If You Love Me

Chapter 4.1

(Alex)  

Seven years ago

"Stop it!"

"I'm not doing anything."

"Well you're doing something. You're making me feel all nervous just looking at you."

"Not my fault, Joel."

"Everything is your fault. Remind me again why you asked me to take the late shift with you?"

I faltered, looking at my best friend, who was stood behind the cash register, caught between looking amused and pissed off. I couldn't really explain to him why I had asked him to take the late shift with me. I couldn't admit that I needed my friend around to keep me on track, grateful that we had the same part-time job as we tried to pay our way through college. Joel and I didn't do that kind of thing.

I shrugged. Joel started to berate me again, but broke off, staring at something over my left shoulder.

"What, a customer?" I mouthed, wondering who, or what, could have caused the most talkative person I knew to fall silent.

"Hi guys, erm, our department got a box of your stock by mistake, so, erm, here."

I turned, my stomach fall through my body at lightening speed, at the sound of the nervous voice which came from behind the proffered cardboard box, her silver hair and bright blue eyes barely visible over the top. They glanced between Joel and I anxiously.

"Is there anywhere you want me to put them?" she prompted, sounding a touch more like the confident girl I had known for the past two weeks.

I wonder what's making her nervous.

Joel coughed, making me aware I had been silently staring at Vee. I clenched my jaw, cursing myself silently for acting like an idiot.

"Yeah, here, I'll take them." I stumbled forward.

I want nothing more than the earth to swallow me whole, right now.

"Okay," Vee smiled, moving towards me much more gracefully. "I'll see you boys later, if you're catching the bus home?"

"Not me, Vee. I'm driving, but Alex will be." I knew Joel would be smirking behind me, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of turning around and glaring at him.

Vee smiled and my heart lurched as she waved and disappeared down the stairs to her department, her heels clicking against the marble floor, leaving behind a sweet smell of coconut and something else I couldn't quite place.

"So," Joel drawled, leaning forwards on the desk, a smug smile playing on his lips.

I faced him, bracing myself. "So?"

"Vee? She's the reason you needed me to work tonight? Not man enough to talk to her yourself?"

I grimaced, only making his smile wider. "It's not that I need you, I just..."

"You just what? You're chicken?"

"I'm not chicken! I just need your help thinking of how to ask her out!" I burst out, groaning at how desperate I sounded. But relief surged through me as I realized there were no customers around to hear this; Joel and I were alone in the department.

Joel chuckled, his smile still stuck to his faceas he came out from behind the cash register to clap me on the back. "Noworries, I've got you! Right, let's brainstorm..."