Tied to Our Fate

When I had to go back to work the next day, I was a little bummed. The past couple day of hanging out with Brian was amazing to say the least. I had known him my whole life but this just felt different. But I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself with my thoughts but it was proving to be a lot harder than I thought.
The whole day while I was at work I couldn’t stop thinking about him. His eyes, that goofy grin and his contagious laughter…
Get a hold of yourself Baker!!! I screamed in my mind.
“What’s got you all smiley?” Mrs. Marshall asked me.
“What do you mean?” I questioned.
“You’re all smiley and glowy and you just look different.” She explained.
“Oh, I don’t know. I guess I got a good night’s sleep last night.” I smiled back.
“It’s a man ain’t it!”
I looked to my feet, feeling the blood rush to my face.
“Ah! I knew it!” she laughed.
Shaking my head, I tried to hide the smile twisting up in the corners of my mouth.
“So, what are we doing to your hair today Mrs. Marshall?” I asked, changing the subject.
I stepped out back for a smoke break around 1:30 and sat down at the picnic table. As I lit my cigarette my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Dare I say it’s Brian…
The screen flashed Private Number. Hitting the ignore button I sat it down on the table. It was probably a telemarketer. It buzzed again and without looking at who was calling I answered.
“What?!” I practically yelled.
“Woah!” someone laughed on the other end.
“Is that how you answer everyone?”
I smiled realizing who it was.
“”What do you want Haner?”
“So we’re on last name basis now?”
“Maybe.” I snorted.
“Well then, Baker, when do you get off?”
“Five.”
“Wanna go to Johnny’s Bar? The guys are gonna be there.”
“Sure. Meet you there?”
“I can come get you if you want.”
“Ok, but what about my car?”
“I’ll bring you back afterward.”
“Are you sure you’re gonna be able to drive?” I laughed.
“Yes, Mom.” He huffed playfully.
“Ok, well meet me here at five sharp and don’t be late.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
I could imagine him saluting me right now.
“Alright, I’ll see you later. I gotta get back in here.”
“Ok, see ya.”
“Bye.”
I was cleaning up my station when I head the door open. Not thinking much of it, because Melissa was up there, I continued what I was doing.
“Hey, Stace. Someone’s here for you.” Melissa hollered back to me.
I already knew who it was before I walked up to the front so I hung up my apron and grabbed my purse.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yep.” I smiled.
“See you tomorrow Mel!”
I was almost to the door when I heard ‘PSSSTT!!’
Melissa was behind me with her thumbs up and mouthing the word ‘hot’ to me. I rolled my eyes let put little laugh.
Johnny’s Bar was in full swing tonight. The music blared and people were chatting everywhere leaving the place in a dull roar. We found the guysand to my surprise, Laney.
“Laney! When did you get back from Vegas?” I asked, as I sat down across from her.
“Hey Stace! Just this morning.” She answered.
Brian took a seat beside me and handed me a beer.
“Thanks.”
He smiled in return. We were sitting rather closely when the thought struck me. How were we suppose to act around eachother? I mean, as of now we weren’t together so what do we do? Do we just act like nothing is happening? I didn’t care if the others knew anything that was going on between us but Zack was a different story. He wouldn’t care I don’t think if anything was going on between Brian and I but I don’t know, He surprised me sometimes.
The guys were talking amongst themselves and I wasn’t really paying attention but I looked up and Laney was motioning for us to step outside.
“I’ll be right back.” I said and followed Laney outside.
“So what’s going on with you and Brian?”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Stace. Something is definitely going on there.” She laughed.
“Well I mean…I don’t know.” I shrugged.
“We aren’t like together if that’s what you’re saying.”
“I just see the way he looks at you and I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
I nodded looking away for just a second because I was a little embarrassed as to what she was referring to. My psychotic ex. Everyone told me he was bad news and I didn’t listen. I believed all the lies he told me; that I wasn’t going anywhere, I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t pretty enough, I wasn’t skinny enough…the list went on and on.
“I know Brian’s a good guy. I’ve never heard of him doing anything like that but I’m just worried.”
“I know, Laney, but I don’t even know what’s going on between us yet myself and it’s only been a few days.”
“Ok, but I got your back, you know that right?”
“I know.” I smiled.
“Come on, they’re probably wondering where we are.”
As we walked back into the bar, I glanced down at my phone. It was entirely too late for a working girl to be out. Laney sat down but I remained standing.
“Hey, Brian. I need to get home.” I told him.
He sat his beer bottle and down and we said out goodbyes to everyone and walked out to his car.
“Are you ok to drive?” I chuckled.
“Yeah I’m good, I had like a half of one.” He replied.
I got into the passenger seat and buckled myself in as Brian started the car.
“I have fun with you Stacy.” He stated as we drove along the highway.
I looked over at him and smiled.
“I have fun with you too, Brian.”
“I wanted to run something by you…”he began.
“Ok…shoot.”
“I know that we’ve known each other forever and whatever this is between us is totally new…” he went on, glancing over at me.
“I just don’t know what it is. I’ve known you my whole life and I always thought you were amazing but now I just it feels so different.”
“Different how?...”
A knot started to form in my stomach, like waiting for bad news. Did he not feel the same as I did?
“Not a bad different, a good different. A different I didn’t expect.” He smirked.
I let out the long breathe I was holding and I laughed nervously.
“Would you ever consider dating me?” he asked quietly.
I didn’t have to think about it.
“Yeah, I would.” I smiled.
“I know that, that that fuckbag hurt you really bad but I promise I will never do that to you. I will always treat you how you deserved to be treated.”
I didn’t know what to say. I knew Brian. He wasn’t a bad guy so why was I so afraid?
He reached over and took my hand in his.
“I’m not going to rush you into anything you’re not ready for ok?”
I nodded and squeezed his hand gently.
“Thank you.” I smiled over at him.
As we pulled into the parking lot of my work my mood completely shifted when I saw what was before me, illuminated by the headlights of Brian’s car. My car. The windows were completely busted out, along with the windshield.
“What the fuck?!” Brian exclaimed.
I quickly got out of the door to assess the damage further and Brian followed.
“Wait, don’t touch anything.”
Along with the windows, all four tires were slashed and there were several dents in the sides.
“Why?! Who the fuck would do this?!!” I shrieked.

Notes

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