Sentence Me to Another Life

As I made my way back to work I felt somewhat numb, most likely from the shock of what had just taken place. I decided that it would be best to try and clear my head and not think about it for now, and just concentrate on work. If I tried thinking about it and tried to come up with an explanation for why I don’t feel totally turned off, and why my lips still tingle, I might freak myself out.

If I think about how he’s really super fucking adorable, and how I feel bad for leaving him out there, and how I should probably go out there, kiss him again, and give into my fantasies, I will probably go crazy and confuse those ridiculous dreams with reality.

So here I am, working extra hard, busing tables and taking orders like never before.

I ignored Spencer’s amused and confused gaze.

“Excuse me, waiter? Can I get a fork please?” A strange woman asked, sitting with what I assumed to be her husband.

Instead of making some snarky remark about eating pizza with a fork, I nodded and headed towards the kitchen to get a clean one, since somehow we were out in front, what with all four of our customers and what not.

And there he was, the angel from my nightmare, (Okay blink-182, now is not a good time to be stuck in my head) facing the sink, washing plate by plate and stacking it as if it were an assemble line.

I sighed and prepared to speak. “Uh, hey Brendon-”

At the sound of my voice he gasped and jumped, dropping the plate, and sending many more along with about a dozen forks to the floor. He cussed under.his breath and kneeled down on the floor to begin picking it all up.

I kneeled next to him and began helping.

“Sorry.” I said. “I just needed a clean fork. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay.” he mumbled, not looking up at me. I picked a fork up off the floor and dusted it off on my apron before sticking it in my pocket and setting the plates I had on the counter. “Don’t you want a clean one?” He asked.

I smirked. “Its clean enough.” I said “If they want perfection they can head towards the five star restaurant down the street. Who eats pizza with a fork anyway?”

He chuckled a bit and stood up, dusting himself off, but then became serious again.

“Um,” He started. “I’m really sorry about earlier. I don’t know what got into me. I was mostly joking when I said it. I didn’t think I’d actually do it.” He avoided my gaze, and was a shade of red I’d never seen before.

“Don’t worry about it.” I said. “I won’t hold it against you.” I gave him a small smile, and he looked confused but smiled back nonetheless.

“Um, okay, I should get back to work and re-clean these dishes, and uh, okay.” He then turned back to the sink awkwardly and continued his one man assembly line.

I wondered back out into the main room, and there Spencer stood with his arms crossed over his chest, with an eyebrow raised in my direction. I handed the woman her fork before making my way towards him.

“Ryan, are you sick?” he whispered when I was close enough.

I raised my eyebrow and him. “What?” I asked.

“Why are you being so nice... and helpful? You were fucking flirting with Brendon, man.”

“What?!” I exclaimed, eyes wide. “I was not! I was just ...” I trailed off.

Spencer smirked. “But seriously, why are you being so pleasant? What’s gotten into you?”

I rolled my eyes. “What, I’m not allowed to be nice to people every once and a while?” I asked defensively.

“Not you. Seriously, I think you’ve been drugged or something. Just earlier this morning you were being a total bitch, and cussing out Brendon for to apparent reason. And now you’re smiling and cracking jokes? If you were me you’d be concerned too.”

“You’re not as funny as you think you are. And I’m not drugged. I don’t know. I just talked to him a bit and... got to know him more I guess. It’s no big deal.”

It is a big deal. I should be freaking out. I should be pissed off. I should be throwing a fit. But I’m not. Spencer’s right.

Got fucking damn it. What is fucking happening to me?