Change | E.D

Seven

Charlotte

I sing along to my music as I climb out of my shower Saturday morning, getting ready for my only full day of work all week. Saturday's are my absolute favorite because I'm at work from eight until five and then I head on home where my parents never are. Saturday is my dad's bar night and my mom, as always, has to work late.  

Sure, it may be a little lonely since I don't really talk to anyone all day, but at least I don't have to deal with teachers like Mr. Holland and irritating girls like Alexis' best friend Abigail who yesterday, forced me to vacate my spot in the cafeteria because she needed to have a spot for her boy of the week.

It took every ounce of me not to scream at her and demand why the hell I should move, but the principal had been right there and there was no way in hell I was getting another week long detention spree.   

And besides, Ethan had been standing right behind Alexis the whole time, which made me feel just the slightest bit unnerved. So, like the spineless little jelly fish that I am, I grabbed my tray of food and moved to the table behind it.

Ethan had shot me an apologetic look afterwards, but I had just rolled my eyes in return. He can't apologise for something that he was never willing to stop in the first place.  

Yesterday's episode has made me anxious about today just a bit because I know that Ethan is going to try and apologise for it and I really don't want to have to talk to him again. I just want to ignore that he even exists today.

Saturday's are my day and I just can't have him ruin them for me. I grab my towel from the hook by the shower and then slip it around my body. After towel drying my hair just a bit, I slip on some shorts and a semi-decent tshirt, knowing that I can't exactly go to work looking like I'm heading for the beach.  

I eat breakfast and apply what little make up I actually do wear. I realise that I have about ten minutes to get to work, I grab my bag from by bedroom and then head on out of the front door.

I listen to music as I walk which makes the time go by so much faster and so much more peacefully.By the time I reach the book store I have to admit that I'm in a pretty decent mood. It's surprising too, when I see Ethan emerge from the stack of books and I don't want to wring his neck. Hm. Strange.  

"Morning." He says with a friendly smile.

"Hey," I say in response, before grabbing my bag from off of my shoulder and then placing it behind the cash register.

I open the register and start to count the money like I do every Saturday morning, but am stopped when I hear Ethan say, "You don't have to do that, I already did."  

Feeling as if some bit of my territory has been stepped on, I flinch away from the register and then look up. Ethan has moved closer towards the front counter so I'm a bit shocked at how close he is to me. I can even smell his cologne from where I'm standing. It smells really good, by the way.

Feeling some of my good mood draining, I ask him, "What time did you get here? You do know that the store doesn't even open for another thirty minutes, right?"

He nods, "Annie wanted me to fix the sink in the bathroom and it didn't take as long as I thought it would."  

"Our own Handy Manny, awesome," I say sarcastically, dropping my eyes away from his face. I hate how good he looks this morning, how his dark hair seems to have grown just a bit since yesterday and how his hazel eyes seem to brighter than normal.  

"Hey," He says, his voice tinged with irritation, "This is my job too now. I was just trying to help."  

"Well stop," I snap at him, pushing the cash drawer back into the register maybe just a tad bit more forcefully than necessary. "Your help isn't needed."