Chapter 2

When I was in grade school, all the boys in my class are scared of me.

Well, that's what my teachers told my momma during Home Room Meetings, where parents are called individually to assess all 20 students in a class.

My momma asks me every after meeting how I am feeling, if I have anything to talk to her about, and my answer is always the same -- everything is good.

She never asked me why the boys are scared of me, and I wouldn't know the answer anyway. Not until earlier today.

I'm working as a part-timer at GearsDepot here in the City, I'm sometimes a cashier, sometimes a bagger, sometimes a Supplies Checker, well, I am all around as long as I am paid.

I was arranging the stalls, up in a ladder, wearing my over-used Levis jeans I bought from a Thrift Store, over-used Chuck Taylors, Store T-shirt, Store vest, and in a tight hair-bun.

"Ash?" said someone below me. I turned to look at the person saying my oh so unique name, trying to remember the face. Mind you, I am not good at remembering faces.

"uhmm hi. Can i help you..?" I replied, still trying to remember the face, no one calls me Ash or Asha anymore, I go by Rene, my name tag says "Hi, I'm Rene". So this person surely knows me.

"Asha? You're Asha, right? Asha Ardolf." asked the guy, let me initially call him Pepito, since that is the first name that popped in my head.

"uhmm yeah. I'm sorry. Do I--" I said, trailing my sentence, taking my time. Come on, Asha, remember! who's this dude?

"Oh man, it is you! Ash, it's me.. Dylan. Your Fourth grade seat mate, the one you poked a pencil in the shoulder, remember? All those blood. I still have the scar, you know. Pretty cool!" said Pepito, excitedly, Oh man! I still can't remember. If I poked him a pencil, I was surely beyond controlling my emotions.

"Still can't remember huh. Well.. you were pretty pissed when I told the class I kissed you in exchange for an ice cream!" he said, slowly, carefully. Having interest on his shoes, or the floor, anything but my eyes. Walking around egg shells much? Yep, I remember the dude.

"OH MY GOSH! Dylan?? Is that really you, Dylan Fat'eo? Man, how are you?" I said, excitedly, matching his energy this time, scratching my neck though it's not itchy at all.

"I'm good! Not so Fat'eo this time. I've worked out a lot" he mused, scratching his head, I bet it isn't itchy too, smiling brightly, with his nice set of teeth, probably veneers, probably costs much, something too luxurious for me.

"how are YOU? haven't heard from you since that day, Ash. I can't seem to remember anything else though, like the world stopped when I saw those blood. That was the first day I knew I'm scared of blood. I just heard you transferred. I was so guilty, I've been looking around the place for you, but got no luck. and here you are!" said Dylan, breathlessly, like he's scared I'm gonna be out of his sight without finishing his speech.

"I'm doing really well, Dylan. I see you're not the fat'eo anymore. You look good tho! wow --" RINGRING!! Perfect, right on time, a customer just rang the bell.

"Uhmm, Dylan. I gotta get back to work, we're a bit short on staff right now, so everything's all over the place. So great to see you, by the way!" I said hurriedly, while slowly walking backwards toward the counter, so glad I am being spared from this small talk.

"Ash, wait up! Can I have your phone number at least? Maybe we can hangout sometime, you know--"

"EXCUSE ME? Is anybody here? Are you guys open?" Says the customer, my savior, the angel sent from above! His voice sounds like an angel too, sounds like someone who redeemed me from utter awkwardness.

"uhmm, I really gotta go. See you around, Dylan" See you not ever, Dylan! I said as I ran to the counter.

"Hi, I'm Rene! I'm sorry, it took some time, kinda stuck right there. How can I help--?" I was babbling as I was checking the counter, then I just stopped and stared.

How can someone have those eyes? It's like the lightest of blues, looking almost like gray, but paired with a charcoal dark wavy hair.

The most masculine yet the most feminine look in a guy's face. He's at least a foot taller than me, and the way he blinks, slowly, like in movies, everything is silent, like everything around us is waiting for him to speak, like being in a slow motion pictu--- Oh crap!

I blinked, and he blinked and everything went back to normal.

"How can I help you?" I said again, cheerful, smiling my most charismatic smile, hoping he did not notice that slight glitch of time.

His brows furrowed for a split second, then he shook his head, like he was in a trance, well he kinda was, though.

"Hi, I need a hammer, something similar to this please. I just broke my dad's. He's gonna kill me" Said the angel, while showing me the hammer he broke, while scratching the back of his neck, shy. Man, I also bet, it isn't itchy too.

"Let me take a look at it for a sec" I said and he passed the hammer to me.

"it's your luck day, we do have something similar in stock" I said as I passed the hammer back to him, while walking to the isle where the hammer is placed.

