A Piece of Gum

Caleb Blayke

“One package of gum,” I spoke ringing up the girl in front of me. She had walked in once every day this semester so far. Always getting this package of gum and a bottle of coffee from the fridge.

Who chews that much gum? Turning away from the brunette, her hair tied back in a bun at the top of her head, I watch mesmerized as she bounces away. The next person in line walking up.

Another regular I guess, he has come here just as recently as the girl before him. He gets a pack of gum, and that’s it.

By the time the shop is silent, there would be a piece of gum on the counter. I never could tell who it was that gave it to me.

Either the boy or the girl. Though the girl always sends me this look, her pillow soft-looking blue eyes, the way they look like the crystal waters of the one beach you can see straight through to the sand.

I’ve been pining over this girl for far too long.

“I’m gonna ask her to go on a date with me,” I proclaimed. Somewhere behind me, I could hear the whispers of my boss speaking, her voice trailing and saying,

“Is this about the girl that always shows up?”

“Stop listening in on my conversations, Aunt Lena,” I whined.

“It’s what any responsible guardian would do. Imagine if you were talking about buying drugs. Or have got a girl pregnant, though I would have highly doubt that. I always thought you were gay,” she barked with laughter.

“I’m bi, so you are half right,” I muttered, looking away.

“Um, excuse me, what?” Aunt Lena paused.

Suddenly beginning to think that the statement I brought up, it shouldn’t have been brought up, I am frozen in my steps, stuck between the cash register and counter and my aunt, no dignified or logical method of escape. Though I’m not exactly dignified or logical. It’s why I dropped out of college.

“Surprise?” I supplied weakly, unsure how to continue.

“I mean, I’m happy you can trust me with this,” Lena smiled. “Um,” she paused trying to recollect her thoughts, “do your parents know?”

“No, and can we please keep it that way? I’m not sure what I would do if they figured out right now, especially with them fostering a kid right now,” I explained. “I just don’t want anything to be weird.”

“Okay, I’ll keep it a secret, for now, but you do need to tell them,” Lena explained.

“I will,” I paused, a glare from the woman threatened to ask just when I would be telling my parents. To which I would answer, “when I’m twenty-five?”

“You don’t have anything to be scared of,” Lena whispered.

“Except being disowned, being kicked out, being ignored, crying myself to sleep. Just completely chickening out,” I listed off.

“Well, when I was a kid if you were gay, or bi, or anything you kids would identify with, it was a nearly ninety-seven to three chance you’d get accepted, and it’s not in our favor,” Lena sighed.

“What do you mean our favor?” I questioned, referring to the phrasing. My mind running wild with what it could mean.

“Just speaking in terms of a mass,” she answered in a hurried tone walking away.

“Wait, Aunt Lena,” I hurried trying to follow her until the bell dinged and another customer walked in. “Saved by the bell,” I whispered walking back to my post.

“Saved by the bell,” she agreed.

Today, the girl walked inside the store, a simple smile on her face. Smiling back, I greeted her as I usually did and leaned on the counter. Walking over to the fridge to get her iced coffee, I waited until she walked over to the counter. She always got the blue pack of gum, always on Monday a new pack. Though everyday she always walked inside of the store.

Walking over she smiled up to me.

“Hi,” she said, “three dollars and eighty cents, right?” she asked.

“Right,” I answered.

Taking the cash, I watched as she walked away, remembering the promise I made to myself as she left, I sighed in defeat, leaning over the counter even more. Maybe next time.

Again, the door chimed open and this time the boy walked inside. He walked in every day, he only got the pack of gum. He... he did confuse me. No one went through that much gum in one day. As I had exchanged the five-dollar bill to his change, fingers brushing, there were no more words exchanged.

I didn’t know what his story was. He was someone I wanted to know I think.

“He is interesting, isn’t he,” Aunt Lena asked.

“Jesus!” I exclaimed at the new voice behind me. “Warn a guy next time.”

“Sorry you are too busy fawning over new guy,” she smirked pushing off the wall.

“M’not,” I mumbled.

“Sure you’re not,” she laughed. “So, did you asked her?”

“I forgot, she is just so pretty. She would never say yes to me,” I told my Aunt.

“You are a catch!” Lena exclaimed, “Any girl, or guy, would be honored to go out with you,” she smiled.

Working at the counter for the rest of the day, I watched as customers come and go. Thoughts go to the guy and go to the girl. My gaze traveling to a single piece of gum, a small smile went to my lips.

Inside of the wrapper small handwriting wrote:

“Are you French because Eiffel for you.”

Near the words are a small picture of the Eiffel tower and two stick figures. A bigger smile on my face as I keep the wrapper with the others, I hope that I figure out who this person is soon.