Expectations

Annette’s POV

Lucy had been telling me her problems with her boyfriend all damn afternoon so far, and I had to smile and pretend I understood what she was talking about. It wasn’t as if I’d never had a boyfriend; I’d had a boyfriend last summer. Just, I never got that close to people to, say, love them. It seemed Lucy loved every guy she spoke to.

“So what do you think?”

“I think… I better serve our customers quickly. I’ll get back to you.” My god, I had no idea. So, her boyfriend smelt like women’s perfume a few days ago and she suspected he was cheating on her based on that one little fact. Perhaps he liked to smell like women sometimes? I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say.

“Hello, darling.”

“Tom! I mean, what can I get you?” I was surprised to see my new favourite customer in the store once again, though this time he was there alone.

“Just tea, thanks. Black, unsweetened.”

“It won’t be long.”

“It seems you always work here,” he commented, sticking by the counter as he waited instead of taking a seat.

“I think perhaps that you just so happen to catch me at every shift. I finish in 5 minutes though, so you only just caught me this time,” I said, throwing him a quick smile before getting back to his order. I tried not to think about how I’d hugged him yesterday, and of how awkward things suddenly felt because of that. He was looking at his shoes, but still smiling, and I was trying not to think anything of it.

“Do you work often?”

“Kind of. But, I get the nights to myself and every second weekend off, which helps with my studies.”

“Oh, what are you studying?”

“Just an Arts degree, nothing extraordinary. I have an exam on Shakespeare tomorrow. I should probably be home reading through the set texts again…”

“Funny. I’m currently re-reading Henry V for a production I’m going to be filming in a few months’ time.” I could feel the smile creep onto my face as he mentioned something personal to me. It felt for a split second that we were more than mere strangers, because he seemed to think I’d care for what he said and indeed I did. “Perhaps I could help you out a bit when you finish work? I really wouldn’t mind. It’ll help get it back into my head, you see.”

He ended up doing exactly that once I finished work, the smile on my face not getting past Lucy’s eyes. She’d pulled me up on it, but I told her I’d talk to her about it later. As soon as she saw Tom waiting for me at the door she giggled and gave me the thumbs up as he turned around. I couldn’t have been more embarrassed. So, it was no secret that we often talked about our customers behind their backs. Tom was no exception to this, and a very hot topic as of the last few days.

Tom sat down at one of the tables outside and told me all about just how brilliant he thought Shakespeare was. To be honest, I wouldn’t have expected from his role as a comic book character that he’d be such a Shakespeare nerd.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised as he finished speaking. “Once I get started on a subject I find it hard to shut up about it. It’s rather embarrassing.”

“It’s fine. It’s actually rather cute.” I felt the blush creep onto my face as he smiled at my words. I’d called him cute. He coughed in an attempt to defuse the awkwardness that fell over us as I sat there getting redder and redder by the minute and he struggled with a reply.

“I’m sorry, it’s just nice to come across someone that still likes to chat these days. Not everybody enjoys a conversation…”

“I know how that feels,” he said, with a slightly bitter tone on the tip of his tongue. “My girlfriend, Laura, she doesn’t really like to chat. I can get a few things out of her sometimes, though.”

“How come she didn’t come in today? You usually come in together, I mean.”

“She’s probably still hung over,” he said, looking to the floor then. “She went out clubbing last night to check out the local scene and got herself in a bit of a mess. I love her but… that’s just not attractive. I thought we’d both have grown up by now.”

“Some people never grow up.”

“That’s true, but I hope this isn’t the case.” He went quiet for a moment. “She’ll come around.” I wasn’t sure if he meant that she’d grow up, or if he was talking about something else, so I left it there. “Well it was lovely hanging out with you, Annette. I’m sure I’ll see you here again sometime; my hotel is a very short walk and you make excellent tea.”

“Thank you.” I smiled, unsure of what else to say.

“Good luck in your exam, darling.” He came towards me then for a hug, which I gladly accepted, and smiled a little too wide at the thought of having made a friend, of sorts. At the last moment as we were starting to let go he kissed me softly on the cheek, and then the world seemed to disappear.