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“Literally, this is Hell,” Pentious fanned himself with the nearest stack of expired coupons that they gave to particularly annoying customers.
When talking to customers Pentious avoided ‘s’ and ‘th’ as much as humanly possible. He found people correcting him on his own lisp to be so dreadfully annoying- at times it was worse than being bullied as these people always had an air of condensation. As if they were actually helping. However, the mall was dead. It was just him, Baxter, and the blaring music that neither of them particularly liked. Currently that one Hozier song, that they had heard to death, echoed through the shop. He had half the mind to change to anything so they didn’t have to listen to the same handful of music- but of course their manager would have an unexpected visit and he didn’t deal with his berating well.
“Hm, I knew I’d die by a heatwave,” Baxter had a mini fan, though it was not nearly as efficient as when it was first bought.
“That heavy coat would do it,” Pentious could hear footsteps- well. Someone was trudging through this heatwave. By choice.
“I don’t want to hear about my clothes from you! When you're not working you look like a Victorian twink-“
He ignored the rest, while customers could be annoying he could also ignore the heat talking to someone. Better than him and Baxter complaining (and helping the customer, depending on how they acted, meant they could have something new to complain about at the end of it).
“Welcome to Holl-“ He looked at the two women in front of him. Either Mother or Daughter, or Sisters, the two were definitely related. The older woman looked slightly tired at the younger’s antics, as she shrieked in delight at one of the shirts.
“Oh! Isn’t it just gorgeous!” She exclaimed.
Freckles covered her nose, crawling all the way up to her ears. Her braids were dyed white, bringing out her bright eyes and dark skin.
“Gorgeous,” Pentious could barely process what he was saying, even after saying it.
She beamed at him. He could swear she was glowing with energy.
“See he agrees, Sera!” It didn’t seem she was disagreeing but merely passively watching “Do you have one of those shopping-bag thingies? So I can put this in while I walk around.”
All of his training left him in a moment. If it was physical matter it would leak out his head. However, she wasn’t at all cross as he just stared at her. She looked at him with a patient smile.
He did finally come to after a minute of gazing. He awkwardly grabbed one of their totes, looking away as he tried not to make the situation worse. The heat was in his favor as the redness of his cheeks could easily be explained by the weather.
“If you need any help- I will be, Um-“ He felt far too sweaty. Slimy. A little out of sorts. Very unprepared. “I will be around!”
He wanted to smack himself in the face right then and there. He refrained given he was in front of customers.
“Thank you so much…” She squinted at his name tag “Pentious!”
He was going to combust. Many customers had said his name before but… he never really felt as flattered as he did at that very moment. He’d never been one to believe in ‘love at first sight’ but he couldn’t deny his sudden interest.
The two ladies didn’t stay for too long but Pentious felt light on his feet for the rest of his shift. He didn’t even catch her name but he hoped she’d be back again. Hopefully better prepared.
*
Emily That was her name.
He was delighted when she came back. He actually chatted this time. Just basic information- she was from the area, Sera was indeed her sister, and her name was Emily. Her laugh was light and airy and he could listen to it for hours—
He was getting ahead of himself.
She wasn’t with her sister this time and he became her tote carrier. Much to the dismay of his coworker, Baxter would be fine, but he wasn’t one to complain to management. It wasn’t busy anyhow, sticking with a customer (who clearly was not annoyed) had benefits. He could always go through inventory later.
“I know I shouldn’t spend all this but I’ve been needing a wardrobe update- well, besides my work clothes. Those are different anyhow,” She held up a romper “Do you have this one in a small? I only see mediums?”
“For those it’s only the ones we have out that are available. We could do an online order and you can pick up at the store. I will say those run smaller, so I’ve heard. The medium might fit,” He said, and watched her decide. She placed it into the bag with a happy hum.
“So, Pentious, I’m new to the area so I was wondering what’s fun around here? Any good restaurants? Oh, and what about animal shelters- do they need volunteers? I love playing with cats and dogs. Sera says we don’t need another animal but I so want another! Volunteering, though, can help that itch… as long as I don’t bring anyone home with me! Hehe!” Her happiness was contagious. Usually at the job he felt a drag to his step but his day was just a bit brighter with her around.
“Well, I know of an animal rescue place. Personally I don’t know it that well- but they likely would be appreciative of help,” He pulled out his phone to find the name, then clicked on his photos as an idea came to him “This is my pet. Some people are frightened by him but he’s a sweetheart.”
“AWW! HE’S PERFECT!!” She snatched the phone away from him, started scrolling through pictures, then seemed to think better of it and handed the phone back “I’m so sorry! Your snake is just too cute!”
“Oh thank you,” People always had mixed reactions to Frank. Baxter liked him. His boss called his pet “Satan's spawn” (not that the man could talk about odd pets- he talked at length about owning a shark . Pentious didn’t even think that was legal). He didn’t share with customers after one of them said she wanted to ‘kill it with fire’.
