Misplaced Words

It’s just another slow, boring day at this lame smoothie joint. I can’t believe I’m stuck here for whole year. I may be free to make my own choice, but when you’ve worked at one place for this long, well it’s a little hard to abandon it. Especially when your boss thinks you’re one of the best employees he has ever had, ever. Well, that’s why I stick around, besides I am already used to this place. Only one downside to the whole thing is, seeing Nelly.

I sigh and lean my face on the cash register, “Hey Marlin, off in five.”

“Do you know how many germs are on that thing?” he shouts, making his way over to me with a wet rag.

Oh boy, not again.

“My bad,” I mumble, standing to stretch, “I forget sometimes.”

“How could you forget something that drastic so frequently?” I shake my head as he scrubs down the register, and then attempts to attack my face with wet wipes. I easily shove him away, since he’s only 5’5, way shorter than me. He’s also a wait lister, one of those poor kids who got stuck on the wait list until someone else got kicked out. So I try to go easy on him with the insults and such, so I won’t hurt his little germaphobe feelings. He groans, defeated and moves on to wiping down the counter tops. “When you end up sick, don’t call me crying to cover your shift.”

I snort and pop the register open; I wanted to quickly check the money sets, and also in spite of Marlin to send him on another fit. It’s actually kind of entertaining. I shut the drawer back up and lock it, then head to the back room to take off my Jamba Juice gear. I stuff it into my locker and sigh, missing someone actually fun to work with by my side. Don’t get me wrong, Marlin is…okay, but he’s a bit dry. The jokes that he makes aren’t even funny. Well, at least I don’t think so.

Once I realized that Ally transferred, I was kind of disappointed. I mean, I don’t have feelings for her anymore, especially not with Gina as my beautiful love. It's just Ally was entertaining but not in the dry way that I find Marlin. We actually laughed at things we both understood. It was always interesting to hear the fast and lively chatter between her and her friends who would pass by once in a while. Not to mention the way she would momentarily freak out when there was a huge crowd of demanding customers. The poor girl forgot how to function when she was under so much pressure. I’m sure she’s gotten better now though, I wouldn’t know. She lost touch with me ever since she left campus over a year ago. I know she’s back, and she doesn’t exactly avoid me, but it’s not like welcomes me with a warm hello either.

I walk back out front and approach the door, saluting Marlin a good night.

“Three hundred,” he says.

“Huh?”

“That’s about the number of bacteria colonies there are on that door handle. Make sure you wash your hands right away when you get to your room,” he shoots back, switching his wash rag.

“Uh yeah whatever, take it easy Marlin, see ya’ on Monday.”

Man, I wonder how many panic attacks he has at Menus, the classroom, the dance studio; I mean how does that kid even function as a dance major. I wonder about his room that place must be spotless. I chuckle and press the lobby button in the elevator, then stick my hands into my pocket. Today has been a long day, barely any customers since the students are working their butts off for the breast cancer showcase. Us art majors don’t really need extra time, since we don’t do the whole performing thing. We’re just setting up an art gallery – our class time is just spent on that.

I step out of the elevator and spot Gina waiting for me at the entrance of the mall. She looks so great standing there. A big goofy grin spreads across my face as I walk over to her. She doesn’t even notice me, she is so caught up in her book, how cute. I quickly snap a picture of her on my phone, I think it sexy how into reading she gets. I watch her for a second before greeting her. She turns around and throws up her arms, book included, running into my embrace.

“How was work?” I ask, kissing her head.

She pushes back from me and smiles, “oh it was great!”

Her dark brown eyes always seem to sparkle as she starts to tell me about her day. Her dirty blonde hair is in a French braid going down the length of her torso. Which is my very favorite hairstyle on her, I think it’s sexy but innocent. She has a few pieces of stray hair waving at the side of her face. Just watching them makes me want to brush them behind her ear and kiss her, an urge I get all the time.

“I just want to sleep,” she groans, mock crying into my shoulder.

“Well let’s get you off to bed then,” I whisper and lift her up bridal style.

She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck as I jog us towards the dorms. I let her down once we get inside and grab her hand, leading her to her room. We stop in front of her door and I lightly press her against it, leaning in for a kiss. I swear to everything I love, I’ve never shared such a sweet kiss with anyone else. She gently pushes away and looks up at me, those big brown eyes sparkling again.

“Don’t want to get carried away, now do we?” she giggles.

“I guess not,” I smile.

Her innocence is so appealing; it reminds me of when I first started having feelings for Nelly, except this is different. Gina is not a dysfunctional teenage girl who can’t give in to commitment. She is my sweet girl, the one who always puts a smile on my face.

“Good night,” I say, kissing her cheek before leaving her.

I chuckle to myself as I walk down the corridor; when I first started in this school I hated the thought of not being tied to one girl and not having an actual, meaningful relationship. I am glad that I had my parents’ example to thank for that. Married 27 years, and dating for 35, I want to be that. I can’t get enough of Gina, maybe she the girl that will complete me like my parents complete each other. I thought that it would be Nelly but, thankfully, it’s not. Things with Gina are going to work out, I just know it is.

I get to my room and swing the door open, dying to get into my warm bed. I jumped into shower and change into some clean boxers and a tee. I throw myself into bed and texting Gina a good night, just to let her know that I am thinking of her. She replies almost immediately, telling me to go to sleep already and that she’ll see me in the morning. I roll my eyes and smile to myself, wanting for the morning to come now. Wow, this girl has turned me into a complete loser for her. I smile widely, when I realized that I don’t mind that one bit.