on the house
I woke up to the relief of a cramps-free Saturday, but not a headache free one. My alarm blared after the third snooze, yanking me from a pretty sweet dream about a handsome stranger. I didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about the previous night before I realized that I had to be at work in 20 minutes. After rushing to get ready, I grabbed my purse and booked it out the door and down the street to work. The familiar door jingle gave me a sense of deja vu.
“Whats up, whore,” Wyatt greeted me, with love.
“Hello slut,” I replied, walking to the back of the store where the workers kept their belongings. After hanging my purse and jacket, I strolled back out to the front desk where Wyatt scrolled through something on his phone.
“Kevin’s gonna have you stocking shelves today. There’s a new shipment in the back,” he told me without looking up from his phone. Annoyed by his attitude, I grabbed the phone from his hand to see what was so important. I was shocked to see the instagram profile of a recognizable face.
“Is this…”
“It is! The guy from last night! Or should I say, Tom Holland, the famous, gorgeous Spider-Man. Can you believe it?”
I was still in shock. This man has my phone number? In the same phone that he probably has tons of other famous people’s phone numbers? It had to be the wrong guy. I clicked on one of his posts and watched a video of him in a commercial. It’s definitely the guy.
It was at that moment when the bell above the door dinged once again, and I felt Wyatt stiffen beside me. This caused me to look up again, making eye contact with the same man whose profile was still playing a video on Wyatt’s phone. I scrambled to exit the app before tossing his phone back to him and speed walking to the back of the store where the boxes were. I needed to take a second to breathe before returning to work.
My mind was running wild. I can’t go back out there! He definitely heard me watching that video, and even if he didn’t, I can’t face him after basically running away from him!
“No, no, you’re just overthinking things,” I said to myself. After gathering some courage, I grabbed the boxes of tampons (ironic) that needed to be stocked and I headed towards aisle 8.
Cautiously, but trying to act casual, I peeked through the shelves I was stocking to try and get a peek at Tom, but it looked like he went somewhere else. I huffed and took a few steps back, colliding into a customer.
“Oh! I’m so sor- oh hi!” My heart dropped at the sight of him. Tom.
“Oh, hello! You’re Caroline, right? From last night?” He asked. Damn he was fine.
“Yeah, Tom, right?” He nodded. “Is there anything you need help with?” I asked him. I was dying on the inside. Acting nonchalant has never been so hard.
“Yes, actually. Do you know where I can find a small bag of crisps?” he asked with a smile.
I waved at him to follow me to aisle 3, where the shelves were stocked high with all junk food imaginable. I did a dramatic gesture with a bow, right next to the potato chips. He smiled and grabbed a bag. He looked like he wanted to say something.
“Is there… anything else I can help you with?” I asked him, encouraging him to say more.
“Uh, well, I also wanted to tell you that, well you probably already know this so I sound stupid, but your friend over there gave me your number but I felt uncomfortable using it.” My heart dropped at that. He definitely did not feel the same way about me.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, I didn’t feel comfortable texting you if you didn’t want me to, I mean it wasn’t you who gave me the number and I didn’t wanna seem creepy or like I was harassing you or somethi-” I cut him off.
“Use it any time you want! Seriously, if you need some emergency beef jerky or… any other reasons, I mean, feel free,” I said, really embarrassed about how much I was rambling. I did find comfort in the fact that he seemed to ramble a bit too.
He laughed at my response. “I might just take you up on that offer. Both of them.” He looked at his feet. I did the same.
“Hey, the chips are on the house,” I told him with a smile. He began to protest but I interrupted him. “I won’t take no for an answer! You saved me yesterday, I’m just returning the favor.”
“Wow, thanks! You didn’t have to…” he trailed off, smiling at the bag.
“Don’t mention it.”
I walked Tom to the exit, briefly making eye contact with Wyatt, while making small talk and cracking a few jokes. I was surprised at how easy it was to talk to him, especially considering the slightly awkward begin to our… relationship? I guess friendship is a better word.
“What time do you get off work?” he asked, a hint of hopefulness in his voice, brows raised.
“Uh, at threeish, why?” Please ask me out, please ask me out.
“Maybe I could pick you up after, we could get a bite to eat or drink? It can be your choice, I know you probably have cravings or something.” He paused for a second, making a weird face before continuing. “That was a stupid thing to say, I’m sorry.” He looked down.
“Ha, well you’re not wrong. Come back around three, there's a Starbucks down the street.” I didn’t want him to feel embarrassed or shy, although it was nice to know that the feeling was mutual.
“Okay sounds great! See you at three.”
I watched him leave the store, arms swinging and a pep in his step. I stared for a minute longer before being shaken from my daze by Wyatt.
“Are you kidding me right now? What was he like?” He asked, eyebrows raised.
I just shook my head with a smile. “He seemed pretty cool, actually. Not stuck up or anything. Maybe even a little shy?”
“That's because you make him hot!” he yelled, startling the old lady he had been ringing up.
“Shut up. He was probably just scared I would have a mood swing or bleed all over him or something.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, you’re hanging out with some famous dude, that's pretty cool!” He finished bagging the old ladys items and gave her a polite nod.
“I guess so,” I replied, walking back to the aisle I was stocking.
Thank God for late night cramps.