Thankful for You

She Had It All Figured Out

“Good afternoon, Ivy.” Joe nodded at the small girl with her nose in a book. “I see you’ve already settled into the daily routine.” He chuckled as she looked up with a bright grin on her lips.

“Hey Joe,” Ivory greeted her boss with cheer. She loved her job and her boss.

“We’ve got a new member joining the team today, Ivy. I want you to be nice.” He warned while she rolled her eyes. One thing about Ivory that everybody knew, was she wasalways nice. “He’s my nephew and should be here in ten minutes. I’m going to need you to show him around, ‘kay?”

“Aw, why do we have to have another stinky boy around here?” Ivory whined, even though she didn’t really mind. She spent a lot of time in the bookstore, another person around wouldn’t be such a hassle.

“Because my sister thinks he spends too much time hanging around with goofballs.” Joe shrugged then patted Ivory’s head as he passed her to go back to his office. “If he gives you any trouble, just yell for me, ‘kay kiddo?”

“I’m sure I’ll be yelling in minutes.” She giggled and watched as Joe shook his head.

“I’m sure, too.” Joe chuckled and then turned back to her as he stood in the entrance to his office. “He’s a big handful, so be careful.”

“I promise.” Ivory smiled and let her attention fall back to the book in her lap. She was wrapping herself into the plot and characters as the minutes went by. Then the front bell rang. She jumped at the sudden noise and then tried to calm her nerves as she raised her eyes.

There was the boy.

He looked lost, or at least, his expression looked like he was lost. His hair was dyed black with a bright blonde streak in it at the front. His eyes were a warm, dark brown and he had a goofy smile that never left his face as he walked to the counter.

“Uncle Joey!” He yelled as he leaned over the counter. His voice sounded like he had a joke itching to roll off his tongue.

Ivory quietly closed her book, making sure to mark her place, and then tip toed over toward the boy. It took all the courage she had to gently tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around and opened his mouth. She giggled as he apparently thought she was someone else and watched as he dropped his head to look down at her. There was a whole head’s difference between their heights.

“You are definitely not Uncle Joey,” he chuckled nervously and then leaned back on the counter.

“I’m Ivory,” She smiled and extended her hand. Ivory briefly wondered where her sudden confidence came from, but then she realized it was the ease that the boy radiated that was relaxing her. Usually she was timid and shy, but there was something about this boy that made her feel comfortable. “Everybody calls me Ivy, like poison ivy.”

“Pretty name,” the boy grinned and took her hand in his. Ivory took in the warmth of his callused fingers as she stared at him. “I’m Jack.”

“J names must be a thing in your family then, huh?” Ivory was surprised by how easy the small talk slipped from her lips.

“Only for the lucky men in the family,” Jack spoke with such sarcasm, Ivory couldn’t help but grin. She’d never met another person who was as sarcastic as she was. “So, do you work here?” He asked curiously and hopped up on the counter.

“Yes,” was the simple answer she gave. Ivory bit her bottom lip as the shyness started to creep back into her. Nothing could push it away for too long, even if this boy gave off such a strange, laidback atmosphere that made her feel relaxed.

“You look familiar; do you go to the high school?” He was trying to pick out where he’d seen her before. There was something familiar about her short, dark brown hair and perfectly pink, pouty lips.

“Yep,” she nodded as she went back to her spot on the soft couch, picking her book back up and settling it on her lap once again. “Joe wanted me to show you around, but you’ll have to wait till a customer comes in to learn how to work the cash register.”

“How often do people come in here?” His eyes ventured to the front window where he watched an elderly couple walk past.

“Maybe three customers a day,” she admitted sheepishly as she opened her book and looked back up at the boy staring out the window. “Do you want me to show you the different book sections?”

“Eh, I think I’ll live without knowing.” He wasn’t so enthusiastic about this job. He was only here to make his mother happy and to get on her good side. He didn’t particularly want to work in the bookstore, but he figured it’d be easiest since his uncle owned the place. “How long is your lunch?”

“I usually don’t take one.” Ivory answered without looking up from her book. In all honesty, she wasn’t actually reading. She just needed some kind of distraction so she didn’t end up staring at the new boy.

“Are you bulimic?” Jack asked, a little frightened as he took in the girls small figure again. That would certainly explain why she looked so tiny.

Ivory snorted. “Bulimic is when you eat and then throw up. Anorexia is where you don’t eat. I am neither. I just don’t normally get hungry during my shift.” She shrugged, paying no attention to the boy who was now staring at her. “But if I do get hungry, Joe lets me call and get a pizza for the two of us.”

“Sweet,” was the only polite thing he could think to say. The main word that was echoing in his thoughts as he made a little more small talk with her was strange.

♠ ♠ ♠

this is for Acey : ) because she commented and I love her. now go comment more whores!
xooxDee