The Shop

Chapter 10

The words from the male keep repeating in my head. "I'm home." He called while stepping into the darkness of the apartment. I shift uncomfortable in my spot and slouch my back a little, trying to make myself disappear. Jasmine still pays no mind to the visitor and watches her movie. How awkward is it to be caught by Jasmine's...who is he? Her boyfriend? Brother? Roommate? Drug Dealer? Honestly, all of the options except the first sound good to me. I can hear him rest keys on the entryway's table. His shoes are thrown to the floor and the footprints make their way to the couch. This, man, leans over the couch and kisses Jasmine's forehead, she ignores him and his attention is turned to me. 

"Uh, hello." The voice was confused and the man's attention was turned to Jasmine, who finally joined us back in reality. 

"Oh, right!" Jasmine remembered. 

"Louis, this is my best friend, Harry. Harry, this is my boyfriend, Louis." Jasmine's arms gestured us to each other and Louis put on an award winning smile while extending his hand out to shake mine. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you." This guy is one actor.

"Likewise." I mutter, turning my attention to the television screen. Louis wastes no more time on us and exits the living room. Leaving me and Jasmine alone again. The air still seems thick, but she quickly clears it when Ro or Rue dies. 

"That part just, gets me every time." Midway through sniffle, Jasmine wipes under her eyes then wraps her arms around my shoulders. Her head rests on me while I tighten up, making sure my muscles are flexed. My back is straight, I slowed my breathing, I don't know if I should move or not. This is the death position, no escape. If I move, she may get upset, or mad. This never happens with Tara, she never reveals her emotions. I must admit, I kind of like it. Her cries are muffled by my arm, now she is exaggerating. 

"Are you done?" I cock one eyebrow up and slightly smile, holding a mono serious expression. 

"Yes." Jasmine bites her lip and smiles, fuck. 

"That deserved a grammy. What a performance that was." I laughed and she shot me dirty glares. Louis now joins us again in the living room, but this time her takes a seat. He is in a single arm chair, to the left of Jasmine, leaving her in the middle of him and I. 

"I don't understand how it's possible for him to just kill her like that, with no emotion whatsoever." Jasmine rants to the television, but what I find impossible is keeping myself from staring at Louis. Legs folded, arms resting on his stomach, hair sticking straight up perfectly, black jeans and and grey shirt ironed perfectly. Of course thats her type, I don't have a clothing iron. But surely if I bought one Tara would do it for me.  Then again she would wonder why the sudden interest, leading to a bunch of questions and interrogations and everything else. Wait, why would I buy an iron to be Jasmine's "type"? Louis interrupts my thoughts. 

"So Harry, where did you and Jasmine meet?" Hah! Is he jealous? This is pure gold, or maybe he is trying to make conversation. 

"Well, in a coffee shop. I knocked over her mug and the rest went down in history." Louis gasped and I have no idea what is happening. 

"So you're the famous Harry that Jasmine always raves on about." I smirk and feel tingles in my stomach. Jasmine always talks about me he says, I wonder how that makes Louis feel. My attention focuses over to her and to my surprise she nods in agreement. I had expected her to light up in flames of embarrassment but once again, she surprised me. I don't know why I keep comparing Jasmine to just some ordinary girl, she is special and different. 

My senses can tell that Louis is trying to start up a conversation, but he fails miserably. Every chance he gets, I shut it down by asking Jasmine a question about the movie. Engaging in conversation is the last thing I want to do with Louis right now. 

About five minutes pass by, then ten, then a half hour and I find myself counting down the seconds until this movie is over. I can't wait to blow this place and head home, but don't get me wrong, hanging out with Jasmine was a blast. That is until Louis fucking showed up and made things awkward and shit. While counting down the seconds I realize my strategy sucks and I needed to do something to pass time. I could go on my phone and look at random shit, but that would make look like an asshole to Jasmine. Leaving sounds pretty good but I bet Louis couldn't even wait until I left the door to talk shit. I must endure this boring ass movie and try to make the best of this 'situation'.

I haven't even payed attention until the movie and have no idea what the plot is about. So far I see a dull actor in the woods with a homely looking boy and they are being chased by wolves? This is Jasmine's favorite movie why? They have the weirdest names like, "Katniss" or "Peeta". It seems to me like the author is one of those hipsters that think everyone should be unique or different. Then again, hippies love peace and this movie just killed a guy of by being shot in the hand, THEN eaten alive. Talk about climax. 

After a few more minutes of torture, the credits roll up on the screen. I stand as soon as it's over and I'm immediately bombarded with questions. 

"Did you absolutely LOVE the movie?" Jasmine questions while turning on the living room lights.

"Yeah, I guess." I shrug my shoulders and stand in the middle of the room awkwardly. Louis cleans up the pizza and food from the table while Jasmine straightens the place out. Neat freaks. As if I don't get enough of Tara and her constant cleaning at home. After barely helping, I walk to the door and slip into my boots. My hands grope my pocket for my phone and keys, I'm ready to go. 

"Hey Harry!" Louis calls from the kitchen. What does he not understand about me trying to avoid him? Louis jogs to the front door where I'm standing. He sticks his hand up for me to shake and I actually surprise myself by accepting it and shaking his hand back. 

"It was great meeting you." Louis kindly flashes me another smile and I force a weak one. We have an awkward exchange where Louis tries to shake my hand but I turn my shoulder to him. He ends up just patting my back and it takes all of my strength to stop myself from smacking his hand off me. I reach for the door but hold it because I can hear Jasmine barreling down the hallway toward me screaming, "Wait!" 

"You can't leave without saying goodbye!" Jasmine rants while out of breathe once she has caught me. 

"I did say goodbye." My head nudges to the direct of Louis who was once standing here but has now disappeared in the apartment. My hand is still gripping the door and it's halfway open.

"I meant to me." Jasmine rolls her eyes then grabs me by the shirt sleeve and leads out of the apartment. We ride the elevator down to the lobby and Jasmine is squirming on the floor because she has realized that she forgot shoes. 

"Can I stand on your boots please?" Jasmine squeals while prancing around in the elevator,trying to make her self levitate to get off of the disgusting floor. I feel for her, the carpet in this thing looks like a homeless man died on it. 

"Hell no. Only God knows what diseases you have on your feet now." Teasing her only gets more fun as she goes into a panic. Once the doors open, Jasmine bolts out then looks back at the nasty floor. Tingles flow up her back and she grimaces at the floor of the elevator. 

"I would walk you to your car but," She stops mid sentences then gestures to her feet. 

"Thanks for having me, it was a shitty movie." Jasmine gasps then punches me. 

"I'll disregard that last comment, thanks for coming." Before I know whats happening Jasmine has her arms wrapped around my neck and she has pulled me into a hug. I would never imagine myself ever hugging a girl without getting something out of it, like maybe a...my dirty mind trails off while Jasmine unlatches her arms. 

"I'll see you later." Jasmine reveals her pearls for teeth then turns back to the elevator, her attention immediately focuses to the stairs. 

"There is no way I'm ever going on that thing without shoes again." My head falls back in laughter.