Book Wørm (Frank Iero AU)

Too Much Time In Here

"Five minutes until my break, Ashley."
I quietly say to one of the fellow employees, touching her arm to get her attention from sorting donated books.
"Alright Chance" she replies with a grin.
I turn to check the register to see that someone was waiting to check out, I bit my lip as I approached him because I hadn't checked to see if anyone was there for at least ten minutes.
"Hey, sorry for the wait"
The stranger looks up from a book he was reading at the counter, which I thought was quite strange.
"Oh, no problem."
He adds his book to his collection he brought up to purchase.
As I ring up the books, he stares all around the store, his big eyes and small stature making him look innocent and child like.
"Alright, it's gonna be $78.56. All I need is your signature and you're good to go" My eyes lingered a little too long on his face as I reached for the pen, causing me to knock it onto the floor and under the desk.
I quickly apologize and fish the pen from underneath the large dusty desk as he just stands quietly waiting.
"Oh God, it's a little dusty" I laugh, blowing off the pen before handing it to him.
"Oh, I uhh.." He holds his hand just before the pen but pulls it back.
"I'm, kind of a germaphobe.." He mumbles and nervously laughs.
"I'm sorry,I'll..I'll find you another pen" I say as I scan the messy desk, caught off guard from how startled the sight of a slightly dusty pen made him.
"Um..hey" he slowly points to my shirt collar, where I'd had a pen since I started the work day.
"You have a pen right there"
I quickly look down and then smile as I feel my cheeks grow rosy.
"Wow, I'm sorry, I guess I've had a long day."
He laughs a little,
"You seem like you think a little too much"
I hand him the pen and watch him sign his name.
What does that even mean?? How do I even respond to that?
"Hah, yeah, you could say I spend a little too much time in here." I say, pointing to my head.
He looks up,
"What's wrong with the store?"
"Oh, no, I mean my head" shit, I'm making a fool of myself.
"Well, I spend too much time in here" he grins and points to his books before he picks them up and walks out of the store.
"Chance!!" I hear Ashley call.
"Break starts now"
"Don't forget your pen" she giggles and winks at me, she was probably watching that whole train wreck of me trying to interact with him like it was her own comedy show.

I got a sandwich in a little café nearby and sat outside, looking out at the street and sidewalk with a book I grabbed from the store on the table.
I look down at my phone and it reads 2:15pm. Take a bite of my sandwich and look at the people walking, laughing, enjoying the spring weather, until I see a familiar face.

It was the guy that I just made a fool out of myself in front of, the same guy. Same big, innocent eyes,same small height, same tattoos peeking from his clothing, same hair swooping onto the side of his face. He smiled and did a "come here" motion with his finger. I take another bite of my sandwich and place it down, but when I start to get up, he's gone.
I sit back down and rub my forehead, my days are normally the same old same old, not this confusing.
After I finish up my lunch I head back, carrying the book that I brought with me, but never read because I was too distracted.