Wait until the music's over

11. Hedgehogs and candies

"I can't believe I'm already awake" I repeat to myself like a mantra as I get out of my car. It's not even noon yet and I think I left most of my mind on my pillow, in my bed. I miss my bed so much at the moment. By the way, I don't need my mind now, I must be nice, I don't need to think.

As soon as I get there I immediately see Angie. The mini mart is on the other side of the street and through the store window I see her, with that terrible shirt on, as she's washing the glass window from the inside. There are paint writings on the outside, I assume her boss told her to clean it all since she had to do it anyways.
I cross the street without paying too much attention, risking to be run over by an asshole on a motorbike and an old lady, and I get close to the store trying to hide from her. If someone saw me right now they'd think I'm a junkie waiting for the right moment to get in and rob the store. I'm pretty close now, Angie's focused on her work moving the squeegee up and down, she's so focused that she doesn't even notice me when I stand before her in front of the window.
I stare at her smiling, waiting for her to notice me, but she doesn't give a shit about me. This girl definitely takes her job too seriously. I look around and see a bucket near the door. I walk to the bucket and find a sponge, I use it do soak up some soapy water and run back to the window. At that point I start rubbing the writings with the sponge and finally get the attention of my love. I wave her hi, she gives me a bad look at first but then a half smile appears on her face as she gets back to her work. I go on with my work too, from time to time she briefly stops and looks at me, telling me something I obviously can't hear. I suppose she tells me to stop or go away. But I stay.
At some point I completely forget about the writings and just randomly clean the window following her moves, so that I'm always in front of her. Every time she goes left or right I follow her like an idiot. After all, I already mentioned that my brain is still in bed. Angie gets closer to the glass with a cloth, trying to remove a stain that doesn't want to go away. I follow her again. The sponge is almost dry but I keep on pretending to clean, while with the other hand I start caressing her face on the glass. She sees me, rolls her eyes and shakes her head, but goes on with her work. I move my hand on the glass following her features, indulging for a while on her lips, curled up into a smile she unsuccessfully tries to hide. When she least expects it, I virtually kiss her lips through the window. She steps back and stares at me with angry eyes and hands on her hips. But that smile's still there my dear, stop trying to hide it. She gets back to the window and I go on with my virtual touching and kissing thing, she tries to move quickly with the squeegee to avoid me but I keep pace with her. In the meantime, I catch the attention of passers-by, especially a woman and a group of girls, who stop to watch us, giggling and muttering. Angie notices the audience and blushes.

Suddenly Angie turns around, to talk to someone. Her boss. Oh oh, I hope he doesn't freak out at her because of me. I see her face getting more red as she walks out of the store and comes to me.

