For You [Completed]

Chapter 13: For Those Preparing Goodbyes

"I guess that's what saying goodbye is always like - like jumping off an edge. The worst part is making the choice to do it. Once you're in the air, there's nothing you can do but let go."

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"Hey, I would like to order here, Miss!"

Quickly pausing from chopping the steaks, I whip my head to the right and see a familiar face standing in the near empty mall so early in the morning.

"Well, hey there, Taylor! I thought you were an actual customer. I was wondering why would anyone want to come into the food court at 10 in the morning!" I joke while resuming the chopping task in front of me.

"Oh, Kenneth called me last night and told me to come in at 11. My mom was on the way to work, so she dropped me off an hour early. I'm so tired," Taylor explains.

"Ah, okay. So, what are you going to do at an empty food court while you wait for your shift to begin?" I wonder aloud.

"I'm just going to walk around the mall for half an hour. Burn some calories and keep myself from sleeping at the tables in the food court," Taylor laughs.

"Okay, well, I'll be here... Prepping meat for another hour," I say with a straight face before sticking out my tongue at her. "Have fun, Taylor! I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye!"

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A hand rests on my lower back. It's been two months since I've begun working at Wrap House and by now, I already know there's only one person who would do that. Without giving him any attention from my task at hand, I speak.

"What do you want?"

"Wow, can't I just stop by your station and see how you're doing?" he says, pretending to be offended.

"No. Now, go and stand at the register. We have a fairly large order coming up," I respond while I'm busy placing the cheese triangles on top of the meat.

"For your information, since you desperately wanted to know, I was sent here to help a fair maiden out."

"You were not. Kenneth's been in his office all day."

"No, I was just called into his office a few seconds ago and he told me to help you out at the hot station. You can go and ask him if you don't believe me," Sean states matter-of-factly. "Like it or not, I'm here to stay... at least until this rush is over with."

"You and I both know it's not going to be over any time soon," I respond, finally looking into his eyes to see the familiar spark of mischief.

"What?" Sean asks with an innocent mask over his face.

"Don't do whatever you're thinking of right now," I warn.

"I'm not thinking of anything right now... Besides, how pretty you look while you're trying to peel the cheese in your hands right now."

I roll my eyes and bite back, "That's not a pretty look. Stop it."

"Why can't you accept any compliments?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you don't really mean it," I say sarcastically, struggling with the half frozen cheese block in my hands from the whole night in the refrigerator.

Sean starts with a sigh before taking the cheese from my hands and peeling them quickly, "I don't know who made you doubt compliments, but you truly are beautiful. You are beautiful inside and out. You can make us all feel better with your funny jokes in a second if we were feeling down and you are pretty. Never doubt yourself."