When Trouble Meets Trouble

[ C h a p t e r - T w e n t y - T h r e e ]

Chapter 23

I stared at the clock, waiting for it to strike 5 o’clock. I wanted, no I needed, to get out of work. I’ve been here since school let out which was 3 and a half hours ago and I’ve been working nonstop. I also have to start up my project, which Jonah and I have procrastinated on this entire week. It’s not due anytime soon; I’d just rather finish it sooner rather than later. And if I’m being honest, I kind of want to spend some time with Jonah…which will be happening once the clock strikes 5.

It was 4:55 PM when the customer walked in. They quickly shuffled to the video game rack and grabbed about 5 games and a new charger. As they made their way over to the checkout, it was 4:59 P.M. and I still have to help them check out. The little boy placed the games onto the counter and began reaching for his wallet as his mother stood impatiently beside him.

I began ringing up the games and the small charger. The games were for a DSI and so was the charger. When I finally finished ringing them up, the total cost was 108.48$. I was standing there with clenched teeth and a fake smile on my face as the kid dug around for the forty eight cents. He already placed the hundred dollar bill, a five and three ones onto the counter, leaving me to wonder where he even received such large bills, yet he struggled to gather the change.

I noticed two quarters in his wallet but he rifled over them and began grabbing a few pennies. I glanced at the clock and realized that I’ve been waiting for four minutes. Finally, the mother, the only sane person of the two, ripped the wallet out of the son’s hands and placed the quarters on the counter. I grabbed the two pennies and handed him the change and his bag. I put the money into the cash register before I walked over to Mere, who was sitting in the employee lounge with a magazine sprawled across her lap.

“My time is up! Now, if you don't mind, I'll be hanging out with Jonah,” I winked at her. That’s another thing I worked on; mending our friendship- not that it needed to be mended. I just felt like I was neglecting Mere. I even listened to her three hour gossip about my brother and I feigned interest as she went on about their date. I couldn’t take another minute as she talked with intricate detail, might I add, about how they kissed. By the time that conversation was over, I wished I hadn’t eaten lunch.

As I got into my car, I started thinking about my birthday that’s in three and a half weeks. It’s on February 17th and I’m turning the great age of 17, finally. I wonder if Jonah knows. I wonder if he even cares. He should, right? That’s what friends do, right? They care about birthdays. I care about Mere’s birthday and I’m pretty sure that she cares about mine. Is it different with guys? Speaking of birthdays, I missed Caleb's. I guess it's not a big deal- we hung out for twenty minutes one night. He was cute and a drummer, but I guess that's all he is and will be to me. 

I started the long trip to Jonah’s house, only stopping once to get a candy bar and a bottle of soda. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed another car there. It’d been absent on New Year’s Eve. I stared in confusion. Was I at the right house? It looked just like it. I’m pretty sure it is. I checked the address I had written on a sticky note. I looked at the street sign and then back at the address on the mailbox. This is it.

Jonah jogged out of the house in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. He walked over to the driver’s side window. “Excuse me, ma’am? Are you lost?”

I glared at him before opening the car door, coming very close to hitting him. “Whose car is that?”

He looked at the car before turning back to me. “It’s my Aunt and Uncle’s, who by the way, want to meet you.”

“You couldn’t have given me, I don’t know, a warning? You could’ve prepped me for this!” I explained and he rolled his eyes.