He bit back the anger still seething through him. He went out to go to work today and again his car was in the impound. He couldn't win. He couldn't get the damn thing an inspection sticker, so he couldn't drive it. But he needed it to get to work so he could buy parts to fix it. Vicious circle. Everything always was. He wondered if his life would always be this way. He walked along the gravel path swearing and mumbling to himself. He lifted his head up and nearly lost his breath as he saw her. God, she was amazingly beautiful and incredible. He kept staring as he watched her adjust the glasses on her nose. She was adorable. Kind of nerdy and a little bit sheltered but it was refreshing to all the sluts that usually attended the school. He took a deep breath as he walked by her. He tried to pretend he was walking from his car as he spun his keyring around his finger winking at her. Damn he was lame...
Stephanie smiled at him as she gave him a small wave.
"Ew Steph, hes the janitor." Stacy said as she laughed at her friend.
"His name is Paul, and I don't care that hes a janitor." She said with a shrug as she looked back down at her book.
Stacy laughed. " Whatever, your dad is a millionaire why would you even talk to someone like that?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "He is nice, we only small talk."
"You only flirt! You looked like you were going to jump his bones last time I saw you two by the library last week. He must have been dusting off the boring books that only you read so you could read them better." She laughed at her own joke as Stephanie just shook her head ignoring her.
"Grow up, will you." Stephanie muttered.
"Whateves, Mitchell wants you to meet his friend Dustin tonight. We are going to his show, remember?"
"Ugh, Stacy I'm not going for the millionth time!"
"yes you are! You need to meet a guy, you're flirting with the damn school janitor who looks like hes fucking 30 years old for fucks sake!"
Stephanie ran her tongue over her teeth. Stacy was frustrating. She liked talking to Paul. He was down to earth and extremely funny. He could tell when she wasn't herself or if she needed someone to talk to. She didn't like the guys at school, she never really had. She grew up fast. Money didn't mean you had the best life that was for sure. Everyone was so immature all the guys wanted to do was go to football games and parties and drink and have sex. She wasn't that kind of girl.
"Earth to Stephanie... see you back at the room, we are leaving at 8."
Stephanie grabbed her book and stuffed it in her bag. She checked her watch as she stood. She watched Stacy's retreating figure and rolled her eyes in her direction. She told her a million times how she felt about that kind of stuff. Who ever listened to her anyways? Oh yes, one person and there he was right down the hall. She leaned her shoulder against the wall watching him. His hair was pretty shaggy and seemed to be getting longer since they met. His muscles were clearly visible as he moved the mop around the floor. He was bobbing his head to his headphones and sometimes would even grab the mop as if it were a guitar. She smiled, he was damn adorable janitor or not. He looked up catching her watch him. He smiled and gave a small wave. He wiggled his eyebrows at her as she blushed. She took a deep breath as she approached him.
"Good morning." He said softly.
"Good morning to you, you're early." She stated.
"Yeah well I wasn't sure how long it would take me to walk-" He bit his lip.
Fuck! He didn't want her to know he had to walk. What an idiot. He did have some sense of pride. Plus he was swinging his keys.
"From... the parking lot?" She asked laughing.
"Yes, you never know what you can encounter on that short but somewhat dangerous journey." He said with a smug smile.
She laughed loudly. "You're a goof!" She said pushing his shoulder.
He smiled, at least she got a laugh out of his misfortune. Not purposely but either way it worked for him. Her smile was infectious.
"Well I'm off to class, have a nice day Paul, and look out for those parking lot monsters."
Paul smiled ear to ear as he watched her walk off giggling to herself.
"Bye Steph." He said with a lop sided smile.
Life sucked. If he were an actual student at this school or even a fucking coach or something he'd of already tried to ask her out. But alas he was a 25 year old janitor with no future prospects no hope of really anything and not a cent to his name. She deserved better he had to keep reminding himself of that whenever their flirting started to get a little bit more serious. He had to keep his distance from her. He had to keep his feelings inside. It would be so easy to fall in love with her. If only he were someone else...