Excerpt: His Love Story

This is a short story I wrote many years ago about domestic violence. Just like the rest of my excerpts it's not edited.

“So how exactly do you tell your best friend…umm hey I love you but I’m sleeping with your boyfriend?” Zoe asked before taking a bite from her sandwich. “I mean seriously Jacob I need you to help me.” I met Zoe at a job interview one morning. I was standing behind her in line and she asked me for pen. I reached inside my pants pocket for a pen and handed it to her. From there she began telling me stories about her boyfriend Daniel and how much she loved him. I didn’t really care but I listened because I didn’t want to be rude. Plus she still had my favorite pen in her hand. The line moved slowly and she was now facing me so I had nowhere to hide as she continued talking. I looked around the room trying to think of a way out of it but nothing was working in my favor. There was not a familiar face or anything interesting in the office. She laughed and I cracked a smile… For God’s sake woman you only asked you for a pen!

Then the time for her to do her interview came and I couldn’t be happier. She told me her name was Zoe and I smiled before a very short and fat guy called out her name again. I was glad that I didn’t have enough time to give her my name as she simply turned around and followed him to the office. It was about five minute later when she came out of the office so I was kind of excited to know that she probably didn’t get the job because I didn’t want to get stuck working with someone like her. Yeah Zoe was a pretty brunette girl with big boobs and a nice body. Her face was perfect the makeup was very well applied and her clothes were neat. Let’s not forget the pleasant perfume she was wearing but even with all those good qualities she was definitely not my type of girl.

The same short guy stepped out of the office and this time called my name Jacob Woods I cracked a smile and reached out for his hand but he simply ignored it and gave me a disgusted look. I wanted to say something to him but had to bite my tongue I was in desperate need of money and a job. I was one month behind on my rent and I had no food to eat hence why I had lost 10 pounds in the last week. I walked in the office it was pretty big, very comfortable and it had very unique furniture decorating it.  The interview went very well and I was the best candidate for manager in the pet shop store two blocks from where I lived. They provided me with insurance and the pay was 10 dollars an hour. What could be better than that? I’ll tell you…anything…but at least I had a job.

I opened the door to exit the building and was quickly pounded by the brunette girl…yeah her Zoe Acosta. She was looking very excited and I don’t know how she engaged me in a conversation but there she was explain how they also needed people to take care of the animals, clean the cages and encourage people to buy the animals from the pet shop. She said the pet shop was huge and they were lacking personal so she was a good candidate for that job. As usual Zoe continued talking and I looked around for any kind of excuse to run away and that’s when I saw her. She was beautiful her hair was light brown and it hit just right below her shoulders. Her eyes were light brown and her skin color was caramel I had never seen such a beautiful girl in my life…ever. I continued to stare at her, as she stood right outside the office building. She probably came to apply for the same job, what a shame, by the look on her face I could definitely tell she didn’t get a job. Unfortunately Zoe did…I had to be the most unlucky man in the world.

I continued looking at her and just for a split second I met her eyes she smiled lightly and blushed before looking the other way. Definitely the most beautiful girl. I turned back to tell Zoe I had to head out but she was now laughing. I placed my hand in her shoulder to get her attention my mom always said “If the person won’t stop talking just place your hand in his or her shoulder that would immediately get their attention…it works for me all the time.”  And thank God it worked because she finally shut up. I told her I had to go and looked back to see the pretty girl but unfortunately for me she was gone…just like that. Did I imagine her? Was she real?