him and hated him.
Chelsea was sitting in her usual spot as I turned the corner and entered the theater’s lobby. I gave her a little wave as I dropped my bag off and looked around. The Wonder Twins were busy behind the concession stand, apparently working for once, and Miss Havisham was busy trying to set up a cardboard cutout for the latest indie film we’d be showing. I kept scanning the room, and I realized that Noah was nowhere in sight. My heart began to beat fast, and I was suddenly hopeful. Maybe he had called out sick, or maybe he had decided to quit. I hadn’t gotten any more messages from him on Facebook, so I had no clue what was going on. Maybe I wouldn’t have to deal with him at all.
But that was just wishful thinking. Noah appeared from the smallest of the three theaters carrying cleaning supplies, and he immediately caught my eye. He gave me a small grin, the cockiest look I had ever seen, and I wanted to slap it off his perfect face. My torn, dual feelings for him came flooding back instantly as I looked at him in his tight black uniform T-shirt showing off his perfect body, and his nicely styled but messy hair. I quickly looked away from him and strode over to Miss Havisham, trying to cut him off before he had the chance to say anything.
“Hi, Miss H, need any help?” I asked.
She was struggling with the cutout, obviously trying to unfold the stands in the back and obviously failing.
“Linda, hello, no thank you.” She shook her hair, her hair frizzy and flying all over the place. She looked frazzled, and I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. She noticed, and gave me a pleasant smiled in return.
“I look pretty crazy, don’t I?” she asked.
“No, not at all, I’m just laughing at the cutout,” I said, stumbling.
“It is a very funny cutout, Miss H,” Noah said, appearing beside me. I wanted to stomp on his foot with my heel or maybe rip off his earlobe. Instead, I looked back at Miss H and smiled sweetly.
“What do you need me to do tonight?” I asked.
“Oh, you’re with Noah again, dear.”
Damn. Exactly what I was hoping to avoid.
“I’m feeling much more comfortable,” I said, trying to prompt her.
“Good dear, good to hear.” She was already back at it, trying to unfold the cutout. I could feel Noah by my side practically beaming with joy. After a second, I walked off toward the supply closet, deciding I’d give the theaters a quick sweep before the ticket rush started.
Noah followed me. “Hey, dots, how’s it going?” he called out.
I ignored him and kept walking. I got to the closet, pulled the door open, and grabbed a broom and a long dustpan. I felt Noah loom up behind me, and before he could speak, I spun on him.
“Listen to me, Noah. Stop calling me dots. Actually, stop talking to me. I don’t want to hear from you at all tonight. No more perverted comments, no more jokes, just leave me alone.” I stared at him, my face hard and angry. Concern washed over his face for a brief moment, and I was surprised at his reaction. But just as quickly, it disappeared, replaced by his cocky grin.
“Whatever you say, dots. You’re on tickets again.”
Before I could yell at him some more, he spun around and stalked off.
I stood there alone in the supply closet, clutching my dustpan and broom, fuming. He didn’t seem to give a shit at all about how I felt. He didn’t try to explain or ask what was bothering me. He knew I was upset with him, but he did nothing to try and fix any of it. Instead, he stormed off like a child. I wanted to smash something, break a light, preferably over Noah’s head. I imagined a scenario involving bricks and Noah’s kneecaps when Chuck walked into the closet.
“Oh, hey there Linda,” he said, grinning jovially.
“What, Chuck?” I snapped at him.
He caught the expression on my face. “Whoa, sorry. You okay?”
I took a deep breath. I was suddenly lashing out at Chuck, probably the most harmless guy in the world. He may
Chelsea was sitting in her usual spot as I turned the corner and entered the theater’s lobby. I gave her a little wave as I dropped my bag off and looked around. The Wonder Twins were busy behind the concession stand, apparently working for once, and Miss Havisham was busy trying to set up a cardboard cutout for the latest indie film we’d be showing. I kept scanning the room, and I realized that Noah was nowhere in sight. My heart began to beat fast, and I was suddenly hopeful. Maybe he had called out sick, or maybe he had decided to quit. I hadn’t gotten any more messages from him on Facebook, so I had no clue what was going on. Maybe I wouldn’t have to deal with him at all.
But that was just wishful thinking. Noah appeared from the smallest of the three theaters carrying cleaning supplies, and he immediately caught my eye. He gave me a small grin, the cockiest look I had ever seen, and I wanted to slap it off his perfect face. My torn, dual feelings for him came flooding back instantly as I looked at him in his tight black uniform T-shirt showing off his perfect body, and his nicely styled but messy hair. I quickly looked away from him and strode over to Miss Havisham, trying to cut him off before he had the chance to say anything.
“Hi, Miss H, need any help?” I asked.
She was struggling with the cutout, obviously trying to unfold the stands in the back and obviously failing.
“Linda, hello, no thank you.” She shook her hair, her hair frizzy and flying all over the place. She looked frazzled, and I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. She noticed, and gave me a pleasant smiled in return.
“I look pretty crazy, don’t I?” she asked.
“No, not at all, I’m just laughing at the cutout,” I said, stumbling.
“It is a very funny cutout, Miss H,” Noah said, appearing beside me. I wanted to stomp on his foot with my heel or maybe rip off his earlobe. Instead, I looked back at Miss H and smiled sweetly.
“What do you need me to do tonight?” I asked.
“Oh, you’re with Noah again, dear.”
Damn. Exactly what I was hoping to avoid.
“I’m feeling much more comfortable,” I said, trying to prompt her.
“Good dear, good to hear.” She was already back at it, trying to unfold the cutout. I could feel Noah by my side practically beaming with joy. After a second, I walked off toward the supply closet, deciding I’d give the theaters a quick sweep before the ticket rush started.
Noah followed me. “Hey, dots, how’s it going?” he called out.
I ignored him and kept walking. I got to the closet, pulled the door open, and grabbed a broom and a long dustpan. I felt Noah loom up behind me, and before he could speak, I spun on him.
“Listen to me, Noah. Stop calling me dots. Actually, stop talking to me. I don’t want to hear from you at all tonight. No more perverted comments, no more jokes, just leave me alone.” I stared at him, my face hard and angry. Concern washed over his face for a brief moment, and I was surprised at his reaction. But just as quickly, it disappeared, replaced by his cocky grin.
“Whatever you say, dots. You’re on tickets again.”
Before I could yell at him some more, he spun around and stalked off.
I stood there alone in the supply closet, clutching my dustpan and broom, fuming. He didn’t seem to give a shit at all about how I felt. He didn’t try to explain or ask what was bothering me. He knew I was upset with him, but he did nothing to try and fix any of it. Instead, he stormed off like a child. I wanted to smash something, break a light, preferably over Noah’s head. I imagined a scenario involving bricks and Noah’s kneecaps when Chuck walked into the closet.
“Oh, hey there Linda,” he said, grinning jovially.
“What, Chuck?” I snapped at him.
He caught the expression on my face. “Whoa, sorry. You okay?”
I took a deep breath. I was suddenly lashing out at Chuck, probably the most harmless guy in the world. He may
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