Chapter 1
Brenda grabbed a pair of dark glasses on her way to the cash register. She didn’t bother looking at the price. If something caught her interest, Brenda wouldn’t hesitate to make it her own. Her eyes roamed the magazine stand, zoomed in on ‘In The Know’. Tom Cruise was on the cover so Brenda was quick to grab. She waited in line, scanned the magazine and took little steps forward. Brenda looked up. Two registers away at register 7 stood a familiar face. Brenda closed the magazine not taking her skeptical eyes off the familiar-faced male cashier.
Brenda dumped her items onto the register and looked away from the male cashier at register 7 before he’d see her looking at him.
“It’s him”, she said to herself.
Indeed, it was. Derrick, the chump she dumped four times back in high school. That happened like, five years ago and what a difference those few years made. Derrick was frikken going bald! Brenda quickly paid for her merchandise and bolted out of Bull’s Eye as fast as she could.
Derrick’s shift was supposed to end at twelve but tonight he had to work overtime. He was left with two baskets filled with junk that he had to restock. After wiping down his register, Derrick made his way to the Women’s department. Between the plus size trousers and jumbo shirts were two baskets filled with everything from tampons to swim caps. Derrick silently cussed himself out and dragged his feet to the baskets.
“Man, I can’t wait to quit this job, I swear!”
Derrick looked up and saw the cute blonde cashier Jennifer standing in front of him. She went on complaining about how much she hated her job and wanted to quit.
“Haven’t you been here for like, two weeks?” Derrick asked curiously.
“A week and a half and I hate it!” Jennifer peered inside the basket Derrick had his hand in.
“Need some help?" she asked. "I’ll take that basket over there.”
“Take this one. I’m in no mood to restock...” Derrick raised his brows and held up a box of ‘Spring Morning’.
“Oh, right.” Jennifer smiled wanly and took the boxed douche from Derrick, pushed the shopping cart out of the Women’s department.
Derrick went from cussing himself out to dreaming. He watched Jennifer walk away; her tight beige pants, her snug fitting red polo...
“Man, I should ask her out,” he said to himself. And soon he was dreaming of places he’d take Jennifer. She looked like the fun type, the type that probably liked dining at the Zebra Bar but would settle for King Burger.
“You’re too much of a wus to ask her out,” he said to himself.
Jared, a nighttime stocker, caught Derrick mumbling to himself as he passed by.
“That fruit’s weird,” Jared mumbled to himself.
Derrick dreamily looked up at the ceiling. Yes, he decided. Now was the time to stop being a wus. He’d stop Jennifer tomorrow night at lunch and he’d talk to her then. It was too late now, though he might see her outside waiting for her ride, he wouldn’t talk to her. That weirdo woman who always picked her up looked a little unstable and crazy.
So tomorrow night would be the night. He’d conjure up the courage to ask out Jennifer. And maybe, just maybe she’d say yes.