But Emily was different.
“I wish you could bring him in for a day- I’d totally come in to see!”
He wished, not only because he loved his dear snake but it’d be an excuse to talk with Emily more.
The rest of the time she spent in the store was 90% pet pictures and 10% actually looking through clothes. A win in his book
*
He really needed to ask for her number. Everyone was tired of listening to him talk about wanting to talk with her. But he didn’t want to come across as creepy! What if she was just being friendly but didn’t want a friendship? What if she didn’t like him at all and was only placating him?
“Do you think that Emily only is pretending to like me– or she does like me? But probably only as a friend… not that we are friends yet. Maybe we are. I don’t know,” He lamented.
“Please, please, just ask her for her number,” Baxter rolled his eyes “Anyhow, I’m taking my lunch break.”
“At least give me a moment to finish folding then we can eat lunch together,” Some kids had come in and taken every first shirt, flipped it around, and half-hazardly ‘folded’ it. They were just balled up clothes now.
“Someone has to stay in the store- he’s supposed to show up today.”
The store manager. The asshole who’d boss them around while lazing around doing the simplest tasks. Pentious wouldn’t blame him for the remote work he did, usually dealing with the bigger parts of the company and making certain they got their shipments in, but in the store he was a nightmare.
It didn’t help that the man had a plethora of insults he could hide as criticism. Baxter was keeping a list; not to take to HR like a normal person but because he was endlessly fascinated by ‘well crafted insults’.
Baxter left. Pentious was alone with the ever creeping fear of seeing upper management.
Then, like an angel, Emily popped her head in with a huge grin.
“Pentious!” She squealed, running up to him. “I have to have to have to— show you my new car!”
The next ten minutes she showed her new car, her darling pets, her sister, and any meme that popped up in between.
“What have you been up to this last week?” She asked.
“Well I’ve been-“ He stopped as his eyes landed on the man who’d just walked in.
He was already attempting to loom above and look intimidating. He had a sour look on his face.
“Why is this place in such disarray?” Vox arrived and as always he found something to be unhappy about “And where are my employees?”
“I apologize Emily- I have to go talk with him,” He bowed, internally asked himself why he would do that, and ran over to where he was ready to be berated.
It wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. He was insulted, yes, but he just told him to reorganize, tidy things up, and resweep the floor. On a normal day Vox taking over to help with customers would be welcome. But…
Emily would be back. Although he didn’t understand why he could hardly stand to look their way when he heard Emily’s laugh echo in the store.
*
“Obviously you need a wingman- otherwise your closet is going to be packed with a bunch of clothes from Hollister.”
Emily sighed but she knew Abel was right. She just kept popping in as an excuse to go see Pentious…
She’d been crushing on him hard but was far too nervous to cross the line between them. She didn’t think it’d be too strange to ask if he wanted to grab lunch… yet she also didn’t want to come across as ‘too much’ (as she’d been told before).
“I don’t want things to change between us!” She said, leaning against the pillar of pins. This was not the time to be slacking, there was always something to do, but she couldn’t help it! Her angst was festering.
“Yes you do,” Abel pointed out “You really really want things to change! But you're nervous, I get it.”
He was right- even if Emily was having difficulty admitting it. She didn’t want to be labeled as a “crazy” customer either.
She was going to go on another tangent. Making up more excuses before burying herself in the pins she was trying to keep teenagers from stealing. They likely wouldn’t reach in anymore if they saw a whole person beneath. That was a little silly thought. Scary too.
That’s when Pentious walked through the entrance.
Sometimes people got face-blind when someone working was out of their usual clothes and setting but she recognized him immediately. His long dark hair and the half-puzzled look on his face was a dead giveaway.
He was looking for a moment at the booth placed right in front, looking through the shirts and-
“Pentious!”
“Emily?”
“Oh, the guy!”
Abel’s comment made him look even more confused but she didn’t let him think too hard as she ran up to hug him. She then immediately let go realizing she was squeezing him too tightly. She also probably looked crazy.
“I didn’t know you worked at the mall as well,” He blinked a few times before settling on a soft smile.
“Oh um yeah. Well-“ Before she could say much more Abel had come behind her, waved, and interrupted her.
“My friend would really like your number. So you can hang out and go on a date. Or whatever,” He then gave them both a thumbs up before racing out of the store.
“WHAT! YOU SAID YOU'D BE A WING MAN!” She yelled toward the fleeing man.
“I am! Now I’m flying away!” With that he was gone.
She was tempted to call him to ask him how he could do such a thing to her… then looked over at Pentious who’d turned bright red. They stared at each other. She noticed his rapid blinking. He probably noticed how her smile had grown far too strained.
“… is that true?” He asked. “About going on a date?”
“Oh,” She felt the sinking-scary feeling in her chest.
“If it is… I would very much like to as well.”
“REALLY!?”
Pentious got wrapped into a bear hug for the second time that day, though it lasted much longer than the first.