chapter three: such a quirky employee

real life

"hey taxi!" i shouted, waving my arms in the air as i jumped up and down on my feet. i needed to get somewhere and i needed to get there quicker than my legs would take me.

a taxi slowed down in front of me, only to speed back up once the driver saw an older, much more attractive lady a few feet down.

i sighed and ran my hand through my curly hair. i need taxi hailing lessons because obviously i'm doing something wrong, i was standing there for ten minutes looking like a dramatic idiot.

"screw this," i grumbled as i turned to start walking down the walkway. maybe it would actually be quicker to walk than test out motions that would attract a taxi cab that wouldn't drive away for a much prettier older woman instead of an oddball fifteen year old.

i shoved my hands into my jean jacket pockets and started making my way to the same area in which i spotted that white speckled pebble at.

(this is future millie broadcasting to you and i'd like to make this adventure shorter by letting you now know that the pebble wasn't anywhere in sight *enter frowning face here*)

—

11:31am

i sped up and turned around the corner, my boots squeaking on the newly polished floor.

my eyes fell upon the closest employee.
he was a tall, lanky boy that was stocking all sorts of tape as he hummed along to a song which, if i'm being honest, sounded utterly horrible. that could just be because he's a bad hummer though.
i need to stop being to quick to judge, gosh.

i approached him, putting my hands together in front of me.
"hi uh - ..tape" i nervously stammered out. i felt my cheeks flush a bright shade of pink once i realized how stupid i must've sounded to the very kind boy whose name was finn by the looks of his name tag, but you can never trust anyone. who knows, he could be an undercover spy put to work to try and find out who stole five packs of neon coloured pipe cleaners last monday.

i vigorously shook my head to break my obnoxious, horn blowing train of thought as i realized he was speaking to me.

"you need tape miss? we have regular, extra adhesive, double-sided, duct tape, and decorative tape," he said, seeming out of breath from his speed of speech.
"and well, we're getting a shipment of packaging tape tomorrow because we went out of stock when this freak old lady who was really short, and i mean really short, raided us of it. i was there and she just pulled all of the rolls off the shelf and threw them into her basket, i was shocked!" he blabbered, talking very crazily with his hands.

my eyes widened, maybe he didn't think i was awkward with the way i messed up that sentence if he never knows when to stop talking.
hmm, i wonder if his mind is constantly rushing with a thousand things at once like mine. but anyways..

"no, - ahem," i said, clearing my throat. hey what can i say? it's february and my doctor says that i'm at peak for post nasal drip this month.
"i'm looking for a pebble." i spoke quietly.

his expression lit up as he let laughter slip out before covering his mouth with a free hand, his eyes still wide with mirth.
"you mean like a decorative pebbles for vases and stuff?" he questioned me.

oh no, i must not seem serious to him..
do people not normally come in here looking for a pebble like i am?
who the hell even knows what vase pebbles are anyways?

"no, a pebble..from the sidewalk," i said awkwardly, playing with the ring on my finger.
i locked my vision on the floor.
if he was holding back even more laughter i didn't want to know.

he didn't say anything though, he just hummed a long 'ummm'.
maybe he didn't exactly understand what i meant. maybe he isn't actually like me in a way.

"sorry," i spoke up.
"i just saw this certain pebble the other day on the sidewalk near this specific craft n' go and i thought maybe an employee would've seen it or taken it because it was very unique. i just was curious, finn." my voice went all squeaky as i attempted to not sound like a nervous wreck.

his mouth openly slightly, i suppose in surprise to the fact that i called him his name without him introducing himself. he could've forgotten about his name tag.
or..possibly he really is an undercover spy and is having a hard time getting used to his fake name!

"what did it look like exactly?" he questioned, putting an arm on an empty shelf rack.
he kind of just leaned there, looking at me like i was some sort of human conundrum.
"o-oh um, it was sort of this size," i began explaining, using my hands for size demonstration.
"and it was kind of completely smooth which can be quite odd for a natural pebble, i don't really know if it was natural or not though because it was on a sidewalk..in New York..it was grey with white speckles too." i spoke fast, pressing my lips painfully together afterwards.
it was a way of self punishment i do whenever i annoy myself by speaking in a flash.

finn put a hand on his chin, his eyebrows furrowed as he thought.
"i don't believe i've seen a pebble recently that looked like that, my apologies. i might have a suggestion for you instead, and it could help you find a new pebble. i don't know if that would help, would it? i just want to be helpful to you.." he suggested, sounding like there was a lot of self doubt going on in his mind.

i could empathize that. i always have self doubt flying through my mind like how flies race away for their lives as i furiously chase them around my apartment with a fly swatter.
"yes, i would like for you to help, that's sort of main reason i came here in the first place," i said, finally taking a good look at him and his face instead of the floor, or my surroundings.

god does he own a hairbrush?
if he helps me find a pebble that looks identical, i'll purchase him a hairbrush as a thank you gift.
yeah! that would be a clever idea.

"okay, uhh so, i can take you to this one place with a ton of pebbles. i just need to fake being sick so i can get off of work, alright?" he admitted.
i titled my head and looked at him.
he looked at me back, the same way i was looking at him.
ew this is weird, him seeing me and me seeing him.

"okay. how will you fake being sick though?" i asked, genuinely curious.
was he going to fill his mouth with a different colored drinks and spew it all out on his managers desk? if he was going to pretend to throw up i could actually help with that.

"i'm just gonna say i have a migraine or something, he might let me off the hook. plus my friend noah will fill my shift for me if he does." he explained, standing up straight and grabbing an empty box which was used for the tape he had just put on the shelf.

i clapped my hands together.
"okay great! goodluck!" i smiled as he began to walk out of the aisle and to his managers office.
he glanced back at me sheepishly and held up a thumbs up.

this was surely going to be an interesting day. hopefully he isn't some creepo who isn't actually planning to take me to a place with pebbles.

—

haha this is some very questionable writing, oh well.

feedback is appreciated if you did read this all the way through and have reached this point :)
i don't blame you if you just skimmed through it though, it isn't my best.