The Perfect

The Perfect

1. First Date

It was the same thing every day. Talan, an 18-year-old with short brown hair, would go to his job as a cashier to spend somewhere between four to eight hours standing and helping customers. The florescent lights made his tan skin look a little lighter than it really was.

He headed to the first lane in a row of many and picked up the clipboard. He was assigned to lane ten, the same lane he had been assigned to the evening before. It was the beginning of hour nine of his day of work. He had another job as a custodian at town’s college. He punched in his employee number and his pin number to start his register up. He flipped the switch on his light and was ready to work.

Stepping out to the front aisle was required while cashiering. As he walked to the front aisle he looked over and saw a new kid walking towards him.

“Hello,” the boy said extending his hand. “My name’s Lucas.”

“Is it your first day?” Talan asked.

“My second,” Lucas said. “I started on Wednesday. What’s your name?”

“Talan,” Talan said. “It’s my seventh… month.”

“Wow,” Lucas replied. “That’s pretty long.”

“Longest job I’ve had,” Talan said.

Lucas was taller than Talan by a couple of inches. His hair was a little shorter and was blonde. He had lighter skin and blue eyes while Talan had brown.

The two didn’t do much talking the rest of that evening. Lucas got off before Talan did and Talan was so busy there was no time to say goodbye.

***
The next day rolled around and Talan had to work again. When he got there he found he was on lane four instead of ten. Lane four was less busy than ten and he didn’t do much work the whole day. He was sent home early because of this.

He had some shopping to do so he went around and began grabbing items. He grabbed a pair of shorts and some boxers along with a card for father’s day. After picking all of his items up he headed for the checkout lanes where he found Lucas on lane thirteen. Talan went to his line, it was the shortest.

“Hey buddy,” Lucas said. “You off?”

“Yeah,” Talan said. “Les let me off early because I wasn’t doing anything.”

“That’s cool,” Lucas said ringing Talan’s stuff up. “So where do you go to school?”

“I’ll be a freshman at the college across town this fall,” he replied. “Where do you go?”

“I go to North Hills High School,” Lucas said. “Are you really going to college?”

“Yeah,” Talan said. “I know I don’t really look like I’m 18 but I am. How old are you?”

“17,” Lucas said. “I’m gunna be a senior. It’s cool. So, got a girlfriend?”

“Nah,” Talan said. “I had one last month, she was a sophomore. It didn’t last very long.”

“Yeah,” Lucas said. “That’s cool. I have a girlfriend. But I’m not really into it anymore. I think I’m gunna break of with her.”

“Well good luck with that,” Talan said. “I’ve gotta go.”

“Later buddy,” Lucas said.

***
Thursday night rolled around and Talan had to once again go to work at his cashiering job. He had already spent the whole day working as a custodian. He was pretty tired.

He yawned as he walked down to the front lanes. He was on lane eleven today. It was dead like it had been every other evening he had worked during that week. So he just stood in front of his lane waiting for the customers that weren’t on their way.

“Hey buddy,” Lucas said walking up. This time he was not working.

“Hey,” Talan said. “What are you doing here?”

“Just picking up some things,” he replied. “How’s work?”

“Great,” Talan rolled his eyes.

“Well,” Lucas smiled. “You gunna check me out?”

“Sure,” Talan said going into his lane and scanning Lucas’ items.

“So you work tomorrow?” Lucas asked.

“No,” Talan said putting Lucas’ stuff in a plastic bag. “And I’m not taking your shift either.”

“Wasn’t gunna ask that,” Lucas laughed. “I don’t even work tomorrow anyways. But I was gunna ask something.”

“What something?” Talan said.

“This may sound weird,” Lucas said. “Or make you uncomfortable but…”

“What is it?” Talan said looking up.

“Would you be interested in maybe going out tomorrow night?” Lucas said.

“Wait… What?” Talan arched his eyebrows in confusion. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“Not as of yesterday,” Lucas answered. “Listen. I know it’s weird that I’d just ask you this but I thought maybe it’d be worth a shot.”

“Are you like gay or something?” Talan asked.

“No,” Lucas said. “Bi. Come on. It could be fun.”

“Um,” Talan thought. “Okay fine. But, don’t tell anyone. At least not right now.”

“I won’t,” Lucas smiled. “Write your number down for me so I can call you tomorrow.”

“Call me after 3:30,” Talan said taking a piece of scrap receipt paper and writing his cell phone number down on it.

He folded it in half and handed it to Lucas.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Lucas said smiling. He then left.

***
Talan went to his job as a custodian like he did every Monday through Friday. It was the summer he had to save up for college so he had to work two jobs. It was 3:30 and he was leaving the rest of his co-workers to go home.

While walking to his car he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He lifted it out and looked at the screen. He didn’t recognize the number, but he slid his screen up and put it to his ear.

“Hello?” Talan said getting into his car.

“Hey Talan,” said the other person. “It’s Lucas. Still wanna go out tonight?”

“Um,” Talan said. “Sure. When do you want to go out?”

“I was thinking maybe now?” Lucas answered, “Or when you get home at least.”

