Every Breath You Take

June 1, 2018

I opened and closed my fists, clenching and relaxing them nervously, as I approached the building. "Rob's Market" the giant sign up front read, in it's molded green toned glory, against a hideously brown background. It was definitely something. While hideous, the store could not be described as dingy. No, that wasn't quite right. It was clear that the designers had poured money into it, they were just awful at designing things. Maybe I should be working for them. "Quiet," I told myself inwardly, "You're better than that." I adjusted my plastic, clip on name tag as I approached the finger printed sliding doors, taking a deep breath, before rolling my eyes and entering for my shift.

"Morning Sunshine!" Marissa greeted me in a slyly sarcastic voice from the Service Desk. "Hey girlie," I greeted back, waggling my eyebrows. Marissa was one of the managers at the store, and while she was a mom in her mid-thirties, she still had plenty of growing up to do. I walked towards the break room, into the pasty white hallway, to clock in. I press "Punch In" and swipe my name badge. The clock lights up, "JENSEN, ELISA M. PUNCH IN TIME: 10:02 AM" flashing my name at me, seeming to shout it, and the fact that I was two minutes late at me. I make my way back towards the front end for the beginning of my shift.

"So like, what even like happened to you, Eliza?" It took everything I had not to roll my eyes into the back of my head. Sabrina had been dying to ask me this, I know because she had been staring at me for the past half hour, opening and closing her mouth without saying anything. "Whaddya mean?" I sighed, waiting for the interrogation. Sabrina Johnson was the biggest gossip at work, between her, Beth, and Kayla, word could get around the store within 10 minutes. I had to choose my words carefully. "You like disappeared from like, school and stuff. Like right after Valentine's Day," she half rolled her eyes, while puckering her lips.

Valentine's Day. My breath fell short. Who the hell does she think she is bringing that up? How is my life any of her business? All she does is gossip to make up for the fact that nothing interesting ever happens in her life. Slow down. She's just asking a question. It's okay. I roll my eyes, "I got pretty sick, and ended up having to finish my classes online," Okay that was a good response, breathe easy. "Oh, okay. I like, heard a rumor that you were avoiding school after your break up and I was like 'Nah no way that's true' cause like there's like no way that you'd just like, stop going to school because your relationship ended," God she was dumb. I wonder what she'd sound like if she wasn't allowed to say like. Easy, she's probably just nervous. I hear the sliding doors open behind me, and Sabrina's focus shifts off me. Finally.

I turn to see what had saved me from a panic attack, and find myself a bit blindsided. I first saw the dark sleek Vans, kept in mint condition of course, to show how much he cared about his style. Then I focused on the light blue distressed jeans, which had never looked so good on a guy before. I noticed the way the uniform fit him, showing off his toned, and fit abdomen, chest and shoulders. But God, his face was pretty. Everything from his sharp, sleek, jawline; to his perfectly straight, and white teeth. His skin, a fair, but tanned tone, and his eyes, a gorgeous earthy tone of deep brown; they were so dark, it felt like you were in the back woods of a forest, alone with the scent of freshly fallen rain, they had a light hint of honey to them, like the sun was cascading down on you, in your own personal bliss. His hair was a blondish brown, like the sand on the beach that sits just in reach of the tide, and his lips stretched into a smile, ever so enticing, I wanted to press mine onto his. Cole.

"Hey Lia," he greeted me, half smiling. I never quite got used to the way he pronounced my name (Ly-ah, rather than Ly-za), nor did I want to. I always seemed to be jittery around him, an energy just buzzed about him that seemed to bring me to life. "Hi Cole," I greeted back shyly. I could definitely find a better job, doing something other than cashiering at a mom and pops shop, grocery store. But where else would Cole, be a bagger? "You're wasting your time," my thoughts chimed in, "He doesn't go for girls like us," " But I mean he could," I argued with myself. I felt a poke in my side, and I scrunched my eyebrows, and turned to see what the fuck just happened. "I would just like to know where I can find the paper towels!" some old lady crowed at me. "They'd be down aisle 10," I state. "She was asking you for those, for like, at least like, 2 minutes," Sabrina chatters. Well you can answer questions too, you do work here.