More Than One [18+]

35.

With small steps and Scarlett's hand in mine, I walk in the shop.

Miss Summerold walks to us with open arms. "You must be Owen! Oh gosh, you're so handsome!" she squeals.

I blush. Scarlett glares at her, but I tell her it's okay. "Hello, miss Summerold. Thank you for giving me this chance," I say.

She smiles. "Of course! Everything for Scarlett's friends," she says, and winks at Scarlett, who glares at her. Friends? 

Scarlett gives me a squeeze in my hand, and I know she lied to her mom. Of course, it won't be very welcome to have five boyfriends. I smirk. Friends. Really?

Scarlett lets go of my hand, and I turn to her. She smiles and waves then walks out of the door. I turn back to miss Summerold, who is grinning at me.

"You two are in love," she says. No shit. But that damn blush covers my cheeks again. She snickers. "Let's get to work. You'll be doing the cashier's job. It's very easy, and I think everyone will love you. You're just the type of person I had in mind."

I smile and sit down behind the cash register. This must work. She grins as she just stands there, looking at me. I smile awkwardly. 

"Eh, miss? Are you okay?"

She breaks out of her trance. "You're not friends," she scoffs and disappears through the private door. Okay?

Soon enough, people start entering the shop. I smile at them, and they nod approvingly. A woman rushes to me. "Can you help me choose? I want the perfect candies for my granddaughter. She's turning four today."

I smile. "Sure, I can do that. Let me just ask someone to keep the register in sight." She nods and I press the button, which calls miss Summerold. She walks towards us.

"Could you take over for a moment? I'm going to help this lady," I smile. She nods and I lead the woman the stacks of candy. "What does she like?"

She smiles. "She likes pink and lots of sugar." I nod and search through the candies. "What about these ones?" She nods enthusiastically. 'Yes! They're exact what I wanted! Thank you so much!"

I smile and walk back to miss Summerold as I hear squeals. I frown and stop, listening to it. 

"Oh my God, he's so fine!"

"I bet he has this stupid girlfriend who doesn't even care about him."

"Hm, he can spend the night with me."

"He's handsome as hell! And helpful, he just helped that old lady!"

I grin. I turn around and approach to them. "Ladies, can I help you?" Their eyes widen and they're just not drooling. I smirk internally. "I'm sure my girlfriend does care about me, and I'll spend the night with her," I let them know. They gulp.

I hear the bell from the entrance ring and turn around, seeing Scarlett hopping into the shop. The girls roll their eyes. "Ew, what is she doing here?"

I narrow my eyes at them and wave at Scarlett. "Hey, baby! How was your day," I smile and kiss her in front of them. She gasps in my mouth, but kisses back. Then she pulls away, out of breath. "Hey cutie," she giggles.

Then, her smile fades when she sees the girls gaping at us. "Oh," she mutters. I pick her up and scoop her on my hip. "I was just telling these girls, who were drooling all over me, that I have a great girlfriend and that I'm spending the night with her."

She smiles again. "Oh yeah? And what did they say?" She looks at the girls. One of them rolls her eyes. "We were about to say that you can't have him. You're way too ugly and fat for him," she chuckles.

Madness waves over me, and another wave of it follows when they all start laughing. Scarlett wraps her arms around her stomach and releases herself from my grip, turning around with her back to us. I see a tear escaping, but she wipes it away and runs off.

Anger burning in my veins, I turn to the piece of shit girls. "Listen. I don't know what the actual fuck is wrong with you, but she's more kindhearted and beautiful than any of you could ever be. So I suggest you lose that attitude towards her and leave this shop before I lose patience," I say, keeping my voice low so only they can hear.

They swallow and do just as I said, leaving the shop. I turn and walk to the back of the shop, where I know Scarlett is hiding. I found her snifling, on the edge of breaking down. Taking her hand, I lead her to the cash register, because no one is there right now.

I hug her tightly, and she calms down. "Don't cry, please. They're just jealous of you," I whisper. She sobs and shakes her head. "N-no, they're right. I eat way too much," she cries and clutches her stomach again.

Biggest bullshit ever.

I take her hands in mine, releasing her stomach. "Hey, hey. You're not believing them, are you? You're not even close too fat, nor ugly. Just look at yourself! You're pretty and beautiful and breathtaking and mine. Okay? They are ugly, jealous and they stink."

She laughs a bit and hugs me. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice a small whisper. I kiss her hair. "Any time. I'm just speaking the truth."

She trails my collar. "I- I was thinking... Maybe I handled this not too well. Your work, I mean. Yesterday, your social battery died so fast, and now you have to work here and talk to people the whole time. Isn't it buzzing in your head?"

I actually didn't think of that yet. My mind is light. The shop is particularly white, with fresh colors. The people here are nice, and nothing is very serious.

"Well, actually, no. I like it here, it's not so serious and killing as at home. I get to help people, and they smile at me. In my last job, no one smiled and everyone just yelled at me," I say, and tuck a strand of her hair away.

She smiles. "This is good for you." It is. She snuggles into my chest, just as a man comes to my cash register. I guess his age is somewhere in the eighties. He looks startled. "Oh... eh... should I come back later?"

I laugh. "No, I'm sorry, sir. You bought candies?" I ask, and he nods, smiling. "My wife's favorites." I scan it. "That will make five bucks, sir."

He smiles and gives it to me. "Thanks, kid." He walks away, and then I notice Scarlett staring at me.

"What?" She shakes her head. "You're so different here. You're soft," she smiles. "Soft? I wouldn't say I'm soft, baby," I grin and tap her nose. She giggles.

"Ha! I knew it!" a woman yells and I jump up, Scarlett still on my hip. Miss Summerold is walking to us. "I knew you were dating," she grins. Scarlett rolls her eyes and sighs, letting her head rest on my shoulder. 

I just grin. What did she think? That she could hide this from her mom? I'm super clingy, she could have guessed that.