Coffee Shop Crush

9

Kristine started making me wear these silly looking yellow rubber gloves, she seemed really concerned about my burn. Even though it's fine now. They go up to my elbows, they sound awful when I bend my arms. I hate them. "Looking good," I scowl at Kristine as she returns from the front of the shop. "Rick's in today, apparently he has been charged to the shop card, you know nothing." I smile as she winks and walks past me. I was worried at first, but it turns out Rick is Kristine's dad, which explains why she was ok with using the card in the first place.

"Hello Loid, how's the shop? Everyone been nice to you?" I look up to see the owner, it's the old man who interviewed be nearly a month ago now. I nod and place some plates on the drying rack. "What on earth are you wearing??" He asks giving a puzzled look to my gloves.

"Idiot gave himself a bad burn, so had to whack out those bad boys till it is healed properly." Rick looks up to Kristine as she places some lose cutlery into the sink before looking back at me with a 'sucks to be you' kind of look.

"Look I know it was Kristine who used the company card, but no one is ratting her out. You tell me and I'll free you from your rubber prison." Tempting offer I won't lie.

"Sorry sir, I wouldn't know." He didn't tell me off, he actually flipped Kristine off, she responds by sticking out her tongue. Rick leaves, as soon as the door closed behind him Kristine wraps her arm around me and starts laughing.

"Thanks, now he'll have a harder time getting my mum on his side."

"You seem to get along well." She laughs and she does a spin back to the main counter.

"The old fart is chill, even if you ratted me out all he would've done was taken the card off me for a month. If no one rats he just sulks." Kristine opens the fridge to get out some cake, it was the time of day where she decorated the cakes ready for tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the days drew closer to the weekend, I couldn't help but think about what Damien said last week. Why was he trying to make me jealous? I remember on the train home my mum wouldn't stop talking about how handsome she thought he was, somehow even talked about what type of women he liked. I mean I know she isn't married anymore but Damien might be a bit too young for her. Unless he likes that?

-

"You think he might be gay?" I turn to look at my mum, she was watching the train celling, "Who?" She turns to me giving me the look, the seriously weren't you listening look. "Damien, he kept watching you, you think he might be interested? He looked quiet calm when he looks at you." I remain silent, is he gay? Didn't he hook up with Mary though? Though that wasn't confirmed it was just what Kristine thought based on Mary's reaction. "I doubt it, he doesn't look gay," I say watching the train celling now too. " You don't have to look gay to be gay you know." True. "Oh, I hope not, there might be a chance he likes older women." I turn to look at my mum, eyebrow raised. She rolls her eyes and slaps my arm, "A woman can dream you know." I chuckle.

-

Is that why he wanted to make me jealous? I mean he could be, never thought to ask. But I'm not, so maybe that's why his attempt didn't work. This is a weird thought to have, when someone says there gay or lesbian, I just shrug it off and give them a thumbs up. Never thought about it myself. Never thought I would, though it's not about myself, Is Damien gay? But why me? Did I lead him on? Oh my god why do I care so much.

I sigh loudly, "What you thinkin about?" I jump and spin around, fucking speak of the devil. Damien stood behind me, he must've just entered the shop for his shift.

"Uh, my mum wanted to know if you were gay," I say trying to play it off as cool, I mean my mum did want to know.

"Huh? Why does she ask?" He asks walking in front of my crossing him arm, tilting his head to the side. I wave my hand and walk past him heading towards the kitchen.

"She's hoping you'd be interested in older women." He laughs awkwardly and follows me into the other room.

"Seriously?" I nod and I crouch to reach for the cursed yellow rubber gloves. He gives them an odd look before looking up to me.

"I mean, sorry to your mum I'm not into older women." Few, I really don't want the thought of Damien as my stepdad to be a thing. He leans against the kitchen door watching me as I fill up the sink ready to clean the dishes next to me. Where was Kris? "Do you think I'm gay?" I lean on the edge of the sink and look at Damien, his arms were crossed again, I shrug and lift up the dish soap bottle to pour some into the sink.

"Don't really care," I could see him shuffle out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look at him again, he held eye contact with me, I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Or feeling, he looks emotionless. I sigh.

"Are you gay?" He smirks and peers in front of my when I turn away, bit of Déjà vu.

"Do you want me to be?" I gave him a look, I don't know what kind of look, but he looks surprised and back off. "I'm Bi," I turn off the taps and remain silent, he shuffles awkwardly when I didn't respond.

"What's that?" I ask. He lets out a big sigh, as if he was holding his breath, he smiles weakly at me.

"Means I like men and women." Oh, that explains why he hooked up with Mary. "Do you think differently of me now?" Eh? He looks worried now.

"No? Why would I?" He doesn't respond, instead he just smiles and watches me as I start to wash the dishes. And watching me... "What do you want?" I say glaring at him.

"Nothing, just happy." I roll my eyes and focus on my dishes. There was a knock on the door, Damien steps back, Kristine walks in. Her face red, she was breathing heavily.

"Sup boys, just. Had to go to the shops. For icing. Sugar." She lets out a massive sigh as she stumbles through the door, looking as if she leapt to the counter so she could lay against it.

"Are. Are you ok Kris?" She groans and waves her hand. I turn back to Damien; he catches eyes with my again and grins. Weirdo.

"Can I ask something Loid?" I nod as I rub a fork up and down with a sponge. He says nothing, I turn to look at him waiting for the question, his eyes were on my hands.

"Ew, fuck off, ask your question and get out," I hiss. He turns a bit pink and rubs the back of his neck.

"Right. Are you gay?" I put the fork down on the draining rack and rummage my hand in the sink, I felt another fork, I let it go immediately and search for something else.

" I don't know." I glare at him when he remains standing still.

"What do you mean?" Found a cup.

"I mean I never thought about it nor cared." He still doesn't move, "I answered your question now get out." He continues to watch me, so I started flicking him with the sink water.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?" We both jump and turn to Kristine holding two boxes of icing sugar, "I RUSHED TO GET ICING SUGAR WHEN I ALREADY FUCKING HAD SOME!!!" Damien quickly reaches for the kitchen door.

"Good luck," he mutters as he practically sprints out. I hear a lot of slamming and rustling behind me. Dishes, yep, focus on them, nothing else.