The Misadventures of Daria Pigwidgeon (16 page)

It’s Chance. And he’s staring right at me. My heart stops.

Somehow I manage to give the change back to the couple before me, but I don’t see them leave. I stand frozen in the same spot, not even blinking. I’m pretty sure my face looks like I’ve just seen a ghost, all wide eyed and pale, but I don’t care. Chance is here, before me, after not seeing him for a long time. I don’t even know what to do with myself. The correct thing might be to talk to him and heck, probably take his order, but I can’t.

I stay perfectly still, as Toby finally comes out front. He stops, almost frozen like me, and glares at Chance. Who, I might add, has the decency to look guiltily away from me. It doesn’t help my frozenness though, but it does make me feel wobbly. Distractedly, I place my hands on the register and grip the side tightly, almost to the point of pain. I don’t feel it, not really.

Both boys reach either side of the counter at about the same time. Each one giving the other a look that says a lot. If I wasn’t in shock, I might be impressed that Toby is sort of standing up for my honor. But as it is, I just try to keep myself from passing out.

Leaning forward on the glass, Toby says “What can I do for you man?”

Chance’s eyes flick away and he flinches. Whereas Toby isn’t even blushing and his voice is steady. Point one for Toby.

“Just, ugh, I heard it might snow tonight.” Chance says lightly, looking at the floor.

I grip the register more and I can almost feel my hackles rise. Is that it? He wanted to give us a weather report.

I’m surprised when I let out an audible squeak that sounds like “Snow?”

Both pairs of eyes glance at me, and now I’m the one to flinch. The scent of ozone flows around me in waves, but it doesn’t matter, because Chance is staring at me.

“Yeah, I was worried. It might be too cold to walk tonight.” Chance whispers.

So he’s here to offer me a ride? How does that make any sense? Oh that’s right, it doesn’t. It must not to Toby either, because he inches closer to me. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Chance. His entire body tenses. I of course, just ignore that he cares.

Seconds tick by, where the three of us just have a rotating staring contest. Or more that Chance keeps looking from Toby to me, like he see’s something that isn’t there. I want to tell him that there isn’t anything there, but I don’t. Let him think I moved on. I did move on right? I tighten my hold on the register and he finally looks away with a sigh.

When he looks back up, he fixes Toby with a glare.

“Give her a ride tonight, got that Reed?”

Toby nods, but I shake my head at him and say “I don’t need a ride Toby, thanks though.”

He blushes. I glance away, only to find Chance glaring at me. My grip on the register tightens, and the scent of ozone gets stronger. I start to shake.

“It’s going to snow. You really shouldn’t walk tonight.”

“I don’t need a ride Chance. I’ve managed just fine for the last month. You didn’t worry then did you?”

He flinches at the dig, but it steady’s me.

“It’s too cold to be out tonight, it’s not safe.” He tells me sounding a little too serious.

Not safe? How would he even know what not safe is? I’m the one with a dangerous past that knows full well the meaning of not being safe. One little snow fall isn’t going to do me in. Now, one boy, that’s another story all together.

We glare at each other, until Toby steps in front of me and block’s my view of Chance. I literally jump a foot in the air and as I do, my inner Taser goes off. A small zap singes down my finger tips and jumps to the cash register I was holding. For all the world, it looks like the biggest static shock. But I know differently. There are more volts in one little zap from me, than in a single lightning bolt.

A small one sure, but still, the same type of shock.

This is why the register jerks like it was just hit by a small explosion. A small fire starts on the screen, and I jump back with a yell. Toby moves quickly and grabs something to put out the fire (a towel maybe? I’m not sure) cursing over headed hard drives as he does. Thank goodness for mortals and their belief that the unexpected doesn’t happen. I look guiltily away when he starts to inspect the inner workings of the fried components.

I find myself staring at a wide eyed and very pale Chance.

Now who looks like they’ve seen a ghost? He’s directing all his apparent fright, right at me. I suddenly have the urge to memory block him, but I stop before I even start, because he can’t think anything just happened. Can he? No, that wouldn’t make any sense. But it doesn’t make sense the way he’s staring at me. Like I’m the one that made the register catch fire.

