I have worked as a stock boy for one year.

I have worked produce and a bag boy for another year.

I collected shopping carts and the evening deliveries for six months.

Today is my first day running the register at Apple tree health a local health and organic grocery store in my hometown. I am eighteen and half and just graduated. I have enough money saved up for my first year of trade school to become an electrician or plumber. I haven’t decided yet on the whole dealing with people’s toilets yet.

It’s a Monday at 9 am and in walks the most prettiest girl I have ever seen. She’s medium height with brown hair and green eyes. She’s wearing dark denim jeans a black hoodie that has a dead unicorn with rainbow blood around it and a yellow beanie. She has been in the store of all about twenty minutes and she has gathered her groceries and is two people back from my register.

*im a goner from the moment I see her eyes*

Unfortunately I’m dealing with the oldest man I have ever seen and he is literally counting out pennies for his tab! Not only is it pennies; he is also doing it in the slowest way possible that I think I might pull all my hair out when I notice her looking at me and grinning.

*My god it’s a cute grin*

My stomach is fluttering! Actually fluttering like they do in the movies. The old man is half way there when my manager opens the register the next aisle over and rings up both the middle aged woman and cute yellow beanie girl. I think my heart literally falls into my stomach as I watch her walk out with her groceries and I think out of my life.

My town is about 300,000 people. I wouldn’t call it a small town, but it’s also not a big town. Big enough that we have over ten high schools and enough social circles you won’t date anyone twice in the same circle, but also small enough it only takes a quick drive on the two main parkways we have to get to all four corners of the town. I say this to make it real that maybe, just maybe, I will see my yellow beanie girl again.

Two weeks have gone by and I’m pretty quick at the register. My manager Mike, has been the same manger all two and half years I’ve been here. He is pretty cool. I like my job, so while I’m in school I’ll keep it. The hours are pretty flexible since now I can do any position, so some days I’m something different throughout the week. Today I’m a stocker catching up on thanksgiving themed stuff when in walks beanie girl. She looks different. Not bad different just different. That’s when I realize she’s done up. She has makeup on and her outfit choice is a little more chic. I try to be as little as a stalker as I can. Not trying to follow her every other isle or anything. I have seem to lose her by the produce and circle back to my original spot when someone taps my shoulder.

*its her* …….*speak you big dummy speak*

She looks at me so innocently and simply ask where the canned yams are and like an idiot I say isle three next to the pie filling and baking utensils. She thanks me and smiles just bigger than a grin and walks away.

*she is so cute*

I notice her get in line. Pay for her stuff and head out. My head swimming with scenarios where I have reacted differently. Scenes where I confess my love for her all old romance style, and other scenes where I am a Don Juan smooth talking my way into a dare with her. All the day dreaming and no action.

*slaps forehead*

I’ve seen beanie girl many times over the course of a year and I have said all two words to her. All the while she smiles and giggles at my stammering.

Today is the day I ask her out! That’s if she comes in. Other wise it will be some other day when she comes in.

She doesn’t come in today.

*dies a little inside*

I’m at the register when in walks yellow beanie girl. She’s not wearing her yellow beanie. In fact she looks completely done up differently. She’s dressed like she is going to a party. She looks …….sad. She gather a small basket of things when in walks a guy who clearly belongs to a frat. He runs right up to her and in quiet talk says something to her that she giggles at and he kisses her cheek. He grabs some stuff, throws it into her basket, and hand some cash to her and walks out. She gets to my register and doesn’t look me in the eye. I tell her the total and she hands me the correct change, grabs her stuff and walks out.

*heart shatters*

I’ve seen beanie girl come in a few months with frat guy and not looking like herself. She’s reserved and not at all curious about the world. They hold hands and kiss up and down the isles and buy stuff that couples buy. All the while I watch this play out in front of me.

*I love you I scream in my head*, but all that comes out is, “have a great time and hope to see you again.”

It’s my last day on the job here at the store. My schooling is done and my interning as an electrician apprentice is taking up more hours of my week. In that time YBG (yellow beanie girl) has dated frat guy. Got engaged to frat guy. Moved in with frat guy. I know all this by the grocery purchases. You start to tell the dynamics of the people you ring up over time. Single people with their frozen meals. Family man with the last minute store runs. The guy who still lives with mom and young couples.

*ive loved you just from your candy options. We have the same taste in ice cream. I also tried juicing and failed miserably. My secret obsession with crock pot meals started with you. I’m also allergic to kiwis. Please love me*

At my register is a big bow that says “bon voyage”, thanks to my fellow staff and manager. Even the owner handed me an envelope and thanked me for my time at the store. I’m definitely loved here and it feels warm and amazing. It’s almost closing time when I see YBG walk in. She grabs a basket as sally tells her that we have fifteen minute left til closing. She looks around and grabs a few random things and walks straight to my register. I see her notice the bow. She looks directly at me. “You’re leaving?” It was such a simple phrase. It was quiet and held something else in the phrase. I answered quickly with a joke and said something like “yep. The winds are calling me elsewhere”

*idiot mental slap*

She looks at me and I can’t read her face. I ring the items up and say the total. She is still just looking at me. I look around and back at her. “Miss? It’s $18.73.”

She doesn’t move

She looks right at me and says “what’s your name?”

I’m not wearing my name tag because I had turned it in only just thirty minutes ago.

“Noah” I squeak out.

If I was to assume, she looked confused/hurt. She says “I’ve been coming quite a lot and noticed you, but I’ve never known your name.” Then she smiles

*heart flips a quintrillion times*

Then she says almost hesitantly “good luck Noah” and hands me a twenty and walks out without her change.

The girl of my dreams walks out of my life.

*I still love you yellow beanie girl*