A Second Glance

19:"but sadly, I'm not".

The bell by the door rings as he walks in and he's immediately noticed by the sweet-looking shop owner behind the counter, "hi there, young man". Sean smiles back and says, "hi, I'm just taking a look around". She nods and responds, "go ahead and if you have trouble finding something, do ask". He understandingly nods his head and walk through the aisles in the grocery store. He grabs a sweet & sour flavoured chip in from a row full of different flavours. He also grabs two bottles of lemonade soda and head to the counter. "Is this all you need, young man?". "no, there's one more thing I need your help with", Sean answers. She smiles and offer to help.

He turns back and looks around the store, confirming what he's looking for is no where to be found. "I'm looking for Gianna Gerez", he bluntly says. Her eyes immediately brightens at the sound of her daughter's name, "mi hija, Gianna Gerez?".Sean tosses a charming smile and nods, "si". "She's at the back, I'll call her, she steps down from the stool and goes back. Sean can hear the murmurs of Mrs.Gerez, voice. 

"Mi hija, hay un chico que te busca" (My daughter, there is a guy looking for you)

"Mama, did Al teased you again? Is that why you wouldn't say his name?"

"No no, it's not Al. El es guapo" (he is handsome)

"Handsome? Are you sure he's not looking for you, mama?", she teases her mother and when she steps out from the back, her smile fades and she could not move her limbs as soon she sees Sean standing in her family's grocery store. "Have you forgotten how to walk, mi hija?", her mother says behind her. "Perdon, mama",she says and walk towards him. "Let's talk outside", she says with her eyes on the floor and head outside. Sean pulls a $10 from his pocket and place it on the counter, grabs his stuff and follow suit. "Gracias, Mrs. Gerez", he says before he left. "De nada", Mrs.Gerez replies and makes another remark under her breath,with a cheeky smile drawing across her face, "he speaks Spanish, too". 

"Why are you here?", Gianna speaks softly as they stand opposite of each other. 

"Oh this", Sean pulls out a stack of cash from his jacket pocket and Gianna pushes his hand inwards, hiding his hand in his jacket. "What are you up to, Sean? Are you crazy bringing that much cash in broad daylight?", she looks around, watching out if there's anyone could notice and then she realized her skin is touching his, she turns back to him and quickly pulls her hand away. 

"I want to pay what Harold owe you", he confesses. Gianna furrows her eyebrows in confusion, "why would you want to do that?". "I just want to help him", he says and hid the real truth of wanting to see her. "Just drop those at Harold, I'll let my guy pick it up tomorrow", she instructs him and turn back to leave the conversation before it runs any longer but Sean captures her attention. "Why do you do it?", she hear him asking. Without turning back, she answers, "it's none of your business and if you want to live, you should stay out of it". 

"Do you know Harold is barely surviving? Costs are going up and he wouldn't want to change the price of his burgers in fear of losing customers...", she turns around and cuts him off, "leave or you'll regret ever coming here". Their eyes meet for the first time and Sean sees the same glimmer in her eyes and Gianna trembles as she hasn't been this close to a guy before, moreover it is the guy she could not take her eyes off for almost three years. They both stay still, not even reverting their eyes off each other, as it has been found what has been lost. "I'll leave", he finally speaks. 

Gianna pulls her figure away further from him and pushes her hair behind her ear, "yeah, good call". 

"If only you grab a coffee with me", he continues with a straight face. Gianna sighs knowing that it is not a good idea, "you should learn how to take no for an answer because pushing it could get yourself killed". "Maybe you're right but why don't you say yes? It is only coffee and you seem keen when we bumped into each other that night. Do you have a worrying boyfriend that I should know of? Why the sudden change?", he asks. Gianna face lits up as she laughs, Sean finally get to see a glimpse of the beauty that he longs for. She places both her hands on her hips, "I do not have a boyfriend and..", her mind flashes that moment where they shared a small harmless conversation, it felt nice and warm but things are different now. She should not be involved with anyone because the stakes for her just gotten higher and if things turn south, she would not want to risk anyone's life, not Sean's, not anyone. "..I got busy. That's why I turned you down, she replies. His body language seems like he is about to continue but Gianna catches up to him, "you should go. I'm not worth your time". She leaves him there and walks into the shop. Sean's gaze follows her and notices the disappointment in her expression, as if she is going against her real intentions. He takes a deep breath in and breath out the oxygen in his lungs, letting go of the hopes of ever having any sort of relationship with Gianna. He would not even mind if they end up being just friends, because all he ever wanted was to be someone in her life but she shown nothing but disinterest and reluctance, therefore he turns away,  forcefully accept her rejection and does not realize Gianna is looking at him walking away, knowing that she could not give back that warm feeling she experienced that night when he was walking to the post office. She feels a tear piling up in her ducts, ready to fall onto her cheeks any minute, why do I feel sad? I don't know him, he is just some crush I had in school a billion years ago. There is nothing to feel upset about to begin with, get yourself together Gianna. He is royalty and you're a pauper trying to make ends meet and it's better to know that sooner than later, she tells her feeling her rational thoughts. She wipes her tear instantly as soon as it falls from her right eye. 

"Are you okay, mi hija?", Gianna feels her mother's hand on her shoulder. "I'm okay, mama. Why shouldn't I be?", she turns and draws a smile on her face, hiding the feeling of sorry for herself inside her chest. "Did the boy hurt your feelings?", a follow-up question from her mother. She struggles to hold that smile as the overwhelming feeling piles up, "no mama, he was kind and sweet", she says quickly, trying not to choke her words. Her mother smiles and grabs Gianna's face, "he does looks kind and sweet, isn't he?". Gianna notices that her mother already has a liking towards Sean, who wouldn't? She nods her head. Her phone suddenly rings, she softly grabs her mother's hand brings it away from her face as she grabs her phone from her pocket. She slides the phone to answer, "yeah, Al. Okay, okay, I'm on my way". 

"Mama, I have to go. Don't wait up for me okay? If you need anything, just call", her mother nods her head while Gianna grabs her jacket and walk out of the family-store. 

She let her a tear fall from her face, letting go a slight burden on her feelings. She find it irrational to cry for what had not happened but at the same time she need to let it out so that she could focus her mission on hand. 

He is kind and sweet mama, truly but sadly, I'm not. 

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