21 Weeks of High

Surprise

"So he just gave you the job? Just like that?" Avallana asked, cross legged stuffing her face with strawberries.Boy did she eat a lot. Lisa decided in making the snacks around healthy so Avallana wouldn't eat herself to death. Avallana didn't mind though, she'd eat anything.

"I don't know why that's so hard to believe." I dipped another fry in the ketchup.

"Is there something your not telling me?" Avallana squared her eyes at me suspiciously, obnoxiously chewing her strawberry.

"What?" I mumbled nervously.

Avallana gasped as Beyoncé herself had told her she could sing. I gave her a weird look. Am I missing something? She hesitated before asking, clearly afraid of the answer would be. 

"You didn't do anything...sexual- 

"What? Are you crazy? That's beyond illegal and gross!" I whisper-shouted a little to defiantly. I could hear my own voice shift at the uncertainty. I mean he did say I sounded hot, but then again he was blind. So technically I wasn't leaving anything out.  Hopefully Avallana didn't notice.

"You totally did!" Avallana said enthusiastically.

"No, No! It's not like that, he just..." I trailed off. 

"Spit it out already!" Avallana was impassive as ever. She blew some stray hairs that flew into her face. She was so beautiful it really wasn't fair.

"He's blind." I rushed through the words, like saying them fast would make them less true. Her facial expression changed immediately, leaving an awkward air in the room.

"Oh." Avallana's excitement died down into one of seriousness and confusion. Her seriousness tried hard to mask her confusion, because what was there to not understand? He was her boss. He couldn't see. Easy.  But at the same time completely difficult.  

She was obviously hoping for me to put the moves on him, or show him the portrait I drew of her so he would think I was a fantastic drawer (aka ask who the beautiful girl in the picture was). So now we had to pass through this completly awkward and uncomfortable situation of being afraid to ask the wrong thing etc.

"Well I guess you have your ultra rich grannies to thank then huh?" She chuckled a little, popping another strawberry in her mouth. 

"Yeah, I guess."

Work went on as usual. Avallana wearing her hair in a ponytail, a pink bow in her hair, greeting the customers with a vivid smile. Which was happening constantly now. I made a mental note to ask her about it later. 

Liam went on working hard, hardly working, whatever his mood was that day. He spoke to me only when he needed too, and even then, he never looked me directly in the eye. 

That asshole. He wouldn't even give our friendship a chance. Which I admit did kind of hurt my feelings. But then again, a lot of things hurt my feelings. Lisa didn't have any appointments since the last time Liam and I were together. I vaguely pictured lying in the backseat of the red convertible, staring up at the stars. With the top down, the wind blowing in my brown waves. The memory soon faded as I was hit with reality, I had class starting tomorrow evening and I had nothing to wear.

What was I supposed to wear? I was so confused with how people were supposed to dress up to these things. First they say casual and I'm stuffed into designer heels and pencil skirts, then they say no heels but look presentable. What was that even supposed to mean? 

Whatever, I'll just wear Converse  shoes, you could never go wrong with a old pair of sneakers.

"Hello Angelo, came for another special order?" 

I smiled warmly at the adorable 17 year old. On top of being younger, he was also very shy around me, always shuffled around and couldn't look me in the eye. So cute. I sighed out loud. His eyes were beautiful, bright and green. His nose had a few freckles brushed around them and was a bit crooked, like he'd been in a few fights in highschool. His lips stood out as one of his best features, they were plump and red with shiny silver lip wring hung from it. 

"Nah, I need two different scoops today," his cheeks flushed a little more. His eyes casually fell on his worn out vans. 

"Ooh, what's the occasion?" I asked while getting a cup ready from the back counter. 

"When's your next break?" Angelo completely ignored my question. 

"I just had one so not for a few hours why?" I asked suspiciously. What was it? 

"Oh. Sure-yeah, no problem, I'll just uh... I'll see you tomorrow." 

He sounded disappointed and discouraged. I know I'm a bit slow and all, but I seriously think weird.

"Sweetie is everything alright ?" I reached for his arm and he tensed before relaxing to my touch. Woah there. 

"Yeah I'll be fine, just make sure you don't have lunch before me, okay?" He asked, looking expectantly into my eyes. Oh boy, I think I know why he's being all weird. Shit I need to catch on to these things quicker beca-

"Melanie?" He looked at me with confused eyes. "Sure okay, I'll wait for you." I smiled, to reassure him.

"Promise?" 

"I Promise."

"Jacob sweetheart!....Jacob!...LIAM!" at the sound of his name, Liam popped his head from the back room, giving Lisa a crooked smile. One of those, aw shit what did I do now? 

"Yes aunt Lisa?" 

"Can you take Melanie to her first painting class tomorrow? I want all her new classmates to see what tough brother she has. It'll make them respect her a bit more," She gestured her tough guy pose.

"Oh and don't go looking like that dear, do something with your hair," She reached for his hair and shuffled it into perfection before admiring her work. "Perfect." 

"But he's not my brother?" I suddenly thought out loud. The pair looked back at me, surprised I was listening. Lisa broke the moment with, "They don't need to know that" she shrugged and grinned, leaning back in her chair. 

"Yeah whatever," Liam mumbled, trying to shuffle out of the room. "What was that Jacob?" She asked, daring him to repeat it again. 

"Of course aunt Lisa, I'll make sure to scare all her little art friends." He smiled sarcastically, walking away for real this time.

(To be continued)