For Keeps

2. Luke

Scarlett. Her name is Scarlett. It's been a month since I first laid eyes on her. After some quick recon, I found that she is a phlebotomist.
At lunch I showed interest in becoming one and my mom jumped on putting in a good word for me with the Supervisor in the lab.

I have been working in the lab for two weeks now, but have yet to see her. She works in the outpatient lab and I have been training at the inpatient part. However today I start my training there. I get to work with her. All day.
I tried finding out more about her, but she seems somewhat of a mystery. What I do know:
She is twenty five.
Doesn't wear a wedding ring.
Keeps to herself mostly, unless she is with Brett or Karianne; who I just met.
She has worked here almost two years.
A few of the girls put her down. Pretty obviously because they are interested in me so they didn't like the twenty questions about Scarlett. They didn't just put her down, though, they put each other down.
Stacey and Paisley are the worst. They follow me everywhere, always play with their hair, wear far too much makeup and I'm starting to think both of them have eye problems because they batt their lashes way too much. They both look like Barbie dolls, which might have interested me at one point in life, but now I have a certain hatred for blondes. Bleach blonde hair, blue eyes; no longer my thing.
Scarlett is my new mission.
Speaking of which... it's 9:25. She should be here any minute. I have been impatiently waiting almost half an hour while Paisley talks my ear off.

At least I'm not alone. Karianne and Brett are both here. They are both in their twenties. Karianne laughed when I first came in. She is from Louisiana,  I'm from North Carolina so she was thrilled to have someone else with a southern accent. Brett was excited to have some more testosterone around here. The lab is mostly women, so I understand.
Watching Brett and Karianne, I'm pretty sure there is something between them. I didn't ask, but I figure when I get to know them better, they will tell me. They seem genuinely nice, so I hope we will be friends.

As I wait for Scarlett to arrive, I barely register Paisley talking near me, however I can't help but stare at the clock in between blood draws.

As Paisley goes into a story about a time she was so drunk at a frat party, that she lost her shoe and purse, I turn towards the door just as light brown eyes meet my green ones.
Finally.