After Hours (boyxboy) | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sunday morning was what I’d been dreading since Friday night. I felt like I’d spent the last week crying. But it’d been only two days since Brendon and I broke up. Broke up… that felt weird to say.

I dragged my feet across the pavement, glancing around nervously. The security guard nodded to me and we exchanged our regular greetings. Then I continued on. I felt like everyone was watching me. In reality, they were all focused on whatever they were doing. But I walked with my head down, avoiding every person that crossed my path.

“Hey kiddo!” Pam waved at me as I walked through the gate. I was sure she could see the panic on my face.

“Morning, Pam.”

I continued walking, exchanging pleasantries with my boss. Pam looked pretty normal today. Normal for other people, I mean. For her, she looked great. Her hands were placed on her hips and she stood up straighter than I'd ever seen. There were no cigarettes in sight.

“I’m sure you know Brendon — uh, resigned, right?” she said. I would say I was surprised, but that would be a lie. Brendon had a thing for avoiding his problems. At least this made things a lot more simple.

I quickly brought my attention back to the subject at hand. “Well I do now.”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“We — uh…” I stuttered. She nodded in understanding.

“Gotcha. Now I know why he quit, I guess,” she said. I felt my eyebrows scrunch lower at the remark. She cleared her throat. “Well okay then. Your new coworker will be in soon. Keep in mind that I am her aunt, so she tells me everything.”

I smiled innocently. “Alright.” Pam nodded and walked to her office. 

I walked into the shack, trying not to look at the vacant seat next to me. The room felt a little colder without him. But I was sure I’d get over it soon. I trained my eyes on the poster above the couch. It was about pool safety.

A voice behind me turned my head. “Uh, morning,” Donny smiled down at me. I squinted at him.

“Good morning.” I was wary of his intentions. He was Brendon's best friend. But his smile was oddly disarming.

“Look, I’m s—”

“Morning, babes!” Laura yelled as she charged through the door. I sighed and greeted her. Donny did the same. She was all smiles. Donny seemed to know what happened with me and Brendon. I wondered how long it would take for the news to spread to Claire.

“Where’s Brendon?” Laura asked. I felt myself frown at the question.

“He quit,” Donny said. 

“Why?”

He coughed. “Personal reasons.”

This was met with a gasp. Her hands clapped over her mouth. “Did y’all break up?—”

Before I could yell at her, we heard the door open. Our new coworker stood in the doorway. She beamed at us. I could see the resemblance between her and Pam. Her hair was the same reddish-orange as our boss, and her teeth were neat and wide. In her left hand, she held a plastic cup full of some kind of smoothie — or something.

“Strawberry smoothie.” She answered my silent question. “I’m Bell, by the way!” She walked into the room, greeting each of us before sitting down on the couch. Dust flew up, as usual, but she just brushed it off and sipped her smoothie.

“You’re Pam’s niece, right?” I asked.

“Yup!” she nodded.

“How old are you?” Laura asked. Her legs swung back and forth. My own bounced under the counter. At least she didn’t have the audacity to take Brendon’s seat.