A Summer Dream

Part One

It was a normal work day at the Red Berry Candy Shop in the small town of Madison, Ohio. Ned was stocking shelves while Melanie Martinez was blasting in his right ear through his orange Skull-candy earbuds. He placed a box of hard candy that looked like building blocks onto the shelf as the door opened. A boy walked in and started to wonder about the store. Ned walked over to the counter where the check out was and stood there waiting for the boy to get his candy so Ned could ring him up and have the boy pay.The boy walked up to the counter, he was wearing a hoodie with the hood covering his face. He placed a bag of mints onto the counter.

"That's 4 dollars including tax" Ned said ringing up the price on the cash register.

The boy placed five dollars on the counter. "Keep the extra as a tip, you deserve it Ned." The boy replied as started to grab his bag of mints and head towards the door.

"Thank you, have a nice day," Ned said, stumbling over his words. Wondering who it was and how he'd known his name.

After his shift was over and his coworker showed up to take over, Ned walked out the front and opened up his phone. He texted his mom to tell him that work was over and that he would be home soon. It was already 5 in the afternoon, it would take about 20 minutes for Ned to ride his bike home. He didn't hesitate and hopped on his bike and started pedaling towards the road, he pulled onto the road and began to speed up trying to keep up with the speed limit so cars wouldn't honk at him.

Around 5:25 he got home and was already laying in bed scrolling through his phone. Soon Ned's friend Max texted him.

Max:

Heyy

Ned:

Hi Max

Max:

How was work?

Ned:

Exhausting  and weird, some random kid knew my name, he sounded familiar tho, probably just have a class with him.

Max: 

What did he look like?

Ned: No clue, couldn't see his face.

Max:What if it was a secret admirer?

Ned:

Yes, like someone out there likes me. Very funny.

Max:

Anyway I gotta go Reese is texting me. Toodles.

Ned:

Toodles.

Ned opened up Pinterest and started to scroll trying to find something to help him figure out what to wear the next day.

The next morning Ned rolled out of bed and pulled a skirt and a t-shirt out of his dresser and got dressed.

For most of the day Ned was tired and wanted to sleep for the rest of the class. Once Ned's Drama class rolled around he felt more energetic and talked to his best friend.

"Hey Ned, hey Max!" A familiar voice called from a few feet away. It was the exact voice of the boy at the candy shop.

Ned looked over to see Reese, one of Ned's crushes, he was pretty tall and had curly hair that was fluffy. His green eyes sparkled in the fluorescent lights of the classroom.

"Hey Reese." Ned said as he smiled at his classmate.

"Hey!" Max said towards Reese, also reminding his friend that Reese was talking to the both of them.

"Thanks for the mints yesterday Ned." Reese said as he walked towards them.

"I didn't really didn't give you them, you bought them. And if anything I should be thanking you because you left the tip.." Ned said as he slowly started to mumble.

"I guess you're right," Reese chuckled.

"Ohhhh so you're the mysterious guy from yesterday. Ned mentioned that." Max said, saving the conversation.

"Yeah, Just need some mints for the upcoming midterms." Reese replied.

"Yeah mints are pretty good for helping you focus," Ned said in a quiet, almost whisper-like voice.

"Ok, class time to settle down and start today's lesson" the teacher said, breaking the conversation before someone responded to Ned.

Ned listened to the class conversation without saying a thing. And soon class was over. Ned carried onto English class, where he worked on his essay.

One week later.

"How do you just tell a guy you barely know that well that you like them?" Ned asked, as he and Max were walking to 1st class.

"Text him, you have his number." Max responded as he opened the gym door and waited for Ned to grab it before walking through.

"I guess but I'm a chicken. I can't do it!" Ned exclaimed over dramatically.

"God, do you want me to do it?" Max asked his friend.

"Pleaseeee, you would be a life saver!" Ned told his best friend.

"Fine," Max said, whipping out his phone and pulling up Reese's contact.

Max:

Hey, I have something important to tell you.

Reese:

What's up??

Max:

You know Ned right?

Reese:

Yeah, from drama class.

Max:

Well, he sent me to tell you something important.

Reese:

What's up?

Max:

Ned likes you a lot and wanted to know if you wanted to go out with him?

No response. First period passed and so did the next. There was no response. Ned got quieter and quieter as the day progressed as reality sank in that his crush didn't like him. He debated going home multiple times by the time lunch came around. Drama was after lunch and he was going to have to face Reese.

Ned walked into the Drama classroom and went straight to his desk and put his head down. Two minutes later there was a tap on Ned's shoulder. He pulled his head up and turned his body around to see Reese.

"Hey, I'm assuming you got the text?" Ned said, staring at the ground not able to make eye contact with Reese.

"Yeah, about that." Reese replied, trying to make eye contact with Ned, but Ned refused.

Ned felt his classmates' eyes on them. Staring. Looks beating down on him. "Yeah?" he whispered as his eyes started to blur.

"It's ok." Reese lifted Ned's chin with his hand as a single tear slipped out. " I like you too."