PART SIXTEEN | WOMAN AND SUGAR, SUGAR

You're the cotton candy: sweet and ecstatic.

The black Mustang pulls out from a parking area outside my house. A purple sky is hovering above us before it turns darker. I buckle the seat belt and lower the hem of my lilac dress, it lifts a bit as I sit on the passenger seat showing a glimpse of my bare skin above my knees. Jeremy sits on the driver seat chewing a strawberry gum that he steals from me when we are leaving my house. I was unwrapping the aluminum foil but he snatched and popped it directly to his mouth. A gasp leaving my mouth and I cried asking him to give it back. I didn't mean it but he spat the gum back to my palm.

"This is so gross, Jer!" I squealed, scrunching my nose. He laughed at my reaction and brought my hand to his mouth, taking the gum back with his teeth. I wiped down my palm on his black shirt with a pout on my face.

"You said that you wanted it back, Tara-Jane," he said, playing innocent. I wanted to argue but couldn't help to suppress a smile. He was so annoying but I could sense he was just playing around. And that innocent face was just undoubtedly adorable.

The road is packed with vehicles. This is a weekend anyway, they may be rushing to a family dinner or a date with their lover. Jeremy has not told me yet where he would bring me tonight but I don't mind as long as we can spend time together. I am out of guard when he shifts his gaze from the busy road to me and asks, "Have a place in mind?"

"Mm... I think you'll always be the one that decided a place to go."

"No. What do you wanna do tonight, Tara-Jane?"

Actually, I don't have any ideas about what to do. "Where do you get the records in your room?"

"I take a part-time job at a record shop. Wanna stop by?"

I gasp. "Holy guacamole! Really? That's cool."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "I know, that's ace. I'll take you there, then."

The trip is short since the record shop he mentioned is in my neighborhood. I frown when he parks his car across Sucré. The wide window is showing a couple sipping a cup of cappuccino. That is my favorite spot every Saturday morning with the girls. I could see Oscar is talking with Marc behind the espresso machine.

"You comin'?" Jeremy's voice is retreating me from the view. He already opens the passenger door for me and extends his hand, asking for my hand. I look up to his face and place my hand on his calloused palm. However, it feels right against my soft skin. As I step on the pavement outside, he pulls me on his side.

We are standing outside a small record shop. The wall is painted in mustard yellow with a white wooden door attached to the middle of the shop. There is a huge window facing the road, aligning the window of Sucré. My mind wanders to the moment when the first time Jeremy greets me at Sucré a few weeks ago.

Jeremy leads the way to the entrance of the shop. His walk is slightly limping but when I ask if he is okay he mouths I'm okay, don't mind me. I let it pass because he seems uncomfortable if I keep asking him. A hundred of records is lining neatly on the rack. There are more than ten racks in the room, facing each other. Posters are decorating the wall of the room; Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, you name it. I don't know where to start searching but the tags beneath the racks are helping me. It is sort in Punk, Reggae, Club/Disco, Rock, and many more.

A cashier table is shoved in the corner of the room. The red-haired girl sits while nibbling her thumb behind the cashier machine but her eyes widen in excitement when she sees us, or it is probably just Jeremy, entering the shop.

"Welcome to The Records," she chirps. Her eyes are following Jeremy's movement but her expression turns sour after seeing our intertwined hands.

"Hi, Lindsay," Jeremy greets her. "Just stopped by."

Lindsay nods with a sweet smile. But I am sure she is flashing me her dirty look before Jeremy leads me to the rack beside the cashier.

"I think she doesn't like me, Jer," I whisper to Jeremy.

"Hmm?" Jeremy cocks his eyebrow. He releases my hand and puts his hand on the small of my back then leans in so his lips are on my earlobe. "That's obvious, Honeysuckle. She's jealous because you're so pretty tonight," he whispers back, a smirk appears on the pretty face. He is such a flirt, I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes.

I ignore his chuckles by ruffling the records on the rack. My eyes wander but couldn't find the one that I am searching for.

"What are you searchin' for, Tara-Jane?"

"Mumford & Sons, where's that?"

