Falling For Mr. Sundae | ✔

03. Flip Flops

The Shoe Garden isn't usually where I shopped for footwear. They were a discount store, full of cheap knock offs of popular shoe brands.

Adam worked there though. It's not that he needed the job. He only got it because it would look good on a college application. Since his grades weren't exactly astonishing he had to make up for it somehow. That's why he was very active in school clubs and volunteering.

We actually met junior year through student council. He was the treasurer and I was the secretary. All those long nights trying to budget for the million and one student activities took us from mere acquaintances to a couple in a matter of weeks.

Maybe that's why things were so off between us now. School was out and there was nothing forcing us together anymore. There goes that stupid knot again.

That feeling quickly faded once a pair of familiar dark brown arms wrapped around my waist. Adam's scruffy beard scratched against my cheek as he kissed it. Suddenly, I was melting. Moments like these made me think that maybe the distance I felt between us was all in my head.

"You here to buy some more flip-flops already?" He asked.

I turned in his arms, looping my arms around his neck. "Nope, I already have every color you sale."

That wasn't even an exaggeration. I literally had about twenty pairs of flip-flops. Most of them were still paired together with the little plastic ring.

"So you just came here to see me?" His thick lips spread into a grin.

"Yes, I did," I replied, biting down on my bottom lip.

Maybe I was bias, but my boyfriend was gorgeous. His shoulders were wide and muscular, eyes dark and deep set, a jaw that could cut through glass. It made me wonder how I made it this far with my virginity intact.

I coughed, shaking the slightly inappropriate thoughts from my mind. "Also, I need to drop off my job application."

I'd made my mind up last night. Jamaica would always be there, but I didn't think my relationship could survive the distance at the moment. So I was joining the work force to appease my parents and to keep an eye on Adam. Which would be easy since Sprinklez and The Shoe Garden are in the same shopping plaza.

"Job application?" His eyes squinted down at me. A mixed look of amusement and confusion took over his features.

"I told you, my parents wanted me to get a job."

"Come on, they weren't being serious," he said. "You should go with Raquel."

That's not exactly the reaction I was looking for. The smile on my face wavered as I peered up at him. "Don't you want me to stay?"

"I didn't mean it like that." He placed a reassuring kiss on my cheek. "You've just been talking about the trip nonstop for months. I didn't think you'd give it up so easily."

He was right. I'd been looking forward to this trip for so long. But I couldn't bring myself to go while my relationship was hanging on by a thread. There was always next year.

"Haynes." A short, plump bald man bellowed down the aisle.

Adam pulled away from me, straightening up to seem more professional in front of his boss. 

"You put that new shipment on the floor yet?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Well, what are waiting for? Get going," the man ordered. "And restock the laces while you're at it."

"Yes, sir." Adam spared me an apologetic glance before rushing to follow his orders.

Looking down at my watch I noticed that it was five minutes to eleven-thirty. Sprinklez would be opened soon and I could finally get my application in. As I crossed the parking lot to get to the ice cream parlor I saw two guys in the Sprinklez signature neon orange polo shirts climbing out of a beat up Toyota.