I love reading all your comments ya'll are so damn funny

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Taking her mother's advice to heart, Lita made the decision to dedicate the next day to job hunting. As she traversed the quiet town beneath clouds casting a gloomy spell, she harbored hopes of stumbling upon a promising opportunity.

Passing by several shops, her gaze caught the sight of a help-wanted sign hanging in the window of a small pet shop. Upon entering, the bell rang softly, and the store exuded an unsettling quietness.

An old woman looked up from her book at the counter as Lita approached, but her best smile went unanswered.

"Can I help you?" the lady asked in a grumpy tone.

"Yeah...I saw the sign–"

"Let me stop you right there; the position's been filled," the woman interrupted, narrowing her eyes at Lita.

"Oh...well, you should probably take the sign down," Lita suggested, making the woman roll her eyes before loudly calling out.

"BEN! Get out here and take down the sign!" she shouted. From behind the counter emerged an older-looking man with a groan.

"Seriously, that's not my job."

"Don't fight; just do what you're told!" the old woman said angrily.

Ben sighed loudly. "Forget this, I quit," he declared, ripping off his name tag and slamming it on the counter before swiftly leaving the store.

Lita awkwardly turned back to the woman, who was now giving her a sweet smile before she spoke, "So, you wanted a job?"

Lita's day had been a grueling routine of stacking boxes, each hour earning her a meager thirteen dollars and seventeen cents. The store's atmosphere clung to an eerie quiet, interrupted only by sporadic, unremarkable customer interactions.

In the midst of her mundane box-stacking, Lita's name reverberated through the store. She turned, eyes widening at the unexpected presence of Paul. "Lita! I need to talk to you," he said, his frustration evident.

"What are you doing here?"

"It doesn't matter—"

"Oh my god, are you following me?" Lita's brows furrowed, a disconcerting feeling settling in.

"What? No, of course not. I'm here for my dog. Jesus, I'm not some stalker."

"Okay, then what do you need?" Lita questioned.

"I... I want you to stop."

Confusion swept over Lita, mingling with an unspoken tension. "What?"

"Taking Jade's number? That wasn't cool."

"Okay, I don't know what the fucks messed up in your brain, but I don't know what you mean."

"Don't act like you did that because you want to be her friend."

"Excuse me?" Lita stood up, a mix of confusion and irritation on her face.

Paul moved closer, subtly causing her back to press against the shelves. He whispered softly in her ear, his words carrying an indistinct undercurrent, "You heard me."

Lita's face flushed, and as she locked eyes with him, an unresolved tension lingered in the air. Pushing off the shelves, she shoved past him angrily. "Fuck you!" she yelled, storming out back, leaving the unspoken energy hanging in the air.

Lita trudged through the rain-soaked streets, missing the shelter of her car. Pulling her jacket tighter around her, the hood shielding her from the icy droplets, she couldn't help but long for the warmth of her vehicle.

Upon entering her house, Lita was greeted by an unexpected scene. A group of women, including her mother, huddled on the lounge furniture, engrossed in conversation. Her mother squealed with excitement, clapping her hands.

"What's that about?" Lita inquired, glancing at Charlie, who was seated in the kitchen with a beer in hand, accompanied by an unfamiliar man.

"Uh, they're just making wedding preparations," Charlie replied, taking another swig of his beer. "Oh, uh, Lita, this is Richard Lahote." Charlie gestured to the man, prompting Lita to hesitantly shake his outstretched hand.

"Hey, my son's Paul; you might know him," Richard mentioned, causing Lita's eyes to widen slightly.

"Oh...yeah, I guess I sort of know him," Lita replied, feeling uncomfortable in the presence of the father of the boy she had just clashed with moments ago.

"Lita, I'm so glad you're here. This is so boring," Jade piped up walking out from the lounge.

"Wow, seems like everyone's here..." Lita remarked in a forced happy tone.

"Yeah, I had no idea your mom was Maria. My mom's been her best friend for like ages," Jade shared with a casual shrug.

"Hey, Lita, why don't you take Jade up to your room?" Lita's mother suddenly turned around from the couch, giving her daughter a smile.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Follow me," Lita responded, forcing a smile for Jade before leading her up the stairs.

As Lita opened the door to her slightly messy room, with clothing scattered along the floor, an unexpected wave of self-consciousness washed over her.

"Cute poster," Jade remarked, pointing towards the Rihanna poster on the wall.

"She's my idol," Lita responded with a shrug, attempting to dismiss the awkwardness. Jade laughed, and the two settled onto the single bed, leaning against the wall.

"So, how did you meet Jacob and all that?" Jade asked.

Lita hesitated, debating whether honesty was the best policy. "Oh... Bella sort of introduced me to them," she said, adding a casual shrug. It was only partially a lie, right?

Jade nodded. "I wish I could've gotten along with them like that, but Paul and Jared tell me not to talk to them," she said, rolling her eyes at the memory.

"What's Jared been up to?" Lita inquired, recalling that she hadn't seen Jared for a long time.

"Well, I don't know if you've met his girlfriend Kim? She's a total sweetheart. I bet you'd get along great. But anyways, he spends most of his time with her," Jade explained.

Lita nodded. "Guess him and Paul are alike in that way," she remarked, making Jade laugh.

"Yeah, I guess Paul and I just have this special connection," Jade said, shrugging. "I guess... I love him."

Lita swallowed thickly. "Do... do you think he loves you?"

Jade smiled softly to herself before quickly nodding. "Yeah... I think he does."

Lita didn't know what to say at her words. Should she feel angry, hurt, or depressed? Deep down, Lita felt a pang of loneliness, but she managed to croak out some words with a sigh. "I'm really happy for you."

Jade smiled at Lita. "Thanks... y'know, it won't be long till you're in love. I think Jacob's got a bit of a crush on you." Jade said, giggling.

Lita shook her head with a laugh. "No way, we're just friends."

"That's what I thought when I first met Paul," Jade said, nudging Lita. "It's strange how love works."

Lita sighed, realizing that love was indeed complicated. She might not have loved Paul, but she certainly wished she could've had the chance to.