The Jerks Next Door || Ashton Irwin [5 Seconds Of Summer]

Chapter 22 | Hailey and Eddie, Leslie and Jack

Al POV

"Here's your change miss, have a nice day," I said in a pleasant voice, my now-usual fake smile plastered on my face. I was working my four-days-a-week evening shift at In-&-Out.

That dream had been driving me mad. What did it mean? Why did I have it in the first place?

The lady who was ordering food grabbed the hands of her two rowdy children, picked up her food from the counter, shot me an apologetic smile, and walked towards the exit. I smiled at her retreating back - a genuine smile. I loved seeing little children.

The little boy wriggled out of his mother's grasp and ran back to me. My smile grew.

"Hi there," he said shyly.

"Well hey there, handsome." I smiled at him. "What's your name?"

"I'm Edward, but you can call me Eddie. What's your name?"

By now, Eddie's mother had stopped trying to get him to leave the building. She shot me an encouraging smile. I looked back towards Eddie.

"Well Eddie, my name is Al, but you can call me Al." I winked at him.

He giggled. "You're really pretty."

I pretended to blush. "Why thank you, Eddie. So how old are you?"

"I'm a whole six-and-thee-quarters!"

"Wow! You're already all grown up!"

He puffed out his chest.

"And how old is your sister?" I smiled at the shy little girl who was now hiding behind her mother's legs.

"Go on Hailey, tell the nice lady how old you are," the girl's mother urged.

But the girl just shook her head, so Eddie took it as a sign to answer for her. "She's six-and-three-quarters, too! We're twins!"

"Well, Hailey," I grinned warmly at her, "you have a very beautiful name! And it matches your very beautiful eyes!"

She only blushed and hid farther away from me.

Hailey and her brother both had smoldering grey eyes that could light up a whole room. While Hailey's eyes were more reserved, Eddie's were sparkling and full of a thirst for adventure. Eddie had jet black hair, while Hailey's was more of a very, very dark brown, and Eddie's looked like it never lay flat.

Her mother gave me a grateful look. "She's very shy."

I simply smiled back at her. "There's nothing wrong with that! I used to be really shy, myself. Do you think I could have a hug, Hailey?"

Immediately, her face brightened up and she came out from her hiding place with her arms outstretched. She looked up and her mother gave her a nod of approval.

I smiled and moved out from my place behind the counter, then squatted down to Hailey's level. I was lucky it wasn't the lunch rush, otherwise there would be a line a mile long beind the family.

Hailey ran towards me and gave me the biggest hug. I "oomph"ed and squeezed her just as tightly. "Would you like to join the group hug, Eddie?" I asked, stretching my other arm out for him.

Eddie looked as if he were about to come forward, but then he hesitated and put a mock-disgusted look on his face. "No way," he said, his face scrunched up adorably, "I don't want girl-cooties!"

I laughed and playfully stuck my tongue out at him. "Fine, well we don't want boy-cooties anyway!"

At this, he gave up and ran into the hug. They both giggled and the mother had a really happy look on her face.