Bab 8: "I don't ride into some stranger's car."
"There she is. Act normal. Act natural."
Jerrod pushed himself to not cower in front of the cashier's counter. He tried his best not to think about the ghost who looks similar to Larissa, but no matter what he does, he can't help but tremble in fear.
"Please ring this up."
Jerrod's voice cracked. He bit his lip and was flustered by it.
Shit! He cursed internally, then bumbed his head. He thought, I need to impress her!
Just a while ago, he was confident of entering the convenience store and facing Larissa at the cashier, but now he feels like digging a hole to bury himself into.
"That's 934 pesos, sir."
Larissa would usually ignore any strange behaviour of their customers, but this time she couldn't help but ask. "You still don't look well, sir. Didn't you go to the hospital yet?"
She spoke bluntly to him, but Jerrod thought that it was only Larissa being shy. Who would not act awkwardly in front of their crush? He thought.
But of course, it was Jerrod, not Larissa, who was acting awkwardly and strangely.
"I-I was admitted to the hospital a few days ago. I am fine, but why do you ask?"
Jerrod continued to speak as if he was acting naturally in front of Larissa. But in reality, he was trembling so much that it was obvious that there was something wrong with him. He also wants to act as if they are both complete strangers, as he plans to start their relationship as someone with whom they will become close later on. That is why he acts clueless and formal in front of Larissa.
"You might not remember me, sir. But I was on duty here when you collapsed a few days ago. It's good to hear you got yourself admitted, but you still don't look good. It's not like I was being too nosy, sir, but you really do not look well."
Jerrod thought that he was making progress towards making Larissa concerned about him, and almost instantly his shaking stopped.
"I am really fine! I was just exhausted from work! Thank you!" he replied with his sweetest smile.
Jerrod could now smile brightly in front of Larissa as he felt like he had accomplished something.
"If you say so." Larissa looked at him from head to toe before giving him the bag of food he bought.
"Thank you."
Jerrod left the convenience store with a light heart, thinking he had a good start. He then walked back to his car to eat his convenience store bought dinner.
He cheerfully opened the food packs and said, "I threw away the first food I bought here. Let's see what this food tastes like."
Forgetting all of his troubles, Jerrod had his first proper dinner inside his car, with convenience store bought foods that were surprisingly delicious for him.
"From now on, I'll be buying dinner here. I'll be full and I can be close to Larissa as well. But wait, the more we see each other, the better!" He excitedly exclaimed. He then peered out his window to watch Larissa from his car. "What time does she start her shift?" He wondered. He then waited for Larissa to go out of the convenience store to know the time she would leave her work and to know her working hours.
"Oh? Her duty ends at eight. So she starts her duty at one?"
To increase his chance of getting close to Larissa, Jerrod visited the convenience store again the next day at 1 p.m. Taking advantage of his position as a manager, he could extend his lunch break until one.
"Please ring this up." Jerrod had his most pleasant smile as he put down the sandwich and yogurt drink.
"That's 143 pesos, sir."
Larissa doesn't have much of a reaction as she just scanned his food without any expression.
Jerrod doesn't want to make Larissa feel uncomfortable with his presence. That is why he only took what he bought but still smiles at her brightly.
A week had passed and Jerrod had been buying his late lunch and dinner at the same convenience store to let Larissa know of his existence and charm.
He consistently visited with his bright smile and charming looks. He also put effort into his outfit too, but he felt like he was not achieving anything at all.
The second time he went to the convenience store, Larissa looked at him with concern and spoke to him; after that, she would only talk to him dryly and treat him the same way she treated the other customers.
That was it.
They didn't have much interaction afterwards anymore.
"What did I do wrong?"
Jerrod bumped his head on his steering wheel as he thought of another thing to do for him to get close to Larissa.
"Does she lose interest in me after I keep buying food from the convenience store? Does she think I am a beggar who can't afford to buy decent food? But the food here is quite nice! How can I even impress her if it is outside the store?"
He slammed his head again as he was losing ideas.
Knock, knock, knock
Jerrod turned his head to the side while still leaning his head against the steering wheel, but he jolted up after seeing Larissa.
Bam!
"Ack! shit!"
He held his head that was hurt from suddenly getting up from his car seat.
"S-sir? Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Larissa tapped the window as she got worried about what was going on inside Jerrod's car. She could not properly see what Jerrod was doing inside his car because of its dark tint, but still she could tell from Jerrod's shiloutte that he was hitting his head on his steering wheel.
"W-what is it?" he asked. He rolled down the window and looked up at Larissa.
As if the wind purposely blew Larissa's burgundy wavy hair in a very mesmerising way, highlighting how small and pretty her face was, Jerrod had fallen into a daze, seeing how everything turned into slow motion as he appreciated Larrisa's beauty. "Shit! She's pretty, but I could not still get used to her face that looks like the ghost!" He was instantly woken up from the dream-like experience after remembering Larissa's similarity to the ghost.
"Are you alright, sir? Should I call the ambulance?"
Jerrod frowned for a moment, wondering why Larissa always asked to call the ambulance.
"I am doing fine. Why is that?"
"Ah. It's like you don't look well, sir."
"I do?" Jerrod looked into his side mirror, but he did look healthy, except for the dark circles under his eyes.
"I am fine. Thank you for your concern."
"I-is that so? Well then, take care on your way." Larissa looked at him from head to toe before turning around.
Jerrod didn't know why Larissa always did it every time they had a conversation, but then he hurriedly got out of the car to walk in front of Larissa.
"What is it, sir?"
"Are you going home?"
"Yes, sir, but why?"
"I can drive you home."
Jerrod took this chance for them to have time together even outside the store, but he didn't expect to be rejected.
"No. Thanks sir."
He was totally perplexed by Larissa's blunt rejection.
"Ah! I am also on my way to the highway. You can ride with me if you want." He tried to make an excuse, but Larissa turned him down almost instantly.
"No sir, thank you."
"W-why don't you want to?" Jerrod asked. He sounded desperate and walked closer to her, but she only stepped away from Jerrod, as if he was a creep.
"I don't ride into some stranger's car."
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