Best Thing In Town

I was pissed off.

Not just pissed off because I had to work, heck I only worked Tuesday, Thursday and Friday so it wasn’t like that was a bad thing, and even when I was at work I did nothing. You see, working in a call centre did once upon a time in my life seem like a fun job, that was until I ended up having general chit-chat with friends and family using the business line… they traced the calls back to me and cut me off. They think I’m dumb though and like to make me think that I just don’t have any callers. I do have callers; they’re just referred to someone else.

Realistically I should have lost my job, but Miranda, bless her heart – was a rather big fan of me and by this I mean she liked to keep me around and pay me even if I did nothing. This annoyed my fellow workers and every time they saw me I got dirty looks; it wasn’t like I even got in the way! I just sat behind my desk quietly doing as I was told.

Speaking of Miranda, why had she just pranced out of her office looking extremely flustered and overly happy? Hmm. The only time that happens is when her husband comes to visit or she’s fired someone, or in fact if the delivery boy has turned up with her favourite tuna and mayo sandwich (gross). Anyway, less off Miranda and more of my pissing off, which actually had nothing to do with the dirty looks I received on a daily basis from the hags I had to work with, oh no; my pissing off had something to do with the fact that someone had dropped me off at my apartment last night after our quite, fun to be honest, date in the park… the park was fine, the dropping off was fine, the fact he left me at my door and walked away without even muttering a goodbye pissed me off, honestly where was everyone with manners these days.

I shouldn’t have been so pissed off, because it was Alex – but I was starting to warm up to him, honestly he was good company but like, who does that? Who takes someone on a date and then leaves them standing at their door without say-

Holy shit. My phone was ringing! And not my mobile phone, but in fact my ‘you just don’t have any callers’ phone. I had a caller! They’d switched me back on, finally, I had callers! People wanted my help; they wanted to speak to me!

I coughed once and then twice, before picking the receiver up and pressing it to my ear; I waited two seconds and then happily chirped down the line to whoever was on the end, hoping it would be a customer I’d find it easy to speak too as if they were awkward I would be awkward and we’d end up in the vicious circle of awkwardness.

"You look bored out of your wits,” A voice I was starting to recognise and hear more and more of whispered “Let meeeee, entertain you,” he sing-song-whispered.

“Jesus Christ kid, why are you calling me at work?” I whispered-shrieked “You’ll get my fired, they’ve already cut my line off – go away. I’m in no mood to talk to you!”

“Do you still like fish?” Obviously not paying attention to anything I had said he started a conversation of his own.

“Now isn’t the time Alex, I’m working.” I whined, allowing my head to fall onto the desk.

"But you’re not working Jade,” he responded “and you’re not enjoying yourself are you?”

I wasn’t enjoying myself, no, but I wasn’t going to just admit that. I mean what if someone was tracing my line or worse, what if this was a set-up?

“Turn around,” Alex coaxed.

Oh I get it, Alex was going to take advantage of the fact my desk was placed in front of a window, that just happened to be on the first floor and was easy to see in, so I was going to turn around and he was going to be stood there looking like some smug little twelve year old, acting as though he hadn’t pissed me off. He chuckled and I turned around, only to find I was watching hoards of people walk by than an Alex stood outside, weird

"What am I looking for?” I mumbled paying attention to the different people walking by, seeing if I could spot him… which I couldn’t, obviously I’m going blind, sigh.

"Me,” this voice didn’t come from down the line and shocked me.

I held my breath and spun back around on my seat, only to find Alex now stood in front of me; his hands pushed into the pockets of his jeans and his regular beanie placed on his head.

“How did you, how did you get in here?” I spluttered out between jagged breaths due to my surprise.

“Front door sweetheart,” he smirked “come on. I’ve got you the day off work… not that you do anything,” he poked his tongue out, making a jab at my job and motioned for me to join him.

“No, I have to work.” I argued folding my arms across my chest to make myself feel more superior and to emphasise I wasn’t going.

“Even if I told you I talked your boss out of it?”

“That’s why she was so flustered earlier!” I exclaimed “You flirted with my boss, how could you. That is disgusting; she’s almost sixty and has three children!” I picked up a spare pencil I never used and threw it at him “I’m pretty sure she has grandchildren too!”

“It was all for you!” He cried dodging the pencil, Jesus as if that was going to make everything better.

“That poor woman,” I sighed “you horrible boy, go away right now!”

"Jade I’m not going anywhere!” he laughed “Come on, I’m taking you to see some fish!” he grinned widely and spoke to me like I was a ten year old and he probably thought I was a ten year old after my moan to Tony on the phone the other day, brilliant.

Fish, though, fish we’re so beautiful and he was taking me too see them and- No Jade, you’re annoyed at him. Stand your ground, stand it like that strong willed woman you are and say no. You can do it girl, you can

“N-no, no you can’t because I have to work,” quick excuse now; I don’t need money but that’s not the point “I-I-I’m saving for something so I can’t go, sorry but you can go if you like – hey why don’t you invite Miranda!” I scoffed.

Alex sighed loudly and threw his hands up in defeat

“Fine,” he muttered and he turned to walk away; but this was Alex and the next thing I knew I was upside down, thrown over his shoulder.

