Samson

Six

I wake up extra early Thursday morning, I just can't keep my eyes closed. After making breakfast for Dad, changing his sheets and hanging a load of laundry on the clothesline I still have loads of time before my shift starts. I deflate a little with the knowledge that there will be no blonde jester on duty trying to make me laugh today, but that's okay. I realise I can make an earlier bus if I hurry, I'm in the mood for a brisk morning walk around Pelican Town. 

I step off the bus and pull my sleeves down over my hands. The sun is already shining but there's still dew on the grass. At the turn for the bus stop I can hear a dog barking and someone using an axe to cut wood in the direction of the old farm. Someone moved there recently, but I've only caught glimpses of them here and there, they always seem to be in a hurry, backpack bulging.

I walk into town and decide to head down towards the beach, I can't actually see the water because if I show up with sandy shoes Morris will pitch a fit, but I can smell the ocean and sometimes that's good enough. Near the beach crossing, I sit underneath a tree in front of the river for a minute, I so rarely take the time to just be still, especially outside of my bedroom. I'm either at work, or I'm travelling there or straight home. I can't think of the last time I just... Sat down, out in the open, and read a book or people watched or just straight up enjoyed the feeling of the sun on my skin.

The minutes are ticking over closer and closer to the start of my shift. I get up and dust myself off. A flyer on the community noticeboard catches my eye, LIVE MUSIC is written in big bold lettering, I wonder if Sams band would be playing? I don't even know what it's called, I'll have to ask him tomorrow. 

While I'm imagining him walking through the JojaMart doors, in slow motion for some reason? And walking up to me with a smile on his face that's just for me, I hear his voice. Like, really hear his voice. I look up, and there he is on the bridge to the museum, the bridge I need to cross to get to work. 

I smile to myself, this must be fate, there was a reason I couldn't get back to sleep and caught the early bus in, we were destined to cross paths this morning. Then I realise that he isn't alone, there's someone else with him, a redheaded girl. 

She's sitting on the bridge wall and he's leaning against it, they look serious, I don't think I've ever seen Sam look like that. She says something to him and he reaches over and takes her hand. My face flushes and I feel a weird rush of hot and cold through my entire body. For a second I feel like I might be sick but then it passes. I'm just embarrassed to have stumbled onto an obviously intimate moment. 

I backtrack as quietly as I can, I'll have to take the slightly longer route to Joja. I walk through the doors at exactly the minute my shift is supposed to start. Morris's lips are pressed in a thin line but I must look sufficiently guilty and upset enough that he spares me a lecture on punctuality.

"Good morning," I mutter to Shane as I pass him, pulling my apron on. I say it reflexively, so it really surprises me when he says it back. I pause mid apron string tying,

"You're really persistent," he says, as if sensing I require an explanation. "I guess I'm just surprised anyone would be interested in talking to me." 

"I didn't think you were interested in talking to me." 

He looks a little sheepish. "Sorry if I came off as rude when we first met. It takes me awhile to warm up to strangers."

I nod. "Yeah, Sam said something like that." At the mention of Sams name I blush again, that same sick feeling from earlier swirling in my stomach. 

"Mm," Shane grunts. "He'd be an alright kid if he got himself a half decent haircut."

"It's growing on me," I admit. "His hair, I think it suits him." 

Shane looks at me and I swear a smile passes over his face, if I thought he was capable of smiling at all. 

"GET TO WORK," Morris's shrill voice pierces our nice moment, and I scurry to the registers, ready to repeat "Thank you for shopping at JojaMart" for the rest of the day.