ALICE
The tires of my Jeep squeal to a stop behind the little shop. I check my watch, five minutes late. Sprinting through the doors and throwing my things onto the table I earn a stare from my boss who is standing behind the counter.
"Mrs. Leigh, I am so sorry! I got caught up and my seventh period released late. I promise I will come in early to make it up." I babble an apology to my elderly boss.
"Darling, don't apologise! You are rarely late anyway! You are the perfect employee, and you are a teenager. You deserve to live a little, child." She says as she walks towards me, using her cane for support.
"Thank you, Mrs. Leigh." I sigh.
"No problem. Now get your behind around that counter and start shelving!" She says weakly and waves me towards the front after she hands me a box of books.
"Yes, Ma'am." I say, just as I am about to go shelving she touches my shoulder lightly, causing me to turn around.
"Smile more darling, it's beautiful." Once she gives me a friendly grin I turn around and go to the fiction section, using the shelving system to put the books up.
The books slide easily into place and I make sure to run over the shelves with my hand to take the layers of dust off of them. While I am still shelving I hear the bell hooked up to the door sound so I yell out the customary greeting.
The customer doesn't reply and I assume they can handle finding a book on their own. Just as I am about to get up I feel a hand on my shoulder and I stay down, twisting to see who it is. Just as I was having an okay day, without any interferance from him, he shows up now.
"What are you doing here?" I say angrily wishing he would just take the hint.
"Oh is that a way to treat a customer?" He says with a chuckle.
"Shut up jerk face. You are only here to flirt with me, I really wish you could just take a hint and realize I don't want you or any relationship right now." I remark.
"If you didn't want me here you could have said so, Babe." He continues with his flirting causing me to get even more agrivated.
I guess I could play along "Oh sweet cheeks, never said I didn't want you here." as I finish I look up at him through my eyelashes and use my mouthwatering seductive look that Sophie taught me.
Suddenly a new person appears, a woman in her mid thirties at least. "Young love is adorable." she sighs glancing to us. My cheeks flush red and Asher just shines brighter.
"Oh I disagree! I think that she is much more adorable than our love!" Asher says laughing as he wraps an arm around my waist. This causes me to flinch away and just as I am looking to see what he is thinking, his eyes flash with suspicioun and I quickly look away.
"No PDA bae." I grumble along, slapping his arm. Now it is like a game, we are competing to see who will break first in front of this woman.
"Oh my husband just loves to kiss me in public. It's quite amazing." She says looking to us expectantly.
"Nasty!" I squeal as Asher comes near to me acting like he is about to kiss me. I start to get nervous at his closeness. I can't help but notice his lips look amazing today. NO! I can't be in a relationship with anyone because I can't deal with men or boys.
"Babe! Please, gimme some sugar!" He laughs causing me to get angry.
"Get your dirty paws off of me you skank! No way am I letting you, out of all people, kiss me or touch me in any way. Get off, go away, and don't come back!" I protested his public display of fake affection.
"Isn't this awkward! Well I'm going to go now." The woman stutters as she stumbles out of the store.
"Ali," Asher starts but I cut him off.
"You don't even know me so no way am I letting you call me Ali you playboy freak!" I shriek at him, whacking his shoulder away from me with a hardback book.
"Woah there. I'm not a playboy for liking you." He advised, poking me.
"I thought I told you not to touch me." I said calmly.
"I thought I told you not to touch me." He mocks me cautiously causing me to spill over the edge.
"Don't follow me! Stop following me! Stop talking to me and stalking me and flirting!" My voice rings out as I check the time. "The store is closing now, so you better get out before I call the cops for robbery!"
Asher shrugs and turns around, leaving the store. Thinking I've hurt his feelings I whimper quietly and begin to clean up for locking the door. Once I've broken down the boxes so they can be recycled I go back to the front so I can lock the glass door. I fumble with the keys. I fumble with the lock. What has gotten into me?
After I've made sure everything is secure and safe I am heading to my Jeep and driving off. I make it home quickly and walk into the house to the smell of delicious food. I practically sprint to my room to change into some pajamas and while I am in my room I notice that Libby is again curled up on my bed.
Feeling a burst of excitement I jump onto the bed and tackle the pup. I rub her ears and laugh when she starts panting with happiness. My little angel is so sweet!
"Come on, Libs" I coo, making her prance after me into the kitchen where my mom stands cooking some chicken stir fry.
"Hello, Alice!" Momma calls me to her.
"Hey, Tara." I reply, plopping into one of the bar stools which face the cooking area.
"How was your day?" She asks me, glancing at me over the chicken bits and rice which sizzle in the pan.
"Fantastic. Just a bit of flirtatious boy to get in the way and ruin it.
"A flirtatious boy? Is he, like, totes hot?" My mom says lifting a hand from the cooking food to wave her face like she is hot.
"No, well, maybe?" I whisper.
"Oh my God!" Mom screams jumping around while trampling my face with a hug. "Alisa has a boyfriend! My Ali has a boyfriend! Alice has a crush, you hear that Libby?"
"Shut up!" I yell at my mother then instantly regret it when her eyes turn sad and depressed again.
"I don't like when you talk to me like that. I was just trying to get you excited, baby girl." Mother says looking at me through her glossy eyes.
"Sorry, Momma," I mumble quietly, secretly feeling really bad for making her sad.
"Yeah, well, get some food and go eat it." She says shooing me off to my room with a plate of dinner.
"Thank you." I whisper as I stumble past the walk of shame, Libby isn't even following me.
I get to my room and eat in silence. Today has been quite a day.
