Hello August, Please Be Good To Me

Chapter 8: Beautiful Stranger

At this point I would not be mad at him if he thinks I'm stalking him. This is our third encounter, with the first time being a one sided staring contest. But he comes over and helps me as if it's the most normal thing to do after seeing the same girl in random places. And I ruin it. "I swear I'm not a stalker!" I blurt out, and my underhand toss of the DVD goes flying over the bin and back on the floor. Whatever he was going to say is lost on his lips because now he's looking at me like I just might be said stalker. Why couldn't I just let him speak first? "I mean, it's kinda weird for us to see each other, you know what they say about third times and all..." I stammer and falter, but still don't let him get a word in edge wise. I don't know if he was trying to now. "I just came for some frosted animal crackers. Oh shoot! I gotta find that phone case. Hey, where's my crackers?" At this point I've transitioned from textbook introvert to textbook crazy as I mumble to myself and look for that white and pink package, abandoning the plight of the DVDs.  

"Is that it over there?" Justin asks me, as I stop in my tracks right in front of the very thing I've lost my sanity over. I bend down and pick it up, just as Justin puts the last DVD into the bin. "Thanks," I say, and stand there like an idiot. I don't think there's any way I can make the situation worse, so I stand there embracing whatever the Universe wants to throw my way. "You're welcome. I'm guessing hanging out with you is never boring." Oh. It's being nice to me. I proceed with caution. I recognize Justin's smile from the Apple Store and can't help but return it. "Yeah." There's so much I want to add on to that sentence but I don't trust myself to speak more so I don't. The Universe still looks out for me. "Do you still want that case you were talking about? I think that's it over there." Justin points over to a similar bin, this one labeled with the word 'clearance' in dark red letters. Sure enough, it's full of the purple cases. "Considering my short history with store bins, it's not worth it. I don't think I want it anymore."

Justin reaches in pulls one out before handing it to me. "You sure?" he asks, and I suddenly question how sure I am on many things. Like is this guy really engaging in a conversation with me? Should I try harder? Am I really upset that his tattoo is covered today? Suddenly my home based boredom is starting a lot nicer and much more safe. I look down at my hands and realize that I no longer have my Pringles. Damn it. 

Universe - 1 , Lyric - 0

"Are you freakin' kidding me?"

"What do you mean?"

"My Pringles!"

I start retracing my steps, which aren't very long because I know I had them before my encounter with the DVDs. Something tells me to look there, and when I do I see the orange container big as day between the top layers of the DVDs. "Here let me help," Justin offers, and together with him holding the DVDs as I pull them out, we retrieve my Pringles. "Anything else you might be forgetting Lyric?" he asks, and I pretend to pat my pockets and look around me. "No, that's everything. I don't have enough money to buy up the whole store." Whoops... where did that come from? I sigh and decide to continue on my flaming path. 

"I mean, I kinda have an obsession with this place. You know, you go in for one thing and -"

"Come back for more. My grandma says that all the time."

I fake gasp.

"What, you're calling me old now? Thanks so much."

"No! No... I was just saying...it reminds me of my grandma." Justin flushes, rushing to apologize, and I instantly wish I could reel my sarcasm back in. And lock it into a safe. "I was just kidding, I'm sorry. I'm not offended at all." It's at this moment I realize how long I've been standing there talking to Justin and that a couple things should have happened by now like,

1. ....anybody wanna help me out here?

2. Oh wait actually...nope, never mind

Another person has just stepped up to play the game Justin was on, and I point it out to him. "Sorry. Looks like you lost your spot," I say, and he turns his head around to see. "Eh, you're a lot more interesting than the game." I blink and swallow. You, Mister, are a lot more forward than I thought. My phone rings and when I answer it, my dad jumps straight into, "Where are you?" I have to laugh because it's funny how someone who usually doesn't pay any attention to me notices when I'm not in the house. "You have to go?" Justin asks when I hang up and I nod. As I turn to pay for my stuff and head out, he stops me, and I wait not knowing what to expect. I notice how my fast my heart is beating and wonder how long it's been like that. "Are you doing anything next week?" he asks, and I run down a mental list in my head of all the things I have to do then. I shake my head. "Great, a group of us are headed to Destin on Thursday, and it'd be cool if you came."

We exchange phone numbers --yay--and I leave Walmart with a smile that won't leave my face. I have Justin's number! I don't know what to do with it, but I have his freakin' number! And he invited me to hang out!

As soon as I get home I crack open my sketch book and try to finish the living room sketch I started on a previous sketch, but when I finish I surprise myself. Looking back at me from the pages is Justin's freckles, dark brown hair, and blue eyes. I pride myself on drawing pretty okay faces, but I had managed to successfully capture what I saw when we first met at the Apple store. Without thinking, I take out my phone and snap a picture of the sketch, making it Justin's contact picture in my phone. Then I take my sketchbook and stuff it out of sight. I can't draw anything now when my mind can't stop thinking about him.