Too Pretty For Me

3

Next day, he stormed into the store, almost tripping over a roll of silk laying around on the floor, and slammed his hands on the counter. She looked around to see if anyone was near and then at him.

"You are a tease," he accused.

"Am I?" She asked calmly, folding her hands and resting her chin on them.

But he hung his head in defeat and sighed. "No, you aren't. You're just an asshole."

She halted for a bit, but quickly regained her composure and smiled. "Ah, flattery will get you everywhere."

"Nothing gets me everywhere with you!" He suddenly blew up, his voice cracking. "That's the point! I know you aren't leading me on. I know you simply don't want to date me. I don't think you could be any more disinterested in dating a person. I know this is hopeless. I know I should just give up."

"You should."

"I don't want to."

"I don't want you to either." They looked at each other, and for a brief moment, she had a vision of him jumping over the counter and kissing the living shit out of her. She shook off the thought and cleared her throat. "I mean-"

"I know what you mean. What you mean, is also why I keep coming back. You like me. You genuinely like me. You're always honest with me when you're not using sarcasm, and you never blow me off unless I cross the line, and you put up with me. Every. Single. Day. Even though I come on to you every time, when you clearly said you don't want it. Because you actually like me. Which shouldn't be a big deal for me, but it's huge! People usually can't stand me! They want me one second and they're gone the next. People don't like me. They like my- and you're, like, the only person who hangs out with me, not my-"

"Face?" She offered, dazed.

"Yeah..."

She felt like a complete idiot. She felt like the biggest asshole. All this time, she'd been rejecting him for the worst reason possible- for no reason at all. He was looking at her expectantly, and she had no idea what he was expecting. She was confused and she couldn't think straight, because everything was guilt and him and regret. She needed time that she didn't have now, and she could feel panic starting to build up in the pit of her stomach.

"Allie?" He prompted hesitantly. He seemed so vulnerable and she wanted to cry. She was such an asshole. Such an idiot!

"Waldo."

"Its actually Westley, but yes...?"

"Pick me up at eight."