Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈. Philia- Twenty

It had to be the most annoying thing ever. That beep. Every time someone walked in, with a cart, their souvenir tote bags, a child dangling from their hand, an obnoxious buzz rang throughout the grocer.

I counted 56 ever since my first shift started. And had managed to remember every person who came in and out. The faces and bodies that were familiar, made me grip onto the lane, duck behind the large number 4 I had been posted next to for the last two hours.

My legs ached, even when I had the chance to sit there was a pain crawling from my temples to the tip of my spine. I underestimated working—minimum wage at that. Just to have gotten barked at twice by angry customers and mix up two of the aisles.

I was exhausted, a different kind my body wasn't used to. And then there was always that gnawing reality of Jane that caused my body to churn and twist worse than the eight hours I'd be spending on the clock.

Gideon rounded the corner, these stupid neon vests coming into my line of sight first. A wide, toothy grin plastered on his porcelain face. His beauty was effortless, candied in a swimmer's body. And he liked me.

"How's it going?" He leaned against the conveyor belt, looking around for Lenny's eyes before snatching a chocolate bar.

I scoffed quietly, "I don't think I'm built for this."

His face scrunched up, "Come on it's only the first day! It'll be muscle memory by the end of the week."

"If I make it that long." I had no doubts this would be short lived.

He broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to me. "Cheer up."

The corners of my lips turned. Again trying to mirror his actions of calm, cool, and collected while he talked, seamlessly about nothing. He was a nice guy, too big of a personality for a town like Walbank. Someone who could actually make it out of the borders and stay out, because the world was ready for him and he ready for it. Yet he was here, sucked into the whirlpool like the rest of us. Cleaning up aisle 9 and checking out customers. Even with all odds with him he landed here.

I took a bite of the chocolate, rubbing it's creamy excess onto a thrown out receipt before fingering with my badge. They had spelled my name wrong, Florence with an 'I' though I did very little to correct Lenny while it was printing out. Sticking it to my chest with some faux appreciation. It might as well have been an inmate number, stuck to me like something morbid.

"So," he started. The candy bar was finished, the wrapper poking out from his jean pocket, "the other night..." Rocking on his toes, his eyes remained focused on his shoes.

"Yeah?" I leaned forward in angst. That night had been something unexpected, unconventional. And for Jane to have seen it made it all the more worse.

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out again..." He scratched his head, shifting from one leg to the other.

I perched up, surprised, maybe even cautious. "...will everyone else be there?"

"No, uh," He awkwardly chuckled, how shy he had gotten at doing what? Talking to me? "It would just be us. If that's okay."

"Oh." Think about Jane. What about Jane.

"We don't have to if you want. I know you're new to town and I—"

"Yes. I'd like that." What does Jane know?

He finally looked up, that sparkle in his grey eyes lighting. "Really? Cool, uh, I'll give you my number, let me see your phone."

Chewing on my bottom lip I quickly thought of some excuse. Why someone in this era did not have a phone. Ditched that thing long ago. "I broke it, actually. We do have a landline though. You can just give me yours."