(Sur)realism • Calum Hood

t h r e e

My own shift ended on very well terms, but I still had Kate's to work after lunch. I took my twenty minute lunch break to go into one of the Staff-Only rooms and take my current painting out of my bag and begin working on it.
It was a self portrait, but I used inverted colors to keep things interesting.
Each brushstroke seemed to take away a piece of my stress. Painting was something I truly loved, and it made every problem I had disappear.
I lifted my brush off the paper for a brief moment and felt breath on my neck. I whipped my head around to find Jared nearly straddling me.
"What the fuck?" I asked, pushing him away from me.
"Now, no need to be feisty, Victoria."
He gave me a disgusting smirk.
I turned my paintbrush around so the sharper end was pointing towards his neck. "I-I'll report you." I said in a soft and scared voice, holding my brush on his neck.
"Don't be like that," he said, taking a step away from me.
I gathered my paint supplies and scowled in his direction.
"Don't tell me what to do."
"I am your manager!" He screeched in a thin voice.
I trembled and clenched my eyes shut. I liked H&M, I did not like Jared.
"My lunch break is over," I said softly and scurried out of the break room.

* * *

Reclaiming my place at the register, Kate's afternoon shift went by more quickly than expected. It was busy, since most of the local students were out at this time.
About two hours into the work shift, a group of about five loud, rowdy boys made their way into the store. It took them all of ten minutes for one to climb through the mild mass to me.
"Hey," he said. He was tan, very tall, and I'm not going to lie, had some of the best hair I had ever seen.
"Can I help you?" I leaned across the table, my tone coming out sounding more sarcastic than planned.
"Yeah, um what size do you recommend I get in..." He looked around and snatched a pair of jeans of the rack. "...these?"
"I really don't know," I said, taking them from him and raising my eyebrows. "Considering they are women's."
His face went red with blush and I laughed.
"Really though," I said, setting the jeans over to a pile of clothes to rehang. "What can I do for you?"
"You can tell me your name," he smiled.
"You know, I have a name tag for a reason, but it's Victoria."
He laughed. "I'm Calum."
"Nice to meet you, Calum. Now, did you come here to buy some clothes or are you just going to flirt with me?"
"Either or." He shrugged.
I ended up giving my place at register to another one of my coworkers and going to pretend to restock clothes as an excuse to talk to this very alluring boy.
In a summarization of our nearly hour long conversation, we talked about school, drugs, career choices, and relationship statuses. I learned that Calum was a drop out, was in an aspiring band and was single. He now knew I smoked marijuana, was in my first year of college and disliked my job.
The only thing I didn't discuss was my artwork.
His friends left him in the store, and he told them he'd catch up with them later. I was honestly flattered.
Caught in the middle of a whole hearted laugh, I felt an arm drape around my shoulder. I don't know why I was surprised when I looked up and saw Jared's smug face.
"So," he said, knowingly interrupting Calum. "Tell me about that eighty dollar tip you've got." He said, smacking his gum irritatingly loud in my ear.
Calum looked at him and then at me with a confused expression.
I winced, trying to let him know that I did not care for Jared in the slightest.
"Yep, I got one. Word gets around here, doesn't it?" I gave a nervous laugh.
"You're gonna use that to take me out to dinner tonight, right Tori?" I cringed at the unwelcome nickname and self-important assumption that I would use my tip on him.
Just as I was about to say something, I heard Calum speak up.
"Actually, she's using it for our - our date. I'm her boyfriend, nice to meet you." He reached out his hand for Calum to shake.
I was completely and utterly shocked. Thankful, but shocked.
Jared took his arm off my shoulder and looked at Calum, stifling a laugh.
Shaking Calum's hand, Jared looked at me with a slightly angry look.
"Victoria, why don't you just take the rest of the week off?"
"Um, why?" I asked, confused.
"We can discuss that in your resignation paperwork." He turned to fully face me, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.
"What the hell? You can't do that!"
"Oh, yes I can. Run along now, we've got plenty of people to cover for you and Kate."
Calum reached for my wrist and I let him take it. "Come on, Victoria. You don't want anything to do with him."
Jared scowled as Calum hurried me out of the store.
"Dear God, Victoria." He dropped my wrist, respecting the fact that we had just met and that was an act. "What kind of place did you work in?"
"I kind of liked it there actually, everyone was kind, except Jared."
"Jared sounds incredibly dickheaded." Calum said, rushing out the doors of the mall.
"He is," I stopped Calum. "And thank you, for that."
"It wasn't a big deal." He shrugged.
"It was to me." I answered bleakly. "But um, how's about that eighty dollar dinner? It's the least I should do to thank you."
Calum gave me a warm smile. "I would love to."