{M}{U}{F}{F}{I}{N} {S}{H}{O}{P}
Thank you to @/Westantyrus on Instagram for letting me use this as a prompt. It was too cute to pass up. Give them a follow on Instagram! :)
Cyrus' POV
The school bell rings and I say goodbye to Andi and Buffy in my science class and walk out of school. I usually would go with them to go get baby taters at The Spoon but I had to get a job to help out my family. It sounds like it sucks but I can't complain too much.
I work at our local muffin shop called Desi's Delights and I love it. Desi is a lovely older woman who hired me and helps when needed. I work with two other girls named Libby and Natalie and they both are really nice. They are always telling me about the gossip at the school they go to and it always makes me laugh.
The door rings on the small shop and as soon as I walk in, a smile hits my face instantly. Aromas of cookies, cupcakes and most of all, muffins fill my nostrils instantly. I punch in, grab an apron and say hi to Libby and Desi. We make small talk as we help different customers. Time passes by and since I had less than an hour, I decided to sweep up the shop and hum small songs as I did.
Since Libby went to take her break, I had to go back behind the counter. Desi was in the corner knitting a scarf and looked very focused while doing so. The bell jingles signaling another customer walking in and my eyes widened instantly.
TJ Kippen.
I always thought he was kinda cute and we talked here and there but having conversations with him always made me feel something that not even Jonah gave me and I never understood why. He was in his basketball jersey looking very sweaty and was looking at the assortment of items we had. With a basketball tucked securely under his arm and a eyebrow raised, he sighed heavily. He mumbled something and I asked if I could help while tugging at the collar on my shirt. He looked up and smiled.
How can someone smile so beautiful like that?
"Cyrus. What a surprise! I come in here sometimes to grab a chocolate chocolate chip muffin but apparently today is not my day because there is none in here. How is it my chocolate chocolate chip muffin let the shop get away with no chocolate chocolate chip muffins huh?"
I laughed and explained that they were baking in the back and were almost done. We made small talk until Libby got back from her break so I got the muffins. He paid and when he gave me the money, our hands touched. We both froze for a second. I quickly recovered and said he would see me around. We both smiled at each other and soon as he left, I heard a squeal from Libby.
Libby is deaf so even though she can't hear the gossip around her, she can read lips and body language like no other. Everyone in the shop knew sign language and they helped me learn too so I could communicate with her. Libby signs "He was totally flirting with you. Go get your man Cyrus!" I rolled my eyes while blushing and signed back "He was not! That's just silly." Before she could respond, I hear Desi's voice next.
"Cyrus, Listen to the old lady knitting here. I have never seen him and I am always in this very spot where I can see all the customers every time we are open. It was not a coincidence that he was here. I promise you. That boy wanted more than a muffin. He wanted to see you."
I just shake my head, laugh and leave to clock out. I say goodbye to them and walk home from the shop. As I was walking home, I thought back to TJ's and I conversation and smiled. I was hoping Libby and Desi were right. As I was opened my front door, it hit me.
TJ called me his chocolate chocolate chip muffin. Why would he say that?
As weeks went on, TJ came into the shop more and more frequently. It went from a surprise encounters here and there to seeing him for every shift I had. Sometimes if it was closing, he would even walk me home. I got to know him more time in these past weeks than I did in all of middle school. It happened so randomly but it works. The last few times we walked, our hands brushed together periodically. We never say anything about it but he seemed comfortable with it happening and I was not going to break that.
Buffy and Andi knew that I talked to TJ but they didn't know how much I talked to him until I talked about him a bit too much.
"We get it Cyrus. You have a crush on TJ. You don't have to add him into every single conversation." Buffy says laughing at lunch. Andi let out a light laugh too as I raise one eyebrow.
"I do not add him to every single conversation." I say in my defense hoping they wouldn't notice me not dejecting the first part of Buffy's sentence. So what if I like to talk about him? He and I always seem to be on a good wavelength. I can talk about someone I like without it being a crime.
"We were talking about my 8th birthday party at SkyAdventure and you said TJ told you that he didn't like rollercoasters around that time because of a backstory." I explained how it just went with the conversation and she just shook her head said that we didn't even know TJ then so it didn't matter if he did.
"She has a point" Andi says in a singsong voice and I huff a frustrated breath.
"Let's be real here ladies. It doesn't matter if I like him or not. TJ does not like me back and he is so out of my league. No, actually scratch that. We are not even on the same freaking team. He's on the court playing basketball for the school here and I'm just the boy working at the muffin shop he visits. Nothing special."
"Cyrus you are everything special and more. Never tell yourself that. If TJ doesn't recognize that, then it is on him. Maybe you should make a move and see what happens. Your hands are freaking that close on the walk home. Next time, just grab it. See what he does. I don't think you're not as out of his league as you think" Buffy says while patting my shoulder. Andi nodded in agreement.
I look over at TJ laughing with his basketball friends at another table and decide that next time I walk with TJ, I will go for it.
[T][I][M][E] [S][K][I][P]
As my shift was wrapping up with Natalie and Desi, the jingle goes off and I look up to see none other than TJ Kippen. He says his greetings to everyone (his eyes seeming longer on mine than the others...or at least I was hoping), buys two chocolate chocolate chip muffins and sits in a shop chair while I finish sweeping for my shift. Natalie teased him about keeping us in business with all the muffins he buys and he just laughs that amazing laugh.
After I clock out, We say buy to everyone and start walking to my house. We talk about everything from school to our jobs and find ourselves with our hands brushing again.
You can do this Cyrus. Buffy usually is never wrong.
TJ was explaining about a math assignment he was having a hard time with when I slowly interlock our fingers on the walk. I glance over at him and can tell he paused for a second but he just gripped my hand tighter and continued talking about the assignment. I looked away and smiled so hard my cheeks were hurting.
As we get close to my front door, we stop on the steps to my door, sit and eat the muffins from the shop with one hand and the other hand locked. We were watching the sunset in silence until TJ interrupts my thoughts.
"There is a movie coming out called Shazam on Friday. Would you like to... go with me to see it?" He asks, looking at me with hesitation in his eyes.
"It's a date." I say smiling. TJ smiled back as we both got up. We put the wrappers in the bag we got the muffins in and said goodbye to each other. As I was heading to the door, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. I saw him look up and mumble something and before I could question what he was doing, he kissed me on the cheek and walked away fast. I touched my cheek where he walked away and smiled.
Maybe I'm not out of his league after all and it all really started in a muffin shop.
{T}{H}{E} {E}{N}{D}
I hope you enjoyed reading! This was a fun one to write! Leave comments for future suggestions and remember to vote and keep smiling! Thank you everyone and I will see you next time :)