Walmart ⇒ L.H.

03-Luke

Chapter Three

Monday (still)

I sat on the floor in front of the small television in my room with my back pressed against the end of my bed. I held a controller in my hand and my headset was fastened on my head as Michael, Calum, and I all played FIFA. I had been waiting all day for the girl I met to call me, and I was quickly growing more ma s'more impatient.

"You think she's gonna call me?" I blurted.

"Who? Gum girl?" Calum asked me.

"Gum girl?" I questioned.

"The girl you met at work today." He clarified.

"Yes. Yes, her."

"No, she's not going to fucking call you." Michael spoke.

"Shut up."

"She'll call you." Calum spoke. "Just focus on FIFA and you'll forget all about her." So I did as he said, and it didn't work. I just couldn't get her face out of my head, every little perfection that I could see, and I craved to see it again.

After another hour or so of sitting and waiting, I finally stopped playing video games and settled down on my bed, my phone grasped in my hand. 'I should've just got her number.' I thought, but it was too late now.

I stared up at my popcorn ceiling. No matter how many times I tried counting all the little bumps, I always lost count at fifteen, and there was way more than that.

Just as I was about to close my eyes and sleep, my phone began ringing from its position beside me on my bed. I scrambled to get it, finally my hand wrapped around it and I immediately answered the call.

I held my breath, bringing the phone to my ear, and getting ready to talk. I hadn't even prepared anything to say, so as I would always do in school, I decided to wing it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hi." It was her, it was the girl from the check out. I remembered her voice completely. It wasn't too high or too deep and it was perfect. The sound almost made me melt like ice-cream and I finally composed myself. "Is this Luke from Walmart?"

"It indeed is, how may I help you?" I heard her laugh in the background at my cheesy comment.

"I would like to talk to your manager and report an unsatisfactory visit."

"Is that so, would you mind telling me why?" I questioned, my lips curving up as we had a civilized conversation.

"Your service was awful, you couldn't even direct me to the aisle for lady products."

"That topic again?" I playfully whined. She laughed at me, again. It was a very pleasant sound and I wanted to be the cause of it again.

"So," She awkwardly spoke. "What's happening?"

"Not much, but you finally came around to calling?"

"Yeah, I was," She paused. "A bit busy all day, working and stuff."

"Oh, cool." I leaned back from my position. I don't know why, but I found myself sitting upright with posture that I certainly never normally had. So I loosened up and leaned back on the headboard of my bed. "Where do you work?"

"Killingsworth Cafe." She answered.

"That place sucks." I spoke. "Lava Java is a much better coffee place." I laughed.

"Don't tell me you go there. That place sucks! They use artificial coffee flavoring!" She spoke, getting heated about something as simple coffee.

"Well, it tastes better."

"I can't believe I'm conversing with someone who goes there." She spoke the last word with such disgust.

"You don't even call the Lava Java by its name?"

"No, I don't. They don't deserve my reference, and I hate hearing their name, so if you could stop talking about it, then that'd be great."

"I won't say Lava Java if you don't talk about your lady problems." I spoke, coming to an ultimatum.

"What's the deal with guys and talking about periods?"

"Ew, yeah, don't say that word. It's gross." I spoke, scrunching my nose.

"How would you feel if you had freaking ketchup packets squeezing out of your thing?!" She responded, some sort of enthusiasm in her voice.

"Nice metaphor." I complimented.

"Thanks."

"But I don't think that'd be possible."

"Well, I bet women didn't think blood coming out of our area would be possible until it happened either."

"Why don't you say the words?" I laughed, noticing she didn't say the names of our private parts.

"It's gross." She replied simply.

"Say them."

"No. Stop. Ew. You're gross." She laughed, and I got to hear that wonderful noise again. I smiled at the sound of it.

"Fine." I agreed. "So what's going on with you?"

"Just got home from a long shift at work, and I'm now talking on the phone with some random guy, who I'm pretty sure, doesn't even know my name."

"I seriously don't, what is it?"

"It's weird." She whined.

"Just tell me."

"Promise you won't make fun of it?"

"I promise." I laughed.

"It's Venus." Venus. That wasn't what I was expecting, but it somehow suited her perfectly.

"That's a very pretty name." I complimented, and meant it.

"Thanks. My parents are both scientists, so I guess it kind of made sense for them to name their daughter after a planet."

"A very gaseous plant, Venus." I laughed. "Are you gassy, Venus?" I asked, using her name multiple times. I liked the way it sounded, and I liked her too.

"No I'm not gassy!" She shrieked. "Oh my gosh, you somehow made my name even worse than it already is."

"It's what I do." I shrugged, although she couldn't see.

"Well, I've gotta go, I hear my parents coming and I don't know how they'd react if they knew I talked to someone who worked at Walmart." She laughed, putting emphasis on Walmart in a joking way.

"Well, I talked to someone who works at a place as cliche as Killingsworth Cafe." I countered.

"Goodbye Luke." She dismissed me.

"Goodbye Venus." I laughed, and she hung up.

I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding in. I placed my phone on the ground, next to my bed and laid on my side, staring at the dark blue walls of my room. Venus was interesting, and I was totally looking forward to gettiing to know her better.

~*~

a/n:

so I hope you liked it, it's kinda getting everything started in a way. idk. ahhaha.

but please, be a doll, and vote on this chapter and comment what you thought!

it means a lot, also, follow us and inbox us too! we are always willing to talk.

- madeline (@frisycalum)