Paint Over my Scars

Chapter 5

Monika watched in disbelief. She was able to see a head full of silver hair behind the green broccoli top, bowing down, face unknown. But Monika could tell who it was, just by seeing his hair. 

She stuttered: "Gilbert?" She watched his face come up, she could see his whole face- smirking widely and eyes bright. 

With a Cheshire smile, Gilbert spoke steadily, "Monika will you please go on a date with me?" He loosed his sweaty hands around the broccoli. His smirk cracked slightly as though his confidence lower when he saw her burning face. 

"Broccoli?" Monika raised an eyebrow, gradually taking the stem into her hands, feeling either the water from the sprinklers or his sweat from his hands on the green stock. He was just as embarrassed as she was, but he refused to let his ego break.  

He glanced down, "I saw you in here, but I was scared to leave to get flowers all across the store just to see that you left." He chuckled nervously, twiddling his thumbs. 

Monika's cheeks burned with red blush- she didn't expect this- she didn't even expect to see him again. She just thought she would see him when he visited Felicia. 

If she known she'll run into him, she wouldn't have dressed in an old t-shirt and short black leggings with a small hole at the bottom. Her knees were scraped and dirty after kneeling down to harvest her garden. 

Her mouth was dry and she couldn't find any words. In an odd attempt at trying to find help, she looked to her side- only to become much more ashamed after seeing an old man staring at her with a deranged expression. 

"What about Felicia?" Monika pushed her feelings aside to think of her best friend. She couldn't go with a man that Felicia liked on a date. It was like she stabbed her in the back if she accepted this.

"It wasn't anything...just a quick fling." Gilbert shrugged as it was nothing. 

Suddenly, she felt anger build up in her stomach, burning her gut. She's seen and encountered men that treated her like an object as though she developed no feelings for them. 

"Does Felicia know that? Or did you just ignore her calls?" She challenged him, leaning in forward. 

"No, no, no," Gilbert shook his head briskly. "Neither of us have talked to each other since then. It's not like I just left her." 

As her anger boiled down, Monika awkwardly backed away, her blush deepened. She hoped he didn't notice her red cheeks or her heart pounding hard. 

"I would still have to ask her," She added, face staring down at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. She counted the tiny dust bunnies 100s of times. 

"I don't think she'll mind, we haven't talked for like a week." Gilbert persuaded, moving his small cart side to side, staring at the tomatoes that were to the left of him.  

"I know her better," She crossed her arms, "And I want her permission. I can't go...on a date with a dude she had..." She stopped abruptly and glowed red at the thought. 

"It doesn't have to be a romantic dinner under the stars, just a lunch date. You seem fun to hang out with." 

Those words made her rewind them in her head millions of times; does he think I am? How? 

 Monika never imagined anybody telling her that she seemed fun and it was quite a weird feeling for her. She didn't know how to react: be happy because finally somebody wants to be friends with her or be angry because he obvious doesn't seem like the guy to like her, at all.

"I don't think you have the right person." She sternly told him, making him chuckle. Why is he laughing at me?