Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Chapter Three of My Miserable Summer

"Well, good morning, sunshine! Welcome back to the happiest place on earth!"

I shuffled behind my counter, sending a quick glare Oliver’s way as he paused in his hard labor of restocking Frito Lays to irritate me. "I don’t need your crap right now, ‘kay?"

My lovely mood must have been what tipped Oliver off. Abandoning the Frito Lays, he came over and sat on my counter, watching me until I finally looked up at him. "You all right?" he asked sincerely.

I watched him intently, watching his eyes flicker across my face, scanning my own eyes. I sighed, breaking the gaze to rub my forehead. "It’s nothing. Just tired."

"Uh-huh," he muttered, not convinced. "Alright, then. If you’re sure ‘bout that."

I nodded, offering a small smile. "I am."

He shrugged, sliding easily off the counter. "Okay. Well." He gave me a mock stern look. "Get back to work."

I rolled my eyes. "Ditto."

He pointed at me as he walked backward to his station. "Haha, you said ‘ditto’!"

"So?"

"Nothin’. Just no one says ‘ditto’ anymore, is all."

"Well, I do."

He shrugged, smirking. "Kinda the point there, sunshine."

I rolled my eyes, intent on waiting for my one costumer of the day.

"Bitch, we gotta talk. Now."

I barely had time to respond before Kasey plucked my arm and dragged me from behind my booth. "Kasey! I hafta work."

"Hudgenson!"

Oliver looked over at us, pausing with a Dr. Pepper in his hand and the refrigerator door suspended open, blurring his features. "Yeah?"

"Taking a break," Kasey responded before brushing passed him with me in tow.

Oliver raised a brow. "I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were the boss."

"Stifoo, Oliver!"

"What?"

I turned, smiling apologetically. "S-T-F-U."

We got halfway down the aisle before Oliver called back, "Oh, haha! You’re a regular riot, Kasey!"

She spun around, walking backwards. "It took you that long to get it? Damn, you’re slow today, Hudgenson."

Once we were in the Employee’s Only room, Kasey absolutely exploded.

"I re-listened to your message."

"Um….okay."

She gave me a stern look. "How can you expect me to stay at your crazy aunt and uncle’s place? I mean, dude, they totally hate me!"

I rolled my eyes, grinning. "They don’t hate you, Kase. Where’d you get that idea from?"

Kasey carried on as if she hadn’t heard me. "There’re never gonna allow that I stay! That’s so intruding!"

"Well, so am I. Kase, you wouldn’t make me face the whole summer running away from Dalton, would you? I mean, after I pretended to be your lesbian lover and all." I gave her the best puppy dog eyes imaginable.

"Thanks, by the way, for that. It didn’t take Jon very long to tell all his friends. Now they’re all calling me for booty calls."

"Men are disgusting."