Insatiable [h.s]

03

TW: mentions of SA & mentions of abuse

I held a box of Phillips screwdrivers that needed to be stocked in my arms as I turned down aisle five of the hardware store that I have grown so familiar with. I peaked around the corner and looked down the aisle, sighing in relief that there wasn't anyone here.

I may have worked here for nearly two years now but I still don't know anything about any of this stuff. I'm usually at the register but we were down a floor person today and I'm pretty good at avoiding customers so I jumped on the opportunity of not having to keep small talk with the people who came to checkout.

I know that sounds bad since I work in customer service, but a lot of the usuals are older men who like to try and flirt with me and the other female workers here. It's okay sometimes if they're just being "friendly", but some of them take it too far and I never know what to do in those kinds of situations.

I kind of shut down and just stand there not saying anything as they continue with their crude banter.

Plus my manager here is kind of a creep so it's not like any of us can go to him about the customers. My manager, Frank, is in his forties and married with a few kids, yet he always makes snide remarks about how good me and the rest of the female staff look.

Men scare the shit out of me.

I set the box down in front of me and knelt down to start working on filling up the completely empty bottom row of screw drivers. I eagerly reached into the box since this was the last thing I needed to do before I was able to go home. It was already a little passed my shifts end but I was

As I ducked my hand into the box I caught the side of my nail on one of the plastic containers of one of the screwdrivers, the package sliding underneath my nail to send a hot wave of pain up through my hand.

"Dammit!" I cussed as I ripped my hand from the box to inspect my now throbbing finger.

I didn't wear acrylics because of this job, I just wore my natural nails with gel polish on them, but the plastic had slid right underneath my nail and parted some of my nail away from my nail bed. There was alright a bit of blood that had began to trickle from my finger so I quickly grabbed a hold of my finger to apply pressure to it.

I stood up turning to my left with my head still down to look at my finger as I continued to walk down to the back aisle. Turning out of it I felt the breath knock out of my lungs as I crashed into a body for the second time today.

"I'm so sor—"

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

My eyes widened as I took in the side profile of the guy I had dropped eggs on at the store a few hours ago. His eyes were locked on the wall of ropes and I could see the way his jaw was clenched together in obvious anger.

"Look, I'm sorry." I said softly. "About this and earlier at the store. Both were an accident, I promise."

He stood still again as if he couldn't move and once again I'm convinced he's a fucking statue.

I felt my anger start to boil as he continued to ignore me. "You might not be a people person but you can at least show some human decency and answer me." Once the words left my mouth I instantly regretted them.

His head snapped sideways, his eyes burning directly into mine as he did so. His jaw was tightening as his eyes narrowed at me. His lip twitched as if he were fighting the urge to open his mouth and cuss me out, I'm sure he wanted to.

My breath caught in my throat from his reaction, my lungs feeling as if I couldn't breathe anymore.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." I stuttered out as I stood there holding my still throbbing finger.