Flytrap

Chapter Two

I won't tell your secrets Your secrets are safe with me I will keep your secrets Just think of me as the pages in your diary

Nearing the end of the song, the Barista is just a few yards away. I clear the music and wrap the headphones around my neck before reaching the door and pulling it open, "Oh Toooony!! Good morning!!"

Tony appears from the back and smiles at me, "You couldn't stay away from the thought of those cake balls could you?" He sticks his hand under the front counter and it reappears holding a a sucker stick with a purple and blue swirl covered ball. I'd never seen one that color before. "What flavor is that?" I ask, sitting at a stool in front of the front counter.

"So I wanted a galaxy theme cake ball and thought about the colors for a quick second and just winged it honestly," he laughs, "so its a berry ball. Blueberry and blackberry. I think its a little too much and may resort to plain blackberry and just keep the colors. Make it too complicated these days, then kids get out of their heads about it. Before you know it, they're going to make a SensePage post complaining that there's too many components and that I'm trying too hard. Then I'll be out of my head because they'll be right! Haha!"

My head shakes as I take a bite, "You're letting that new app get to you?"

He slicks his hair back and raises his hand with a surrender, "It's the trend, Gray. When you own any kind of place that sells consumables, you gotta keep up with the times. It's how you make customers. As long as I have a bad rap, then the word of the public spreads and loses me money."

"Mm," I reply with my mouth full, "Well I'll blow them out of the water with my reviews. Nobody knows your food better than this flubber butt; I'm here everyday!"

I smile when he leans beside the register and chuckles, but then he counters me, "I wish one loyal customer could change the direction of a tidal wave, kiddo, but the only thing to do for that is to prepare and prevent a great flood." I nod with a look of defeat. Tony's dark brown eyes lift and peer behind me. Turning around in curiosity, I see that same girl from yesterday walking by with a pair of dark sunglasses accessorizing her face. She doesn't look inside the store, but she looks out past the road beside her. My head rotates back to Tony.

"Have you ever seen her before yesterday?" I inquire. Tony shakes his head.

"After you left yesterday, she watched you leave and just sat there. Didn't order a thing. She got up and left about two minutes after you did, I'd say. I figure the kid just needed a place to sit down for a second, it can get hot out there. New people move to new places all the time. Don't think too much on it." My head bobs up and down. Maybe he was right. People do move all the time...

I look back out the window to see she's crossed the street and was peering into the window of the local library. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun today. Her outfit that of a silver crop top covering one shoulder, a pair of navy green cargo pants, and black combat boots. The pants are baggy, but not baggy enough to hide the decent size rump behind her. I look up slightly, noticing the dip and curve of her smooth waist. A black bra strap shows slightly above her sharp shoulder blade.

She stops looking in the window and turns to open the door to the library, revealing a side view that helped me categorize her into about a size B. Maybe. I think. If I keep looking maybe I can be more accurate. I could be even more accurate up close..

Tony clears his throat. My eyes dart to him. He's standing there looking at me, his chocolate eyes revealing an entertained gleam. I fur my eyebrows at him in frustration, "Why do you keep looking at me like that!"

Tony crosses his arms at me, "Why don't you just go talk to her."

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't have anything to say. She was rude as fuck to me yesterday when I tried to be friendly."

"Then don't be friendly," he offers.

"Yeah that's a wonderful way to get a good impression. Be an asshole- she'll talk to me then!" I roll my eyes at him, "that makes perfect sense."

He comes around the counter and leans against it- crossing his arms and standing beside me, "Yeah you're right. She was an asshole to you and you're obviously not into her at all."

We stare at each other for a few seconds in silence. I look back out the window, wondering if he may be onto something. I worried that if I didn't decide soon, I'd miss some chance in finding out. But I'm not sure I had the ability to be an asshole. I'm naturally quiet, shy, anxious... I could walk into those doors with a striding confidence in what I planned to say, but falter at the last moment.

I know myself.

"I don't believe I'm capable of being mean intentionally without a situation pushing me on the brink of impatience or anger, you know what I mean?" I confess.

Tony exhales, firming his lips, "you know, I think you're right. But you play with that one long enough, and she may bring it out of you," he pushes himself off the counter and turns toward me, "so why don't you stop gawking and start talking. She's pretty." He wiggles his eyebrows at me, leading me to hit him on the arm and tell him to get to work. When he goes to the back to finish the scones, I replay his words in my mind. "She's pretty."

Pretty strange.

I get up from my stool and walk out of the Barista. I look at the library for a few seconds, debating with myself. There was a statuesque characteristic about her that was hard not to stare at. But I was interested in what was behind her glamoured image. It's possible she had a bad day yesterday. What if she had something to say now? Am I willing to risk making a fool out of myself to find out? Leave it alone Grace.

I don't leave it alone. I check to make sure the road is clear, and I jog across the street, heading toward the library and opening the door before I have the chance to change my mind.