Just Hate Me and We'll End It Here

Alex

Work should be over soon, thank goodness. I check the time. Five more minutes. Good, good. I’ll grab a drink and start walking back. Maybe it’s time I got a car? Nah… I could always use the exercise, and it’s too much money to bother with.

“Hellooooo, beautiful!”

…

Please, kill me now.

As if it might help me out, I hurriedly duck down and sit on the floor behind the register, pretending to be busy, not listening… and most importantly, not even here.

What do I do, what do I do?!My hands tighten in frantic fists, thinking of something, anything to escape. Maybe he didn’t really see me. Maybe I was just imagining him. Yeah… some people’s voices sound the same, that’s possible. Right?

“Bails.”

Yeah, yeah. That’s possible. Right. I mean, hello, there’s what, 6 million people in the world? Of course some people are going to have the same type of voice all that crap. Just some weirdo who was just, you know… being weird.

“Bails.”

Still, I just disappeared. I fiddle with a book somebody changed their mind about. Yeah, just pretend I was reading that. Like, I dropped it or something. So when they come to the cash register, nothing happened, you know? Gosh, I’m getting so paranoid, it’s so stupid.

“Bailey?”

I jump back, feeling a tap on my head. Unfortunately, I’m trapped in the cubicle thing and hit my head. “Ow…” I rub my head, frowning, and stand up. “Oh. Hm. Its you,” I act like I hadn’t seen him before and shift my feet. “Uh… are you buying something?”

“How about your heart?” He grins eagerly, leaning forward on the counter.

I back up, as far as I can. “Nope. That would be um… pretty much out of service,” I figure. “Yeah. Never coming back, sorry. You can leave now.”

“Awwww, how about maybe-”

“Nope, sorry, don’t have it. Okay. Bye. Leave.” I look at him through narrowed his eyes.

He opens his mouth and closes it. Then he speaks. “You know, that apron sure looks good on you.”

I glare at him. “You do know that by working here, I am allowed to throw unruly people out?”

“Aw, but you love me,” he pouts.

I mock his pout. “Only in your dreams.”

“Then lets go to Disneyland!” He grins. “Dreams come true there, eh?”

He belongs in a nuthouse, that’s all I can say.

“Hey, Bay!”

“What, Max?” I sigh, turning to look where he’s organizing some books.

“Time’s up, your free to go.”

Alex’s face brightens and I inwardly groan. Max, you really couldn’t have said that after he leaves or something? “Are you sure?” I offer quickly. “I mean, I could stay, do another shift and all, really. I- I could use the extra money, and uh…”

“Thanks, Max!” Alex chirps and turns to me. “Ooooh, do I get to take you home in the apron?” He wiggles his eyebrows.

I glare and refusing to answer, I turn to the back to take off the apron, log out, and grab my cell phone and wallet. When I walk back out, Alex is still there, waiting for me. I hesitate, seeing him there, but I sigh when I realize that there’s probably no escaping him.

Walking out of the shop, I easily spot his car and rolling my eyes, I head over and stand next to the passenger door impatiently. Alex is far behind, the loser. Crossing my arms since it’s colder than I expected, I shift feet, bored.

“Here you go,” he chirps, unlocking and opening the door for me, waiting for me to slide in.

… He opened the car door for me? This Alex gets odder by the moment. Grumbling to myself, I reluctantly climb in and he shuts the door for me. Still, I refuse to look his way or anything as he gets in, too.

“You like Blink?” Alex asks casually.

Pausing, I contemplate on what to say. Admit to my favorite artist, or what? Finally, I shrug. “Yeah, they’re not that bad.” I bite my tongue. Duh. They’re sooo much better. They’re brilliant.

He nods. “Cool.” And he slips in their latest CD.

It’s all I can do to stop singing along. Except then he starts singing along- at first, humming, then mouthing. Whispering and eventually, he’s just singing along. And I have to admit… his voice isn’t that bad. “Come on,” he tells me after a while. “You gotta know this song! Sing along!”

Seriously, I don’t know how it happens, but I do end up singing along- minutes later, we’re belting them out at the topic of our lungs… and it’s fun. He even takes the long way around so we can sing along to more songs.

Finally we pull up to my apartment, both a little flushed from all the singing. He turns the car off and we’re sit there for a minute, now enjoying the silence.

It gives me the time to realize… what just happened. I frown, looking down at my hands that carry my jacket. The car ride… It seems like forever since I’d sung out loud or anything. Especially around others. Then, around Alex? My heart seems to beat unsteadily, and I just…

I guess, I hate that I like it.