Carrying the Torch

Chapter 3: Sea Horse Food

50 First Dates

Chapter 3:

"Well, thanks for the help, I swear I've been stuck on that song forever. I have to get going, today is my father's birthday." Lily smiles, packing her things.

"Should we do this again? Same time, same place?" I ask her.

"As much as I would love that, I have to help out with the children tomorrow. We're supposed to be going to some aquarium I think." She replies searching through her bag for something.

"How convenient that I work at the only aquarium for miles." I send her one of my charming smiles, earning a small laugh escape her lips.

"Well then I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the aquarium." She smiles and starts walking away.

I grab her by her arm and as I turn her around she looks up at me with confusion.

"What? No goodbye kiss?" I ask earning another soft chuckle.

She gets a devious look in her eyes and she takes a step forward.

"Not anytime soon. It doesn't go that fast, so slow down player." She slightly whispers to me, catching me off guard.

While I'm in shock, she takes the opportunity to slip out of my grasp. She walks away as I gather myself. Before she leaves the café she turns around and I wink at her, sending her into a giggle fit as she walks out.

I turnaround and face Big Poppa and Liam. "And that boys, is how it's done. Now, my money?"

"You, my friend, got lucky. Lily usually isn't that easy. But, I'm not worried about you hurting her feelings." Liam grimly hands me a brand new fifty dollar bill.

"Nice doing business with you boys." I smirk.

"Are you in college?" Liam asks squinting at my face. "Like do you go to the community college?"

"Uh, yeah, I do. Why, you think you might be in one of my classes or something?" I ask, now trying to see if I recognize him from somewhere. "Wait a minute, I recognize that thick accent! You're Mr. Payne in my arse. Well, that's your nickname around, because you're a pain in the ass to both students and teachers. You're a legend I heard that you did the impossible, created a combination of a bad ass and a nerd." I summarize finally realizing who I'm conversing with.

"Yes that's me, Mr.Payne in the arse." Liam laughs bowing.

"It's great to finally meet you, you're a legend." I bow down jokingly.

"Well, I always try to talk to as many of my fans as possible. Without them I wouldn't be where I am today." Liam plays along.

"Yes, what a great accomplishment. You work at a café for minimum wage and have no girlfriend. And, you spend all your free time talking to your penis." Big Poppa interrupts as he comes out of the kitchen. His outburst makes Liam blush and causes a loud laugh to escape my lips.

"It wasn't what it looked like!" Liam tries to defend himself, sending me to laugh so hard I start to choke.

"Sure." Big Poppa replies sarcastically, and hands me a glass of water.

"It's not what it looked like, I can explain." Liam tries to reason with me.

I look over at the clock panicking, once I realize I'm late for work. "Maybe next time, mate. Here's my number, call me or text me, and we can definitely hang out sometime." I hand him a ripped piece of napkin with my number and name on it.

"Alright bye, mate." Liam replies as I wave and hurry out the door.

···

"Sorry, I know I'm late. I just stopped by a café and lost track of time. Did you cover for me?" I look over to Louis grabbing my badge.

"What's her name?" Louis replies without even glancing at me.

"I'm hurt, my own best friend doesn't believe that I can't just lose track of time with some pals." I mock offense.

"I've known you my whole American life, do you really think I'd believe that? Cough it up." Louis urges.

"My new pals are Liam Payne and Big Poppa." I announce proudly.

"Wait, the Liam Payne? Mr. Payne in my arse?" Louis finally looks up at me in disbelief.

"Yep." I answer nonchalantly.

"That guy's a legend! Wow, I'm proud of you Haz, you went through a whole morning without flirting and picking up a new girl. Since it's that time of the week again." Louis says with a bit of admiration in his voice.

"Her name's Lily and she's coming tomorrow with a group or something." I reply quickly and sheepishly.

"Of course. How could I fall for that, it's nearly impossible. Tell me about her while we go clean out the sea horse's tank and feed the seahorses." Louis starts leading the way to the tank.

"Well she's beautiful. She has long wavy brown hair with highlights and slightly tan skin. She has a roundish face and these beautiful deep brown eyes. She has these pink plump small lips, and her eyebrows are extremely bushy, but they fit her perfectly. She has this sweet flower aroma and this sweet and innocent personality. She's bubbly and outgoing, yet also keeps to herself. And she has this adorable little laugh where her eyes crinkle, and her nose scrunches a bit. She loves music and has this soft sweet voice. And she's a brilliant song writer, like her lyrics were great and so we're her ideas. She also is hilarious and nice enough to laugh at my corny jokes. She also has this little devious and secret bad ass side to her. She has a good handful of breasts, and has the body of a goddess. She's just unexplainable, she seems so childlike but then again not, you understand? She's just so.. I don't even know man, she got me like, I'm not even sure. But, she's probably the best so far too, bad she'll be gone by this time this week. She's unexplainable and beautiful in every way. She isn't the prettiest I've been with but, somehow she's the most beautiful. She-" I rant swooning as I imagine her, until Louis interrupts.

"She seems as if she may be your home." Louis interrupts.

"She's my hotel, not home, I don't have one." I reply rolling my eyes.

"Well, you see you don't usually remember the way your hotels laugh, and you never rant about them like that. You can deny it all you want but, I'm sure that by the end of the week you won't want to let her go." Louis explains to me.

"Whatever." I mumble annoyed.

With that, silence envelopes us and we continue on working. I find myself thinking about Lily. I think of her slightly tan, sweet smelling skin. Her bubbly contagious laugh.

"Hey guys, I'm back. I'm Niall the new employee. Missed me?" I turn around to find a smiling Niall looking at me.

No, if he's back.. That means she's back. I drop the bag of sea horse food, spilling it all over the floor. Jaw wide open and eyes bulging.

"Well, that wasn't what I was expecting." Niall says looking down at the sea horse food. "Not what I was expecting at all."