It's a Start

We made plans for John to come visit me at work tonight and I was excited once again. It seemed like the only excitement I was feeling was from him, but I was completely okay with that.

My hair was still damp as I did my makeup in my bathroom, hands shaking from not getting enough sleep last night. I managed to make the dark circles disappear and I wished I’d taken a pill for a nap earlier today, but I had a huge test so I was studying for the rest of it then I had to actually take it. Hopefully I did well.

Once I finished—actually gave up—on my makeup, I blow-dried the rest of my hair and slipped on my shirt followed by my light wash jeans. John had been texting me all day, wondering what I was up to and whatnot. I blushed every time my phone vibrated and I wished I hadn’t. He just wanted to know what I was doing, that’s hardly anything.

I shoved my feet into my wedges, even though they looked like sneakers, but they were cute. I was sat at the end of my bed and I taped up the Velcro before standing up and looking at my outfit in the long mirror against the back of my door. A pleased smile graced my lips and I grabbed the rest of my things before locking the front door behind me. My belongings were thrown into the passenger’s seat, but I grabbed my jacket and pulled it on.

Mindy was practically dancing on the table when I arrived and I laughed, covering my mouth. She squealed at the sight of me and hopped down—well, more like sat down to get to her feet due to the large heels she was wearing. I hugged her back and she looked at me as if to ask if I was okay. I nodded with a promising smile and told her about John while we got drinks for everyone coming in.

“Craig and now this guy? Damn, how do you do it?” She smirked, holding the bottle slantwise so the contents poured into the glass. I laughed and shook my head at her. “But seriously, I’m happy for you. Get excited, get those teenage feelings back in you!”

“Thanks, Min.”

We served about twenty people before Mindy started telling me about how Jasper woke up this morning and she was in the kitchen making breakfast. He was shouting, wondering where the hell his tie was and Mindy helped him find it, but it was around his neck the whole time and they laughed about it. “He was actually going crazy searching for it. A 29-year-old grown man was freaking out about finding his tie,” she laughed, smiling in the end about the thought of her husband.

“Can you two stop being so cute?” I asked politely, sipping from the beer bottle.

“I don’t think so,” she shook her head, questioning, but with a serious face. I laughed a little, trying not to spit my drink back into the bottle or choke on it.

I leaned against the corner where the front and back counter met and tapped my shoes along with my fingers. Mindy squatted down to the stereo under the wooden countertop and changed the song to something she could dance to. I laughed and half-groaned when she came over and grabbed my hands, making me dance with her.

“Ladies,” Moby warned behind us at the door. “Back to work.”

Mindy flipped him off, “We were having fun dancing, you asshole.” He popped the same finger up at her and we all laughed.

Just then, a group of four stepped through the door and I swatted at Mindy’s thigh beside me. My stomach flipped slightly and I quickly turned around so John wouldn’t meet my eyes. “That’s him,” I breathed. “In the black hat.” She looked behind my shoulder and looked back at me with raised eyebrows and a goofy grin. “Shut up,” I sighed and shoved her playfully.

I turned around and began wiping the counter down to distract myself. His knuckles appeared, knocking over the spot I wiped clean. His friends were sitting down at the table behind him and I smiled brightly when my eyes met his. “Hey,” he said easily.

“Hi.” I tried to keep my excitement from bubbling, but it was so hard. “What can I get you?”

He grinned and leaned over on his elbows. “Four Corona’s, please.” I nodded while he got his wallet out and bent to get two bottles and took the tops off before pushing them across to him and grabbing another two to do the same. “Awesome, thank you.” He said as I took his money and opened the register. Mindy was minding her business, serving the customer in front of her. “Come sit with us when you get the chance.” John said before smiling at me and walking over to set the bottles down in front of them.

Mindy winked at me, cooing slightly. I pushed her aside as I went toward the backroom and went outside for a cigarette. It was basically my break, but I warily walked over toward the table of John’s friends with nicotine still on my tongue.

“Hey,” he greeted happily, catching the attention of his friends. I waved slightly and he pulled out the chair beside him. “Guys, this is Andrea. Andrea, this is Eric, Tim and Becca.”

“Hello,” I finally spoke up. They smiled brightly and they let me join in on their conversation while I sat there. Was this like being the new girl in high school?

