With Ears to See

“Good morning, Austin! And happy late New Year!”

Mei-Xing walked into the store with a bright smile on her face.

“Same to you. How was your holiday?”
She sighed in content and went to the back room, placing her purse on the table and took off her coat.

“I think Haneul’s family is starting to warm up to me. I’ve always known that his parents wanted him and his siblings to marry Korean. Of course, the siblings were more obedient about it and looked down on poor Haneul for a while.”

She put on her apron and turned on some of the coffee machines.

“I guess they finally decided that it was childish of them to do so. They were a lot nicer this time.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”

She nodded and went to stand next to me.

“So, how was your holiday with Kellin?”
She had a knowing smirk on her lips.

The blush on my cheeks caused her smirk to grow into a full smile.

“Your cheeks speak a thousand words.”

“I…uh…nothing really happened…we just…”
I closed my mouth before I said something that wouldn’t help my case.

“You should go for it, Austin. Haneul and I are rooting for you.”

She patted me on the back before she walked off into the back room again.

I shook my head in disbelief, but the though actually made me smile a little.

x x x

“Tell me again why I have these?”
Kellin was jingling a copy of my apartment keys in the air.

“Just in case something happens and you need to take refuge in my apartment.”
He smiled.

“You make it sound like I’m running from the law or something.”
“Are you?”
I said it a joking tone, but I guess he didn’t get it by the look on his face.

“I swear I’m not! My record is clean!”
“It’s okay! I was joking!”

“I kind of figured that…”
There was a blush on his cheeks.

“Hey, Austin!” Mei-Xing called out to me.
“Yeah?”

“Can you watch the store while I’m gone? I have to take Haneul his lunch for work. I won’t be long.”
“Sure, no problem!”

She thanked me, gave both Kellin and I hugs, and walked out the door.

“Looks like my break is over. Sorry, Kells.”
“It’s okay. I’ll just have to wait.”

He gave me a warm smile, and I couldn’t help but kiss him on the cheek before I walked behind the counter.

I turned on the coffee pots and cleaned the counter when the bell chime sounded.

“Hello, how may I help you toda—”
I stopped mid-sentence when I looked up.

Long, platinum-blonde hair. Tall, curvy figure.
Eyes rimmed perfectly with black eyeliner.

At that moment, I wanted to run far away and hide. But I couldn’t.
It was too late.

“G-Gielle…”

It’s been a while since I said her name, and now that I had, it came out in a choked up whisper.

She looked up from her phone and stared at me for a moment.

“I didn’t think that I would be seeing you here. It’s been a while, Austin.”
The way she spat out my name made me want to throw up.

“What are you doing here…?”

Stupid question to ask, but I didn’t know how to respond to the situation.

“Oh, well, my boyfriend and I are on vacation and we decided to stop by this town for a break. I assume you live here, now?”
“Y-Yeah…”

The more I talked to her, the more uneasy I felt.

“I see you haven’t gotten very far, Austin. Still the same worthless man.”

The first shot.

I tried to keep my composure, but it was quickly failing.
I didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong? Got nothing to say? It’s because I’m right, isn’t it? You know how I was always right about you, Austin.”

The second shot.

I whimpered slightly, trying to hold back tears.

“Hey! Leave him alone!”

Kellin was standing next to Gielle, a displeased look on his face.
It was weird not seeing him with a smile.

Gielle turned to look at him.

“And who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter! Who are you to say things like that about Austin? You cheated on him and lied to him! You have no right to call him worthless!”

She only chuckled darkly as she waved a hand in front of his face.

“Poor thing. You’re blind, aren’t you?”
Kellin balled up his fists and grit his teeth together.

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

She disregarded his statement and turned back to me.

“Are you really that pathetic, Austin, that you befriended a blind guy?”
She scanned me up and down and I felt smaller than usual.

“I guess you’re doing him a favor. You’re lucky that he’s blind.”

The third shot.

The tears started to roll down my cheek.

Gielle won. And by the smirk on her lips, she knew, too.

“Well, I would love to stay and order something, but I believe it’s time for me to get back on the road.”
She leant forward with a smile on her face.

“Have a nice life, Austin.”

As soon as she walked out the door, I collapsed to the floor.

“Aus…?Austin…?”

Kellin was trying to locate me, but I could only sit on the floor, silently crying to myself.

“I’m back, boys.”
Mei-Xing’s voice sounded through the store.

“Kellin? Where’s Austin?”
I stood up from the floor, took off my apron and dashed past them out the door.

Home…I have to get home!

I dashed past crosswalks, ran upstairs, and then finally reached the door of my apartment room.
I walked inside and closed the door behind me.

I slid down to the floor and rested my back against the door before I pulled my knees to my chest, sobbing into them.

What was I thinking?
How could I forget?

How could anyone love me? How could anyone fall for me?

I’m hideous.

I’m worthless.

I’m pathetic.