he wanted to talk. That wouldn't mean she wouldn't overthink her actions.

Does he think this is a game?

Is he talking to someone else?

Am I thinking too deeply?

Why would I let him kiss me, I feel like a fucking idiot.

"Aye dream girl, you good over here?" She blinked a few times before focusing on Killian's eyes. They were softer than earlier.

"I'm cool. You cool?"

"Fuck no." He laughed walking back to the counter. She followed, assuming the position next to him near the window. "What's wrong?"

"Shit, where do I begin?" He asked, "The beginning."

Killian explained his family dynamic and why it didn't and wasn't good for him at all. Starting with his parents.

"So you mean to tell me, they broke up, flew your grandma out, and sent you back with her?"

"They gave me up and then went their separate ways forgetting they had a child. Fucked up ain't it?"

Azera agreed it was but she felt like there was always a reason to a difficult decision like that. That's probably why her mom and uncles had interesting relationships, their mother made some interesting decisions. Like choosing to parent her daughter different than her sons. Azera didn't like her grandma simply because she was a nosy old woman, but because she just didn't seem to care for the women in her family the way she cared for the men.

"People do some crazy ass shit for no reason but you gotta focus on what you can control. If they did tell you why, would you be open to understanding it?"

"I wouldn't know until I got to that point. But they missed my childhood, the whole thing. The most important parts of my development. Nothing should have kept either of them away that long. Why argue about me now?"

He had a point, she understood it.

"You doing anything tonight?" Killian turned to see Azera in her rain coat and her boots. "Probably gonna walk around until I know he sleep, I don't feel like talking to him."