Chapter 3: Books N' Boys
1145 Words
Maggie
I found a job! In a bookstore cafe by the college. I had been working there about a month and I honestly loved it.
I cleaned myself up as best I could, put my black hair in Dutch braids making it substantially shorter and scrubbed my face clean. I couldn't do much about my worn and torn clothes but thankfully looking a little alternative was a positive instead of a negative, I just made sure I didn't stink and people didn't care. The first few weeks were great, it was honestly a very chill job and I did like my boss, Bette. Barely above 5'2", hazel eyes brimming with compassion and a contagious smile, she reminded me of a modern elderly woodland witch that wore flowy earthy dresses and liked to smoke "the Devils lettuce" behind the bookstore.
"Hey Magpie, can you take a break and stay a couple of hours later today?" Bette asked while I was reading a survivalist book at the cash register, it was slow, and one of my favorite things about working at a book store was all the free knowledge. "If you have plans, I can do it, but I'd figure I'd ask. Steph wants tonight off, she has some finals to study for."
I nodded and smiled, "No problem, I'll just stay at at the cash register, it's slow and I'm into this book."
"Are you sure that's enough of a break?" She knew I didn't mind but she liked to make sure her employees took care of themselves, I counted myself lucky.
"I'll be fine, thanks Bette."
"Well, in that case I'm going to run to Jerry's Diner, get us a couple of burgers. It's the least I could do." She smiled and made her way to the front door.
I leaned back on the stool I was sitting on and flipped to the next chapter, "Medicinal Fauna and Flora". I'd been camping in a little strip of woods about a mile from the book store, a small river ran through part of it which I was thankful for because it was getting almost unbearably hot. I was happy to be in the air conditioned bookstore today, it was above a hundred degrees out.
"Excuse me", a deep voice questioned. I looked up from my book to be met by two silver blue eyes and sun kissed skin.
"OH! I'm so sorry, how can I help you?" I didn't even hear him come in the door, which was unusual since Bette kept it adorned with about 20 bells and 50 charms. He flashed a crooked smile which made me feel embarrassed and a little flushed.
"Uh, yeah, where is your bathroom?" the way he spoke I could tell he was a cool guy, he was also dressed in the latest fashion, loose but clean jeans and a designer tank top that showed off an athletic body. He wore a backward cap holding down his thick blonde hair that couldn't help but escape the closer on his hat that sat a little crookedly on his forehead.
"Oh its down the fiction section right ahead. Then look to your right." I said gesturing behind him to the large shelf labeled with an "F".
"Thanks..." he looked down at my bust and reached over the counter to flick my name tag, "Maggie". He winked and flashed his smile again before turning to find the restroom. I wasn't good at flirting, and men who acted with such conceited confidence got on my nerves. Maybe I was just embarrassed because I wasn't sharp enough to turn them down in a way that wasn't met with them calling me ugly or saying that it was all a joke. Maybe that's why guys like this were not attractive AT ALL to me. Looks wise they were attractive, but once their pompous assumptive attitudes came out, all of their visual beauty went down the drain.
I looked back down to my book, it didn't take long before he came back and put his palms down on the counter leaning as close to me as it would allow without making it creepy. I smiled politely, "Anything else you need?"
He looked down to his hands and smiled a little shyly, "I wanted to introduce myself, I'm Beck, and I wanted to ask if you had an i********: or something, you're like super alt and I'm crazy into it."
I couldn't help but laugh a little, "No, I'm sorry I dont." I said with a smile.
His eyebrows raised, "Well, can I get your number? You got snapchat?"
I cringed internally, "I don't have a phone right now". I for sure thought he must think I'm rejecting him, and he didn't look like someone who was rejected often if ever. But he just smiled and shrugged.
"Well.." he grabbed the book I was reading and pulled a flower adorned pen out of a cup on the counter and wrote his phone number and name on the back page of the book... "If you change your mind, call me." He smiled his cool guy smile handing me back my book. I just nodded thinking that I would have to buy the book now.....aaawesome..
He suavely walked out of the bookstore. I grabbed an eraser and tried to smudge out his info from the book, I DID NOT have the money for this.
I heard the bells ring on the door, "what on earth are you doing?!" Bette's voice questioned, she was holding two big bags of food. "Did that boy give you his phone number???" Her face contorted into a charming smirk, "I would have killed for a boy like that to give me his phone number when I was your age." She chuckled and set a paper bag down on the counter sending the smell of grease and comfort food flooding my way, "Hell, I'd kill for it at this age, just give him longer hair and a couple decades".
I laughed and shook my head, "I just don't have the money for this book right now and that tool just wrote in it without asking".
She smiled pulling up a stool to the counter next to me, "Oh don't judge him too harshly, boys do silly things around striking young women like you Magpie." She pulled out her to go box from one of the bags and began eating.
I Rolled my eyes and took out the burger she got me. I couldn't help but salivate, my body craving the carbs and fat.
"The books yours, just promise you'll give him a call." She nudged me in the ribs. If only she knew that the very last thing I needed to worry about was boys. It would be a looong while before I would entertain the idea of any kind of relationship. Casual or otherwise.
- Writer
