Toxic Lips [l.h]

f o r t y f i v e

My heart pounds hard in my chest as I take a few steps back, realizing I just shattered a jar.

The boy stares at me, eyebrows raised. 

Connor Harding.

The boy that singlehandedly ruined my life. 

"Alaska?" He asks in shock, as though he can't believe it's me. 

My throat is dry as I take another step back. "Y-yeah" I stammer.

A friendly smile breaks out on his face. "Wow, you look great," he says. "How are you?"

"Fine," I manage to say.

"That's good. How's Elise?"

"Fine," I repeat. 

He looks exactly the same. Same dark hair and blue eyes, with a smile that could melt you.

"I heard you moved to Sydney," he says. "What's it like there?"

"Nice."

An employee rounds the corner of the isle, talking in the shattered glass and splattered jam. "Oh, Jesus," she mumbles under her breath, shaking her head. "Damn teenagers," she says as she returns to get the cleaning supplies.

I flush and look down. 

"I'd love to have coffee some time?" Connor asks.

I shake my head. "No. I'm leaving on Saturday."

"Oh," he nods.

"And even if I wasn't, I would never have coffee with you," I say, crossing my arms firmly across my chest.

"Is that so?" He asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes! You scarred me for the rest of my life and ruined my relationship with my sister!" I hiss as an employee comes back with a broom and dust pan. 

As if on cue, Elise rounds the corner of the isle, an annoyed expression on her face. She stops short when she sees Connor. 

"Elise," he says when he sees her. "Wat a pleasant surprise."

Her eyes flicker from Connor to me, and then back again.

"Connor," she says curtly, glaring at me. 

"You look stunning," he says at her, eyeing her up and down. 

"Thanks," she umbles quietly. 

It's as if Connor has forgotten everything he done to us. Me, especially. He's acting like we're all good friends again. 

Flashbacks and memories begin to cloud in my mind as Connor meets my gaze again, his eyes glinting in the lights of the supermarket.

I'm beginning to feel dizzy, and I feel like if I don't get away from Connor soon I will puke or pass out. Or both. 

"Let's go," I say to Elise. 

She nods and stalks past Connor, her heels clicking on the polished linoleum.

I follow quickly behind, trying to fight the memories trying to surface. 

We buy the groceries and load the car quickly, and I keep looking over my shoulider to make sure Connor isn't following us. 

Elise is silent on the way home. I don't know what she's thinking, but I'm sure it involves multiple curses at me. 

"Why did you break the jam?" She asks me suddenly, not talking her eyes off the road.

"What?"

"You dropped the jam. Why?"

"I didn't expect to see him."