In a voice so quiet that I almost miss, Chance says “Don’t walk home tonight all right rabbit. Please?”

I don’t know why, but I find myself nodding yes at him. Maybe it’s the way he looks so scared. Or it could be that he used my nickname and please in the same soft tone that sends chills running down my spine. Whatever it is, I get the point he’s trying to send me. And if he simply wants to have a ride home, I’m happy to oblige. Plus, my feet are still sore from my walk here. Not that I’ll tell him that of course.

Finally getting an affirmative Chance turns on his heels, and all but runs away from me. I guess he really did just come in here to tell me I shouldn’t walk home in the snow. It would be less weird if he didn’t sound all doom and gloom, and the fact that I hadn’t seen him in a month.

It definitely adds to the weird factor.

None the less, I end up getting a ride home from Toby after work. The whole ride he’s going on about how it was strange that the register caught fire like it did. I played the overheated hard drive bit, but he has sense moved on from that. He seems to think it’s strange that a fire started from the outside (if he only knew). He does tell me, he’s just glad I jumped away before the fire started.

I just wish I jumped away before anything even happened.

By the time I’m home and preparing for bed, something nags at the back of my mind. It never snowed tonight. Not even one little snow flake. It was oddly warm out too. So why did Chance say it was going to and put up such a fuss about it? And why did he think I wouldn’t be safe if I walked home?

Sighing, I crawl into bed thinking that boys are the strangest species. Even more so than demons. At least I know how to deal with my kind. Boys are just totally out there, like on another planet out there. Drifting off to sleep, I decide it’s probably best to not over think too much when it comes to Chance. His prophecy was obviously wrong, so I’m not going to let myself get too worked up.

Besides, he’s just a boy. How much trouble could he be now that he’s clearly done avoiding me?

I’m still going to avoid him. Right?

Ugh, my life.

***

The next week goes by even faster than the month before it, and unlike last month, I live and breathe this one with eyes wide open. Of course, that could have something to do with my very own stalker. Yep, that’s right, I said it, stalker. Who might this be you ask? Why, it would be none other than Chance Harris. Weird right?

I’m thinking, uber weird times like a thousand and one, on the scale of weird. Usually, or rather if, this happened a month ago, I’d be all happy go lucky. But I’m not, now anyways. It’s too odd, I guess. After being ignored for so long, and now he’s tailing me. I should (and would) contribute this to the zapping of a cash register that I did, but for some reason, I don’t think that’s it.

And I only think that because, he’s keeping his distance, like he’s trying to blend in the background. This I find pretty funny though. Chance, trying to blend his six foot something or other frame, into the background. I’d tell him I can see him and that he’s not blending very well, but I don’t. And why should I? His sister does a pretty decent job of that.

All week Ashley has made it a point to mock his non-stealth maneuvers, much to my amusement.

Other than my amusement, I find it kind of weird (okay – a lot weird) that he hasn’t said two words to me since the night with the register ‘incident’. He just follows me around, and silently lurks. It’s almost enough to send me over the edge, and yet, I find it kind of sweet in (I’m a demon) way. I just wish I knew why, he has taken a sudden interest in me. Is he afraid it might snow soon? Ha, yeah I don’t think that’s it. Although, I do wish it was, because I’m thinking maybe I should have memory blocked the whole zapping thing the other night.

But yeah, it’s too late for that now, story of my life.

Regardless of my stalker, I managed to get through another week of school and work and before I know it it’s Halloween. The most exciting Monday in school history, well, for everyone that isn’t me that is. This is why I gladly walk into work, grateful that I don’t have to see little kids dressed up at demons trying to be terrifying. Instead, I get to wait on customers that come in dressed up as demons and try to be all terrifying.

Not even the thought that tomorrow is my birthday, can make me feel even lower.

Thankfully, Toby and I don’t get many customers as the night wears on. We heard through the grapevine (meaning Ashley the friendly – dressed as a trashy ghost) told us there is a party going on at some guy’s house. She and Jesse were all over that, as were the entire student body. Everyone but me, that is. Though, Toby has been hinting at checking it out on the way home. And I’ve been hinting that it’s not something I’m in too. Since the dining room has been empty all night, and no sign of my blue eyed stalker, I assumed he must be there too.

