Falling For Mr. Sundae | ✔

13. Karaoke Sundae

Our two week vacation from work was officially over. Tim had called us all in for an early morning meeting. The doors to Sprinklez didn't even open until 11:30, but he insisted we get there at ten.

Apparently, getting here early only applied to the employees because Tim was nowhere to be found.

When I arrived Bobby had his face pressed to the window, trying to see through the sales paper covering them, Shay was sitting on the curb smoking a cigarette, and Julian was sitting on the hood of his car looking down at his phone, as always.

The day at the water park was still fresh in my mind. Julian was a trooper, putting up with my screaming and occasional physical abuse when I got too excited. Waiting in all of the lines gave us the opportunity to talk. About any topic that came up.

He was going to school to become an accountant, being one of the only people in the world who didn't think that that job sounded boring. When I told him I was undecided he didn't throw out a bunch of options which was refreshing.

He was also obsessed with anime and that's usually what he watched on his phone. He teased me for liking Barbie movies, but called a truce when I joked about anime being a stepping stone to hentai.

At some point we stopped getting on rides at all and just walked around and talked. The weirdest part was how much he knew about me--my dog's name, my favorite colors, the play I did in second grade about the three billy goats. I thought he was a stalker until he told me we were paired up for an English project in ninth grade where we had to interview each other.

I was kicking myself for not remembering any of it. We aced the assignment, though.

Now, I planted myself next to him on the hood of his banged up car, the metal warm under my bare legs. He look up, removing his head phones and tucked his phone away.

"He still think it's going to be a stripper pole?" I asked, nodding at Bobby.

"I'm afraid to ask," he admitted. "Did you find your yearbook?"

"I did," I replied. After getting back from the water park I went through all four of my high school yearbooks and sure enough he was in each one.

He used to be scrawny with an acne problem and a small afro. Barely recognizable compared to him now. He put on a little muscle, he face had mostly cleared up and he had gotten a much needed hair cut.

"I told you we went to same school," he said, smirking a little.

"It's really sad that I can't remember you."

"It is," he agreed. "Not only did we have classes together, but I've also been working here since sophomore year," he added, nodding towards Sprinklez. "Every day you'd walk in and call me Justin or Jason or Jesus."

I laughed despite the heat of embarrassment creeping into my cheeks. "Do I at least get points for remembering your name started with a J?"

"No," he said, not even considering it.

"There is definitely a stage in there," Bobby announced, peeling his face from the glass. He smiled when he saw me. "Elisa Robinson."

"Robert Hall," I said, matching his tone.

"Look at that, she remembers my name and it didn't take her four years to learn it."

My embarrassment deepened. "Can't we wipe the slate clean?" I bargained. "Let's leave high school Elisa in the past."

They exchanged amused looks and I knew they weren't done teasing me about my poor memory.

"We'll take it under consideration," Bobby said, his tone business like. He then clamped a hand on Julian's shoulder, adding, "My client here has been subjected to so much pain and suffering. For a full month he actually thought his name was James."