John nudged me with his knee, smiling softly over at me. I grinned, slightly blushing and l gathered my hair over my shoulder. “You have a tattoo?” I looked at him and nodded, showing it off slightly. “Whoa, I have that too.” He pulled down the neck of his shirt under his jacket and I saw the words above both his collarbones. “It’s just in Latin.”

I laughed a little and let my hair fall, pressing my hand against my mouth. “How many do you have?” I asked curiously, seeing one on his chest.

“Uh,” he looked down at if trying to see what was on his chest. “One, two…” he started counting and I watched him point to all the places he had them. “Seventeen, I think?”

“Wow.” I said, impressed a little. It wasn’t that impressive, but it was pretty cool. The one on my collarbone was the only one I had. I guess old me didn’t have much in mind or I didn’t want anymore. “Which one’s your favorite?”

“The one on my knee.” Eric chuckled beside him, listening in on our conversation. “Or this one.” He showed me his lower lip. “Tim has it too.” I looked over to see him nod and show me his too. I laughed a little, hands in my lap.

“Mine’s better than all of yours combined.” Eric claimed confidently.

I leaned forward, putting my arms on the table. “Oh, yeah? Let’s see.”

He smirked, giving John a look that I guess only they knew what was being said, and pulled down the neck of his shirt like John did. He showed off a name in a heart and I squinted, cursing myself for not wearing my glasses.

“Who’s Ruby?” I speculated.

Becca shook her head with a smile while Tim was laughing a little beside her. “It’s our dog. He’s in love with her.”

“And it’s on my skin forever.” He said happily.

I giggled, agreeing with him that it was better than all of ours. I learned a little more about all of them and said see you later when I had to go back to work. John would look at me while I was serving someone and wiggle his eyebrows, looking back and forth between the guy’s head and me. I shook my head with a grin and laughed while pouring the drink, trying not to spill it over the edge.

He came up to the bar with the empty bottles and I thanked him even though he didn’t need to do that. The place was crowded now and I felt bad for not talking to him a lot when he left. I was leaving soon anyways, but I still felt bad. Mindy hugged me goodnight and I stepped out the backdoor, almost jumping at the figure leaning against the building.

“I thought you left?” I asked while walking toward John.

He shrugged and stuck his arm out. “Care for a midnight stroll?”

“It’s not midnight, but okay.” I took his arm and he walked us toward the front of the building, deciding to take a left on the sidewalk. It was quiet with the cars passing us, but nice. “So, when are you leaving?”

“Two weeks,” he sighed, a little unhappily? I didn’t ask. I nodded instead and watched my feet. In the wedges, the top of my head reached just up to his eyes. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jacket and I grinned when he stopped at the ice cream parlor.

“Really?” I felt like a kid. Even though, I don’t remember what that felt like. Kids loved ice cream a lot, right?

John and I spent a good twenty minutes walking and eating our ice cream. This better not weaken my chances of going to bed when I get home. I asked him more about himself, since I obviously had nothing interesting to say. He was born and raised here in Arizona, something I wished I remembered. His parents were happily married and he had two brothers, both of which were younger. His favorite color was blue and he loved music a lot. His friends and family were a big part of him and his favorite food was American.

“We make the shittest food, but it’s so good.” He enthralled just thinking about everything out there.

Me on the other hand, I had no idea what to say for any of those questions when he asked me. I improvised a little. “Born here, parents possibly still married in Michigan, only-child, favorite color would have to be blue and music’s alright,” I shrugged nonchalantly, just to joke around with him.

His eyes bulged down at me. “Alright?” I laughed, knowing I was going to get that reaction out of him. “Music’s the only good thing out there,” he said quietly like he was finally realizing it.

“There’s other things,” I defended.

“Like what? Don’t you dare say love.”

We sat down at an empty table outside a closed restaurant and I looked at him under the poor lighting. “I wasn’t going to.” Did he not like love? “There’s rain storms,” I shrugged. “Just listening to the sound of it is soothing. There’s walking up and down a main street with a friend and just talking, getting to know each other.” I hinted, hovering over the table a little and smiling at him. He returned one. “There are adorable little puppies.”

“Okay. Maybe there are some good things besides music. But,” he paused. “Music will always be first on that list.”

I rolled my eyes and nodded just to make him happy.