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“Tommy?, you coming with me and Ranboo?” Tubbo asked me suddenly, I stared at them while they starred back.
“Uh no I’ve got unfinished homework” I said to him, it wasn’t a lie but I knew I wasn’t going to do it anyways, “oh okay that’s fine, well bye if you change your mind you know where to find us” Tubbo said as he dragged Ranboo away, they both walked in the opposite direction of me.
I watched them leave, I started walking around not really wanting to go home, I pulled a pack of cigarettes from my backpack.
“Shit I forgot my lighter”, I thought to myself angrily, I wasn’t an addict or anything I could always stop whenever I want.
Lies, those were the lies I told myself everyday, my hands started shaking slightly, I really needed a damn lighter.
I walked to a nearby store, I went inside and looked around, I finally decided to get a Diet Coke and a lighter.
I went to pay and dropped my things on the counter, “this all?” The cashier questioned with a smile that seemed fake, “uh yeah” I said flatly hoping it would shut down any attempt at small talk.
“Hm aren’t you too young to smoke?” He asked me his smile no longer there, “who said anything about smoking?” I questioned back not really in the mood to keep the conversation going.
“Well what else would you do with this?” He said back he had a playful tone now, “hm, well it’s none of your business” I said trying to get him to stop talking, it didn’t work instead he simply smiled this time more genuine.
“I’ve been there before, it’s not good for you” he said his voice sounding sympathetic, “I’m not you” I said as I grabbed my things and walked out of the store.
I sat outside on a bench, filling my lungs with smoke and releasing it into the wind, it was peaceful, until someone sat next to me.
It was the cashier, “I knew it” he said not looking directly at me instead he was staring at the sky, “don’t you have a store to run?” I said as I rolled my eyes at him, “my brothers got it handled, I'm Wilbur by the way” he said as he finally looked at me, I wished he hadn’t I hated eye contact but I wasn’t backing down.
“Didn’t ask, but I’m Tommy” I said quietly, although it was a rude thing to say he didn’t even get mad, he was staring at me as if he was analyzing me, “Stop that, I have people who stare too much” I said trying to make him stop.
“where did you get that bruise” Wilbur said as he pointed to the side of my face, I didn’t think I just spoke, “my father.”
He gave me a sad look, I hated it, “don’t look at me like that, you don’t even know me” I said trying to keep my cool, “no, but I’d like to” he said softly.