Laurel has a very tenacious patience. It’s a trait of hers that she takes pride in. She currently and usually feels the need to employ it when Whit opens his mouth.

“I don’t care if you skip your classes.” Laurel reiterates for the third time.

“You’ll be lonely if I leave.” Whit argues with his sad looking eyes.

“You’re a freshmen and I’m a senior, we don’t have any classes together.” Laurel replies back getting annoyed. “Why would I be lonely because you’re not in the classes that you’re already not in?”

“Just knowing that I’m not here will make you lonely.”

Laurel scowls knowing that he’s actually right because Whit is always right. It makes her feel like banging her head against her locker.

“I don’t even have classes today. AP biology is going on a field trip to the aquarium in the city. So either way we’re not going to be together.” She points out as she shoves her bag into the locker. She looks over to see Whit grinning ear to ear and sighs, “Motherfucker.” She says to her bag.

~

“What the hell you doin’ just standin’ there for! Why don’t you do somethin’ useful like sweeping the floor!”

Benny starts, turns to the cranky old man, and then hurriedly gets the broom.

“Sorry, sorry.” He mumbles as he moves between the short aisles filled with rows of chips and other snacks to start sweeping the black and white tiled floor.

Benny works at the only gas station in town. The gas station is owned and runned by his uncle who is the type of man who the small children make horror stories about. The man has an ancient lined face with a perpetual scowl resident on it, thinning white hair, and is simultaneously both flabby and bony which leaves his body in a bunch of odd angles and shapes. He is also the only man who would give Benny work since he’d been forced to drop out of high school and never got a diploma or GED.

When Benny hears the bell above the front door ring he deftly hurries to sweep the dirt he has already acquired into his dust pan so he doesn’t leave a mess on the floor, but before he can finish his uncle is already barking at him.

“What the hell you doin’, go help the customers!”

“Sorry, sorry.” Benny drops the dustpan and hurries to the register.

“‘Sorry, sorry.’ It’s all I ever hear from you, you damn useless idiot.”

Benny swallows and forces a smile for the two customers, a man and woman, who have expressions of shock and pity. Benny is pretty sure they’re from out of town because otherwise they would be laughing at him and agreeing with his uncle.

The moment the two customers walk outside Benny’s uncle is already back to yelling.

“What the hell you doin’ leavin’ your shit everywhere! Get that damn broom out of the aisle!”

“Yes sir.” Benny meekly replies.

“God damn, I don’ know why I don’t just fire your useless ass.”

Anxiety squeezes Benny’s insides and makes his hands shake. “Sorry.” he mumbles quietly to the ground.