Cashier Boy // Jack Duff ✔

three

I got back to the car. Mom was waiting.

I was too embarrassed to say or focus on anything.

"What took you so long?" Mom said before looking down at the cake.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" She said, wide eyed.

"Huh?" I said, then looked at the cake. "Oh, I-uh, it's a smash cake." I said. "It's suppose to look like this."

Mom looked at me then shrugged.

I sat the cake in the backseat then shoved the receipt into my pocket.

We pulled out of the parking space, then back onto the highway.

* * *

We arrived at the picnic. It was near a lake. It seemed like a pretty peaceful location. Maybe it would distract me from what happened earlier.

We got out. Mom locked the car, then we started walking towards the picnic tables. I sat the cake down next to all of the other desserts.

It looked pretty sad compared to all of the other cakes. But at least no one would know who brought it.

I sat it down before anyone was looking and quickly walked away. I walked to my mom, who was talking to a few cousins and other relatives. They were talking about their children and how they're doing in school. I wasn't really interested.

All I could think about was him. The kiss. It made me cringe. I hate the feeling of thinking about it. I will NEVER go back into that place ever again.

I looked around to find a place to sit, where there weren't that many people. My eyes finally caught focus on an old tire swing tied to a tree, right next to the lake.

I didn't take my eyes off of it and just walked towards it.

I stepped through the hole and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

A wadded up piece of paper fell out. I looked at it for a second, then picked it up. I examined it before unwadding.

I slowly unrolled the paper, then suddenly,

Tchhh

The paper ripped. My phone started ringing. I sat the two pieces on my lap and quickly answered the phone.

"H-hello?"

"Hey, honey, I'm going with your aunt Linda to the grocery store to pick up another cake because one of the kids knocked the one we picked out off the table."

A gust of wind suddenly blew.

"Oh okAY MOM-" I said as the pieces of paper flew off of my lap, into the lake. I got tried to run after them and catch them but I tripped over the swing.

"Ow,"

"What's wrong, sweety?"

I looked up at the water, the pieces were floating.

"N-nothing mom i just tripped."

"Are you okay? How did that happen?"