In His Eyes

It was all so sudden. Unexpected. A normal day, just like any other at the bakery. Princess and I were cleaning up after a really long day. A good one, might I add. We played music and sang along, having fun while customers walked in and out. Until knock-off time, our Boss arrived to help us lock up. While we were getting changed, I heard his voice. To them, just another customer, but to me, the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. He spoke so clearly and formally, like a man of substance. He grew up, and so did I. My first thought was to hide, and so I did. I was done changing, but I waited for him to say goodbye to my Boss and leave. They talked for a while as he made his purchase, and he went after what felt like an eternity. My tummy ached, I don't really know if it was fear or butterflies, it all feels the same to me. Minutes after he had left, my Boss called us to hurry up, and we came out. "I like this boy", he said. "He is so smart, clean, and well spoken for his age. If I had a son, he would have been something like that," He continued. "Who is he"? Princess asked. She has a thing for attractive guys, so obviously she was curious. "Just about that likes coming here to buy scones," My Boss said, chuckling. They never continued the conversation about him, but Princess noticed I had changed. "What's wrong"? she asked, and I shook my head. "I am okay. I'm just tired, and it is all coming down on me hard," I lied. I couldn't tell her the truth. The boy who was here was my first love. The boy I don't know how I lost all those years ago. And despite hiding from him, I wished I had seen him, but I hid. Why? I don't really know, but I did. I quickly forgot about him as soon as I got home. I had a son to tend to. There really was no time to think of what could have been. It was a Saturday, which meant I didn't have to go to work until Monday, and I spent my Sunday resting and preparing for work. Monday quickly came, and at six am sharp, I was opening the bakery doors and preparing for the day. Like always, Princess came in and connected the speaker, and we worked, sang, and danced. Our Boss would drop us off if he arrived early, if he didn't, and if we locked up ourselves, Princess's boyfriend would take us home. That Monday, neither one of them came early, so we decided to take a walk. She took advantage of that and started questioning me. Understandably. She got me this job in the first place, so she treated me like her younger sister and would try to make sure I was okay all the time. "What happened on Saturday"? She asked, her voice suddenly serious. "You completely changed. You were okay one minute, and the next, you looked like you had seen a ghost," she continued. I didn't know if I should tell her or not. I tried brushing it off, but she was very persistent. "Okay. Remember the last customer that came? The one your Boss said he liked"? I asked her, and she stood there trying to remember, her face lighting up when she did. "Yeah, that one," I said. "That was my ex-boyfriend. Well, I don't know if I can actually call him that because I was only 14 at the time, but yeah," I said, and her eyes went wide. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asked excitedly, and I rolled my eyes at her. 'It isn't important. It was never serious anyway and never even got s****l, but I was just shocked, didn't expect him to come to the shop," I told her, and she giggled. "Is he handsome?" She asked, and I didn't answer. "What happened between you two"? She asked, pouting. "He disappeared, and I never thought of him again, until Saturday." She nodded and changed the conversation, which I was glad for. The next morning, business was going really slow, and I was bored. Princess went to get us breakfast, so I manned the counter. She was giggling and singing as she got back in, talking about her man, and as I looked up at the door, there he was. The boy I longed for, for as long as I could remember. He stood there staring at me, for the first time, speechless. He tried to talk but stuttered, something he had never done before. "Hi," I said softly. "What do you need"? I asked, and he blinked too many times and spoke for the first time. I gave him the scones he asked for, and as I was looking for change to give him, he spoke again. "I haven't seen you in a while", he said, and I smiled, the best I could. "How have you been"? He asked, and I looked back up at him. "I am good, thanks. How about you"? He paused. "I have been okay. Heard you have a kid now"? he asked, and in that moment, I wished I could disappear. "I do, he's four," I told him, and he looked shocked. "Wow, that is.... amazing. Listen, I have to get somewhere right now, but can I see you sometime soon"? He asked, and it was my turn to stutter. Princess had already had her phone in hand and was calling out my number. I turned around and gave her the "wtf" look, and she laughed. "Just type in your number here and I'll call or text later today," he said, and I took his phone, punched in my number, and handed it back. "It was good seeing you," he said with a smile, and I almost melted in place. What the heck was that?