eyes of the mind

chapter 3

I'm at 'Ron's Ripe Record Store' stocking shelves while Bridgette, a bottle blonde cheerleader who talks constantly about her girlfriend, yells at me from the register about her relationship issues.

"I mean why won't she just learn how to communicate? Like I understand I ask too many questions but I need the reassurance" she whines.

"Reassurance about what?" I say curiously.

"That she'll love me no matter my faults, because I love her so much and if she ever left me I would just become dust." She says while tearing up.

I felt for her, I was not fortunate enough to find love. True love that makes you have something and someone to look forward to. I used to think it was overrated and under hated but I am coming around to accepting love. True love that is.

—

As time comes to a close for my shift and Bridgette is long gone I wait by the register with 'This Charming Man' by The Smiths playing on vinyl.

I hear the bell ring signaling someone has entered and looking up I am met with the most forest green eyes. The eyes of August Miller and his cherry red lips upturned in a genuine smile.

"So ... this is where you work?" He asked dripping in sarcasm.

"No I just spend all my free moments here loathing the people of this town and daydream about my future when I make it out." I say truthfully with hints of lies.

He smirks and leans on the counter all the while maintaining eye contact.

"I thought about you today. More than I thought about Carol and Brock and what that bull shit drama entails" He mumbles on.

I look at him confused for a moment because I was wondering who the fuck is Carol. But then common sense overcame me and it was Stacy, the girl from the stoner bleachers.

"It might come off narcissistic but I figured you'd want to grab something to eat with me and talk about anything or just give me sound advice on what I should do with my life" He carries on.

"I have about 5 minutes left here to close up and we can go" I state bluntly.

"Good song choice, it fits the setting, although I think 'Back to the Old House' is one of their greatest hits" he says while walking out the door to his truck.

—

We went to some rink dink diner that was open, it was about 10 minutes from the one I worked at.

The food was eatable, We got burgers and shared fries and a shake in his truck with the seats back. The low hum of the radio surrounding us and the street lights of the diners parking lot shined upon us.

"I think if it feels like a cement block is on your chest about the situation you should tell him" I spoke.

"No that could never happen, he would never forgive me. He LOVED her, and I am pretty sure he still does" he says in between bites of his burger.

"So why did you do it?" I questioned.

He pauses in his actions. Like he was shocked that I dared to ask, or that someone had bothered to dig deeper below the surface.

"I- I, I wanted to know what love felt like, true love. And well Brock looked like he had that with Carol. A cliché it may be but when she had doubt of the love I thought they shared I got greedy and took it for myself", He spilt out.

"Well did you still think it was true love when she came to you the second they had trouble? I mean you don't let that type of love go to waste over simple differences, something that could be fixed", I spoke.

"Well after the first time we slept together I thought that maybe the universe got it wrong and their love was meant to be our love" he paused.

"But then the next day I knocked on the door to his house just for her to open it. Her smile wide but faltered when she saw it was me, and promised that we don't tell him and that our 'love' shared that night was nothing short of a mistake. And that, that made me feel bad" he said as he sipped the shake.

"Well it sounded like y'all sleeping together was a more than once occurrence" I said.

"Well, it's kind of sadistic in a way but every time they had a fight, big or small, she ran to me to forget their troubles. I liked that I could make her feel better and give her the love she deserves" he paused giving the shake to me.

"But then came the rumors of her having a hickey" he said.

"Why is that a big deal?" I questioned.

"Because Brock was on vacation and didn't come back until the following week, and the hickey look brand new, like a few hours new, like the morning before school started new" he muttered.

"Her 'friends' started talking around school and I didn't speak up because even though she was someone I was infatuated with, that was my best friend and I would seethe if he were to find out because he would never forgive me" he said as he stared me in my eyes with meaning and truth.

I sat there and felt bold in this vulnerable moment.

I reached my arm over to move the hair out of his eyes and let my hand wonder to his cheek while he leaned into it.

I went to pull it away but he grabbed my hand and kept it there while grabbing my arm so we were closer.

"You know you are the first person to actually listen to me and not just look to me as someone who is there as a prop, you value you me as a person" He whispers.

He then caresses my arm and leans in to kiss me. Soft but with meaning to show his appreciation.

We pulled apart and he caressed my cheek with a look of adoration.

We then tossed out our trash and laughed about this shit hole we call a town on our way to take me home.