The Walking Dead Imagines

Fuckin' Scumbag

I sighed as I looked at the clock's second hand slowly tick around the numbers. There were still a few more hours left on my shift before I could close up the gas station. It wasn't the worst job in the world, but these closing shifts were mostly dead. There was only so much I could read of the book I brought with me before I got antsy to go home.

Almost as if on queue, the door alarm rang out to let me know a new customer had arrived. I felt a smile pull up on my lips when I saw just who had stepped out from behind the chip rack by the door so I could get a better look at him.

Merle Dixon had his signature playful smirk plastered on his face when he saw me. He was still in his work clothes with the sleeves rolled up, dirty from mechanic work. He was a regular customer, and I saw him almost every day, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy his company. When he stopped by he'd usually stay and talk for a little bit, and I'd gotten to know him pretty well.

Even though he had a reputation around town as being the resident bad boy that caused trouble and bar fights wherever he went, he was always friendly and respectful of me. There was a bit of shameless flirting from his end, but I never minded. I thought he was pretty cute actually, though I'd never tell him otherwise because I was too shy and he was much older than me.

"Yer boss got ya closin' again, sugar?" he called out as he wandered towards the back of the store, looking for something to snack on.

"It's not that bad. Just boring is all," I said with a shrug.

"Don't ya worry darlin', I'll keep ya company fer a bit. Gotta tell ya what that dumbass coworker of mine did today," Merle said.

I smiled. Merle always liked to vent to me about that sort of thing, and he liked hearing me vent about the rude and nasty customers that walked through the door on a daily basis. It helped having someone to complain to, and the two of us managed just fine.

The bell rang again, and I straightened up and greeted the man that walked in.

"Hello again," the man said with a smile. Oh right, I remembered him. He had come in earlier to get gas or something. He came up to the counter and asked, "USA gold lights please?"

I nodded, retrieving the cigarettes with a smile, and plugged his date of birth into the register when he presented his ID. When he swiped his card into the system, he didn't go to type his method of payment in the reader, but instead kept smiling at me. I felt my smile falter slightly, feeling somewhat awkward and unsure of what I should do without seeming rude.

I smiled back, trying to be friendly and pointed him back to the card reader, telling him what he needed to do. He went through that fine enough. But even after his card had gone through and I told him to have a nice day, he still lingered in the spot and smiled at me.

I was trying to look everywhere but directly at his eyes at this point, feeling nervous that this guy just wasn't getting the hint for some reason. He was free to go, what was he still doing here? I was thankful Merle was somewhere in the back of the store; I knew he wouldn't hesitate to step in if the guy suddenly pulled out a gun or something.

"Hey, I know this sounds kind of crazy," the guy started. I immediately felt myself tense up, knowing I was going to get that inevitable, stupid fucking question that happened every once in a blue moon. "But I was wondering if we could hang out sometime?"

Even though it was easy to say no, easy to find a polite way to tell this ass to take a hike, I still found myself frozen in my spot. I hated this feeling, like I was cornered into staying here and being subjected to this dude who didn't know me and felt like I should go out with him because I was friendly to him. People are supposed to be friendly with each other, it doesn't mean I want anything more, especially when I'm at work and have no out to leave this uncomfortable situation like I could if I was anywhere else.