Lethner's Service

Quinn's POV I’m currently enjoying Paramore’s Brick by Boring Brick over my head phones while jogging on the path here in the park. I’ve been running around for about thirty minutes and tiny droplets of sweat are dripping down, moistening the neck part of my sweat shirt. I pull my head phones off my ears, catch my breath for a couple of seconds, and look at my black matte wrist watch. It’s thirty minutes past five in the morning and I need to be in my flat at exactly 6:00 AM so I can fix myself for my morning shift as a hotel front desk receptionist. I inhale the fresh morning breeze inside my lungs before finally releasing it out my mouth. The view in here is really relaxing. I could see a lily pond and some formal plantings. There are great variety of flowering plants and bushes that make the landscape of the place so unbelievably pleasurable in the eyes. There are also table benches for picnics and pavilions of different designs which provide shady rests from which visitors can enjoy the lovely views. There’s a wading pool for small children, tennis courts, and paths for joggers, walkers and cyclists. Plus an open expanses of green softball diamonds and soccer fields. Such amazing scenery to start my day! “Good Morning Bree.” Mr. Alkins, who also loves to visit the place, greets me with a wide smile plastered on his face. He’s obviously old because of his prominent wrinkles and white hairs. With his white mustache and beard, he actually looks like Santa Claus. “Good morning Mr. Alkins and good morning to you too Zing.” I bend on my knees to gently caress the head of Zing, a pure white shih tzu. I remember having my morning walk with Mr. Alkins and Zing the last week. The latter kept on barking at the statues along the corridor of the park, specifically at the likeness of the famous English playwright, William Shakespeare. And now Zing barks at me and wiggles her fluffy tail like a child who wants to be carried by his mom. She rubs her body on my left leg and licks my skin. “Zing! You clever puppy! Come here!” he bends down and gently carries her on his arms. He combs her white, thick, and fluffy furs using his fingers and the little dog obviously likes it. “She looks like a stuff toy with her thick fur. I’m worried if she could still see the beautiful view of the park. It looks like they’re covering her eyes.” “I’m actually planning to bring her to my friend’s pet salon for a grooming.” “That would be great. I have to go to work Mr. Alkins. Have a nice walk with your Zingy-girl.” “Take good care of yourself Bree. Zing’s going to see you tomorrow. Bye.” We wave each other good byes before I finally turn my back and leave them. I check on my wrist watch again and it’s already quarter to 6. I really need to hurry up. I don’t want to be late for my work. “What the –” in a very disgusted tone, I utter while looking down the my right running shoe. There’s a gum sticking on it and I have to take it off by brushing my shoe against the ground. Sweet Jesus! I look like a horse brushing my foot on the grasses, ready to come running out my cage. When I was finally able to remove the gum, I notice that there’s something wrong with the other pair of my shoe. I shake my head from side to side. My left shoe lace is now loosed and untied. I have to kneel down and tie it again. I deeply sigh in frustration. Keep calm, sweetie! I am about to bend on my knees to tie it when someone bumps me from behind. It feels like a hard block of something hit my butt which made me lost my balance. Incautious joggers really! With my arms supporting my weight, my knee instantly landed and scratched on the concrete ground. I look like doing push ups with my knees bent forward. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry Miss. Sorry.” a baritone voice comes from behind. He turns around and walks in front of me. He also offers his hand to help me stand up. I roll my eyes while grabbing his hand. I don’t want to accept his help but I feel like I can’t be on my feet without someone supporting me. My left knee had little wounds and scratches on it and it’s slightly bleeding. “I’m really sorry. Let me carry you over there.” and without further ado, he carries me like a bride to one of the benches surrounding near the path. It feels awkward and insulting at the same time. He carried me without asking if it’s okay with me. Ironically, that’s a gentleman thing in a not so nice way. I’m injured and I don’t have any choice but to wrap my arms around his neck while he carries me. His black tousled hair looks quite messy but staring at him closely, I have to admit it. He is charming. He actually resembles an Italian actor and model that I have seen on a movie. I don’t exactly remember his name but he looks like him. He looks rugged with those little hairs that grow from his sharp chiseled jaw line and some that surrounds his mouth. My eyes start to scrutinize every detail of his face specifically his eyeballs. Are his eyes real or he’s wearing vetas-brown lenses? It looks beautiful. His lashes aren’t that long but it’s perfectly curled up. Did he use eyelash curlers? His nose was proud and he’s got a natural red lips like he had applied some lip hop on it. He wears a tight fitting white sleeveless shirt that makes his n*****s prominent. His body is well-built. I can feel how hard his chests are like those of a gym enthusiast. “There you have it.” he helps me sit on the bench. In a glance, I can say he’s a six footer. He has broad shoulders and prominent veins on his muscled arms which I find so sexy. s**t! That’s one of my fetishes with a guy. If his arms are muscled, I suppose that he has abs underneath the thin cloth covering his body. My eyes start to study his face again for seconds before settling on staring down to that navy blue summer shorts he’s wearing. Holy mother of all bulges! What a huge and prominent bulge he has! Some may consider it as a blessing but for an innocent lady like me, it’s a monster. I really felt that bulge poking my butt cheek a while ago when he bumped me. My throat dries up and I have to swallow several times before I finally had the courage to look away from that thing. I should wipe these unholy thoughts off my mind before I reach the point of my life where I start to fantasize strangers, specifically this Adonis in front of me. “Are you okay? I’m really sorry for what happened –” “No.” I cut him off, “It’s okay. You should’ve not brought me here. Will you just help me out? I need to go to work. I’ll be late if I’ll talk to you. Please be cautious next time.” “I’m really sorry.” He apologizes again like what he did is inhumane. I didn’t reply. With his arms supporting me, I tried my best to stand up and slowly walk like a basketball player with an injured knee. “I have a car. I can bring you home to compensate for what I did?” I look at my wrist watch and its fifteen minutes past six. My flat’s just a walking distance from here but if I’ll walk with an injured knee, I will surely be late on my work and accepting this bumper’s offer is a good idea. But he’s a stranger and I remember my mother reminding me when I was little to never talk to strangers. This guy’s a stranger who bumped and injured me. Therefore, my mom’s right. I shouldn’t accept his offer. I’ll walk away from this place and just hail a taxi. “No thanks. I’ll just grab a taxi. I have to go.” I coldly excuse myself. “Are you sure? I can—” “This is just a minor knee injury. I won’t undergo surgeries and I guess I don’t look like someone who needs a wheelchair right? Don’t worry, all is well.” I cut him off in utter disgust. “Now Mister whoever you are, go ahead! Bump more pedestrians as many as you want and be merry!” I roll my eyes marking my words with full sarcasm before finally moving meters away from him. I am about to go out from the park when suddenly... “Quinn!” ...someone calls out my second name which I don’t normally used to hear. I’m used to be called by my first name the most. I quickly turn my back and to my surprise, the guy who’s calling out my name is also the guy who bumped me a while ago. How did he know my name? “I’m really sorry!” he shouts sorry again for I don’t know how many times. I just decided to leave the place and hurry up for my work. I even heard him shouting. “My name’s Jacob! Nice meeting you!” What the hell? I don’t even care who the f**k he is.