His Blue ✓

30| Placeholder

Beep.

I ignore the cringe-inducing sound of the scanner as I ring up a lady's purchase of Walden. My fingers brush against the hard cover of the book as I bag it for her and smile.

"Would you like a receipt?" I say politely.

"No thanks." The lady says, before turning to leave.

I sigh. It's another day that I'm at work. Today however, I'm not tidying shelves. Anson would be proud. I think with a snicker.

Of course, I'm only at the register because my managers are out of town today- leaving me in charge.

I look around the store, noticing no one inside, and I make a break to the back room that is full of inventory and the minifridge for the employees.

I carefully prop open the door to the room, and grab a bite of my afternoon snack. I'm still, except for chewing, until the same door from a second before begins to close, and I quickly dart to catch it.

We've got to get this fixed. I frown. For months now, the door has been closing and locking from the outside. I reach to examine the door handle, when I hear the bell ringing in the store.

It will have to wait.

I quickly begin walking back out and calling to the customer. "Welcome!" I round a shelf corner, ready to welcome the customer, but I see Anson strolling through the entrance. He gives a trademark grin.

"Hey Blue."

I smile.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asks casually.

  "No." I look at Anson expectantly.

"Where is everyone today?" He scans the empty registers with his eyes.

"They're-" I start to explain, but a sound suddenly echoes from the register. I hear my ringtone and the vibrating of my phone which I left on it, and I sigh.

I hesitate and Anson looks at me in confusion. 

"You gonna get that?"

"I don't have time for personal calls when I'm with customers." I explain my reason for not rushing to answer.

"I'm not a customer." Anson says honestly.

I give him a look. "Then what are you doing here?"

He looks at me and smiles. "Would you like to go to the mall?"

"What's the occasion?"

"Money to spend and someone to spend it on?" He suggests and I nod.

Can he be any cuter?

"When I get off work, I'll go with you."

"I'll be out waiting in my car when you're ready."

He leaves and I begin to count down the minutes until my shift ends.

An hour later, I stand in front of a store window, gazing longingly at the mannequins on the other side when Anson joins me with a soft pretzel in his hand. It looks buttery and warm and is sprinkled-over with salt.

He breaks off a piece between his long fingers, and looks at me happily. "Open up."

"I can feed myself." I say sternly, taking the bread from his fingers and putting it in my mouth.

As I chew, Anson's gaze flickers over to the window. He sees that I'm looking at a beautiful long dress. I swallow my pretzel.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" I say.