Too Much

[ Jasey Rae ]

I tiptoed into work, giving a large exhale as I noticed Damon wasn’t working today. I’d spent all of Sunday cooped up in my apartment, hiding from both Damon and Gaskarth. Both boys called me several times, setting my nerves on fire. Today, however, there were no missed calls on my cell when I woke up and no Damon to work my shift with. I was drama free for another day.

“Morning Jasey,” Carlie, another co-worker of mine, greeted from behind the counter. “How was your weekend?” She smirked as if she already knew.

“I suspect Damon told you?” I speculated as I quickly threw my bag under the counter and grabbed an apron from the hook.

“I worked with him yesterday and he just couldn’t stop smiling while he mentioned your name every five minutes.” Carlie giggled as she took a sip from her own disposable coffee cup. I knew her better than to think she was actually drinking coffee. Though Carlie worked in a Starbucks, she couldn’t stand coffee. Instead she drank tea.

“Oh dear,” I muttered as the front door jingled, signaling there was a customer. I had my back toward the door while Carlie went to attend to the customer and I pondered. I was still hopelessly hoping that Damon would return to our strange friendship by tomorrow when I would be forced to work with him.

“Jasey!” Carlie yelled, snapping me out of my delirium. I turned toward her, eager for a distraction from my thoughts only to find Gaskarth standing in front of the counter, waving. “Says he’s a regular of yours and won’t be served by anybody else.” Carlie raised her hands in defense as she traded spots with me.

“What can I get you?” I glared at him, trying to make him uncomfortable enough to leave.

“Regular coffee with three creams and two sugars,” He smiled and leaned on the counter. I nodded curtly and went about making his coffee. The sooner I got his coffee done, the sooner he’d be gone and I’d be able to get back to work.

“Here you are,” I handed the cup over, flinching as my fingers touched the tips of his. “Your total is $3.75.” I hit the few buttons on the register and raised my sight to see him staring at me with an odd smile. Not odd, but old. The old, sincere, sweet smile he used to give me back in high school. It was unsettling.

“What time do you get off?” He slid across a five dollar bill while keeping his eyes on me. I refused to answer him while I put the bill in the register and handed him his change. “Not talking, eh? That’s alright. I’ve got all day to wait.” I watched him wink as he put all of his change into the tips jar that sat on the counter.

I sighed with relief as he walked away, but then groaned as he took a seat at a booth in the far corner. He pulled out his phone and sipped his coffee. I tried to keep busy, doing all of my work and most of Carlie’s, so I wouldn’t watch him. Every here and there my eyes would stray to him. A few times I found him staring at me, but mostly he busied himself with his phone or a book that seemed to appear from nowhere.

Every other hour he’d come back up to the counter, asking for another coffee or a muffin, or something. Each time he would try to conversate and I’d shoot him down with silence. But he never reacted much, just smiled and went back to his booth. It was starting to stress me out the closer I got to the end of my shift.