I woke up on my bed naked and with wet hair. I was only able to open my eyes a little as the sun beamed in through my window.
SLAP!
I covered my mouth with my hand. I sat up quickly. I thought alcohol was supposed to make you forget! I remember everything: the dancing, the games... the lake. Oh my god, I totally took advantage of that guy. OH MY GOD! I don't even know his name! Suddenly, a headache tore through my brain, and it was like my shoulders had sandbags on them. My throat was like a desert and everything was too bright and loud... I'm definitely hungover.
I found a robe and made my way to the bathroom.
ACHOO!
Oh no the lake "you need to get out of the water or you'll get a cold". That's what he said to me, and he was right. I reached for the tissues and they slid towards me. Yeep! What was that, they definitely just moved towards me. Well, that's impossible so maybe it didn't. Ok let's try again. I am going to grab- get the toothpaste. I closed my eyes and really focused.
ACHOO!
BANG
The toothpaste flew through the air and crashed into the wall causing me to instinctually duck. I stood there with my mouth open and my hand loosely balled up pressing against my stomach.
"What the fuck" I mouthed to myself. What is going on! Holy fucking shi-
"Are you ok!" Joya yelled from down the hall.
"Umm. Yeah I?... dropped the toothpaste" I yelled back. And by dropping the toothpaste I mean I made it fly through the fucking air with my fucking mind. What am I going to do? I stood there for a moment and allowed myself to slump against the counter as thoughts raced through my aching mind.
I guess I have to go to work. Amaan said I could come in late today. Oh shit! What time is it? I hurried and got in the shower, brushed my teeth a little wary of myself, and went back to my room.
I scrambled for some clothes and then bolted out the door, barely having enough time to say bye to Joya.
The trees rushed past as I drove towards town. "Okay , I just have to stay calm." I started telling myself.
"Maybe it was just a fluke, what happened this morning... No it wasn't what I am talking about!"
The radio turned on and started rapidly changing stations.
"I'm getting all worked up again!" I said frantically as I took a deep breath. The radio stopped and I continued to breathe and focus on the road.
/\/\/\
I made it into work without any issues, thankfully.
"Good morning!" Rozlyn shined, seriously is she never in a bad mood.
"Hello, Rozlyn." I said as normally as possible.
"Did you have fun last night?"
"Yeah, I didn't do anything weird did I?" I remember pretty much everything but, I have to check.
"You mean when you stripped naked and stood on a chair declaring yourself as the 'goddess of the Earth and Moon'? It was really a struggle to get your clothes back on."
"WHAT!" I don't remember doing that. She started laughing maniacally. And then it clicked.
"Not funny." I said, starting to smile.
" I thought it was." She lightly chuckled.
"Okay, I have to work" I walked to the back and Amaan was back there blending away.
"I am so sorry for being so late."
"No worries, I knew what Rozlyn had planned for you." I sighed in relief
"I am going to get started." he nodded and I gathered my equipment.
Okay all I have to do now is make it through the day without throwing anything with my mind.
/\/\/\
Everything was going great, I was making great time with the cataloging today. I only had one more spice for my checklist today 'Za'atar'. I've never heard of that.
"Hey Yaz, come here for a second." Rozlyn said from the coffee bar.
"Yeah, what's zaa-tar?" I asked, trying my best to pronounce it.
"Oh, its a spice my dad uses a lot. Which is good cause no one else is going to buy it that's why he keeps it on the top shelf. I have to go to the bathroom and check the pastries, can you watch the counter?"
"Yeah? But, I'm not very good at making drinks."
"It's okay, just take the order for me, there is no one in right now, you should be fine" then she walked to the back. I sat down, she's right, what are the chances that someone would come in right now. I started a game on my phone and then the bell chimed. Of course.
An aroma swirled around me, it was intoxicating and exhilarating, it was like the smell of lighting and honey wrapped up in moonlight. I looked up from my phone. It was him, the guy from the lake. He strolled up to the counter and I stood up trying to get a better look. He smiled at me. Woah, I got it bad.
