Last Time Around

Tonight, I was at work and my shift was almost done. Nick was in, as usual, and had picked out a really cute pair of sunglasses for me to wear. Liking them on me so much, he bought it for me. Even though I insisted he didn't, he bought them, took the little Wet Seal bag, and strolled out to buy himself a water while he waited for my shift to be over.

Five minutes after he left, Kaleigh came to take over her shift. But just as I was clocking out, our boss Ross, asked to talk to both of us. Ross wasn't really the nicest guy. I never saw him, unless we were getting paid. He didn't like the way the Kaleigh and I ran things because we liked music playing while we worked and mingling with the customers while he liked everything straight and in order.

"Good evening ladies." Ross interrupted my thought.
"What's up Ross?" Kaleigh asked. She wasn't as perky as she usually was.
"Well, I have been here the past few nights just to check in on things and I have noticed that you both have been conversing with people that probably aren't even customers." Ross said sternly.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but it's been dead these past few weeks. No one has been coming in." Kaleigh began.
"But that doesn't give you any reason to lounge around and talk to all your buddies that walk in and not work." Ross said. "Now," he began before Kaleigh could intervene again. "If I see it again and it's not about our store, then that will be the end. We are here for work and money and not for other people's entertainment."
"Yes sir." I said in unison with Kaleigh.

I walked out of that store feeling a bit frustrated and when I found Nick, he walked me to our usual table and sat down. He was drinking his water as I told him what Ross had said. Nick could sense my frustration and quickly tried to reassure me.
"It's okay Samantha. I'll just show up later than usual so that we can still sit and talk." Nick said.
"I guess." I shrugged.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just thinking about stuff."
"Like?" Nick asked. He offered me some of his water but I declined.
"Everything." I sighed. But then started to think about it. "Nick, why do you like being around me so much?"
"Do I need a reason?" Nick said. He sounded joking but his face was serious. "I like your company. I like your jokes and personality. I like how you are your own person and responsible." He rambled on and I smiled looked down at my hands. "I...like you." Nick said slowly but surely.
I looked up at him. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." he smiled.
"That's good to know." I smiled back.
"Is it?" Nick eyes gleamed.
"Yeah." I sighed smiling.

***

The next few days flew by amazingly, especially today. I was smiling all day and nothing was getting me down. Not even Jessica's crude comments toward me. Ignoring everything, I went and picked up Leah from school and headed home real quick to drop things off. Nick had texted me and offered to pick me up and take me to work. And since Leah's soccer practice was canceled due to the rain, Leah was coming to the mall with us.

While we were driving, apparently, there was a new Build-A-Bear out that Leah really wanted and Nick said he wouldn't mind taking her there while I was working. It was busy today and when I'm busy that means work goes by so much faster.

My theory was right. We had plenty of customers and my mind was never wandering. But I did find myself checking the clock to see how long it would be until I was talking with Nick again. He told me Tuesday night that he liked me and today was Thursday. I was confident that he still felt the same and between these two days, my liking of him has only grown. And I really should tell him that.

My shift was going to be done in thirty minutes and the customers started to die down so I had more time to think. Which of course was never a good thing because I always thought way to into things.

But just as I was getting happy that time was almost up, Jessica and Connor strolled in. With them were a few of the girls that were on the cheer leading squad with Jessica. None of them I liked because they were rude to me, but I put up with them because of Jessica. Now I was just annoyed.

"Hey Sam!" Jessica said eagerly and I rolled my eyes.
"Hi guys." I said in a very sophisticated tone. "We've got plenty of sales going on near the back of the store if you're interested." I pointed out, trying to not say anything stupid toward them.
"Oh come on Sam, no need to put on a workers act. You know we don't care." Jessica smiled and tried to hug me. I kindly turned away so she couldn't and walked to try and make it look like I was folding shirts. But Jessica followed me.
"Are you seriously mad at me?"
"Jessica this isn't the time or place. I'm at work right now."
"Come on Sam, we've been best friends forever. And now you're going to let some stupid boy get in between us?"
Oh no, she better not be talking about Nick. "Who Connor?" I said sharply not looking at them, knowing Connor was looking at me dumbfounded.
"What are you talking about?" Jessica said.
"You know I liked him and look, here you two are, a couple. Ditching me for him. So tell me again, what guy is getting between us?" I said, still folding the shirts.
"No it's that stupid Disney channel freak that you are all googly eye about." Jessica yelled right back.
"You like me?" Connor added in.
"I used to. Big difference. But now, I got that stupid Disney channel freak. And he's so much better." I said turning toward them.
"Whatever Samantha. You don't know what you're talking about. You're just going through a little fling and need some attention." Jessica brushed it off.
"No I'm not." I was starting to get really pissed now.
"Sure." Jessica smirked at me. "Call me when you're done with your little "love" phase and want to be friends again." She said and turned away, pulling Connor with her and the two other girls following close behind.

