I don’t want to keep you all waiting, so here’s the first chapter of the novella I’m working on 😊
If you have no clue what I’m talking about, you can read my intro here : Writing My Way Through Memory: The Novella That Found Me
However, I did fail to mention in my intro post that the chapter titles are going to be referencing song titles for various reasons. You’ll see!
Without further ado…
Chapter 1 : 2007 > 2009 : Bad Reputation
I’ve never been very good at making friends. I was an only child growing up, and I was always a little “weird”, so that doesn’t help.
That’s probably why I liked gas station jobs so much. Nobody expects depth from you there — just a transaction, a smile, maybe a joke if the moment feels right. You meet everyone: the kids with loose change and sticky fingers, the wealthy guy in a suit barking into his phone, the quiet woman who only buys scratch-offs, the old man who needs company as much as cigarettes. In those fleeting moments, you get the entire spectrum of humanity. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get to leave a spark behind.
“The Apple” was the fourth store I worked at, but my first in a city. The sheer volume of feet walking through the doors was exhilarating – The constant noise of chatter, cooler doors opening & closing, receipts printing, people complaining. Some people would hate that chaos. I found my zen.
That day, the line was brutal. I was dealing with a woman who suddenly decided she needed everything within reach — chips, gum, batteries, a lighter she’ll never use. Her pile on the counter in front of me grew by the second. I plastered on my polite smile, though inside I was trying to figure out where I could bury her without getting caught.
Then I noticed someone peeking around her. Over the course of what felt like a million glances between us, I’d noticed arms covered with vibrant ink that looked like stories etched into skin, a NOFX shirt worn soft at the edges, camo cargo shorts, and the kind of stance that said he was comfortable in his own chaos – my “type”, wrapped up in an adorable little package.
Then our eyes met.
“Oh, shit,” I thought, as goosebumps covered my arms. His eyes were the most dangerous shade of blue I’d ever seen: sharp, alive, sparkling with beautiful trouble. Something about him felt familiar, like we’d been circling each other across lifetimes. Married in another universe, maybe. Strangers here. I was officially intrigued.
My coworker called him over to her register – “Camel Wides,” he said. A million more glances between us for those few seconds while she cashed him out.
He glanced at me once more, the shy smile of a kid with a crush this time, then walked out the door.
I told myself that was that. A fleeting spark. Something to tuck away and smile about later.
Still, curiosity gnawed at me. As soon as my line cleared, I leaned toward my coworker.
“What’s his deal?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, that’s just Jack. He flirts with everyone.”
“Noted,” I muttered, pretending I didn’t care. But I kinda did.
A couple hours later, the store phone rang.
“Hi, is this Sally?”
“Yep,” I replied.
“I was just in there a little bit ago, I don’t know if you remember – bald guy with tattoos? I think I forgot something while I was there.”
“Where, on the counter??” I said as I started looking around.
“No, I forgot to ask for your number.”
There it already was – the infamous “flirts with everyone”.
Part of me wanted to laugh, part of me wanted to give him my number, and part of me remembered my reality.
I took a steadying breath. “Well, I appreciate the offer, but… I’m in a relationship.”
A soft pause. “Fair enough. Worth a shot.”
We said goodbye. I hung up, convinced that was the end of it.
Holy hell was I wrong.
Next thing I know, I had a friend request on Facebook.
“How’d you find me on Facebook?!?” I asked.
“Well, you’re the only Sally who works at The Apple in town. So…it wasn’t that hard,” he chuckled.
“Better question I guess would be why did you find me on Facebook?” I was mildly creeped out. Still intrigued though.
“I want to get to know you. Is that ok?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Over the course of months, we got to know each other a little bit.
One night, we went outside the store to hang out for a few minutes.
“Everything kinda sucks right now,” he said with a duller tone than usual. “So I signed up to go to Iraq in November. To get away from ‘normal’ life for a bit. Maybe get some perspective. Or at least some distraction.”
“You’re in the army?!?” I asked.
“10 years and counting!”
He went on. “I got a TBI a few years ago, on duty. I don’t even know what happened, other than I was knocked out for a few minutes. Apparently nothing too serious, but I do get symptoms of a stroke sometimes. Nobody knows why – Nothing shows on MRI scans.”
Where was this coming from all of a sudden? He’d never really opened up to me before – always just passing conversation when he’d stop in for gas or whatever. I couldn’t help but wonder what brought this on, but I wasn’t about to pry.
“I’m not gonna lie, you really don’t seem like the ‘army’ type to me…whatever that means,” I admitted.
He shrugged. “I’m also a corrections officer. And I used to be a cop.”
My heart jumped into my throat. Maybe he’s not so much my “type”.
“Why the hell would you do that?!?” I said half jokingly. He always seemed so chill, & fun. I could see if he were an EMT or something like that. But law enforcement?!?
“I knew I could.”
I laughed. “Well, I could’ve been a prostitute, but that doesn’t mean I should!”
“Good point,” he smiled.
“What else should I know about you?” I asked inquisitively.
“Hm. Well…I’m divorced. I have 3 kids with my ex wife. We were stationed together in Washington, and then she ran off across to country with the kids. That’s how I ended up here – I’m not about to let her keep them from me for no good reason.”
I was shocked. Why would she do that to him?!? She must have had her reasons, but I can’t imagine he could deserve that. There must be more to know…
“3 kids!? How old are you?!?” I asked.
“35. How old are you?”
“23” I giggled shyly. “Zero kids…so far!”
“Don’t rush it, trust me!” he smiled & shook his head at himself.
November came & went. He never gave me the chance to give him a hug & wish him well before he left, so I assumed I’d never see him again.
Again.
An opportunity to work at a hospital and make more money came along, so I took it.
And I didn’t hesitate to look back. At least, that’s what I thought at the time.
What did you think of Chapter One? I’d love to know if any moments stood out to you — drop a comment below or share your favorite line.
Stay tuned for Chapter Two — and hit “like” & “subscribe” if you’re along for the ride.
Rock on. 🤘
zen BLITZ 