TWIN SIZE MATTRESS

as luna made her presence known, nolee could already feel that she was in trouble. but as she turned around to face her, she remained with a straight face as she continued to obviously chew the pastry. she avoided eye contact at the mention of her being childish. to nolee, it just seemed like her cousin was overreacting. “no one’s ordering anything, they’re not watching,” she gestured to the preoccupied customers. “shouldn’t it technically count as a break then? — you mean to tell me you’ve never done the same thing?”

luna couldn’t believe that her cousin had even attempted to hide from her after eating a good meant for sales. she scoffed as nolee tried to make an attempt to argue, wanting to do nothing but hit her across the head. “it doesn’t matter if nobody’s ordering anything. your job is to take order and ring them up. that’s what a cashier does. do you think i’m paying you to eat my food?, she asked, handing moving down to her hips. rolling her eyes, she truly couldn’t believe everything she was hearing. “yah! do you want me to send you back where you came from?! this act may play with anyone else but not me. i’m not afraid to send you back to your parents, don’t test me.”, she exclaimed, almost too loud to where some heads had turned towards them in the store.

“i’m not going to drop you on the ground.” zandy replied, face distorting with annoyance. there was no way chance could see it as he was perched on his back at the moment. “oh, god. i don’t even want to ask, but i feel like i have to know what i’m getting into.”

“but you coooould!”, chance teased, wiggling against zandy’s back. he could barely control his excitement as he heard zandy speak. “oh, we’re gonna do the best things. like, watch movies, eat popcorn, and eat dinner and eat more popcorn.. basically, we’re gonna get junk food wasted.”, he explained, giggling as he did. “and if possible, there is always room for other things.”, he spoke, voice changing to something sensual but playful. “oh, c’mon alexander! oesn’t it sound like fun?”, he asked, wiggling his feet.

“right? who can afford that shit? i’d have to be pulling double shifts constantly, which would just counter act the products anyway ‘cause of all the stress and lack of sleep. some of the girls at work sometimes let me use theirs, so that’s all good –– i’ll see if i can steal you some. we’re the cutest. i mean, just talking to you totally proves how insignificant their survey must have been, so i’m ready to interview this whole town.”

“i literally work day to night. i’m in the shop practically all night trying to stock up for the next day. it takes so long, i never have time. i always try to get my self care in. it’ll always be the first and last thing i do when i get home cause i’m always exhausted. oh, really? you’re such a sweetheart, honestly. come by the shop and drop it off! i'll be honest, i’m here for it. we can walk around and look all sophisticated in business suits and hold clipboards. isn’t that what the important people have?”

just as soon as she had said it, justin was repeating it back to her. the word ‘babe’ sounded heavenly coming from him. she definitely could get used to that, but she tried to not get her hopes up. she was used to being let down constantly and consistently and while she had faith in justin, she didn’t want to hope for anything too much. when violet expected a certain situation to go a certain way it went all to shit and went the other way. and she didn’t want that to happen with him, so she tried to keep an open mind. “fine. you’re the one who looks like a.. a.. tree.” she attempted to insult him, but it proved to be a flop. “or a big, stupid, dumb, skyscraper.” she huffed, eyes glancing over the menu. the waitress came over and took their order, where justin ordered fries and she ordered a grilled cheese and a beer. “you’re easy to please, aren’t you?” she laughed, watching him mess with his hair. “i like your hair. you look really handsome.”

the word wasn’t one that he had used frequently. he had been in relationships in the past but it had been a while since he had ever found himself using the word. it somehow felt fitting when in relation to violet so, it was one he would continue to use.  justin looked over violet, taking all of her in. he hadn’t noticed her beauty before, only seeing her in sexual lights but now that they were together, in the diner, he noticed things about her like he never had before. however, he wouldn’t mention them to her. at least, not yet. as he heard her attempt to insult him, he chuckled, not being able to hold it back. “a tree? a skyscraper? i’m not sure if i should be offended or flattered.”, he teased her, winking as he did. as he heard the compliment to his hair, he peered up, eyes crossing slightly as he did. “you think so? i did it on a whim. i felt like i needed a new look.”, he confessed, running his fingers through the locks again as he peered at her. “you look beautiful too.. i never realized how pretty you are until.. now.”, he confessed again, smiling widely as he did.

she felt like the butterflies were about to cause her to float right out of her shoes. brynn hadn’t had a kiss in so long, she had almost forgotten how nice they could be when shared with the perfect person. her heart felt so light that she barely noticed that he was also reaching for the notch on the burner. their hands brushed against each other, but her hand hand gotten to the dial first. after turning it down quickly, she watched with wide eyes as the steam proceeded to burn indigo on the arm. “indigo, are you okay?” she asked, immediately disregarding the pot of pasta to come to his aide. “you’re very clumsy, aren’t you?” she said softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “here, let me see…” before turning over his arm to inspect the burn. it was just a little red without signs of blistering. “just run cold water on it, okay?” she said before running back to the sink to turn on the cold knob. “and i’ll finish the pasta, alright?”