Ten minutes later, I was going to the back room to grab a new stock of jeans that were running out due to the sale. Ross was in his office and saw me. He motioned for me to come back to his office so I did.

"Samantha, how long have you been working here?" Ross asked.
"It will be eight months in a few weeks." I said nervously.
"Right, eight months and how often do I lay down rules?" Was this a rhetorical question.
"Uh..."
"Not that often." He filled in for me. "So when I lay down a simple rule, why is that so hard to follow?!"
"Sir?"
"I just saw you out there, talking with your friends when we had two customers in the back of the store." Ross was getting frustrated now. Was he referring to Jessica and Connor as the friends and the two cheer leaders and the customers? Ah crap.
"A simple rule that I asked of you two days ago and you've already broken it."
"But Ross-"
"I can't give special treatments Miss. James. I'm going to have to ask you to turn in your keys and ID."
"Seriously!?" I practically yelled standing up.
"Yes, seriously Miss James. Try working on obeying rules." He said which was pretty much telling me to leave my stuff and get out.

I went to my locker and started cleaning my stuff out. I sat on the bench for a second and tried to breath. I just got fired because of Jessica and her stupidity. My face felt really hot and I decided this wasn't worth tears. Not right now. So I grabbed all my things, threw it in my drawstring back pack, and walked out of the store.

I sent Nick a text that I was off and he came and found me. Leah was eagerly next to him, smiling as big as ever. I put on a fake smile as she approached me but Nick saw right through it. But he didn't ask questions, not yet.

We were back at my apartment after Nick drove us home. I had invited him in for dinner and he decided to stay a little longer after that. I had already put Leah to bed and somehow, Nick and I were both sitting on my bed. I was near the corner and Nick was leaning against the wall that my bed was against. He could easily lean farther and be leaning against my shoulder. After I told him all that had happened, it didn't take as much strength to hold from crying because when I was around Nick, I was automatically better.

"Is it money that you're worried about?" Nick asked.
"No. Money was never really a problem." I answered. "I told you, my parents were loaded and now being eighteen it was passed down to me."
"Yeah I remember, then why did you get a job to begin with?"
"Because I look at it as, so my parents passed down all this money to me, doesn't mean I need to spend it all and rely on it. I want to save it up for Leah's college and possibly my own if I really need to. Or for emergency you know? I got a job so that I could, buy my own car, buy a cell phone for Leah and I, and just be able to support us." I explained.
"And that's what I love about you." Nick smiled. "I'm sure that you can find a job somewhere else in this town."
"I'm sure I can too, it just bugs me." I stumbled over my words. He loved that about me?
"What does?" Nick looked up to me.
"Jessica. She got me freaking fired! She's seriously getting to me when she shouldn't."
"What did she say exactly?" Nick asked. I did leave that part out.
"She was just being mean." I mumbled looking at my hands.
"How?" He drug out the word.
"Well," I said thinking. "She just said that I was going through a phase."
"What kind of phase?"
"A love phase with," I paused, "with a stupid Disney channel freak." I mumbled and Nick dropped his head down and laughed. "Why are you laughing? That was really mean of her to say!"
"You know how many rude comments I hear. That was probably the nice one." He kept laughing and I just glared down at my hands. Just then, Nick reached and held one of mine in both of his. "Hey, it's okay. You've just got to ignore her and avoid her. She's trouble and from what I've heard, she just wants attention."
"Yeah?" I said looking up at him.
"I'm sure of it." I tried to smile but it was hard.
"By the way, if this makes you feel any better, I made this for you." Nick reached over the side of the bed and pulled up a Build-A-Bear box. I opened it up and pulled out a dark brown bear that had a small pink heart sewed on it's left side. I smiled and looked down at him.
"Leah said you'd like it. I was going to get you the Jonas Brother dog, but Leah wanted that one for herself." He chuckled. I didn't respond but I sighed and just looked at the bear.
"Hey, it's okay." He leaned down and kissed my hand. This time I didn't have to fake a smile as my skin burned where his lips touched it. I liked it. "Everything will be okay."