"I think it's in the back. C'mere." I follow Jeremy to the back of the shop. His fingers search on the stack of records swiftly. He halts once his finger finds a light purple record cover then pulls it out from the rack.

"Ace," I say, mimicking him. Hearing that he laughs and shakes his head.

"Wanna play it, Tara-Jane?" I nod and he brings the record to a portable gramophone. He hands me a huge earphone. It'll look ridiculous on me but Jeremy doesn't give an annoying remark so I take it as a go. He grabs another earphone and places it on his ears.

"What's your favorite song in the album?" He asks.

I think for a while, "Hmm... Woman probably," I say. He grins so wide showing his perfect lined dents.

"Woman, then," he presses some buttons on the modern gramophone and setting it. Familiar music starts to play on my ears. The yellow record is rotating slowly on the gramophone. My feet are tapping on the floor following the rhythm, then without my knowing, I start to dance loosely. Jeremy stays still in his place, looking at me with his amused eyes. I grab his hand to invite him for dancing with me. The music is only heard by the two of us but we are carelessly dancing among the racks. I couldn't stop myself from laughing at his weird moves when the song reaches its riff. Our eyes flicker to the cashier table to find Lindsay is rolling her eyes.

"Someone is in a bad mood," Jeremy whispers. A glint of amusement is appearing in his eyes. I shush him and saying about don't be rude to a woman who has a crush on you. He laughs at my quick observation but agrees it is too obvious that Lindsay is crushing him for a long time since they are working together.

"Show me your favorite song," I say and tug the hem of his shirt to pull him closer. His hand finds the small of my back again.

"Hmm... there are a lot but this one is fun to listen to." We put the earphone back in its place. He uses his hand on my back to push me to the rack in the front. He pulls a record with a cartoon on the cover.

"The Archies!" I scream happily then cover my mouth realizing that it may annoy Lindsay.

Jeremy wiggles his eyebrow, "Let's play it, Sugar." I grab the earphone while he places the record on a gramophone. The song starts to play and Jeremy places the earphone on his ears. He dances to the music with a wide grin on his face. I move my hip and lift my hands to the air, drowning in the playful music on my ears. He grabs me by my waist and pulls me closer. We dance in sync and sometimes giggling like a child. Jeremy twirls me several times but then I place my cheek on his chest trying to stop myself from laughing.

"I'm dizzy. Stop it, Jer," I say to his chest. Biting my bottom lip to suppress a giggle exiting my mouth.

"Fine." He sounds breathy, still panting from the dance. "Mm... you really like strawberry, don't you? Strawberry gum... strawberry shampoo. It's sweet as you," he says with a muffled voice, rubbing the tip of his nose on the top of my head.

I giggle at his blunt comment, "But sometimes it turns sour."

"True... like your mood when I steal a sandwich or gum."

I lift my head from his chest and squint my eyes, "That's what normal people do."

He laughs at my remark. It sounds so good I want to hear it again and again. "I like your laugh," I say in a soft voice but clear enough for him to hear.

A cheeky smile plastered on his face then he leans in to whisper, "And I like you, Tara-Jane." My face flushes hearing his confession. Covering my face with my palm and say something about that's lame to cease my thumping heart but then my feet stumble causing my body nudges a rack beside me. The rack is about to fall but Jeremy quickly extends his hand to hold the rack. We giggle at the almost embarrassing accident.

Fyuh!

He grabs me back on the waist and pulls me closer to his chest, "You lil clumsy Squirrel." His eyes flicker to my lips then back to my eyes. "Those lips are so pink, I wonder how the lip balm tastes like, Tara-Jane. Is it strawberry too?"

Jeremy lowers his head to kiss me but I turn my face away so his nose bumps the side of my temple. I push his chest softly to make a distance between us. His eyes keep glancing on my lips.

"You're a lil curious squirrel," I say with a playful grin smeared on my face.

"Yes, I am... I was so curious about you since the first time I saw you at school mingling with your friends. I wondered if I could ask you to eat with me sometimes... And at Sucré every Saturday when I was about to start my shift here, at The Records. Seeing you sitting on your favorite spot near the window. I was so curious until we met at the gymnasium. That was the first time I was so thankful for my sprained ankle. You're so pretty, so kind, and so pure. I could just sit behind the cashier table, looking at you sipping your coffee there and don't have a clue how to approach you." Jeremy points his chin to his right, pointing to Sucré outside.