as much as indigo wanted to bask in their kiss, he couldn’t due to the fact that his arm felt like it was melting. or, at least it seemed that way. he began to hum, the pain being so bad that it made him do it. peering at her, he nodded, hang moving over where the burn was. frowning as she took his arm, he was weary, not wanting to seem too bad in front of her. he had already proven how clusmy he was twice and now, he wasn’t sure if he had a good chance with brynn.  he did as she said, chewing his lip as he let the water run over his arm. he found himself wanting to apologize to her, no longer feeling like good company for her. sighing, he peered over at her, bursting with an apology. “i’m sorry, i didn’t uh.. mean for this to happen.”, he frowned, peering down at his burn. “i’ll understand if you want to leave.”, he spoke, voice sounding defeated.

he scrunched his nose at the nickname, a slight smirk on his face. he seemed to get new ones every day—not that it bothered him in the slightest. it was always interesting to see how creative people could get. “is it?” he tilted his head, not exactly sure what to make of the old woman in question. “i’ve never had an encounter with a cougar before… what if i played into it, huh? y’think she’d take care of my finances and shit?” he mused, only really half-joking.

heaven had always come up for random nicknames for people she cared deeply about. anyone else, she called by their regular names. giggling, she sipped from her coffee, giving him a nod. “yes! you’re a handsome young guy, why wouldn’t she want you around more often?”, she asked, truly wondering why else she would want him around. she tapped her chin before shrugging. “i think you should see where it goes but, like i said, look out for red flags. if you come home saying that she did some creepy shit, i’ll have to defend you.”, she told him, playfully flexing her tiny muscles. “besides, she’ll also tip you a lot more than anyone else would. it wouldn’t hurt to have extra money on the side, right?”, she mused back, taking more sips from her coffee. 

“right? what is that? i gotta cleanse, tone, exfoliate, i do hydrating masks every two weeks –– it’s a lot of work to look as gorgeous as us. i don’t even know, lu. it makes me feel like they surveyed one person and decided that was enough. ugh, if only all life problems were cured with water.”

“exactly! not to mention, it’s kinda expensive to get the prducts that work super good. i run a bakery! i barely have enough money on the side to pay for stuff for a skin care routine. honestly? i bet a lot of people would pay to have our skin. i don’t blame them, we’re pretty darn cute. that’s not fair! they should have tried a broader audience. i bet more people would have said something other than water. “

she whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes at the stranger. “yeah,” she replied with a full mouth. if her parents saw how she was acting, they probably would’ve had to leave the store and damn near disown her—not like that’s what they were already doing. “what’s it to you? — i work here, you know,” she bluffed, though it wasn’t entirely a lie. she would work there, but she had yet to undergo training. “my cousin’s the owner of this place. she wouldn’t really care even if she knew.” another fabricated lie.

indigo scoffed, shaking his head. walking closer to the counter, he peered to the girl, looking her over. “you work here? if you work here, why do yo u have to sneak and eat stuff? not to mention, why couldn’t you just wait until you’re.. well, y’know, off of work?”, he questioned, leaning against the counter. the girl seemed suspicious and he wasn’t normally one for trying to get someone in trouble but, there was something about her that he couldn’t put his finger. “is she now? and you’re telling me she wouldn’t care that you’re eating the goods that are supposed to be sold to the public? sounds strange.”, he reached forward, taking a danish from the container with no worries, shoving it in his mouth. taking the time to enjoy it, he nodded. “they’re good but, only meant for paying customers.”

“impressed, definitely. i wouldn’t want a pretty girl like you being upset. they’re actually alright, like…they’re not cringey, at least i don’t think so. the humour is a little dumb, but it’s only ‘cause it heavily relies on those little yellow twerps who say banana and shit. i’ve unfortunately seen them a few times sober, too. they’re, like, my cousin’s favourite franchise.”

“oh? then, consider me impressed, yeah? the minions get a lot of bed rep, i know that for sure. however, they are kinda annoying, i don’t blame pepole for hating them. i’m guessing this cousin of yours is a kid? it’d be strange if her ot she was a teenager or just old enough to tell the difference.”

“…but how expensive are your favourite pair of jeans? it’s a square, usually printed, of fabric that sits within your suit jacket’s pocket. usually they match your tie or shirt, for good measure but it’s not a necessity. do you know how to care for such a jacket? i’ll give you the proper tips and it’s yours. that’d be nice, if you could.”