"Jesus Christ!” I cried loudly when only his hands supported my weight by my knees.

“Jade,” he sighed “I thought we were past the whole you being mean to me now! We’re going on our forth date, come on, live a little!”

“Put me down!” I cried “You’re making a scene and everyone hates me enough as it is!” I attempted to kick him, but his looks deceived him and heck he was strong; I couldn’t even wiggle my leg let alone boot him one around the chops.

“Agree to come out with me!” He replied in a sing-song voice, the blood was starting to rush to my head and I was feeling dizzy.

“No, I’m angry with you!” I protested, gripping onto his thighs for some form of support.

It seemed something I’d said had made Alex rethink his decision to hold me upside down, so slowly he carefully lowered me back down and placed me back on the ground. “Angry with me?” he questioned, genuinely confused “Why?”

“Yesterday!” I snapped folding my arms over my chest “You left me yesterday, without even saying a goodbye. I was offended.” I mumbled, realising how childish I really was being.

“Did it really upset you?”

I cocked my eyebrow as if to say ‘are you joking?’ and tapped my foot impatiently on the floor

“Dammit Jade, I’m so sorry!” he groaned and used both of his hands to push my hair out of my face and tuck it behind my ears before leaving them placed on either cheek “I’ll say goodbye next time,” he mumbled “I promise!” he whispered and I nodded my head.

"Good,” and with that over I pushed his hands from my face “let’s go!” I could hear the fish singing my name ‘Jade,’ they were singing, calling me to visit them.

Alex followed me out of the call centre, trailing just behind me as I made my way over to his car which was parked just up the road. I was stopped just before reaching it by his hand snaking around my waist

“We don’t need that,” he mumbled softly into my ear.

“What, why?” I asked glancing back at it as we continued walking “Alex?” I bugged, yet still came no reply. Well that’s quite rude. We continued walking for another five minutes until we came to the centre of what seemed to be a row of shops, and more shops.

"Did you really want to just jump in a car to get to here?” he laughed and I shrugged, we could of, plus it wouldn’t have been like we were the only people in the world to do it, would it? But oh well.

"What are we doing then?” I inquired, gaining no verbal response.

Only the point of a finger just behind my head, I mumbled something not even I could understand and turned around, following the general direction of his long finger. I eyed every shop, most of them being clothes stores and a few book stops, also one Target and then I saw it.

"You’re taking me to an aquarium?”

“I thought you’d enjoy it!” Alex groaned throwing his head back in what seemed to be frustration.

"Oh my god,” I gasped “oh my god, I haven’t been to the aquarium in years!”

which was true, when I was just eight years old Tony had attempted to make contact with an octopus by banging on the glass and we’d be banned for life, scarred with the memory of a bald man chasing me out of the damned place I was too scared to ever go back

"Alex!” I grinned throwing my arms around his neck, (something that took a lot of effort with my height), “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I repeated over and over.

He chuckled in my ear and wrapped his arms around my waist “Welcome,” he mumbled into my hair “come on.”

He then let me go and took my hand in his, usually I’d have protested but god dammit we were going to the aquarium! Peace out to the ten year old in my heart that kept reappearing. Alex pulled me along until we came to the booth, and with past experiences (ie, Mr ‘Half Day scoff, scoff’) I stepped back and allowed Alex to pay.

“Two adults,” he smiled at the polite looking woman.

"Oh sweety, you don’t have to pay for adult fare!” she grinned politely, laugh wrinkles showing around the corners of her mouth and eyes.

I furrowed my eyebrows – was she calling Alex a child? Heck only I was allowed to do that, who did she-

“But I’m twenty-three miss,” he sighed rubbing his forehead.

"Oh not you,” she laughed “you’ll have to pay adult of course. But she,” she said whilst pointing at me “will have to pay for a child.”

My mouth dropped open and Alex held back a laugh. Had I just been called a child? Christ I knew I was small, but wasn’t the fact I had boobs and a bum enough to justify that I was an twenty year old woman?

“Urm, I’m actually twenty…” I responded, almost offended.

"You don’t need to lie here love, it’ll make things cheaper for you too!” she bargained, convinced she was just being polite but honestly I was taking offence; she was driving me insane and she’d only been speaking two seconds.

"I’m not a child!” I exclaimed and her face fell.

“Alright then,” she muttered “no need to get rude, someday that tongue will do you no good!” she huffed and then ripped two tickets from the machine, handing them over to Alex in an exchange for his money.

“Thanks.” I bluntly responded starting off towards the entrance. “Can you believe that?” I cried “I, me? A child, for a second there I thought she meant you, but she meant me? Honestly, honestly I can’t help that I’m so small, but I am not a child.”

Alex threw his arm around my shoulder and handed me my aquarium ticket. “Well we can both be children together,” I heard the smirk in his voice and elbowed him in his stomach “Ow!” he grunted, making it my turn to smirk.

I didn’t have time to wallow in my own smugness for long though, because as soon as he recovered his hands found their way to my waist, attacking me until I fell into a fit of giggles. Here’s to a forth date I never thought I’d get too.

Notes