It really is his lucky day, a man was about to buy the last piece earlier, but changed his mind after a phone call, said his son already bought him a new one.

"This is literally the last piece available. You should try the lottery, I think you're gonna win" Wow, Asha, some small talk right there. Well, not really, this is what you call customer service. yeah right. Okay, I'm talking to myself again.

The angel smirked and looked at me, stared for a second longer than necessary, then blinked, then looked away, "yeah, I think so too."

After checking out his purchase, I gave him the hammer and his receipt, "here you go! thank you and come again."

He took it, and went out.

I went back to the stalls, continued what I was doing before Dylan happened. Is he still here though? I hope he's not anymore, I hope he just took the exit door on the back of the store, since I haven't seen him pass by the counter. I'm in no mood for small talk.

"Asha?" Oh no, he's still here.

"Oh, Dylan. Hi, you're still here" dude, this guy's creeping me out right now.

"Yeah, I was waiting for you. So, can I have your numbe--" RINGRING!! Dylan rolled his eyes, exasperated. Who's this angel now? The heavens do care for me still.

"I'm so sorry, Dylan. This time is probably not the best time. You should probably go. see you around, alright?" this time I waited for him to leave the store, waited for him to be out of eye sight, and he's gone. FINALLY! I hurried back to the counter, still looking backing while walking to make sure Dylan isn't coming back. weird!

"Hi, I'm Rene! How can I help--?" I stopped and stared once again, an angel. The same angel, actually.

"How can I help you?" I asked while looking at the hammer in case it has issues or whatever. He's looking at the back door.

"uhmm. Can I have another hammer?" he's looking at me now, scratching the back of his neck again. Maybe he really has something itchy up there.

"Is there a problem with the hammer that I gave you? It really was the last piece, I wasn't joking when I said it was your lucky day." I said, trying to think what issue a new hammer might have, though I'm confident it was okay, I checked it before I handed it over to him.

"no, no, no, there's no problem. Actually, everything's good. yeah, good. uh, I should.. I should leave, thanks!" He said, walking backwards slowly, breathless, shy, the guy's face is tomato red now.

"Is.. everything okay..? sir..?" I asked, unsure, hesitant.

"yeah! everything is good." He said, turning towards the door, walking fast, and he was gone once again.

OKAY.

10 seconds after the door opened and he's there again.

"I'm sorry. I know it was kinda weird. Let me explain. The guy you were talking to, he was staring at the store for like 30 mins before he came in, I was at the convenience store up ahead, and I was watching him watching you through the glass door, he's been talking to himself and smiling, and it was weird, I was kinda concerned because I know that Patrick is not around since he's having a vacation, he told me so, I'm friends with Patrick by the way, and he said he only has you on duty today, since Telma is also not around, so yeah. I know I sound like a creep, but I swear--"

"Thank you." I decided to cut him off, he's babbling so fast, his hand motions are all over the place, the way he speaks, like all emotions are on his words, all emotions on his eyes, all emotions on how his lips form into words, no doubt this guy can't lie.

"what?" He asked after two seconds of silence, and just two seconds of eye contact, kind of abashed.

"I said thank you, and you're not creepy. I believe you, Dylan was kinda weird anyway." I said nonchalantly. Placed my sweaty palms in my vest pocket.

"Oh, okay" the only thing he said, blinked and tilted his head to the side. "I should go then".

"what's your name?" of course I should know the name of the angel who saved me today.

"Jake, and you're Asha" He said.

"How did you..?" I asked, confused. How did he know my other name?

"I heard the guy, he kept saying 'Hi Asha. Asha is that you? You're Asha right?' the guy's been practicing for 30 mins. I know you by Rene, on your name tag, through Patrick, and we go to the same school by the way." He said, this guy knows how to have a conversation, I might say.

"Oh, wow. I don't think I have ever seen you at school" I said as I tried remembering his face, because if I have seen these kind of eyes, I will surely remember it for life.

"Oh, you have. I just don't look the same way at school." How can I not remember him? I don't think this guy's serious.

"No, I don't think so"

"I'm telling you, you have. Gotta go, Asha, Rene, how should I call you?"

"Just Rene"

"Okay, Gotta go, Rene. See you at school!" he said hurriedly, turning towards the door, for real this time.

"Wait" I called out.

"hmmm?"

"did you really need the hammer in the first place?"

"Uh, actually, no. My pops was about to buy one here this morning, but I already bought a new one for him. but I guess a spare is not bad, right?"

"yeah, guess so." I smiled, he smiled, but before he finally turned his back, I took my time looking at him.

Traag. It's small moments like this that i appreciate "The Gift".

Then I blinked, and time went by normally again.

I will not tell momma about what happened today.

wow.

Jake.