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This is Tyler's POV!
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Ben and I get to work a half an hour early like we'd been told to. Still Wilhide sneers at us and snaps when we don't get behind the counter at lightening speed. We're supposed to be hearing an important announcement today. Like anything could be that interesting to us, in a place so cheer-deprived.
Ben walks sluggishly to his post. At yesterday supper he had been his usual chipper self, but when we'd set Aaron up on the couch and finally took his attention away, he'd been almost... Distant. Now the glassy look has returned. It's so unlike my cousin, he's always the more energenic between the two of us; and knowing me that's a very hard thing to be. His eyes look like he's moping. Something's definitly wrong.
"As you all know," Wilhide begins. "My little Samantha has arrived."
I snicker, not even trying to hide it. He glares and clears his throat. In my mind I've already decided 'little Samantha' is either an acne-stricken forever-virgin or a short little pudger. Poor, poor girl. If only Wilhide weren't wading in that gene pool!
"Shut it, Pace. Now, I don't want any funny business. And you know what I mean by funny business," he squints his bulldog eyes at me and Ben in turn, "Samantha will be working alongside you two, so show her the ropes and treat her better than you would your own brother, or whatever you idiots are to each other."
"Um, I-"
"And I was serious, Mister Pace," Wilhide states firmly, "No. Funny. Business."
"That won't be a problem, sir," I tell him, shooting a sly look toward my cousin and love. A slight smirk breaks through his reverie finally, and he agrees. "So where is the girl?"
I scan the room, my eyes falling on one of the people that had just come through the door. She has horribly dyed hair and evident rolls on her stomach, held taunt by a bright pink sweater. I swallow the bile growing in my throat and try to keep a straight face.
"She got here before you two slackers, Samantha dear!" I scrunch my eyebrows as he calls into the back room, obvious and sudden admiration leaking into his voice when he speaks her name. So that isn't her?
I slowly turn around, still watching as the plump woman in pink waits patiently behind my boss.
"I'm here, unc- I mean... Mister Wilhide." A light blush spreads across her cheek bones and she scratches a spot on her arm, uncomfortable. To say I'm shocked would be an extreme understatement. Worse than extreme, monstrous!
Samantha isn't acne-stricken, hell she isn't even the slightest bit overweight. Her facial features are almost feline and you can tell she has a curvy bust underneith the shapeless uniform. She smiles shyly as we both just take a minute to stare.
"Hot damn," Ben leans in and whispers. "If I wasn't more into guys and irrevocably in love, I'd be all over that shit."
He laughs quietly so no one else hears. The smile I can't repress hurts my face, and the heat of my blush makes me feel even more uncomfortable, but I don't really care.
"How poetic, Benny," I whisper back, then I elbow him in the ribs, saying, "And yeah, you better be in love. I don't care if she's beautiful, I'll slap a bitch."
That brings a real smile to his face, which fills me with my own happiness that I can cheer him up for at least the moment. The moment is ruined when The Bulldog gruffly begins yammering again. "Well Paces, introduce yourselves!"
Paces. God, asshole. "I'm Ben, my- ... cousin Tyler. Sorry," he amends, closing his eyes and shaking his head despairingly. Glancing back, I can see a new wave of fury consume Wilhide's whole body. He must think Ben's slip in speech was because of his niece, in all her obvious attractiveness. If only that ass could see what turns my Benny on. I could tell the pause was more him choking on another word, and fixing his mistake with 'cousin'.
"Cousin Tyler," I smile and confirm, raising a hand in salutation. She returns the smile and waves back.
"So," her uncle says through clenched teeth. "Samantha, these two will show you how to do things, how it runs around here. And if they do anything," his voice lowers here: "Tell me and they'll be out faster than you can say castration."
Samantha's eyes widen innocently, as if the idea of any of those threats being realistic is atrocious. "I'm sure it won't be a problem, Mister Wilhide."
"Please sweetie, call me by my name like you've always done."
"No sir... You're my boss now, not just my uncle. I want to give the respect I'll get, just like these boys do, right?"
"Right..." he grumbles, clearly unsatisfied. I want to laugh again at the idea of being treated with respect with The Bulldog. "Samantha, I'm going to check some paper work in my office... Keep an eye, remember."
As soon as he leaves, she visibly untenses. Seeing as Ben has gone back into his dull state, I take the first step and show the girl how to do an order. The bottle blonde, overweight woman sighs multiple times as I walk through the simple steps. I have no idea where that kind patience went, but it seems her inside is as nice as her outside.
Once us three are the only ones left in the store, she heaves a sigh and sits herself on the counter. Our mouths hang open. Samantha pulls a pack of smokes out of her pocket and lights one right in the middle of the store. All the innocence from moments before has dissolved into what I can only call... This.
Not my crowning moment in description, but... Wow.
"Damn, he's fucking annoying, isn't he?" My dumbfounded look must have intensified tenfold because she lets out a cackling laugh. "Let me guess, he told you all about 'Little Samantha, the angel!' right?
"Uh... Kind of," I say stupidly.
"Well," she says, smirking heavily, "I'm not the devil, but I'm no angel. And between you and me, I can't stand the man."
"The Bulldog," Ben says quietly. He speaks! Finally.
"Hah! That's a good one, good one..." She looks out toward the window and lets out a cloud of smoke. "Oh how impolite of me. Mister Wilhide would not approve!"
We shake our heads when she offers us a cigarette. Then she jumps down off the counter, puts it out in a plant, and stomps to Wilhide's door. Knocking loudly, she cries, "Mister Wilhide! Aah! Mister Wilhide!"
I see her working up tears, and I'm immediately terrified. She's going to get us fired! That bitch is getting us fired her first day!
He hurries to open the door faster than I've ever seen him move. "What's wrong Samantha?!"
"This-this-this-" She hiccups painfully and hugs her uncle.
"Calm down, what happened? Was it THEM?" He says them so spitefully. This is the moment of truth.
"No!" I'm shocked once again. "No they helped! This mean man came in and lit a cigarette, and then when I told him he can't have those in here- he blew it in my face! I reek of smoke!"
By this time she'd blubbered her way over to us and links her arms with Ben and mine. "But these boys told him (kindly enough) that that was unacceptable!"
It was Wilhide's turn to leave his mouth hanging open. After a few moments she turns around and squirts a mouth spray into her mouth, "You're welcome, boys."
"Sh... She's a badass, Ben."
Back at home, we find Aaron sitting at the kitchen table chewing a piece of fruit as dinner cooks. His hair is disheveled from probably laying in bed all day.
"I don't think strawberries are good for people with nausea and hot flashes," I smirk at him and lift the lid on the pot on the stove. It sure smells edible, but isn't quite as attractive.
"Meh. And by the way, that's a stew of all the things I found leftover... I'm actually amazed there are any leftovers, to be honest."
"Me either," Ash comes bounding down the stairs and puts a hand to Aaron's forehead, though his little brother struggles a bit. I can see he loves it deep down. "With all the food us men eat!"
"Men?" Aaron smiles.
"You're the only boy left," I exclaim, "Now feeeeed me."
It's much later than when Ben and I would have gotten home on a normal day, that's why Ash is already here and in his pajamas. His brother watches as he grabs a beer from the fridge and leans against the counter. There's even more admiration in his eyes than when Wilhide looks at Samantha.
Whipped, I think. So whipped, Aaron.
Waaait...