Forever, My Love

Chapter Three

The next morning I had to work at 7:00 which meant I had to get up at 6:00. I'd stayed over at Chloe's for like three hours so I got home at around midnight. I only got maybe five hours of sleep. I made sure to give myself enough time to get a Pipeline Punch Monster at the gas station before my shift, though. My mom was already up, and I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to check in about tonight.

"Hey mom?" I called as I walked up the stairs a few minutes before I had to leave.

"Good morning. You have to work today, right?" She asked me.

"Yes, otherwise I'd still be asleep. I have a question though." I stated.

"What's up, baby?" She patiently waited for me to speak.

"You remember how I went to watch a movie with Chloe last night? Well she wanted us to have a sleepover, but I had work this morning. So instead I was wondering if I could spend the night over there tonight after I get off at 4:00?"

"I don't see why not, I just wish you'd spend time with your poor old mom every now and then," She pouted at me, then added, "Don't you love me?"

"Of course I love you," I wrapped her up in a hug, "I promise to reserve time for you. I don't stay in my room avoiding you all day every day, do I?"

"Sometimes I swear that boy of mine doesn't even love me. Why'd he have to go and turn 15?" She held me tighter and I gently stroked her head.

I let her go and pulled her back so I could see her fully, "Teenage years are tough, mom."

"Ain't that the truth. Anyway, have fun at work and with your friend. When will you be home tomorrow?" She asked me as she started to busy herself in the kitchen making coffee.

"I'm not really sure yet. She planned a lot of stuff for us to do. I'll let you know though, okay?" I reassured her.

"Okay. I love you. Where's my kiss?" She smiled at me and came over to me.

I kissed her on the cheek and told her, "I love you too momma. You have a good day too."

"Oh I will, your dad will be home around 10:00 so we're gonna go yard saling." She expressed excitedly.

"Sounds like fun! Bye mom." I called out to her before I left.

I heard a faint "bye" from her before I closed and locked the door behind me.

It was a Sunday and normally on the weekends I make chips for the store. This weekend they'd had someone else in the mornings except for today. That's why I'd worked nights on my previous shifts. When I am here in the morning, though, I fry taco shells and a mass amount of chips before Chipotle opens at 10:45. That's what I was mainly hired to do. After I'm done with that, I work either tortilla or salsa on the line. I had until the time I planned to take my break which would be an hour and fifteen minutes later than I was supposed to. I normally needed to be on the line when we opened but we usually aren't too busy in the mornings so Joe, one of my managers, would probably cover for me.

Chloe, it turns out, was the kind of person to show up right on time. Almost as if she got here early and waited until 11:00 to come inside. Once she arrived I told Joe and I made our food, asking her what she wanted while simultaneously making my own food.

I paid for fifty percent of hers, despite her protests, and we decided to go eat on the grass outside. It was kind of like a picnic and more romantic than our cars or the dining room. Having only thirty minutes with her would probably go fast, so I decided to set a timer, just in case.