"Hi" He said and put his hands on the counter. The pen started to rattle. I quickly slapped it.
"Hi," I replied, trying to contain myself. Don't mess this up.
"Cinnamon bites, right?" I asked
"Yeah" Okay deep breaths, don't make anything move. I walked over to the dessert stand, and carefully put each one in the bag.
"Achm" he cleared his throat and I looked up at him from the bag. And he began to speak.
"Hey, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night I kinda got carried away and I shou-"
"What, No. I'm sorry, I was all over you and drunk. That was not cool." The display started to rattle. Oh shit, calm down...deep breaths. I took a long breath in and out the rattling stopped.
"Anyway, you didn't make me feel uncomfortable... well at least not in a bad way" I said looking back at the bag, he chucked.
"Well, in that case maybe I could make you feel 'uncomfortable' again some time" my face flushed with heat and the entire store started to shake. Way to kill the mood, more deep breaths.
Finally, I got myself to settle down.
"Was that an earthquake?" I said
"I guess, that was weird"
"Here you go-" Oh my god his name!
"This is kind of embarrassing but, what's your name? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."
"I already know your name, Yazmine. How about I take you on a date and you can find out". Man, even my own name sounds better from his lips.
"How- Rozlyn?"
"Yeah"
"Well, maybe I'll just ask her too then." I said jokingly
"What's the fun in that?"
"Fair, I guess you'll have to come back at 7:00 to pick me up" I smiled at him.
"I guess I'll have to." He smiled back.
"Hey, thanks Yaz" Rozlyn said walking back in the room.
"Hey Ma–" Rozlyn quickly shut her mouth as he glared at her. Did he just tell her something in her head? Are they like me?
"I was just leaving" He looked at me again. I wished that he would stop doing that. I am trying to keep my cool.
I walked over to the herb shelves. Man, Roz wasn't kidding when she said top shelf. I was trying to focus on getting the Za'atar down, but I couldn't help but think about him. The jars began to rattle and shake, oh shit calm down. I took as many deep breaths as I could muster but nothing.
ACHOO!
I looked at the Za'atar and all the jars came raining down on me.
Just as I was crouching down a body came towards me and a heady aroma surrounded me.
CRASH!
The jars shattered all around us. I could feel them breaking on him. They all stopped and he looked at me with concern.
"Are you okay?" Just like the lake he jumped in after me. Again.
"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Amaan said, running out the back.
"I-I-I'm sorry it was an accident, I was trying to get-" the Za'atar, all of those herbs wasted and it's all because of me. My eyes stung with tears and the warm liquid started running down my face. All that tea, and I didn't even get the Za'atar. I began balling, why is this happening! I continued to cry, I hate crying in public.
Then all of the broken glass shards and herbs swirled in the air like a small whirlpool before reconfiguring themselves on the selves. Like nothing happened. And I looked down in my hands a jar that read 'Za'atar'.
They all just stared at me with their mouths open. No! No! No, this wasn't supposed to happen. I should have never taken this stupid job.
I stood up and stepped back slowly towards the door. I gently set the Za'atar down.
"It's not what you think- It was an acci- I'm not what you- I have to go." I said and then ran out of the store. Tears ran down my face, chilled by the wind, they were icy reminders of what had just happened. It was all going so well and now... now I've ruined everything. I hit something hard and jolted back.
"I'm so sorry I didn-" I remember this face CLAYTON. He was missing an eye and his face was all kinds of scared up. Anger ripped through me.
"You owe me an eye, you little witch!"
"I don't owe you anything, you got exactly what was coming at you. Hanging out in dark allies is not exactly a safe activity" my my blood began to boil, and rage started filling every crevice of my body
"I bet you think you're so smart, well see how smart you are" he looked behind me, then a pain like no other ripped through the back of my head and I was drowned by the black of unconsciousness.
