waiting for spring

chapter four: boulevard deli

Liz has been staying at my house for a few days. Aunt Bella couldn't care less, she's never home anyways. Mr. and Mrs. Logan also don't give a shit cause right now they're in Cuba, and as long as Liz picks up the mail and feeds her cat, they don't care. We haven't seen Keith around lately, that's a good sign. But it also means we have to be ready at any time. We haven't been really doing anything but going to school and staying inside. Even though I wanna go outside because the weather is getting warmer and the snow is melting, I wanna keep Liz safe.
It's only Wednesday and it feels like forever since the party Saturday. I've decided to forget about Chris and just move on with my stupid, horrible life cause I'm most likely never going to see him again if he's friends with Keith. I mean, I didn't even know him well enough to have a crush on him. Yeah, he was really sweet and really hot, but who knows if that was just for show? He could really be an asshole.
I look in my room. Liz is at my desk doing homework... stressfully. I've been done with mine for a half an hour already. "Hey, you need help?" I ask. She was never really the greatest student. I always had to help her out, especially in math. She turns to look at me and hesitantly nods. "Math?" She nods again.
I go over to her and look at the assignment. It's stuff I did in 8th grade. Algebra. I simply explained it to her. I think she got it. I hope.
I go into the kitchen to get something to eat. There's nothing. Only some moldy strawberries, gross milk, and other rotten shit. I'm starving. "Hey Liz?" I call.
"Yeah?"
"I'm gonna go get some food from the deli. You want anything?"
"No."
I go to my room to get money. I only have $20 so I can't get a lot. This time I only wear a sweatshirt cause it's nice out. I'm walking down the boulevard, as usual, admiring the scenery. I wanna take a long walk so instead of going to the 9th avenue deli, I decide to go to the new deli that just opened. It's a little farther up the boulevard.
The only thing I don't like about that deli is its right next to a bar. A bunch of drunks always hang out on the stoop outside. I hate drunks. They remind me of my dad. He's been in rehabs 6 times for drinking and he's there again. He'll be coming back in the spring.
Right now I'm getting that urge. That urge to do something bad. But I do it anyways. I open my bag. And I take out a cigarette and a lighter. I got myself hooked again. I'm almost done with my emergency pack. I'll buy another at the deli.
I pass the stupid bar, and then I see the deli. Boulevard Deli. That was the name. I step on the burnt end of my smoke and flick the butt out in the street. Then I go inside.
I walk to the one of the glass door fridges and got some eggs and milk and cheese then went to the shelf to get bread. I'm thinking of getting turkey cold cuts. It was Elizabeth and Grace's favorite sandwich. I put my stuff at the counter. No ones there so I ring the bell. A cute boy about my age comes walking out from the back room. "Sorry ma'am. How may I help you?" He grabs a pen and an order paper. I recognize him, but I don't think he sees me. Oh my god.

It's Chris.

I'm silent. He looks up at me. We make eye contact, his big brown eyes widening to make them even bigger. "H-hi, Gracie...." he quietly says in his deep voice.
"Umm... hey, Chris." I reply. His eyes are so beautiful, I have to look away. I'm wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt and ripped jeans. I look like shit. Even though he's wearing a T-shirt and jeans too, he looks gorgeous.
"Gracie... I hope that what happened the other night wouldn't interfere with us becoming friends," he says abruptly. Seriously. I didn't realize that he wanted to be friends. Just friends. Well, it's better than nothing.
"Oh. No, it didn't. We can still be friends. It wasn't your fault." I smile. He gives a cute as hell half smile. There was a short silence. "So, how may I help you?" I let out a quiet giggle.
"Quarter pound of Boars Head turkey, please," I push my shit on the counter, "and this."
"No problem," he adds up the stuff on the cash register and turns around to cut the meat. Nice ass. But nicer eyes. And he's actually really sweet. And hot. And I want him. So I decide to say something, "Are you free on Friday?" I can't believe I just said that. He turns around and smiles. "Yeah,"
"Wanna come over?"
"I'd love to," he said. There are fire works going off in my heart.
"Okay," I say.
"...I'm gonna need your number though..." he says shyly.
I take one of the order papers and write my number. "I'm gonna need yours too then," I say playfully. He wraps up the cold cuts and gives them to me then writes down his number. He's blushing. I'm blushing.
He hands me the piece of paper, "Is that all you need?" He says smiling. Then I remember. I need more cigarettes. But, I could be better than that, "Yup. Thank you."
After paying I walk out the door, "See you Friday," he says.
"See you Friday."
I walk past the bar. Fuck that bar. Fuck the drunks. All of a sudden, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see a blonde, sagging, junkie. Keith. Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Fuck. He swings for a punch, but misses. I kick him in the balls. He lets go of me, wincing. I run. I run to the deli, but Keith is right behind me. He pushes me to the ground and punches me. I feel my nose bleeding. I punch his eye. Hard. He yells. Why is he doing this? "WHERE THE FUCK IS LIZ?" He screams. Oh. That's why. Keith goes to swing again but out of the blue Chris puts his hand on Keith's throat. He pushes him to the wall. "STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THEM OR I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Chris yells. Keith is scared. Chris lets him go and Keith runs away. Woah.
He looks at me apologetically and runs over to me. He helps me up and takes my hand, leading me into the deli. We didn't talk much. He cleaned me up and gave me an ice pack. We were just sitting there. "Thank you," I whisper.
"It's gonna be okay." He replies.
"I gotta go, Chris. Liz might be worried. She's at my house." He nods.
"See you Friday, then?"
"See you Friday." We say for the second time. I walk out the door, Chris watching me walk down the block.

I think I'm in love.