My EX Next Door

《Chapter 12》

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and no one's coming in the store since I went to work at 10:30am. Sure,who will buy a very cold ice cream in this rainy,stormy,dark weather with a temperature of 17°.

I was sitting down all along since I went here while Ms. Yasmin is sitting infront of the counter. We were quiet for 3 straight hours doing nothing until she spoke amd said, "I guess we don't really have a customer today. Should we give up?" Ms. Yasmin stood up and faced me while her hands are in her leather jacket. She added, "I don't think this weather and coldness will stop. After 30 minutes,close this store."

And then she walked outside and left me there. Alone. In this rainy,cold weather. I was standing as she went out of the door and then I sighed after I saw the door swung behind her. Sitting down behind the counter doing nothing is the worst thing I've ever felt. I was terrified by the freezing weather. I feel so helpless and alonely (alone + lonely). I don't know what to do anymore. Since the signal for my mobile is very low,I can't send messages to anyone and that made me bored more.

It's awful and I want to cry. Too sensitive,right? Maybe it'll be my monthly period tomorrow and it just showed a sign.

The door swung open and I'm about to stand up,be happy again. But I managed to not smile and greet the "customer" because it's Joaquin.

He was wet and the raindrops are dripping from his hair like crazy. The wet hair was awesome and I admit,he looked cool. Joaquin wore a raincoat and a black coat underneath while I just wore white plain shirt,jeans and sneakers to work. Duh? I didn't even knownir would rain. This weather just started at an estimate of 12:30pm. But still,we didn't get any customers by the time we opened.

I walked out of the counter and accidentally,unintentionally, hugged him. Hugging him tight made me feel secured. I felt like,at last! There's someone who'll be there for me. And,he was there when I needed someone.

He pushed me after I hugged him for like 1 and a half minute. "Are you alright?" He asked me. I nodded while trying not to cry infront of him. Ugh. I'm too sensitive. "Have you eaten lunch?"

I shook my head and said, "Not yet. Bernard didn't came here." He leveled my eye,wondering who 'Bernard' is. "Oh,that's the one who always sent me lunch here." There's moment of silence for second. I can still see his wet hair and dropping raindrops everywhere. "So,why are you here?" I ended the silence.

"I know you just rode a bike without an umbrella in your bag awhile ago." He smiled at me and shook his hair. "Wanna eat lunch with me?"

"I gotta close this store first." And then I turned the lights to off and closed the door with Joaquin beside me. "I have a favorite fast food restaurant near here. My treat,don't worry."

He nodded. We were standing in front of Cool Summer where there was a shed that will block the rain from coming to you. But,we need to walk to the left because it's the way to Mom's Merienda,my favorite thing of all.

There's nothing to cover us anymore so Joaquin gave me his raincoat. He put the hood on my head while he walked before me. I ran to him and asked, "How about you?" He just shrugged and continued to walk but I catched him up. I shared the raincoat with him until we reached a store with a shed. Luckily,it's Mom's Merienda already so we sweeped the wet away.

"So this is it?" He asked me,I nodded. I looked him in the eyes while smiling with my dazzling eyes.

Partly of my hair became wet because Joaquin's too tall to reach his head with my small arms so I got my hair wet partially. He touched and tucked it around my ears. I avoided his gaze for a second and said to him, "Let's go in."

Both of us lined up,me first,and we're still wet. Our clothes and hair is still dripping with raindrops on the floor. I waited for our turn and when that time comes,I ordered 2 peach pie and 2 hot chocos.

We waited for a few minutes until we got our food. Without further waiting,Joaquin and I ate outside because we're really wet. There,under the shed in this dark snd stormy weather,we ate.