“uh, well, i don’t know. they were a.. gift. my guess is that they were a lot. however, those sound interesting. they also sound very fancy, how did you manage to mess that up? yeah, i’m like, trained in cleaning. i’ve got delicate fingers so you don’t have to worry about it looking worse. of cours, man, just give me the ‘proper tips’ and i’ll get to it.”

after being given a brief rundown of the bakery, the employee left nolee to go to the back of the shop. and not knowing when they’d come back, she calmly made her way to the back of the counter. her gait was confident, but her eyes were wary as she haphazardly checked her surroundings before snagging a pastry. she quickly stuffed it in her mouth like a child sneaking a cookie and hoped no one noticed.

luna had just come in for the day shift, already having stocked up the nigh before. greeting the employees, she headed to the front counter, recognizing the figure from behind. she crossed her arms as she watched her, gasping softly as she saw her sneaky act. walking up to her, she cleared her throat. “you wanna tell me just what the hell you think you’re doing? yah, eating on he job is only acceptable during break. do you think your parents sent you here to act even more childish than you already do?”, she asked, crossing her arms with an annoyed look on her face.

after being given a brief rundown of the bakery, the employee left nolee to go to the back of the shop. and not knowing when they’d come back, she calmly made her way to the back of the counter. her gait was confident, but her eyes were wary as she haphazardly checked her surroundings before snagging a pastry. she quickly stuffed it in her mouth like a child sneaking a cookie and hoped no one noticed.

indigo, having only been in the shop for a pickup order hat him and his best friend had arranged, hearing swift movements around him. he hadn’t exactly realized where the sound had come from until he heard the case of danishes close. raising a brow, he peered over at the girl, moving towards her. “y’know, being sneaky is one thing but, being sneaky and getting away with it, is another. did you really think anyone wouldn’t notice your cheeks stuffed with whatever the hell you just ate?”

“i found out today that the average person can fall asleep in just seven minutes and just…bitch, what ?? how is that even possible ? and if one more asshole tells me i should be drinking more water i’m going to personally drown them.”

“the worst thing, is when people say that water is the only way to their skincare routine. like, i’ve got somewhat clear skin but i don’t drink just water! it takes more than ‘just water’ to make your shit clear. also, seven minutes doesn’t sound realisitc at all. what average person are we talking about here?”

“y’know, after getting called for the fourth time in a month to fix the same problem with some lady’s bathroom sink, i’m really starting to wonder if she’s breaking it on purpose,” he ranted, brows furrowed as he took a quick sip from his iced coffee. way, way too sweet. “she could just really like my company… or… hear me out—she could be making observations and plotting my demise. i mean, either way i’m getting paid for the work so… i think i’m still gonna go.”

“oh, cumulus, it’s clear she likes you. breaking it on purpose would be the only way for her to see you again,”, heaven spoke, sipping from her own iced coffee, an order she remembered ever since she moved to tallow. twirling on her stool, she giggled, shaking her head. “of course, you should still go! but, if you catch her staring at you while you work, just remember that it’s a red flag and tell her she should keep it very professional.”, she teased, patting his shoulder.

“then, i pause my hating on you until further investigation.” he nodded, content with that outcome for now but he knew he’d have to hunt elliot down and get him talking again, and he didn’t want to put his buddy in an uncomfortable situation. “no, no, no need. i recently came into some money so, my treat.” he smiled, referring to the scrunched up twenty dollar bill he’d found under his bed that previous morning. “so do you want to get back with him, or? is it just…like dead and buried now?” he wondered, more as a general ask than a nosy demand. 

heaven nodded, trying to shake the thought of elliot from her mind. she smiled as he mentioned his new money gain, wondering how much she earned. “yeah? a paycheck or something? how much?”, she asked, giggling as she began to walk. hearing the question, she chewed her lip, tilting her head. “well, i know right now we’re not anything special. we’re friends.”, she started, eyebrows scrunched softly as she thought. “i would like to have something with him again but i know it’ll take a while before he’d even think about that. so, it’s just a thought in the back of my head for now.”, she shrugged, wisting her lips to the side. “what about you? come into any crushes or love even lately?”, she asked, curious but also not wanting to overstep, knowing how he felt about her.

“you know when it’s just one of those days and nothing seems right in the world and you accidentally spill some tea on your favourite pocket square? yeah. it’s not going well for me today. i just bought a gucci jacket i don’t need in this heat and a trip to cannes i don’t even have time to go on, so which do you want: the jacket or the trip?”

“well, i know what it’s like to spill tea on my favorite pair of jeans, rather than a pocket square. what’s a pocket square anyway? is that like where you leave your handkerchief or something? oh? you’re, well, offering? i’d like the jacket, actually. i can always fix the stain for you, it’s really no biggie.”

“hey, have you seen that scene in despicable me 3 where agnes finds a goat with one horn and thinks it’s a unicorn and gru has to tell her that life just fucks you like that sometimes? yeah, it proper fucked with me, i shouldn’t have watched it high, that’s for sure.”

“i don’t know whether to be impressed or upset that you’ve made it so far in the series. aren’t those movies supposed to be really cringey or something like that? maybe you being high is the only way you could have sat through them. at least, i hope so.”