This theory went out the window, when he walked in just shy of closing time.

Toby is outback taking the trash out, so I’m all alone behind the counter, when Chance saunters over to me. It should have been a warning that he was no longer trying to blend into the background, but was rather looking right at me. As it were, I’m too busy trying to force myself to look away from the blue of his eyes.

He stops just shy of the counter, and says “Hey, rabbit.”

I stare at him like he’s lost his mind, and in all honesty, I think he kind of has. I do nod at him though, and he smiles softly back. I swear if my heart wasn’t hammering inside my chest right now, it would totally stop me dead.

“Look, I know I’ve been somewhat of a dick, but I want you to know I don’t mean it.”

He pauses and takes a deep breath, like he’s having trouble spitting out whatever he has to say. Um, okay, that makes no sense, him not meaning it. Him being a dick, I totally agree with that. But still he continues.

“I have some heavy stuff going on, and I can’t really explain it. Not yet. I just don’t want you to hate me. You don’t do you?”

He leans forward on the counter so that his arms are outstretched. This brings him closer to me. I don’t answer him though. I don’t even know where to begin.

“I’m sorry rabbit. Please forgive me?”

He looks so lost, that I want to rush into his arms and make him smile again. But I don’t. I’m having enough trouble trying to make words or even sound pass through my lips.

Glancing away, he says “Can I at least give you a ride home tonight? It’s the least I can do.” He looks back with a smile, a familiar spark dancing in his eyes. “For all the stalking I’ve been doing anyway.”

I feel my lips shifting into a smirk and then into a smile. So he’s aware of the stalking then? Good, that makes it less creepy and just odd instead. Well, not odd, but definitely curious. How he can make me angry at him and then to just give in to a smile, I’ll never know. Maybe I am just cursed. Or just stupid.

I’m going to go with stupid, because in my next breath I say “A ride would be nice. You can never tell when it might snow.”

He laughs. My smile widens, as does the empty space he left inside me a month ago. Then Toby walks up beside me. I literally jump a foot in the air, hands clutching at my pounding chest. He is so lucky my inner Taser didn’t hear him approaching. For all his stealthy walking, I’m thinking this Christmas I’m getting him a bell to wear.

He glares at Chance, who by the way returns it with open glee. I roll my eyes.

“We’re closing Harris.” Toby says.

Chance leans back from the counter with a satisfied smirk.

“I am aware of that, thanks Reed. It’s why I’m here. I’ll taking rabbit home tonight.”

Toby glances in my direction with wide eyes.

“You’re going home with him?”

The way he said that, makes me blush, like I’m doing something wrong. And I know I’m not, we do live right next door, it’s not like I’m going home with him. That does explain my blush, and Toby’s surprise.

I shake my head. Then have the urge to smack myself. I nod.

“He’s just giving me a ride home Toby, its fine. I do live right next door. It’s no biggie.” I reassure him.

It doesn’t work. He gives me this sad puppy dog look. Then I remember the party he talked about most of the night. And it hits me that he really thought that I’d go to it with him. Man oh man, can I just make it through one day and not lead anyone on?

Before I can even utter a word of apology, Chance interrupts.

“Actually, it being Halloween and all, I figured we could hang out for a bit? I’m sure I’m not as fascinating as a party, but hey, the night is young.”

My wide eyes whip back to Chance’s smirking face. He’s not looking at me though. His eyes are all for Toby. Is he serious right now? Or is this some male macho bull, which closely resembles that of a dog marking its territory? He might as well just pee on me now and get it over with.

The idea of ‘hanging out’ with him does have a nice ring to it.

This is why I probably say “That sounds great Chance, you ready to go?” I round the end of the counter before glancing back at Toby. “You can finish locking everything up right?”

I don’t wait for a reply. It’s bad enough with the sour expression the boy gives me. I couldn’t handle whatever he has to say. I’m already out the door and halfway to an all too familiar red mustang, when I stop. Dang it all, I totally forgot my coat. I spin around and walk right into the warm muscled (and unfortunately clothed) chest of Chance.