Beyond Trust

Part 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  3:35pm.. only 2 more hours then I can leave my day job.
"Excuse me? Do you know where I could find your sportswear?" a lady ask me.
"Towards the back." I politely answer with a smile. She thanks me and I go back to studying from my textbook.
    Although this job at a retail clothing store doesn't pay much, it's a great place to study while getting paid. There are interruptions here and there or sometimes I've gotta work the register if it's too busy but it still ends up working out.
    "Excuse me, do you work here?" a male voice ask.
"Yes sorry, do you need-"
Of course! It just had to be the boy from last night, of all fucking people. Maybe he doesn't notice me, I no longer am the green eyed brunette he saw just last night.
   "Yea.. your sportswear."
"The back."
   "Thanks. Hey, could I ask you something else?"
No.
   "Sure." I reply.
"Have we met before? You look familiar but.. I don't know."
   "You've probably seen me in this store before."
"I've never been in here before."
   "Maybe around school campus."
"No that's not it either.."
   "Well sir, I don't know what to tell you!" I snap. 

He smirks. He fucking smirks.
"You're that girl from the party last night. Jassy? No. Um Jodie? No.."
   "Joslyn."
Why did I correct him?
"Pleasure to see you again, Joslyn."
"Can't say the same. The sports section is in the back."
    "Thank you." he begins to turn away but, of course, he turns right back around to face me.

"So this is the real you?"
"No." I open up my textbook again and try to study from it.
   "You know, it's rude not to look at someone when they're talking to you."
   "You know, it's rude to destroy someone's dress for no goddamn reason." I retort.

  "You're right. Let me-"
"I don't need favors from you."
   "Then don't think of it as a favor. Just compensation."
I finally look at him, really look at him. He's actually really attractive. He has messy long brown hair and dark brown eyes to match it. He has a broad square frame with full pink lips.
   He opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off
"If you say something along the lines of 'like what you see' I swear I will-"
    "Will what Joslyn?"
I look around and see my co-worker about to walk by.
"Kindly show you to the sports section. Please follow me sir."
As I'm about to pick up my book he picks it up for me and gestures for me to lead the way. As I'm walking I feel his eyes on my ass but I don't do anything about it. As much as I dislike him I can't jeopardize my job by hitting or cursing him out.
"We're here sir and if you have any more questions please, and I mean please, hesitate to ask."
"Here." he hands me $50.
Before I could ask he says dry cleaning. I don't know how I feel about taking his money but he was the one who ruined my dress so I accept it.
"May we start over, please? We had a bad start and I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I miss the opportunity to be with a beautiful woman like you."

"What if you're bullshitting? By the looks of it you could have any girl you want." I ask while shuffling through the racks of clothes

"I'll prove it. One date."
"We're not going on a date."
"Not a date then. Just lunch, two college students having lunch together."
"Fine. Where to? I get off at 5:30."
"Perfect. We'll go to that taco place not too far from here. Meet me there, okay?"
"Did you find everything you're looking for?" I return back to employee mode.

"Everything and more."
~•~•~•~•~•
My plan was to stand him up, not show up at all while he waits patiently for the girl he'll never have.
Yet here I am, sitting across from him at the Taco Shack.
   "Were you born here in Rhode Island?" he ask.
"No, you?"
   "Yea, what made you come over here from..."
"Ohio. I hate long drives."
    "So you flew over here?"
"Nope. I drove and hated it."
He laughs at this but I'm being serious, long drives are torture. Stuck in a closed space for hours only having the road to focus on.
   "Hello I'm Sasha, I'll be your waitress. May I start you off with any drinks sir?" she never even acknowledges me.
    "Sure Sasha, I'll have a coke and you Joslyn?"
"Pepsi."
  "Coming up. Any appetizers, would hate to have such a handsome man like you-"
    "5 spicy chicken wings. That good with you?"
"Sounds perfect. What my lady said please."
She makes a face and leaves us alone. 

"Your lady?"
   "She wouldn't stop looking at me like that. Had to do something."
"I've never had a fish taco. I'll get that." I say
     "I'll get the steak taco. Ever had?"
I shake my head no and he smiles.

"You're quite interesting Joslyn."
    "All I did was shake my head no. Not used to girls saying no?"

He chuckles and shakes his head.
"No it's not that. In less than 48 hours you not only yelled at me but you slapped me, cursed me out, rejected me, and are on a da- I mean out for lunch with me."
   I start laughing at how crazy yet true that is.

"God that was cute."

"A laugh?"

  "Laugh, smile, grin. All of it."

Sasha arrives with our drinks and appetizers at the same time. For some reason Mason orders 2 steak and fish tacos but I don't question it.
Delicious.
He lets me get 3 wings and he has two. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hot but it was worth it.

"What's your sign?" Mason ask.
"Scorpio, you?"
"Leo."

"You sure do have a lot of questions. It's my turn. What do you want with me? I am no where near the attractive supermodel and don't give me a bullshit answer." I ask.

   "You surprise me." he says slowly. "most girls would have been all over me, you lead me away from you by telling me to find you a chair you didn't even want."

"So because I'm not interested in you, you want me?"

"You could say it like that but are you sure you're not interested, not even a little?" he raises an eyebrow.

Maybe.
"No."
"Bullshit."
"I'm not."

Sasha comes back with 4 medium tacos. Mason gives me one fish and one steak taco and takes the rest. We eat in silence but his eyes never leaves me. It's actually quite uncomfortable, being started at by him is ... something.
   When he finally looks down I let out a little moan when I take a bite of the steak taco. His head snaps up and his eyes darken. How his dark brown eyes got even darker will forever shock me.
  "Sorry." I mumble
"Don't ever be sorry for that."
His voice has a sudden edge that surprises me.
I nod and continue eating, this lunch can't end faster.
  Mason leaves a hundred dollar bill on the table, grabs my hand, and leads me out the front door.

"What's going-"
"Joslyn." he groans. "Which one is your car?"
"You're not coming in with me or anything."
  "I know."

I point out my white 2015 Infiniti and he pulls me there. As I'm about to thank him he pulls me into a tight hug.
   "Do I still smell nice?" I tease awkwardly.
"Heavenly. Can I kiss you?"
   "No." I whisper.
"It was nice having lunch with you, let's have another one soon."
     "I'll think about it."
"You sure you feel nothing for me?" he buries his head in my neck. "Not a bit?"
I don't even know you or the answer to that question.
"Bye Mason."
"Bye Joslyn." he lets go of me and leaves towards his car.

Damn that boy! As much as I'd like to deny it, he does make me feel something..