Fools in Love

3. Don't Ruin the M&M's

Fridays are always busy at work. The Subway I work at is located next to campus so students and office workers alike pile in during the mornings and lunch hours. I have an opening shift at 7am Fridays to Sundays so I'm here bright and early. But not even ten minutes into the start of the day I'm faced with a group of familiar looking students.

"Hey, aren't you the idiot that dumped food all over Matt's shirt?" One of the guys snickers while pointing accusingly at me. The friend next to him smirks while the two girls behind huddled together start to scowl.

Oh no. I definitely recognize them now. One of the girls ordered me to apologize that day. I thought this was going to be all behind me after things have been going smoothly. Can't I catch a break?

"Did you pay him back yet?" That same girl asks, stepping around the group to stand before me with her hands on her hips. "Don't go thinking just because he has money that you shouldn't pay for anything."

That's what I said! But if I try to use that argument they'd probably be even ruder. Matt, why couldn't you have accepted the money? Then I could at least admit that I paid some. I could lie, but what if she asks Matt and he tells the truth?

"Uh...I...it-it's complicated?"

"How? Just give him some—"

"Excuse me," Becky, my snarky co-worker, calls from my side. When she smiles, so do her eyes, but those brown eyes are anything but friendly. "If you aren't going to order something then could you please step out of line? There's others waiting their turn and I'm sure they have places to be." She gestures to the growing line behind.

The girl goes red in the face, either from anger or embarrassment I'm not entirely sure. But she huffs and quickly mutters what she wants, her friends following after. Although they keep their gazes on me most of the time, they end up leaving without any more trouble.

"Thanks," I whisper to Becky once they're gone. She's working on piling enough vegetables to make a salad onto some dude's sandwich when she shrugs.

"No problem. I hate people that don't understand basic manners," Becky snarls then does a complete 180 and smiles like an angel at the customer, asking what else he would like.

Mental note; never piss Becky off. She gives me the shivers.

There is no repeat of the morning fiasco as the day goes by. I suspect some want to ask or say something. I get plenty of weird looks and quiet whispers but no one pesters me. Work is work. Becky isn't much of a talker. Neither am I. So the work gets done quickly and we're prepared for the lunch rush that always ends around two, which is the exact time my feet start to ache.

I sit in the back room after the lunch rush ends with a heavy groan. Becky is counting the money in the register since we reached our limit.

Ah, I haven't checked my phone since before noon. Not that I have a lot of people that talk to me so what does it matter. Still, I reach for said phone in my pocket and stare in curiosity at the message from an unknown number. Until I open it and realize I simply didn't save the number so I do that now in order to recognize it should he message again.

Matt: I've told everyone you are paying me monthly installments. They shouldn't bother you again. Sorry.

Ah, he must have heard from the group that came in this morning.

Me: It's ok. Thank you, I wasn't sure what to say this morning.

After pressing send, I enter in a quick second text.

Me: Are you sure you don't want me to pay you back?

I sit my phone aside, expecting to wait, but it dings a moment later. Did he really text back that fast?