Friends are just known enemies

Chapter 6

I get behind the counter at the last second, putting on my apron and looking at Tom. “I’m not late” I say and he just nods. He got used to me always being on the edge of being late, so he doesn’t even try to tell me off for it.

About half of my shift is done and my cheeks hurt from all the fake smiling. I don’t like this job, but I need the money if I want to keep reading and wearing band-shirts, so I suffer through it.

And there he is, wearing a grey T-Shirt and blue jeans, a bagpack hanging over his shoulder. What did he say his name was? Kyle, right. Suddenly I wonder why he’s always here. Always at the same time and the other girl who helps out on Tuesday and Thursday, Naomi, told me she never saw him before.

He walks over, smiling like he always does and I open my mouth to ask “As usual?” but he’s faster. “Yes, the usual” Now his grin is spread all over his face and my fake happy service lady mask is true. He gives me two dollars too much, but when I want to give him his change he just shakes his head.

“You keep up this fake smile all day, you deserve it” He sits at the table he always sits at and I just stare at him. For the rest of my shift, I couldn’t stop looking at him, wondering why he said that and how he noticed. Most people didn’t, probably because they just didn’t care and if they did it didn’t matter. Because I’m just the cashier, who cares about my feelings? As long as they get the correct order everything’s alright.

There are hardly any customers today, even less than usual and I watch Kyle as he reads his book. It had gotten dark outside and Tom left, which meant I have to close up soon, but I can’t bring myself to interrupt Kyle’s reading.

I never paid much attention to him before, but now I ask myself why. He was quite muscular, but it didn’t look like he was an athlete. My eyes went back to his face. His features were soft, but his jawline was angular, giving his face definition.

And then he looked up. I look straight into his eyes, trying to determine what colour they are. He seems uncomfortable, but doesn’t look away and I still can’t figure out whether his eyes are green or brown.

Maybe it’s a mix…like a brownish green… I think and finally walk around the counter, while taking off my apron.

“Sorry, but I have to close up” I say and he closes the book. “Actually, I…I wanted to talk to you” I glance at him in surprise. Talk to me? Why would he want to talk to me?

“Well you did, just now” I say and immediately curse my mouth, I meant to say something nice, I kind of wanted to talk to him. I hate my sarcasm sometimes. He reaches for his bag and there’s a disappointed expression on his face, which for some strange reason hurts me. “Sorry, I just had a bad day” I try apologizing and sit down opposite him, waiting to find out what he has to say.

Kyle’s P.O.V

She stared at me. I have been reading while waiting for her shift to be over. God I sound like such a stalker, knowing when she closes up and all that.

Anyway, I look up and meet her glance, her eyes locking with mine. I don’t know how to react, but somehow I can’t stop staring back at her. Her face is unreadable, she seems like a marble figure without any expression.

Her gaze is captivating; it feels like she’s piercing right through me, burning into my soul, reading my thoughts. Somehow it’s intimidating and I feel like I’m completely exposed to her, like I’m an open book. But all I can do is look back at her, all I can think about is how beautiful she is.

She’s not pretty in the usual kind of way, but something about her pale skin, the fine lines of her face and those blue/grey eyes is just special. I wonder what her laughter sounds like and what it would feel like to hold her hand.