Fried Burrito

t h R e e

"So, can I assist you with anything else today?" I asked for the millionth time this morning.
"No thank you," declined the tired-looking mother standing on the other side of the counter with her irritable looking 15-year-old daughter. "Are there any promotional deals?"
"Not at the moment but-" I stopped to pick out my town's local ice cream promotion card and held it out to her. "Here... One more stamp and you get a free ice cream basket."

Her eyes lit up a little before she shook her head out of modesty towards me.
"Oh sweetie, I couldn't."
"Well you don't have to, I could give it to your daughter if that's better. Free ice cream baskets always cheer me up, I'd hope it'd do the same for you." I smiled warmly as I silently coax her to take the card out of my hand.
"Thank you so much." she eventually sighs when she takes the card. "You're such a sweetheart!"
"It's my pleasure, honestly."
"Here," she said after paying her two hundred dollar clothing bill. "A tip for you, a rare, beautiful, and sweet young adult."

My cheeks didn't stop themselves from getting warmer as the lady beamed at me, seeming to be in a better mood.
"Thank you," I smiled softly. "Enjoy the ice cream!"
"We will!"

And having that said, the mom and her daughter exited the store, looking a little better than when they came in.

"Well well well, isn't someone feeling a little generous today?" the purr of my co-worker's voice clouded my thoughts for a couple of seconds as I processed what he said to me.
"Just a little bit," I answered 
"You seem different. Have you been getting some?"

My eyebrows scrunch slightly while trying to figure out what he meant.
"Getting some of what?"
"You know-" he stopped to signal towards his crotch. "Some of that-"
"Chris! Goodness sake, no! I can't just be happy?"
"Sure you can, but there has to be a reason why right?"
"I don't think there is."

But right beneath the surface of my "I don't think there is," I already knew why I was in such a good mood. That weird guy, the one that stares, had been coming back to the mall every day for a week just to look at me. Sure it was uncomfortable and stalker-ish but I had been getting some attention from someone who seemed interested in something other than my body or my looks. It's like he has this look in his eye that screams endless questions about my mind and how it works and other things like that. Having the feeling of knowing someone out there, other than old perverts, wanting to know more about you feels really great. It makes me feel newfound hope for a decent guy with good intentions.

"Um excuse me? Can you help me find a good pair of flex fit jeans, waist 26?"
I turned around ready to help my next customer but felt myself shrivel up inside once I made eye contact with the boy in front of me. It was the creepy barista... Again.
"How do you keep finding me?"
His bright eyes flickered up to meet mine right before smiling at me.
"Hello to you too beautiful. You know-" he paused to lean closer to my face. "I'm beginning to think you're following me."
"Me? I'm the one that works here, if anything, you're the one who's been following me!"
"Hm, that may or may not be true," he whispered while placing an arm around me and poking my nose.
"Are you saying you've been stalking me?"
"God no, don't be so full of yourself. Us bumping into each other everywhere has always been coincidental. Personally, I think that the universe is trying to tell us something."
"And what could that be?"
"We are destined to become associated with each other."
"Oh really?"
"Yes really. Your persona has latched me onto the idea of you and I really don't want to let go."

His eyes bored into mine as if he were trying to find something he needed as if I was able to give it to him. The soft flutters of my heart don't go unnoticed as I break my gaze away from his and focus on something else. It was very awkward to have a conversation like this with someone you barely knew during your work shift because of the "universe's intentions". He seemed a little crazy but crazy could be different and different is (usually) good.

"Have lunch with me?" he asked out of the blue, sounding completely impulsive.
"You don't even know my name."
"But I do know that you've been working for a long time and that you must be hungry."
"I don't eat lunch with strangers."
"Then let's become un-strange to each other then!"

My lips slightly turned upwards as I take in the boy standing in front of me, being completely spontaneous and weird and unforgettable towards me for once.

How could I say no to that?

"Fine," I replied after a few minutes of silence. "I'll have lunch with you."
"Great," he smiled, clearly overflowing with victory.

___

Here I was. Here I was sitting across from the weird barista who'd taken some sort of unbreakable hold on me. We didn't talk a lot like I'd anticipated but we did eat fifteen dollar pizza together in comfortable silence. It wasn't fancy but it wasn't cheap considering he insisted on paying for everything. His eyes would occasionally lock with mine, never moving as if we were having a silent conversation. His strong stare reminded me of his companion, the other guy who frequently visited the food court mall to stare at me. 

They both had such an intense presence that I felt myself wonder about what went on inside their heads or how they worked but I've never said anything because usually it always goes downhill once I try to get personal. Things never get that far with any guys because they end up getting lost in the curvy wonders of my body instead of the ones in my mind. And I really didn't like that... It messes with my sense of self-worth and independence and I didn't need that all. I didn't deserve it, I mean at least I think I didn't.

But it's been about twenty minutes and there hasn't been any mention about how good I look in my jeans or how my face looks "angelic" against the lighting in the room.

Maybe getting to know him wouldn't be so bad.

"You know, I've been staring at you for a bit and I've noticed that you have a weird face."

But then again, getting to know him could lead to me attempting to kill him.

"Excuse me?"
"Your face-" he explains while sipping on his soda. "It's cute to me. Like it's different but beautiful,  so it's weird you know?"
"Not really, you're not making any complete sense." I sighed while preparing to leave.
"Why do you look like you're leaving already? You're not going anywhere."
"You're going to hold me here against my will?"
"No."
"That's what I thought."
"But... We didn't even talk."
"I have to get back to work."
"Work can't wait a few minutes?"
"Not if I'm looking to get fired."

Jace sighed softly while tangling his fingers in his hair, slowly leaning back in his chair. His once light persona had noticeably flickered down and it made me feel a little bad.
"I don't want you to go," he admitted, suddenly making direct eye contact with me.
I let out a puff of air, slightly contemplating on what to do. I mean I had a job to get back to and an itch to get out of here but, I was a good person who had a heart and could already see myself feeling poorly about ditching him after a wordless twenty-minute lunch and fifteen dollar pizza. That's way too cold.

"How about we do something later when I get off?" I ended up suggesting.
"Should I wait around here or.."
"I get off at five. Do whatever you need to do."
"Okay," he smiled at me with sparkling eyes as I felt my heart skip two beats instead of one. "I'll see you later then."
"Yeah."
I stood there for a few seconds longer, taking him in, even though I felt weird and itchy. I wanted to leave but he was still watching me as if I owed him something.

Creep.

"Well, bye," I pushed out of my scratchy throat before walking away from the creepy yet sweet barista who always popped up during the most inconvenient times.