I couldn't hold a smile on my face. I'm afraid I smile too wide and it would scare him away. But Jeremy mirroring my expression. And his eyes keep glancing back to my lips making red crimson creeps on my cheeks.

"You were just admitting that you knew my routine on Saturday morning... and you were pretending like you didn't know when you came to me weeks ago," I state, squinting my eyes playfully at him.

He shuts his eyes for a while and opens it back, "Mm... m'sorry I have to admit that I was pretending that time, Tara-Jane."

I never get a clear image of his eye color before. I think it is brown all this time but now I doubt that is even brown. In this proximity, I could see a tinge of green. It is hazel. And it leaves me mesmerized.

"That's bad, Jeremy," I say softly, poking his nose with my forefinger.

"Oh... where's my lovely nickname, Tara-Jane? Please, bring it back. I promise I'll be good from now." Now he stares intensely on my lips and moves closer until our lips are an inch away. If he puckers his lips, it would land on mine perfectly.

But then Lindsay is coughing so hard. I snap my head to her direction, leaving Jeremy sighing in frustration. Lindsay is glaring at our direction, I worry if she glares longer her eyes would come out from its socket.

Jeremy grabs my hand, pulling me with him behind a rack near us. He leans in quickly and closes his eyes, connecting our lips with a gentle kiss. It is surprising me, my heart thumps madly inside my rib cage but my eyes are still open glancing at the cashier table. Fortunately, Lindsay is sitting back on her chair so she couldn't see us behind the rack. I place my palm on his chest to gain my balance since my knees are becoming weaker. He pulls me closer by my arms to deepen the kiss. My eyes shut, focusing on his soft and warm lips on mine. I feel butterflies on my stomach and an electric shock runs through my body. Jeremy lets an incoherent hums that I couldn't grasp completely. He sucks my bottom lip gently and pulls away.

"You do like strawberry so much, Tara-Jane," he grins, staring at my eyes.

"You steal my first kiss, Jer. How dare you." I stare back at him, a smile spreading from cheek to cheek.

"Really? I'll give it back to you then." He leans in again and pecks my lips softly. "And this is for the gum." He pecks once again. "And this is for the sandwich," he says finally, planting the last peck on my lips.

"Thank you," I say between his lips with a giggle. Jeremy is leaving a trail of kisses on my left cheek to my ear.

He whispers, "Hm? You're welcome, then."

A thud comes from behind me is interrupting us. Lindsay is crouching down with a hand full of records, some of them are laying on the ground. She glances at us then hurriedly gathers the records and storms to the cashier table.

"We better leave now," Jeremy whispers.

"It's rude if we're not buying something. And that's not good for your job too, right? Remember, she is your co-worker," I say. He cocks his eyebrow but shrugs his shoulder, muttering a small fine. We walk to the cashier after grabbing Mumford & Sons and The Archies' records on the way. Lindsay is standing behind the cashier with a really sour look. She proceeds our order and says, "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Jeremy."

Jeremy rubs the nape of his neck, "Uh... yeah, this is Tara-Jane, Lindsay. And this is Lindsay my co-worker, Tara-Jane."

I smile at her, "Nice to meet you, Lindsay." But Lindsay seems doesn't care about everything that I say. She doesn't bother to hold herself for rolling her eyes at me. It's not surprising, she doesn't like me in the first place anyway. I could understand.

Jeremy frowns. "That's rude-"

"Hey, that's okay, Jer," I cut him before he finishes his sentence. The last thing I want is dragging him in trouble in his workplace.

Once Lindsay hands us our records Jeremy tugs my hands and says loudly, "C'mon, Tara-Jane. Let's find a place full of people who treat others with kindness."

We bolt from The Records, shoving Lindsay and her hatred back in the corner of the shop.

***
Hey, happy Sunday! I attach Mumford & Sons 'Woman' above just in case you wanna listen to it. Thank you for leaving any comments and votes, you know it means a lot to me! x
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