My Heart in the Maple Tree (Taegi Fan Fiction Edition)

Three

The first costumer.

I notice that it's a guy. Around maybe my age? I can't really tell, since he's looking down at the ice cream in the front of the store. He's dressed in all black. Black boots, ripped black jeans, that fit his legs tightly; a plain black t-shirt and a leather jacket.

He has short light brown styled hair with tints of lighter browns in there. His bangs are hiding his face. I'm dying to see it. For some odd reason, he seems really familiar. Like I've seen him before.

I look down at my fingers, trying to calm down my nerves. Usually people don't like me, I just hope that this stranger will.

Suddenly, I hear his footsteps walk towards me. I hesitantly look up when he stops in front of the counter. I look up at his face, but he's looking down. He doesn't look up, while he places two ice cream treats, with a pack of what looks like mint gum, on the plastic counter top.

I sigh, realizing that he isn't going to make eye contact or talk to me. Looking down at the ice cream, I see that they're the same price, which is a dollar and twenty-five cents. I do as my grandfather showed me, by pushing the one, then the two and finally the five. It adds up, as I do the same with the rest of the items.

Pressing the enter button, the screen on top reads "4.90$". I look back up at the man, who's looking down at his feet. I open my mouth, as it goes dry. Why does this random guy, who I still haven't seen his face; have this affect on me?

I build up my courage and say, "that will be a total of four dollars and ninety cents." I smile, not chocking or hesitating on my words. I'm proud of myself for not giving him that satisfaction. Though what I didn't expect, was for him to lift his head up. His sparkling brown eyes, that look almost red, staring at my own blue eyes. His face is so relaxed, but has this expression of shock. Is the amount for the stuff he wants to buy, more than he expected?

I can't stop staring at the way he's just staring at me. He doesn't say a word, as his eyes seem to sparkle. It's probably with the contact of the lights from the ceiling, since they're awfully bright. Somethings also telling me that they're sparkling for me.

I snap out of it when he looks back down at his stuff. Maybe I'm wrong, but he kind of looks sad. Or is it disappointment?

Placing the items in a plastic bag, he digs in his pants pocket, pulling out a stack of cash. My eyes bulge out, as I notice that they're mainly fifties and one hundred dollar bills. He takes out a twenty and hands it over to me, while he looks to his left. Is he scared of making eye contact with me again? I frown, as I reach out my hand to take the twenty. As I take it in my hand, our fingers brush each others. He looks up again and bites his lip.

His hands are so cold, making a jolt of goosebumps go up my arm. A sinking feeling resting in my chest. I don't know what that feeling was, but I'm really interested to know what it is.

"Keep the change." He says with a kind voice, as I'm about to open the cash drawer. I furrow my eyebrows and look up at him, as if he's insane.

"The total's only four dollars and ninety cents! Don't you want your 15 dollars and ten cents back?" I ask confused as to why he'd just give his money away like that. He looks at me in the eyes and smirks.

Smirks? Why is he smirking?

"Like I said. Keep the change." He winks, and takes the plastic bag from the counter, that's filled with the stuff he just paid for. He turns around and slowly walks towards the front door.

As I stare at him, with a dumbfounded expression on my face, still holding the twenty in my hand; I snap out of it and quickly take out his change. I close the cash drawer, and run out from behind the counter.