On Blue Days

01 : f i r s t

F i r s t

I finished bagging the old woman's candy and handed it to her with a forced smile.

“Thank you, deary,” she croaked before hobbling to the door.

Once she was out of sight, I shuddered. Old people freaked me out. I was not excited to be one.

Someone placed an electric toothbrush and condom package on the counter, startling me out of my thoughts.

What an odd combination, I mused to myself.

I glanced up at the customer and found myself staring into eyes like doeskin. Soft looking, but rough at heart. The brown of his eyes was shattering, like a sharp camera losing its focus and blurring out the image before it.

My breath hitched in my throat as my eyes wandered across the maze of his face. His features were attractive, there was no lie in that. He had red hair, the color of a soft fire, bright yet burning. His jawline could cut a rock, and his cheekbones were so high I'd need a ladder to reach them. His lips were pink and plump and currently eased into a small smile. His eyelashes were a gorgeous thick orange, making me instantly jealous.

“Why hi there, miss,” he rasped out in a humored tone.

“Hello,” I responded bluntly, trying to hide how his voice made goosebumps rise on my arms.

“Why so glum, princess?” He asked, leaning his elbow on the counter.

I rolled my eyes and wrung up his items. “Twelve, eighty-five,” I said, ignoring his question and shoving the bag to him.

He paid, swiping his credit card and punching in the numbers quietly. I felt his eyes on me as I approved the transaction. I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”

“I want your number,” he stated, his brown eyes studying my face like he was trying to look through a wet window. It was a deep and almost intimate moment.

I laughed, coldly, uncomfortable with the sudden hot air that seemed to swirl around both of us. “And I want a million dollars.”

One of his ginger eyebrows arched up in my response. “If you don't give it to me, I'll report you to your manager for not pleasing your customers.”

My face paled at that. If I was reported again for being rude, I would lose my job. I needed this money more than I needed air. Making up my mind hurriedly, I grabbed the nearest pen and yanked the boy's hand to me. He let out a shocked huff, which I paid no heed, and shifted his palm uncomfortably as I scribbled my number on it.

I released him and gave him the dirtiest glare I could muster. “There. Now you have my number.”

He smirked, his pink lips stretching wide. “You won't regret it, I promise,” with another taunting grin, he turned and waltzed out the door, the bag hanging off his arm.

I shook my head. This kid was a piece of work.

“Hey, Aspyn, take your break. I'll have Jerry take over for now.” Hank yelled from the back.

I sighed, slid off the stool, and walked slowly to the break room. After digging into the crowded fridge, glaring at all the labels of Jerry's, the ninja king on most of the food, I grabbed my simple sandwich.

I plopped down onto the worn out purple sofa, biting into my food. Whipping out my phone, I crossed my long legs toward me. I scrolled through my social medias, checking my notifications. My screen went black for a second, making my eyebrows furrow, before an unknown number popped up on the screen. Unsure, I pressed answer. “Hello?” I asked, my mouth full of food.

“Princess,” someone answered, making me glower.

“What do you want, ginger?” I spat, furiously ripping into my sandwich with my teeth, imagining it as his head.

“Ginger?” He tsked in disapproval. “We're going to have to work on your nickname skills, princess.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why did you call me?”

He chuckled, a deep, throaty noise that made the hairs on my arms raise. “I wanted to see if you gave me a fake number.”

“I did,” I barked out before hanging up. I stared at my screen for a moment before a text message buzzed through my phone.

Unknown:

You can run all you want, princess. I'll still catch you.

Quick, Aspyn, respond with something witty that will leave him on his ass.

Me:

I have to get back to work. Bye.

Wow. You sure taught him.

♡ ♡ ♡

whale idk how I feel about this book yet lol