"You gonna work through the exam period?" Kaden was leaning back with his elbows on the counter, eyes lazily perusing the girl. She remained oblivious. Tayme's own eyes involuntarily flicked in her direction before he shook his head.
"No. First exam on Tuesday so last shift on Sunday. Back in three weeks after the exams. What about you?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna work though. There's enough gaps between each one so I got lots of time." He shrugged and Tayme rolled his eyes. Kaden got top grades for every class with minimal effort. He'd probably sail through each paper without studying a word. Tayme wanted to punch him on the nose right then. The sudden urge had nothing at all to do with the way Kaden was fixated on the girl. No, not a bit.
He glanced at her again and felt a wave of depression head purposefully his way . He would come back in three weeks time to find her as Kaden's new girlfriend no doubt. What Kaden wanted, Kaden got. Although why this should even bother him he wasn't sure. He gave himself a mental kick and went off to clean a table that had just been vacated. He kept his eyes resolutely ahead as he walked past that booth.
That resolution lasted only till he made the journey back from the now clean table. His eyes had ideas of their own and landed happily on her profile soon as he turned around. She hadn't moved an inch from when he had approached her earlier to ask if she wanted anything else. She seemed so calm and serene, he felt envious almost. The exam stress had him so strung out he sometimes felt he'd bounce off the wall and out the window any second. He hastily straightened his shoulders at the not so manly thought and looked around surreptitiously, as if someone had heard him. When he realised what he'd done, he had the sudden urge to laugh. Yup the exam stress was definitely getting to him.
Kaden had been eyeing the girl for the past ten minutes straight and in all that time she hadn't looked at him once. He was stumped. He tried to remember the last time he had been so completely ignored by a girl, and couldn't. He had never been ignored by a female for as long as he could remember. He glared in her direction while mentally patting his bruised ego consolingly. She was probably a lesbian. Or short sighted. Yes short sighted, that was it. He should give her a chance to see him up close, he decided. Picking up a pen and notebook he made his way over.
"Hi." He flashed his most brilliant smile. No response.
"Hi!" He repeated a bit more loudly. Still no response. Oh no, she was hard of hearing as well. Kaden's heart dived with acute disappointment. He felt genuinely bad that a pretty girl like her had been short changed in such a way. He couldn't imagine not being able to see or hear too well. His shoulders drooped. He reached over and tapped her on the arm. She jerked around instantly, eyes flashing up and meeting his head on. He froze.
They were clear and bright, full of something he couldn't quite put his finger on. She looked at him straight, no hesitation or sign of any visual impairments. He grinned with sudden elation when he spotted the headphones her hair had been covering. She wasn't hard of hearing! Or short sighted! And she was even prettier close up!
She was looking at him questioningly, one earphone in hand, and he realised he was standing there just grinning. He hastily turned the wattage down of his grin and forced it in to the semblance of a polite smile.
"Would you like anything else?"
"Didn't you just ask me that five minutes ago?" She looked at him strangely. His brow furrowed with confusion.
"No, I just approached you now."
"Oh." She glanced past him to the counter then back. "No, I'm OK. There is still tea left in the pot. I will ask for more if I need it." She smiled politely and turned away, sliding the earphone back in place. He stood stunned for a few seconds; she seemed oblivious to his presence.
What the hell? OK, she was a lesbian.