“Okay,” Talan said. “How about you be at my house in a half-an-hour?”

“Sounds good,” Lucas said. “Where do you live?”

Talan turned his car on and drove out of the parking lot. He gave Lucas directions to his house and then drove home.

***
Twenty minutes passed; Talan just put a black t-shirt and blue jeans. His phone vibrated with a text from Lucas saying he was there. Talan went down the stairs and out the door. He got into Lucas’ thunderbird and they drove off.

“Where are we going?” Talan asked as they left the drive from his town home.

“To get some smoothies,” Lucas said. “And then to the park. To talk and get to know each other.”

“That sounds good,” Talan said.

Lucas and Talan stopped at a smoothie shop near the park. Lucas got a Strawberry Banana smoothie and Talan got a Strawberry Banana Peach smoothie. Lucas pulled his wallet out and paid.

They got back into the car and drove to the park.

“Thanks for the smoothie,” Talan said getting out at the park.

“You’re welcome,” Lucas said.

They sat down on a hill.

“So,” Lucas said. “How long have you lived here?”

“My whole life,” Talan said sipping his smoothie. “You?”

“A few years,” Lucas said.

The two talked and drank their smoothies. Lucas put his smoothie to the side and laid down on the grass looking up to the sky. Talan did the same. Hours passed and soon it was dark out.

“We’ve been out here for hours,” Lucas said. “Just talking.”

“Yeah,” Talan said. “This has been one of the best nights of my life.”

“Mine too,” Lucas said. “I can’t believe you said you’d go out with me.”

“Why’s that?” Talan asked turning his head to Lucas.

“Cuz you’re 18 and I’m 17,” Lucas said. “You’re gunna be in college and I’m still in high school.”

“That’s not a big deal,” Talan laughed. “It’s not like you’re a sophomore or anything. You’re a senior.”

“Yeah,” Lucas said. “There’s only one thing that would make this night better than it already is.”

“Rain?” Talan said sitting up.

“Rain?” Lucas said.

“I just felt some on my forehead,” Talan said.

The rain began coming down a lot heavier. Lucas and Talan jumped up.

“Follow me,” Lucas said grabbing Talan’s hand and leading him to a nearby pavilion. “We can wait the rain out under here.”

“Everyone else seems to be gone,” Talan said. “I’ve never seen this park so empty.”

“It’s not so bad,” Lucas said. “At least we are here together.”

“I have an idea,” Talan said.

“What is it?” Lucas said.

Talan walked backwards out from under the pavilion and into the downpour.

“What are you doing?” Lucas said, “You’ll get a cold if you stay out there too long.”

“Are you afraid of the rain?” Talan laughed, “Poor little high school boy. Too afraid of the rain.”

“I’m not afraid of the rain,” Lucas said walking towards him. “I just don’t want you to get sick or anything.”

Lucas walked into the rain where Talan was standing.

“Now what was your idea?” Lucas said, “Besides getting us sick?”

Talan shifted his eyes right, then left. The rain had soaked him and Lucas. His hair was dripping wet. It could have been as if he had just been in a swimming pool or the shower. Talan moved his hand up behind Lucas’ soaking head and pushed himself towards him.

Slowly, Talan moved his lips onto Lucas’. He tilted his head to the side a little and opened his mouth just a little. He let his top lip fit right between Lucas’ and let Lucas’ bottom lip fit between his. The kiss was soft and gentle. Their lips remained together for what seemed like hours. Shivering, Talan pulled away from Lucas.

“You cold?” Lucas said pulling him back under the pavilion. “We could be here for a while. So come here.”

Lucas wrapped his arm around Talan and rested his chin on his wet brown hair. Talan laid his head on Lucas’ chest. Talan’s shivering didn’t stop because they were both still soaked. But having Lucas’ arms around him made him feel a lot warmer.

The rain lifted.

“Looks like we better get of here,” Lucas said. “Before the rain comes back.”

Talan nodded and then followed Lucas to his car. They got in and Lucas started the car. Lucas kept his hand on the stick shift. He looked over at Talan and then at his hand. Talan moved his hand onto Lucas’. After the drive Lucas pulled his car in front of Talan’s house. It was late, maybe 11:30.

“I’ll walk you to your door,” Lucas said getting out of the car.

“Wow,” Talan said getting out of his side. “How romantic of you.”

They walked into Talan’s yard and onto his front door.

“Well here we are,” Talan said. “Guess I’d better go.”

“Yeah I guess you’d better,” Lucas said. “But not before you agree to going out with me again.”

“When?” Talan asked.

“Tomorrow night,” Lucas smiled. “After we get off of work.”

“Okay,” Talan said. “But I work early in the morning Sunday.”

“So do I,” Lucas smiled. “But I will go to work tired to spend some time with you.”

“That’s cool,” Talan said. “We can definitely go out tomorrow night.”

Lucas leaned down a little and kissed Talan lightly.

“Good night,” Talan said opening the door and going into his house.

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: Sorry that the beginning was so weird. Haha. That’s just how they met.