Everlasting

“Alright, so basically all you really have to do here is to just make sure all the books are organized and straight. Any books just left anywhere, look them up on our system and put it back, other than that, you’re at the register,” Ava explained to me as she showed me around the bookstore. “Just so you know there will be another employee coming in around two I believe, if you need any help, feel free to ask him, his name is Nick. I’ll be in the back for the mean time, so don’t hesitate to ask for help.”

“Sounds good to me, and once again, I thank you for this great opportunity,” I thanked her as she simply smiled and walked into the back room. Once she was out of sight, I went to the register and took a seat behind the glass desk.

So far the store seemed really calm and quiet. The whole hour I had been here, I had only gotten three customers and since it was two o’clock, I was waiting on the other employee to come in and be able to clean up a couple of books. Even though it wasn’t busy, I didn’t want to take the risk of leaving the register alone.

Just as I was about to dose off, I heard the bell above the door ring. As I jumped back in my seat, I saw a guy with curly hair come in through the door. He was wearing fitted straight leg jeans with a simple white v-neck shirt and had a satchel hanging from his shoulder. “Sorry I’m late, My class ran a little bit late. I tried calling but I got no answer,” he explained. “I’m guessing you’re the new employee they were telling me about. Just so you know, I’m Nick.”

“I’m sorry, I thought that the red flashing light was something else,” I apologized when I realized that a little red light lit up a couple of times on the phones antenna. “And nice to meet you, my name is Annie.”

“It’s okay, it took me a couple of days to get used to it,” he smiled as he set down his satchel and took a seat next to me. “Has Ava left yet?”

“Yeah, she left a little while ago,” I replied. “Question,” I said as he nodded taking his Starbucks muffin out of his satchel, “when there aren’t any customers in the store, can we step out from behind the register and fix the books?” As I turn to look at him, I see him laugh softly, making me think I was crazy for asking that.

“You’re not obligated to just sit here,” he laughs. “You can walk around the store and do whatever. Whenever a customer comes and is ready to check out, they can just ring the bell.”

“Oh, I see,” I nod as I notice the bell behind the register, something I hadn’t noticed earlier today when I was being toured around the store.

“Changing the subject, are you from around here?”

“Yeah, I’ve lived here my entire life,” I sigh remembering how eager I am to leave this place behind and move out.

“Really? I’ve never seen you around before, or at least I don’t think so,” he mentions. “Did you go to Mountanview High School?”

“Yeah, just graduated last year,” I admit, “did you?”

“Yeah, graduated last year too,” he says as I can tell by his face that he’s trying his hardest to try and think back at all the people that went to school that year. “How come I can’t remember you?”

“Maybe because I wasn’t popular, though I have to admit I can’t seem to remember you either.”

“Let’s see, did you go to the talent show or any of the dances they had?” he questioned me.

“Oh! Now I remember,” I laugh, “your hair was much longer and you always carried around a guitar with you.”

“That’s me,” he smiles.

“See, I couldn’t remember you without the guitar,” I laugh.

“Yeah, everyone knew me by the guitar, though I still have to admit that I cannot remember you.”

“I never really was out there. I’m not sure if you remember anyone from the yearbook committee?”

“Actually, now I remember you. You went out with that James kid, he was like super popular yet, no one understood how he actually went out with you. People started talking bad about you and you ended up breaking up with him, right?” he mentioned as he squinted hoping I’d prove him right.

“Yes, you’re right, haha, crazy stuff right there,” I laugh.

“Why did people treat you like that? I mean, I know I never did anything against it, it’s just that, I don’t know…I saw them act like that towards you and I saw you just blow it off like it was nothing,” he mentioned to me as he threw away the muffin wrapper in the small garbage can.

“Eh, long story short, I used to be friends with the popular girls my freshman and sophomore year. Once junior year came, I had actually found who I really was. Deep down I hated being such a,” I paused, “sorry for the language, but I hated being such a bitch to all the other people. It just wasn’t me. After I stopped communicating with them, they called me a trader and what not, but in the end, I didn’t let any of it get to me just because I knew who I was. I wasn’t trying to be someone I wasn’t.”

“Now I see,” he nodded. “I just tried to stay out of the attention.”

With that conversation coming to an end, we decided to close the store and begin to clean up so that when Ava came early the next morning, she wouldn’t have to worry about much. I took care of the front end of the store while Nick took care of the back of the store. In no little time we were both done cleaning and ready to head home.

