Stay out of it

He was quite cheeky and she just shook her head and groaned. Because in her mind stealing was stealing, even if it was done because he was doing the owner a favour. But then she decided to give him a piece of her mind and she managed to blush, even more when he called her cute. “No, you dont get to see me as cute!” She said, to then turn away and look in the other direction, crossing her arms. She wasnt really upset but wouldnt he just love to see her cheeks all red and warm. “I still have your jacket.” She said with her back to him still.

“I can cut off your perception by blocking your view. Like now.” She just argued, a little snarky, feeling like she was being rather clever before mentioning the jacket. Of course she had kept it. Sometimes caught herself brushing a hand over it. But he had never come by to come get it. She felt the hand touching her hair but didnt move away. “No. You’ll just try to kiss me again.” She said looking ahead. They probably looked odd to anyone passing by but it was rather quiet here and no one had found their way past here yet. “But you can get it back.”

“You wouldnt be able to help yourself. You’d probably just think that’s why I kept your jacket.” She argued, though she wasnt actually upset with him. It wasnt his fault that she had run off regardless. It was all her. But she didnt have to say that. He spoke of her keeping it and she scoffed. “How would I know?” She lied. She knew that it wasnt as strong as it had been the first couple of days. It probably smelled more like her now. His question caught her off guard and she turned her head to look at him. “You already pointed out that my arms are like sticks. Also I’m not weird. It’s your jacket. You’re not wearing it.” She then said, eyeing him for a moment before turning back to keeping her back towards him.

“It probably does after being left in my home for as long as it has.” She argued. So he could get it back, right? Besides! He wasnt wearing a jacket now? So he needed it! He assured her that he wouldnt kiss her without permission, but she did wonder if he would throw in a nice attempt on persuading her to ask then. He was clever, she knew as much now. She felt his chin on her shoulder, his breath on her neck. She felt shivers that she didnt react to run down her spine. The whisper only added to that nice tingle. “Are you clean now? For real real?” She asked, turning her head to look at him. She liked him way better when he didnt look this worn out. But it didnt make him less him.

He seemed trustworthy enough for her to believe that he was actually clean. The confirmation however felt good. But then she lowkey had just agreed to a date right? Fuck. She hadnt thought that one through. He mentioned needing a few days and she just looked at him while he seemed to search her eyes. He stated a time and a day and she just looked at him for a moment like she was considering it. And she did. Frankly, what could go wrong? It was just a date, not a marriage proposal. “Like your jacket?” She said, snarky mean girl tone, with her eyebrow slightly raised. “No, you’ll come by and get your jacket. I cant have you come into the store and ask for it when you really start to miss it. And then I’ll consider a date with you.”

“Yeah, you better.” She said, feeling a bit more relaxed now. He let go and got up and the hand he reached out she took. “See you.” She said with a small sigh, unsure if she wanted him to go already but it was for the best. Her lunchbreak would soon be over so she would have to return anyway. It was maybe a bad idea not to eat but she felt like she could deal with that when she got home. Returning to the store, she went to put her purse away, slipping back into her work vest, correcting her hair a little in the mirror. The rest of her work day went as expected.

She was lying in bed with her phone, just scrolling, keeping up with the people that had used to be the core in her life. It was like a comfort thing, seeing them live their lives and have a good time and yet… it also felt unfair. Like she was punishing herself, seeing all that she missed too. The knock on the door made her look up and she got up but not before she grabbed a shirt to pull over her head to cover her neck again. She went and opened to see him leaned in like he was just here to charm her or maybe chat her up by the door. She just opened the door for him to enter. If she went on to greet him, she would almost sound excited that he was here, which she told herself she wasnt. “Let me get your jacket.” She said as she went to go grab it. It had been resting where she left it, though it hadnt only remained there, but that was besides the point. She had taken good care of it for something that was owned by a guy she barely knew.

“No shit. It’s been bad weather all week. Spring bringing warmer weather my ass.” She said, crossing her arms lightly, watching him pull it on. It did suit him quite well. Even if it added to the whole brute persona. “You say that like you had expected me to do something bad to it?” She asked, tilting her head lightly as she looked at him. Was it weird that she didnt want him to leave right away? She hadnt really had that kind of feeling before, from her old life she actually couldnt wait to get away from the guys she was seeing.

He asked what was wrong but she just shrugged. Nothing in particular was wrong. The question about his co-worker made her look away. “Definitely a goon. No braincells and definitely very hands on like he has no sense of what is or isnt his.” She just admitted but she wasnt really scared of the goon. Or too bothered. Because would telling Rhys change anything? She doubted it. “I just… I dunno.” She sighed. She was being stupid. Just let the guy go! She had already agreed to go on another date with him so why wasnt that just good enough?

He stepped closer and that surprised her, even more when he held her cheek and it felt good. The question almost felt like a demand to know. Did he care that much for whether some goon was annoying her or not? “It’s nothing extreme..” she said, pulling at her own words as she didnt want to piss him off further with the goon, but didnt consider that she was also leaving it up to his imagination.
He said something that almost sounded dangerous. She frowned. “I dont want you to get in trouble for me.” She objected, frowning at him as she couldnt believe that he was willing to go that far for her. Did she deserve that? “He just… has some comments that he should keep to himself. And he..” she sighed again, finding it almost dumb. “.. he also grabs us, Mary or me, in passing. You know. Behind. Like a real jerk.” She said, looking down as it was clearly annoying her. She didnt really feel upset or violated it was more the fact that the goon just really didnt care about anything.

She wouldnt lie to him but she definitely wasnt expecting him to go out of his way for her. He seemed quite affected by what she was telling him but she wasnt looking directly at him so she didnt realize this just yet. The promise however made her look at him, maybe a little more grateful than intended. He told her not to hesitate with telling him but she lifted a hand to hold his face, looking at him with a soft but saddened look. “You dont have to deal with him for me.” She said, though she couldnt lie and say that it wasnt making her like him more. That he cared, that he would deal with assholes that were harassing her.

It was so candid standing here with him. Like how they were touching each others faces, just being sweet and slow. The question she nodded to in reply, wanting him to stay as well. The suggestion she chuckled at, shaking her head. “I dont know either.” She had to admit before slowly taking her hand off his face, letting it fall. “I could show you my polaroids and tell you their stories?” She then suggested, her hand down her side moving over to grab his, if he let her.

She lead him to the bed and it seemed that he was ready to take the first step. Hopefully he didnt find her too awkward? When he sat down and looked at the pictures, she knew that eventually his neck would hurt. So she pushed him so he could lie down. That was how you got the best view anyway. She laid down next to him and looked up at the pictures. She looked so different then on the ones she was in. No tattoos, long blond hair, bright smile, bright future was what they told her. “Most of them. Others were friends.. my mom. My sister.” She said, looking at the picture before she started with the oldest one, two young girls just having fun by a huge toybox. She explained how her and her sister was inseparable.