When Ben finally returned to work the following weekend. He took his usual spot back in the storage room, shoulder deep in stacks of boxes. Apparently, the store had gotten way behind with inventory over the past week, and Ben was pretty swamped just playing catch-up. He never made it to the sales floor to see if Khole was even working. But she didn’t come back to see him either. Maybe she wasn’t at work after all.
Ben’s busy shift eventually came to an end, and he quietly exited through the back door, feeling the cool night air on his skin as he made his way towards his beat-up old Honda in the dimly lit parking lot.
As he made his way to his car, a familiar voice behind him stopped him in his tracks. “Hey, Ben!”
When Ben turned, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over him as he caught sight of Khole’s infectious smile. Damn, he missed that.
Khole was dressed to kill, as always. Her signature denim shorts hugged her mesmerisingly toned legs. The flowing cami she wore had a plunging neckline, accentuating her smooth, pale breasts. Ben fought to contain a smile, resisting the urge to stare.
“Hey stranger,” Ben replied as Khole ran straight up to him, nearly bumping into him with excitement.
“Hey,” Khole repeated, almost nervously. “I don’t have a ride home, would you mind?”
“Course not.” And he meant it. Even though Ben had a feeling that Khole lived on the other side of town and was way out of his way, he always had trouble saying no to a pretty girl. Let alone, Khole.
“Thanks!” Khole squeaked. With her radiant smile doubled in size, she eagerly reached out to hug Ben’s arm, releasing a contented sigh. Ben could feel his heart beat faster. He couldn’t help but blush whenever he saw Khole’s adorable smile, but lately, Ben’s feelings for her were becoming more intense.
The pair hopped into his old, rusty Honda. The musty smell of worn upholstery filling their nostrils. As he pulled out of the cramped parking lot Ben could feel a knot tightening in his stomach as he dreaded asking Khole where they were headed. The reality of his situation weighed heavily on his mind. He knew the answer was Khole’s boyfriend’s place.
As they reached the exit to the parking lot, Ben sighed. It was time to face the inevitable. He was no knight in shining armor, just a friend trying to lend a helping hand. Ben bit his lip and mustered the courage to ask, “So, where’s your boyfriend’s place?”
“Umm well… to be honest, I’m not staying there anymore… That’s kind of why I need a ride. We broke up.” A long, quiet pause filled the air. Ben could practically hear his heart beating in relief. “If you could just take me to campus, I’ve been staying with Crystal from work.”
“Oh, OK” Ben answered. But his head was spinning. Khole resumed talking like she normally does about everything he missed up front at work. But Ben was only half listening. His mind was still reeling from the revelation that Khole might finally be single, and he couldn’t shake off the excitement.
The ride to campus was barely ten minutes long. Ben was tempted to circle the block once or twice. He missed hanging out with Khole this past week or so, and secretly wished they had spent more time together. But more importantly, he still didn’t know how to mention that he wanted to go out with her.