“So I guess we’re done for the day, I hope it was fun for you,” he sighed, “I know there’s sometimes literally nothing to do, but don’t worry, that’s why I asked Ava to hire someone else so that I would have some company and not get bored.”

“Ha-ha, that’s a nice plan right there, so with that said, you better not leave me alone at all,” I joked stepping out the store and into the cool night. “It was nice working with you, I had fun.”

“I’m glad,” he smiled as he locked the door to the store. “So where’s your car?”

“Um, invisible, you see I do this thing that’s called walking home, I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it before.” I spoke hoping he’d get some of the humor in it.

“Walking home this late at night?” he mentioned surprised. “Not even I would walk alone at night. Especially not here with all the crooks going around ready to snatch some girl up and steal all her belongings. How about I get my brother to take you home, he should be here any minute.”

“I don’t want to be any trouble, besides, I carry a pocket knife just in case,” I showed him.

“It’s cool, I’m positive he won’t mind.” I sighed and agreed to take the offer. Both of us waited on the sidewalk for his brother to show up and in no less than five minutes, a Land Rover parked alongside and rolled down the window.

“You ready bro?” a guy inside the car questioned, yet I couldn’t quite see his face due to the darkness of the inside of the car.

“Yeah, but I promised my friend Annie that we would give her a ride home, since I wouldn’t let her walk home alone,” Nick informed his brother as he leaned on the door.

“Sounds good, just hop in and we’ll take her home,” the guy inside the car replied. Nick told me to get in the backseat and just tell him where to go.

As I opened the door, the light lit up the whole inside of the truck and I could now see the guys face clearly. He had a faux hawk going on that really seemed to compliment his face features. He had a very sharp jaw line and had facial hair stubble that made him look very mysterious. When he turned to look back at me, I noticed how the color of his eyes were of a color brown, yet had a splash of green in them. Something about his eyes seemed so familiar, as if I had met him somewhere else. Something inside of me tingled, a feeling I hadn’t experienced, ever. Sort of like something inside of me longed for him in a past life. I couldn’t explain this at all. What was it?

“So where to?” he questioned me. Once he directed that toward me, the sound of his voice seemed like a lullaby that cleared all my thoughts, all my problems, everything.

“Um, just head down this street and at Cabasos Drive make a left and turn right at the third stop light, and it should be the fourth house down,” I mentioned and he nodded as if he knew exactly what I was going to say way before I even said it.

The entire drive to my house was quiet, though I took it to my advantage to actually get a good look of the guy who was driving. He was so mesmerizing to me, it was simply incredible. Though I couldn’t get over the feeling I would get inside me, nothing could ever explain what I felt. Interesting thing was that there wasn’t anything different from him apart from all the other guys I knew. After a couple of minutes, I noticed that he would look through the rearview mirror and look to where I was. It was like a five second stare and then he’d look back at the road. If I wasn’t mistaken, he’d do that every two or three minutes; and instead of freaking me out, his stare actually comfort me.

“Alright, we’re here,” he spoke causing me to snap out of the day dream I was in. I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the door.

“Thanks,…” I didn’t finish the sentence because to tell the truth, he never told me his name, and just as I was thinking about asking his name, he interrupted my train of thought.

“Joe, the name is Joe,” he sighed turning to look at me. “You’re welcome.” His eyes had this sparkle in them, but I wasn’t sure if it was just me or if it was real. He quickly looked forward and shut his eyes for a second. “If you need a ride tomorrow, just let Nick know. See you around.” With that said, they vanished into the dark street. What had just happened?

Dear journal,
Today went alright. A couple of things that were unexpected happened, but I didn’t mind them. One thing that I was for sure I could not explain was the way that guy, ugh, what was his name again? Oh! His name was Joe, yeap, Joe. The way I felt when I saw him. I mean, he looked like any other guy you might see on the street, but when he looked at me, I felt this warm tingle inside of me. Also, it felt as if I had known him from somewhere before. He just seemed so familiar, and the entire ride home I couldn’t help but look at him. I certainly don’t know what is going on with me. Is everything I’m experiencing just a phase? It can’t be, it’s been too long for it to just be a phase. The whole being able to read people’s mind is just unusual. Maybe I’ve been drinking too much coffee, I’m not sure, but whatever it is, I hope it’ll end soon.

Goodnight Journal.