The Rebound Agreement ✔

twenty-seven

[edited;
HEY LISTEN UP!! I was unhappy with this chapter, so I edited it. The end product of the chapter is essentially the same, but a lot of attitudes have changed along with the middle of the chapter (my new favorite part), and I'm much happier with it now. I hope that you guys still enjoy it!
and as always,
please, please, please leave some comments as you read. thank you!!]

"Leave," Owen demands, pointing towards the door. "Your shift is over. Get out of here."

I plunge the rag in my hands into the soapy water and start scrubbing the counter again. I had just pulled one of my typical klutz stunts and dropped a container of ice cream. Of course, the container cracked, and the ice cream spewed everywhere, leaving us with a sticky pink mess to clean up.

"I'm not going to leave you to clean up my mess," I insisted.

Amanda deftly stole the rag out of my hand and dropped it back into the bucket. "Bye," she said simply.

I stand up and sigh, untying the apron from around my waist and hanging it on a hook. "I owe you guys one," I call.

I look back to see Owen waving me off as he kneels on the floor scrubbing at a pink stain. After one last apology, I pick up my bag on the floor, push the door open, and leave.

I turn right and start heading towards the park, my bag swung over my shoulder. More days than not lately, I have gone there after work to read. The park's atmosphere is peaceful, and it's a refreshing break from the boring white walls of my dorm.

Summer is coming to an end, and all the students who leave town during the summer are just starting to come back, crowding the streets a little more than they had in the past few weeks. But despite the fact that fall is coming, it's still as hot outside as ever. I can feel the heat radiating off the pavement as my sandals slap down on it with every step.

I pull the hair band off of my ponytail as I wait to cross at a light and gently comb through my hair with my fingertips. Once I cross the street, only a short distance remains between me and the park, and I cover the distance quickly.

Settling down on the grass under the shade of the tree I always sit under, I pull a book out of my bag. The corners of my lips lift as I get distracted watching a couple of little kids chase each other around, but after a few moments I take my bookmark out, set it on the ground, and begin reading about a couple's fairytale romance.

I'm just barely getting sucked into the world of the book when a shadow slips over the pages I'm reading. "You cut your hair," a familiar deep voice says, sounding surprised.

My eyes widen as I register who is speaking, and I slowly look up. My guess is confirmed when I find Liam standing hovering over me, staring at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Sometimes people in romantic books say that their heart stops beating when they see their love interest. My heart has no such problems. Without hesitation, it immediately began pounding against my ribcage in equal parts nervousness, excitement, and fear.

"Yeah," I confirm as I absentmindedly play with the ends of a strand of my hair.

Silence lapses between us and I take the opportunity to study Liam. The first thing I notice is his hair. It actually looks like he made a solid attempt at combing it, and it remains slicked in place, all except for the front section that has been ruffled, presumably by him without even realizing it.