SMILE ✔︎

O P E N I N G D A Y

O P E N I N G D A Y

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J U N E 1 9 9 8

"Momma...?" I mumble and she hums.

"I met a boy...."  I mumble slowly and a large smile paints over her face as she jumps up and down.

"OH MY GOD MY BABY IS GROWN UP-"

"Momma shush!!" I whisper scream, slapping her shoulder lightly. She chuckles and looks towards me while she stocks the shelves.

"But I'm just so happy!" She says and I roll my eyes.

I walk over to the trash and throw away my now empty cup from Taysie's.

"It's not like anything is gonna come from it Ma! We're moving in a few months anyway, and it's not like I'll see him again either." I say, flipping my hair over to the other side and moving to the aisle across from her, our backs turned to each other.

"Oh stop being so negative! What does he look like...?" She asks, already daydreaming about her idea of him.

"Well..." I start, biting my lip and remembering my idea of him while I restock the chips.

I remember falling into his arms on the beach, I remember his hair falling over his forehead and dangling over me. I remember the feeling of his hands on mine while we sat on the bench. I remember the feeling of his hands on my waist and on my shoulders and all over me when he's only just met me.

I remember his smile, and how infectious it was. I remember so many more, his eyes, his look, his voice, his abs, I remember everything about him. Which is weird....

"He has blonde hair that goes to his cheekbones when it's down, and it's so fluffy... and he has sparkling purple eyes that I don't think I've ever seen before in my life. He was super tall and towered over me, and then he could so easily hold me up and pick me up.. so I must believe he's strong..." I say. I turn to her and lean against the shelves... "He was so handsome Ma... like the type of handsome that every single girl could agree with. You could tell that everybody loved him.... god his smile was so amazing too..." I swoon and turn back to the soups.

"Sounds like you've got a crush!" She says and I laugh, "oh no Momma! I don't have a crush I just find him.... very attractive... and also mysterious and charismatic... and bubbly..."

She chuckles herself and pats me on the back while she moves around to the last rows of shelves we have to fill. "Well how did you meet him? Was it with the slushee you got?" She asks and I shake my head.

"No... I had just left the store and I was walking backwards and I ran into him, but he held me up so I didn't fall! Then he talked a little and went over to this bench and laid down. I asked where the nearest convenience store was and he told me to go to Taysie's, which he said has amazing slushees. His tongue was blue and his breath smelt like blue raspberry so I was assuming he had gotten on earlier and I got the same kind as him.."

"And what is his name?" She asks, going on her tiptoes to look at me over the shelf excitedly.

"Well..." I start, scratching the back of my head while I turn to her. "I actually don't know his name. He told me the next time we saw each other he would tell me.. I asked him how he knew we would see each other again and he said he just knew... I know it sounds like he just wanted to get rid of me but-"