Assistants and Dearest

"You have to choose?" I asked Vic, astonished that his dad was making him choose. "T-That's..."

"I know..." He said, keeping his head low. Four days have passed since we saw each other last.

We were sitting in the park. It was gloomy, and I was afraid it might start raining soon.

"What are you going to do?" I asked a few minutes passed. He didn't respond for awhile.

"I don't know." He finally stated, looking up at me. "You know I love you, but-"

"You love the business too." I finished for him. Vic nodded, tapping his feet on the cement. "It's okay...I understand." Though, I didn't.

I'd choose Vic over a business any day. I guess that's hypocritical of me to say, considering I only worked there for a couple of months. He's been there since he was sixteen.

"Are you sure it's what you want to do?" I asked him quietly.

"...I think so, I don't know. It's the only thing I know..." I nodded. I placed my hand on top of his and squeezed it. He looked at me, and a sly smile slipped onto his lips. It was the first time he'd smiled all night.

I closed the gap between us and pecked his lips softly, cherishing these moments we had together. Who knows if they'll be here much longer.

"I can't believe he's making me choose." He whispered after pulling away.

"I can't believe he is either."

We sat there for a good five minutes in utter silence. All I heard was the wind and Vic's foot tapping in a rhythmic pattern. I looked at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

I'd love to believe he was thinking about how he's going to tell his dad he chooses me over the business, and what the future holds for us. Though, I doubt that's the last thing occupying his head right now.

"I should go..." I suggested after a few more moments passed.

"Don't go." He said, grabbing my hand as I got up.

"I really should Vic, it's late..." He shook his head profusely.

"If you really love me, just stay here." His voice varied in volume. He looked so shaken up it hurt my heart to see him like this.

Finally, I nodded and took a seat next to him again. wrapping my arm around him. He was warm against me, so I snuggled into his arm and swayed ourselves back and forth slowly. He sighed.

The rest of the night was filled with silence, neither of us talked anymore.

But I think all Vic needed right now was to think, and I wasn't going to get in the way of it

☆ ✰ ✮ ✯

The next morning was a big blur. I was exhausted at work because Vic and I were out until one a.m. He finally suggested we should head home, and with one peck on the lips he was off.

It wasn't a reassuring kiss though. I wish it would've been that kiss that said "I'm never leaving you." In fact, it said the opposite. Well, not exactly, but it wasn't telling me he was going to choose me.

I've been thinking about what I'm going to do if he doesn't choose me. If he doesn't, sure I'll be heartbroken, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. I truly do love Vic, but maybe he just isn't the right one.

We're like those two puzzle pieces you think fit together, so when you try, they do fit, but you have to force them into place. Puzzle pieces should just...fit, not forcefully fit.

For all I know Vic could fit with another piece on the opposite side of the board. My metaphor here is that not everyone ends up with someone they thought they would've. And deep down in my gut, I feel like this is what's happening before Vic and I.

We're slowly burning down. We'll clean up the ashes and rebuild ourselves, just not next to each other.

I'm not mad that there's a possibility that Vic will choose me over the business, I'm sad. I'm sad that it's likely. But who knows, maybe he'll tell me I mean too much too him. That he can't let me go so easily again. It feels like he's slipping out of hands slowly though. Like sand.

"Hello." A voice said to me, snapping me out of my daze.

"O-Oh, hi...Can I help you?" I asked the raven haired girl standing before me. She was short and and pale. Her black crop tank revealed multiple tattoos down both arms, and a few on her stomach. Her hair was clipped up, her eyes the color of copper. She laughed.

"Nope, I just didn't realize I was working with someone else today." She responded through a thick, British accent.

"You must be Hannah." She nodded, shaking my hand. "Nice to meet you." I complimented.

"Nice to meet you too." Was all she said before disappearing into the back. I stayed up front and continued to help the scarce amount of customers that came in and out. As politely as I could be, I tried my best to sweet talk them into buying stuff, and a few time like always, it worked. Hannah and I didn't speak for a long time.

Why were we scheduled together? Sydney wasn't in today. But do you wanna know who was in?

Oliver.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him when he walked through the door.

"Well I knew you worked here, I was just checking in on you, you know last time I saw you I was worried for you."

"Thank you for the concern, but I'm fine." He smiled, looking around the vinyls.

"Wow..." He muttered, walking down the aisles. I followed behind him, pulling my beanie down over my ears occasionally.

"Are you going to buy anything?" I joked, rested against a shelf. He pulled a Lincoln Park vinyl we got in last week.

"This... I'm buying this." He stated. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Really?"

"What?" I laughed.

"Nothing, I'll ring you out." He nodded and followed me back up front. The curtains parted as Hannah walked out with a sheet of papers in her hands. I watched her eyes skim the small written words quickly. She was zoned out, so when it didn't surprise me that she collided with Oli. I chuckled at the scene unfolding in front of me.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized quickly, recollecting her papers. Oli looked up and smiled at her.

"It's alright, I should've moved out of the way." Hannah smiled. Look at that, British love maybe?

Hannah continued off while Oli appeared next to me.

"Who's she?" He asked, pointing to Hannah. The lace back of her crop top revealed an abstract tattoo running down her entire back.

"She's my coworker, Hannah." His eyes went hazy. "Crushing much?" I whispered, nudging his arm before checking him out.

"Oh shut up." He mumbled, still looking her way. "She is gorgeous though." I nodded in agreement.

"I'll text you sometime soon." I dismissed, so he nodded. But Oli didn't go out the door. He walked up to Hannah. I watched with a sly smile as they began to talk.

It was cute, seeing her smile at him. They just clicked, like I would've assumed they would. What was happening?

Young love was blooming before my very eyes.