Rivalry Is Lame

Chapter 3

Annie POV

I woke up early on Saturday morning because I had the opening shift at Carly's, which honestly I enjoyed very much because usually no kids around my age would go in at such an early time. The usual people would be elderly people, and people who wanted something for work that they would pack away and eat later. Occasional we would get a passing by tourist with a younger child who would run rampages all around but other than that quiet.

My family had been ecstatic that the Voyagers won the scrimmage game, my father had told the team that it was looking up from there. My brother had prided himself on getting the winning goal and how the look on Jack Chipmines face made everything all the better. Which then led me to remember my encounter with Jack and cringe. But I am happy to say I am officially over it, I decided that there was no way he knew who I was, nor would he care all that much and I only had to see him at the Championship game which was in like 2 months so everything was well again in my life.

I was able to take the car because I needed some way to get to work and Asher was not getting up at 5 just to drive me. Which pissed him off entirely that he couldn't have the car on Saturdays or Sundays but he had enough friends that he could go anywhere he wanted with them.

I don't even remember getting ready for work this morning. I was so tired. Asher had some of his teammates over last night to kick off a celebration for the beginning of the season, which meant little sleep for me. You know when you feel like you are just not even a person in the morning, like you are moving and doing what you need to but it's not you that's doing it. That's exactly what I was feeling as I was driving a few miles to Carly's.

Johanna Carly was always there to greet me first thing in the morning, she was the one who had originally thought of the idea of the place. A place that has almost everything a person could want all in one store. And being the age of 62 she was growing too old to keep the place running. Her family helped once and a while and of course I was there whenever she needed me but in the last year or so I felt a strange sense that she was growing tired of waking up at 4 in the morning everyday and baking and cooking until 5pm. I couldn't blame her though, I mean I was tired doing this a few times a week at 17 I couldn't imagine doing this everyday. But I did love it, more than I should have. Sometimes I feel like this is the only place that brings me peace, a place that with the exception of a few visits here and there no one in my family bothers me. Don't get me wrong I love my family but its all hockey this and hockey that. Hockey is rarely brought up here and I thank whatever higher power there is for that everyday.

Things were all the same in that morning, same customers came by that usually did, the same people who work every Saturday came in to buy lunch for later. Everything was perfect. Until it wasn't.

At around 1pm, right after our lunch rush I heard the jingle of the bell that goes off when someone enters or exits. A jingle I had learned to block out after being here for about a year and a half but for some strange reason this bell ring was different. But leave it to fate to throw me down a flight of stairs every chance it gets. I turned with my usual smile and was ready to say my usual phrase when someone came in.

"Hi, welcome to Carly's what can I-" And I paused when I saw the person. This person who had haunted me for the past 24 hours was now standing in front of me. I should say towering over me because when I say I had to crane my head I really mean it. I looked at his face, a face I had seen many times before due to the rivalry between him and my brother and Sarah shoving his Instagram post in my face every-time he posted something that was slightly appealing. For what it's worth she was right when she said he was stupid hot, I mean he was tall, he had the most adorable brown eyes that were doe like but also fierce enough to know he was tough, he had brown curly hair that was almost mullet like but in the best way possible. His face was soft but again not soft in a way that should be taken for weakness because one wrong look from this guy could be the end of someone. I mean of course out of everyone that could have walked through those doors Jack Chipmine had to strut in like nothing in the world bothered him.

"Hey I think my dad had called ahead for something, I'm just picking it up. The last name is Chipmine, "he said. Too smooth, that wasn't even a sentence that had to be smooth but he did it, that's how good he was.

"Of course, one moment while I grab it please" I was surprised I was able to say that. I need to get it together and fast. This man literally means nothing to my life. I don't understand why I can't just talk to him like a normal human. I mean I've had conversations with attractive men before. I went to the back and sure enough there was a box of cookies and cupcakes labeled Chipmine, not sure why I hadn't noticed that before, I could have mentally prepared myself for it. I carefully picked up the box because the last thing I needed was to have to face him and tell him I dropped and ruined everything. I made sure to carefully open the door and smoothly drop the box in front of him on the counter.

"Here you go, it was pre paid so it's all set. Have a nice day" I made it out alive, barely. That wasn;t so bad now I can go back to my perfect day with distractions at all.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" He said.

"Excuse me" I said, confused. I was lost in thought and I didn't think I heard him right.

"Sorry your face just seemed familiar, were you at the hockey game last night?" He asked. I had never wanted a customer to walk into the store so badly so I could politely excuse myself from him. But again with fate absolutely no one came in forcing me to continue this conversation.

"Ah yea I was, my brother is on the voyagers" I said. Hopefully that wasn't too sensitive of a topic to bring up to him right now. I mean he did lose last night and all. But he's having cookies and cupcakes with his family so maybe that's something.

"Oh really, what's his name? I bet I know him, "he said. Again so oblivious to the fact that I did not want this conversation to carry on. I mean he's no doubt gonna know who my brother is once I say his name, he would be daft not to, I mean it is his enemy.

"Um Asher Aldridge" I say not even looking up at him pretending to be doing something on my phone. Which technically isn't allowed but he's the only one in here and I couldn't care less about the hospitality he felt.

"No way he's supposed to be my arch nemesis. I'm Jack Chipmine" He said and reached his hand out to shake my hand. I placed my phone down and put my hand in his. He had a very firm grasp.

"Annie and yea I know your name is a sensitive topic in my house," I said while making eye contact with him. He smiled and damn it was a good one. His gaze shifted to my phone on the table. I forgot that my case was in the shape of a green monster, a memorable one to say the least.

"That's where I remember you, you ran into my last night. You didn't look up at me so I thought you hated me or something. But I remember that phone case, it's a pretty cool one." he said. Yea I think I just died inside a bit, here I was thinking that he forgot the second I left but no he just had to look at the phone case and place it in his mind. This is just what I needed today, not.

"Oh no I honestly was just too embarrassed to look up at you. Plus I saw your jersey which is a big no-no where I come from" I say, I was speaking more freely than I would have thought. I mean the words just keep coming out, if he doesn't leave soon he's gonna end up hearing my life story soon.

"Well good, I wouldn't know what to do if such a pretty girl hated me" He said. And with that he turned and left. Was that real, no it wasn't. I imagined the whole thing, I'm sure of it. He called me pretty? Even after he knew who my brother was and after he knew I was the one who essentially bulldozed into him. This doesn't even make sense since I'm not his type at all. According to Sarah he likes girls like...well like Sarah, blonde and tall enough that it doesn't look weird and girls who wear stuff to show off their body. Maybe he's messing with me, maybe it's a ploy to get under my skin so I warn Asher about him and mess up his game. But that would be dumb right, I mean anything to do with me would not affect Asher at all.

I can't believe this perfect Saturday has turned into this. I refuse to let my thoughts consume Jack anymore, that was last night's problem. I am going to finish out my day string and have a relaxing evening with the girls. I am not sure if I will bring it up to them or not.