Kiss Cam

Ch. 23 - Rebounds and Pasta Sauce

Today I started my first ever job. I'd like to think I'm a very put together person, but with the pressure of impressing my boss and the crowd of people rushing in, I was not put together at all.

My blonde hair is all over as I move from working on the cashier to accepting the pay to bagging the goods. I'm all sweaty and nervous because this store is ninety-eight degrees and my boss's eyes are burning into my head.

It is rough being a working lady.

My co-worker is very unhelpful. Did I forget to mention that I'm working with Tucker? Yeah, so much fun.

I didn't actually want to apply for a job at the mini-mart down my street, but my mother and father decided it was just what I needed. My dad thinks I spend too much time with Sam and Zander. My mom thinks it'll help me find a hobby. She wants me to find a hobby because I spend too much time with Sam and Zander.

My mom is also friends with the owner. When she told my mom they needed more workers, I was the lightbulb that came to my mom's head. Why not Wren? Oh, his precious heart couldn't take a job right now.

Like, excuse me, my heart is broken too.

I'm just better at hiding it. If I wanted to, I could've gone to the hospital when Asher broke up with me. But no. I sat in the car and put on a brave face. What did that get me?

A crappy job at the mini-mart.

When the crowd finally dies down, I let out a relieved sigh. Tucker walks out from behind his checkout lane with a bag of chips, planting his butt on my conveyer belt.

"I think that's considered stealing," I say pointedly and nod at the bag of chips.

"Okay, thanks for the tip, mom."

I squint my eyes. "I don't like you."

"I don't like you either, Riles." He holds out his bag of chips for me, but I decline. "Have you talked to Asher recently?"

"No, I'm avoiding him," I inform.

He nods, shoving chips into his mouth and chewing obnoxiously loud. "Are you taking my advice?"

"What advice?"

"That you should stop trying," he reminds. "Remember? You don't have his heart."

"Right." I bite my lip, eyeing the boy cautiously. "Were you ever going to explain that to me?"

"Oh," he laughs at nothing in particular, "yeah. Asher dated this girl over the summer and fell in love with her. She dumped him at the start of the year and broke his poor, fragile heart. Though he won't admit it, I think he's still in love with her."

I nod my head slowly. Whether I can trust Tucker is iffy or not, but I don't see why he'd make this up. It would be too pointless and too much work for Tucker.

"Why do you think he's still in love with her?"

"Riley, they broke up less than three months ago. You're kind of like his rebound."

I feel a pang at the word "rebound." Sure, I'm pissed at Asher, but that doesn't mean I don't have feelings for him. If all I was just a rebound, that would suck even more than the breakup.

"Harsh," I mutter.

He offers me a small smile. "Hey, that's just one man's opinion. If Asher is truly, madly, deeply in love with you, he'll put up a fight to win you back."

"What's your definition of 'putting up a fight?'" I ask curiously.

"I'd say the point when he's throwing rocks at your window. Asher's a little too laid to do that Romeo shit for just anybody."