How To Love You

Twenty nine

'You're guys' rota is nearly over. Only three days left and you're free from school cleaning duties' the old man chuckled, as he grabbed a broom from the closet and swung it around carelessly.

Sean laughed along with the man, copying his actions as he took a sweeping brush and mop and handed one to the brunette. The two men fell into an easy conversation—talking about everything and anything as the black haired boy occasionally turned back to make sure that the petite girl was okay.

 Kaycee felt painfully out of place, like a pepperoni that had mistakenly made its way onto a vegetarian pizza. Her friends had insisted she stayed at home after being cooped up in her bed all weekend but she reassured them that she was okay and it was just her growing hormones messing her up. Of course, none of them believed her but decided they'd allow her to do as she wished.

But now, she was regretting her decision. Her own private thoughts about him made her blush, him looking her way made her blush, being asked to work with him made her blush. It wasn't cute either. It wasn't a soft pink like a healthy outdoors glow, it was beet red. Then the blushing made her blush harder until she was scarlet and roasting hot. She thought about possibly wearing makeup for a change to cover it up but knew it'd work burnt through all the same. 

'Why don't we enjoy things a little? I mean, I'd hate for you guys to finish your work without a good memory, right?' The janitor smiled, sensing the tense atmosphere between the two as Kaycee stood by the doorway—arms crossed—while Sean excitedly chatted to the man.

The old man pulled out what the two presumed was his phone from his overall pockets. The cell phone was easy to spot. It wasn't wafer thin like the popular models, but almost as large as the 1980's early models everyone nowadays would laugh at. This wasn't simply a phone, it was the latest in mobile broadcasting from possibly the prehistoric times. His thumb pressed the buttons on his devices—a clicking sound emerging each time before a content sigh fell from his lips.

He stuck his tongue out to the side in concentration before a little drumming sound was heard playing from his phone. The janitor smiled happily before turning the volume up a notch and finally resting it on a wooden shelf.

'May I have this dance?' The janitor kindly asked the mop that was standing opposite him. 

Kaycee scrunched her eyes brows up in confusion, smiling awkwardly as the old man took centre stage with the cleaning item.

The janitor moved like someone schooled in dance. He wasn't cleaning so much as meditating, side-stepping and turning in fluid motions as if the mop were a beloved partner. Sean and Kayce, both laughed, their bellies aching but he would only smile back, wink and keep on dancing. Kaycee bet that they'd find a juke box where his heart should be, stuck on repeat, playing the greatest hits from his long ago youth.

'You wouldn't catch me dead dancing' Kaycee mumbled, sending the old man a thumbs up as he waltzed with his mop.

'You two are really gonna leave me dancing alone, huh? Come on, this is probably the only happy memory you'll make cleaning' he joked, gesturing for the the two to join him.

Kaycee denied his request as kindly as possible.

'You really going to say no to him?' Sean questioned, turning to face the girl with a dimpled smile. He used his hand to point out the contagious smile stuck on the janitors face.

And as she predicted—without even having to look at him—she blushed crimson red. 'Not today, Lew' she murmured, pressing her tongue to the inside of her cheek.

'Come on, I didn't mean to make things more awkward' Sean muttered softly, placing his hand onto her shoulder. 

The brunette rolled his eyes at him, bouncing her shoulder as his hand fell to his side.