"Ehm hi Angie" I tell her hiding the sponge behind my back, as if she didn't see me already.
"Hi Jerry" she puts her hand out inviting me to give her the sponge.
I obey to her silent command and she puts it back where it was, next to the bucket. The audience is still there, they must expect some good show.
"Your boss didn't chew you out, did he?" I ask her embarrassed.
"No... he just told me to go out and see what... what 'my boyfriend' wants, so I can get back to work then" she answers resigned and pissed off at the same time.
"That's why you blushed" I remark.
"Yeah... so, what do you want?"
"Well, I just..."
"Oh Jerry, you should stop playing shows half naked! You get cold and then you get sick. You're getting old, you know..." she giggles.
"Uh? What?" I ask since I don't understand a shit. My head's still half asleep.
"You got a sore throat, don't you? Nice scarf by the way..." she says gently pulling one end of the scarf I wore to cover my neck. If she knew what's underneath it she would use it to strangle me.
"Yeah! Actually I got cold, but not on stage. It was after I left you. If you had let me in my precious throat would be ok now, it's all your fault! Susan's gonna kick your ass" I answer ironically.
"My ass? I told you to go home, it's not my fault if you stayed out all night partying till 5 o'clock in the morning" she replies. She sounds a little upset.
When Eddie told me she had called, worried about me... that's when I really felt like shit.
"I didn't party, I scrupulously followed your advice"
"Really? So where have you been?" the audience is watching the scene, alternatively moving their eyes between me and Angie, like in a tennis game.
"Well, you know, I was acting like an asshole yesterday just to hit on you..."
"Oh really?" she asks sarcastically.
"Yeah... anyway, after that I took my car and I was driving back home when at some point I think god punished me"
"What?"
"I started feeling the effects of booze and tiredness together all of a sudden. I was almost home, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. So I thought about you and the last words you had told me"
"And?"
"And I followed your advice: I pulled over and slept in the car" well, not bad for a zombie who left his brain at home.
"What?"
"I slept in the car. The windows were closed, but it was cold tonight" I confirm pressing the scarf on my neck.
"I don't believe you" she says skeptical.
"It's true. Why should I lie to you?"
"Right, why should you? You're not my boyfriend, you don't owe me any explanation" she snaps back, stressing the words my boyfriend.
"Anyway, you can ask Sean. He found me as he left my place"
"Ok ok, I trust you... well, I'm sorry... but it went well after all, it's always better than falling asleep while driving and get hurt..." she comments embarrassed "Oh look what you did to my glass window! Now I have to clean the writings AND your hand prints"
"That's why I wanted to help" I smile at how she dropped the subject.
"Thank you, you've helped enough"
"Are you angry at me?"
"Yes!" she answers provokingly.
"Angrier than yesterday?" I ask her to bring her back to the subject I wanna talk about.
"Yesterday? Why? What happened?"
"Because I acted like an asshole..."
"I should be angry at you since I first met you then" she laughs.
"Ah ah, funny. I was trying to be serious..."
"Uff, ok, go on, I'm listening" she crosses her arms and the audience is hanging on my every word.
"I was an asshole yesterday and probably pushed a little too much... I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me, I... I was only joking" I explain, playing with the ends of my scarf.
"You were joking"
"Sure!"
"So if I had let you inside and asked you to sleep with me you would have yelled 'just kidding!' and left, right?" she asks looking askance at me. A girl from the audience right behind her gives me the same glance.
"Well..."
"So?"
"Ok ok, I wasn't literally kidding, but..."
"Ha!" she interrupts me as the audience was quietly clamoring.
"Ok, you got me, I just dropped the hint to see what would happen, I could be lucky!" I have to confess "But seriously, I'm afraid I seemed too aggressive maybe. I'm not, Angie. I've tried, I admit it, but I'd never insist or push, I swear"
"But I..." I think the sudden change in my voice tone confused her.
"I don't know if I scared you or something, if I did I apologise. That's exactly what I came here for, to ask you to forgive me" I add getting closer to her and brush a lock of her dark hair off her face and behind her ear.
"Uh? Hahaha no, I wasn't scared at all, come on! And I'm not angry" she answers playfully pushing me and my hand away.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, everything's fine, don't worry"
"Well, I'm sorry all the same"
"Ok, I got it, now stop it Jerry!" she snaps as she looks around. Maybe she didn't realise before that the audience was still here.
"Ok"
"I accept your apologies"
"Thank you"
"Actually... I thought YOU were mad at me maybe..." she adds out of the blue, examining her nails.
"Me? Why?" I ask clueless.
"Because... you didn't... we didn't... you know, I wasn't nice to you" she explains while she's now staring at the tip of her shoe.
She's so fucking sweet, and I'm an asshole. At least I told her I'm sorry. Ok, I didn't apologise for telling her lies, banging Monica and not saying anything to that bitch in her defense... but it's the thought that counts!
"What?! Who the hell do you think I am, Angie?" I ask her angrily. It's not an act, I'm really pissed.
"Well, I just..."
"Do you really think I could be upset for that? Do you have such a low opinion of me?" I shout, maybe a little too loud, putting my hand on her shoulder.
"No," she answers shyly "I just have a low opinion of myself" she answers still looking at her hands.
"Well, you're wrong..." I lift her chin with my index finger until she looks at me in the eyes "you're so wrong, Angie"
"The awws of the now bigger audience make her turn around and push me away again, I miss another good opportunity.
"Anyway, to apologise I..."
"I already forgave you Jerry, just cut it off!" she interrupts me always looking around and slightly blushing.
"Let me finish! I was saying that I brought you a little something. I know you'll like it" I say, I dig in my pocket and give her a bag of licorice wheels. She loves them.
"Thank you!" she accepts my present with a big smile. Finally.
"Am I officially forgiven then?"
"God, yes Jerry, you are! Whatever it takes to make you stop" she answers tired of my apologies.