Infatuation
B L O S S O M
“Oh, for fucks sake!” She heard a familiar, English accented voice, exclaim loudly in the middle of the supermarket. She was with her grandmother, Ana, helping her with the shopping as she was too old to do anything on her own, even though she wanted to.
She left her grandma talking with a neighbor for a moment and followed the loud noises, curious and slightly amused.
“I just want ice! I – I don’t know Spanish, what am I to do?” Harry was absolutely mortified, desperately needing a drink and being unable to buy the ice to go along with it.
Joselyn spotted him then, taking a pack of plastic cups and motioning as if he was putting ice in them. The cashier still didn’t understand. He continued saying the word ice, slower every time, in the hope that she’d get it. She didn’t.
“Belinda, el quiere una bolsa de hielo,” Joselyn explained to the cashier as she approached them. She smiled up at Harry as the cashier thanked her and left to get the ice. She observed that the only items in Harry’s cart were a Jack Daniel’s bottle, a Coke, and the pack of plastic cups. Glancing at his face, she noticed he seemed like he hadn’t slept in a while, as dark circles adorned his eyes.
“Joslyn!” He exclaimed surprised and gratefully, “you’re truly a life saver!”
“Google translate could have helped you here, you know,” she joked, he squinted his beautiful blue eyes at her and then smiled. “It’s Joselyn, by the way. Also, shouldn’t there be free ice at the hotel?”
“Should have thought of that, probably,” he admitted, embarrassed, “but then you wouldn’t have come to my aid! I owe you one, Joselyn,” he added jokingly with a wink. He got the name right this time. “I couldn’t find an ice machine, and I also couldn’t find anyone who understood me.”
“I’d say you owe me one and a half,” Joselyn teased back, “after all, you would have been stranded if I hadn’t found you yesterday.” People were looking at them strangely, Joselyn noticed, probably because of their use of a foreign language. The country was supposed to be one in which both Spanish and English were used, but very few people learned the second language. The cashier came back with the bag of ice, interrupting whatever Harry was going to reply.
“Gracias, Belinda,” Joslyn thanked the cashier on Harry’s behalf after he paid for his items. She followed him to the exit. “There’s barely any English-speaking people on this little corner of the Island, you’ve got me really curious as to why on Earth you’re even here.”
“Do I get the honour of being walked to my hotel by you on this lovely afternoon? Cause if you do, I’ll tell you all about it.” He asked her politely as he made his way outside, noticing she had tagged along. “I might get lost again.”
“I don’t think you need my help anymore,” she replied with a laugh. “Can’t, I’m supposed to be helping my grandmother do her shopping, and I have to carry all the bags back.”
“Oh, then I’d be honoured to walk you home, if you’d allow me, and help you with the carrying,” he offered her nicely. He wanted to make up for the help she has given him. He did have a little bit of an ulterior motive though, he wanted to get to know this girl better. She might make this worthless trip worthwhile after all.
Of course, with him asking so sweet and proper, she couldn’t say no. “Alright, but you’re gonna have to put through my grandmother’s intense need for gossip.”
“Challenge accepted.”
After a while of following Joselyn’s grandma around the supermarket, and then waiting around for her to be done gossiping with apparently the whole neighborhood, they left the market. Harry had volunteered to carry the heavier bags, which Joselyn thoroughly appreciated. Ana was whistling in front – sometimes stopping abruptly to scream her “hello’s” and “how are you’s” across the street to her elderly friends as they walked past their houses – while Joselyn and Harry followed and spoke casually.
“How come you came here, all on your own, not knowing Spanish, and definitely not prepared?” Joslyn questioned.
“Uh, well…” Harry hesitated for a moment. He answered after a sigh, “I wasn’t supposed to be alone.”
Joselyn could tell by his tone that this topic pained him. She wondered if that was the reason behind his recent purchase. “I’m sorry to hear that… whatever happened, happened.”
“How old are you?” he asked her abruptly. He realized his question may be ill received, but it was too late to take it back now.
“18, why the sudden question?” She wondered, a little weirded out.
“Do you like whiskey?” He asked. She didn’t reply, so he decided to explain, “I could use someone to talk to, and it would be even better if it was over some Jack n’ Coke.”
Joselyn smiled, liking the idea of getting to know him better, “I definitely enjoy it, I’d like to accept your offer.”
“Then I’d like to think we could meet tonight.”
“And I’d like to think so too.”
