Punchline

Chapter 1: The Beginning

"This is the most useless show I've ever seen." I groaned seeing as Hayli, my best employee/ friend was being captivated by an unbelievably overrated show known to man.

Punchline.

Exactly, even by the name you'd know how bad this program is. Although it might be useless, and unbelievably overrated it still happened to make its way to number one on the ratings.

How it works is that couples from all over the country go on this show to see if they're "mean't to be." This show, supposedly, ruins relationships every time which reels people in to watch. Not one episode has there been a couple, whether married, or just dating, thats ever won this competition as you may call it. They go through three stages and at the end they're asked a series of questions to test their love. Now making it to this factor the couple's are made total fools of themselves and heartbroken.

Another reason why I hate this damn show.

"Mori, did you see that? He totally admitted how he cheated on her. You just have to watch this!" She squealed loudly almost causing my ears to burst.

I continued sweeping the floor ignoring the fact that she was lazily laying in the back watching Tv instead of helping me with the shop.

Forgot to mention, I own a pet shop. It was passed down to me by my grandfather who's father passed down to him and so on. Usually it's given to the male of the family, sexist I know, but since I'm older than my brother who is still in high school he had no choice but to hand over the keys to me.

It was hard to find people who actually desired to work here other than Hayli. Yes, the same Hayli currently sitting, yelling out loud at the T.v.

As Punchline went to commercial she got up from the couch and walked towards me. She then grabbed the broom from the grasp of my hand.

I smiled, but it soon faded away once she threw it on the floor.

"What the h-"

"Mori, listen to me. Look around your shop, there is not one living soul here." She pointed at every corner of the store. "Now come with me, sit down, and enjoy this bowl of popcorn."

She made her way back to the couch and motioned me to sit beside her.

Before I could deny her, oh so sweet offer I was interrupted by a very familiar tune. I reached for my purse knowing it was my phone.

Hayli covered her ears, "turn it off." She whined.

"You wish you had Justin's vocals." I yelled back.

She rolled her eyes and started singing another song to herself out loud until I decided to answer the call.

I glanced at the caller id and froze. There on my phone was the name I longed lived for a call from.

Steve Johnson.

"It's-it's him what do I d-do?" I whispered loudly.

She looked at me as if I had lost my mind, "oh I don't know, maybe answer it." She replied with her ears still covered.

I took a deep breath,  closed my eyes, and answered it. Just play it cool I thought to myself.

"Hey hey hey, Stevo, what's shaken laken?" I said not knowing what words were coming out of my mouth.

So much for playing it cool.

Steve is, I  wouldn't say crush but, he's just a guy who I've been very, very, very fond of since middle school.

I remember the day he moved here from Delaware, like the back of my hand. He walked in with a dress shirt, slacks ,and a tie, while other students laughed at the idea of wearing something like that to school I couldn't help but gaze in amazement. But if it were for one thing; what I couldn't tear away from was his eyes. My goodness, they were as blue as the the ocean.

The only empty seat was next to mine, and boy was my heart pounding like a ticking bomb waiting to burst. My eyes widened and I almost felt drool escaping from my mouth watching him sit down.

Ever since then we've had the same classes in middle, high school, and even now in college. Crazy right? I mean sure I always asked him what classes he was planning on taking and took note, but that's besides the point.

You probably think that makes me a stalker but it really doesn't...I think.

Anyways, still on the phone I waited patiently for a response, he cleared his throat and began talking.

"Yeah," he started, "I missed some of the notes in class, could you come over an-"

"Sure!" I cut him off sounding too gleeful. I need to tone it down I thought. Hayli on the other hand was shooting me thumbs up towards our conversation. I rolled my eyes and he continued.

"Okay then bye." He replied.

"Bye stevolicious," I squeaked out feeling relieved he hung up before he could hear that. I mentally slapped myself for that one. Sometimes I wonder how these words even form in my head.

Every now and then he calls me for something and I always feel like I'm just gonna drown in my own complexity in attempting to have a discussion with him. He's just so friggin attractive it makes me all mushy inside.

I sat in my chair and whimpered.

Hayli walked over to me, I expected her to show me some kind of contempt but she just laughed harder than she should've. I glared at her still overly amused face. I got up from where I was sitting and threw myself towards the couch. She followed me and leaned down.

"Stevolicious! It gets worse every time." She said still cracking up.

I pulled my face up from the pillow and smiled at her.

"You're fired." I calmly said.

She shrugged her shoulders and moved my feet out of the way and sat down.

Punchline was on and the remote was in the power of Hayli so there was no chance of changing the channel now.

Wow punchline wasn't at all what I thought it would be. 

It was atrocious.

This couple had to be the worst I've seen, they couldn't even get passed stage one. It didn't make any sense, how could a newlywed be so bad a game that is made about love. You just have to know each other and bam that's all. Punchline just tries to find the most unlikely couples that they know won't win.

I paused for a moment.

This show is getting into my head I closed my eyes and attempted to take a nap but the door to the shop opened. A customer.

"Hayli go take care of that." I said with my shut lids.

"Last time I checked I was fired," she replied.

I rolled my eyes and rolled off the couch. Might as well help this one out, it's better than watching this show.