for, liar

Chapter 16

My boss texts me an hour after Maddy leaves to ask me if I knew why the sensors in the store went off last night. I told her I had left my wallet and needed to get it to buy drinks when we went out to the club. Since I was nearby, I figured it wouldn't be a problem. She brushed it off and let me continue on with my day off.

I decided to stop by the grocery store after dad dropped off my car to get some much needed food for our empty cabinets. I casually drove by Maddy's work to see if her car was parked in the lot outside of the building like it usually is. Guilt rushes through me for doubting her again in the first place.

Food Lion is packed with families doing their weekend grocery shopping. I got the worst parking spot possible because I didn't feel like driving around for twenty minutes when I could just walk a little further. I needed the exercise anyway. I have been slacking on physical activity for a bit now. The last few months of school ruined my physical and social life. I have to admit, it's been hard trying to find motivation which is why I've been depending on Maddy to break me out of my shell.

I nearly ran a kid over running down the store aisle away from his mother. Getting older makes me realize how little parents watch their kids in public. It's really embarrassing and I always swear to myself at times like this that I won't have wild animals of my own running around disrupting the public. Thinking about having kids makes me want to crawl in a hole. I'm 22 and a few of my college friends are already engaged, married, or having kids. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm pretty sure me and Maddy are the only ones not in committed relationships at the moment.

"Are you going to decide on a flavor?" A man abruptly says from behind me.

I had not realized I've been staring at the boxes of PopTart's for some time while being sucked away by my own thoughts. I giggle and move my cart out of the way without facing the startler. He takes a step forward and picks up a box of the cherry flavored breakfast pastries.

"Dude, you pick the worst flavor there is?" I ask him and laugh.

He turns his head at me and I realize this isn't a stranger after all.

"Miles?" I blurt.

He was wearing a navy blue jacket and black sneakers. His hair was combed and his nose was bruised pretty badly. I feel like shit for never texting him but I didn't really know what to say. We weren't friends or anything so I didn't know if he wanted me to check up on him.

"I would've said hi or something but I didn't know if you remembered me or not." He says and shoves the box in his basket.

"It was like two days ago. Of course I remember you."

Man, he must think I'm a horrible person. Or I'm just a lousy communicator because I did technically save his life, so I can't be too bad.

"I just wasn't sure. You never texted." He says grimly.

Was he actually disappointed? It would have been weird but maybe I should've checked up on him.

"I didn't know what to say. I don't really know you." I admit and toss a box of granola bars into the shopping cart.

I move the wheels down the aisle more thinking Miles would leave, but instead he steps toward me to continue this excruciating conversation.

"You pepper sprayed a random punk in a dark alley for me but you won't text me after I flirted with you? Ouch."

I let go of the handle and whip around to face him. "What the hell are you talking about? You weren't flirting with me."

"The airdrop with my phone number...? I don't just send random pictures of my number to just anyone." He defends.

I squint my eyes and poke my bottom lip out. "There's more to flirting than vague messages with your number on them."

"We can resort to other kinds of photos then. Whatever you're into." He bursts into laughter at the widening of my eyes.

I roll them when I realize he wasn't being serious and turn back around to leave.

Miles takes a big step to stand next to me and follows me further down. "I'm kidding! But seriously, I'd like to get to know you better."

Miles seems sweet and he's incredibly attractive, I just don't think I need to be focused on boys right now.

Actually, there isn't much else to do. All I do is work now that school is over. Maybe spending my free time elsewhere wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"Know me better how?" I ask.

One thing I've learned about guys is that when having them pursue you, let them answer questions instead of doing all the talking. If they're really interested, they'll be clever about what they're going to say.

"The usual way, like dinner or a stroll in the city."

"So you mean a date? With someone you haven't talked to for more than twenty minutes?"

He shakes his head and runs his free hand over his hair. It looks super soft that I almost get the urge to reach over and touch it myself.

"We talked for a good minute at the coffee shop and after I almost got robbed. I've seen all I need to know that I'm interested."

This guy was way more forward than I had expected. It's not that I have many reasons to be uninterested, I was just trying to stay by myself for awhile while I figured stuff out. The way he's staring at me makes me want to change my entire life plan.

"That's nice, and-...I'm really flattered. There's just a lot going on right now. I just don't think I'd make the best company."

He grins and giggles. Chills run down my spine by the sound of him.

What is happening to me?

"I'm willing to try if you are. You are drop dead gorgeous and I have a feeling this could be good if we give it a chance."

At this point he's got me hopeful that there could be something here. I just need to not fuck it up this time.

"You have my number. You should call me." He says and gives me a subtle smile with a wink.

He leaves me here alone, forcing me to ponder if I'm supposed to be the one who makes a move.

Revised;