18. Violet
Chapter 18
Violet
I’ve never noticed how goofy my small town is. While I lounge here, my right leg draped over the left, leaning back on a bench in front of Cat’s now that Chad is with her too, it's an extra stab in the back.
After a long, busy day filled with customers buying plants to start in their gardens, I am exhausted. And all I want to do is enjoy some fresh air and find a new book to read. I am not ready for whatever these two have planned for me.
“Hey Vivi, it’s nice to see you!” She gushes while flipping her long blond hair over her shoulders.
“Hey, it’s great to see you too.” No, it's really not. Not after what she did to my best friend and me in the past. Where’s Olive when I need her. Chelsea sits down on the bench next to me. Then Chad follows suit and sits down next to her. He seems to be following her like a lost puppy.
“I hope you’re ready to lose this next competition.”
Here we go. Be nice Violet. Be nice. Don’t let the intrusive thoughts in. “On the contrary, I plan to win.”
What was that! You were supposed to play it off and not start an argument! I am mentally slapping my face.
“That's rich. You know I’ve won the past two years. I will be winning again. So just kiss that plaque goodbye,” Chelsea says with a snark.
She was and still is a mean girl. In high school, she would always pick on me and Olive. For a while I felt sympathy towards her. I think it comes from her mother. Constance has always been worried about the gossip between everyone else but never gave Chelsea the light of day. But Chelsea has never shown me a crumb of kindness. I try my best to hold it together, but I’m at my boiling point.
“Hey Violet, are these two bothering you?” Dustin’s voice booms from my left. I look up and see him towering over us, looking like a perfect escape plan.
“Not at all. I was just about to tell them I have to go now that you’re here. We’re going to pick out some books together.” I plaster a fake smile on my face, showing my teeth.
“Oh—yeah. That’s the plan! Let’s go, Vivi. I can’t wait to get my hands on those books!” he says, pretending that we were planning to go into the book store together all along.
“Nice chatting with you, Vivi!” I can practically feel the anger emanating from Chelsea’s tongue. Chad just sits there silently twiddling his thumbs. And I am so glad Olive and him are over.
I grab Dustin’s hand and drag him with me into the store. He stops dead in his tracks when we’re inside. He looks bewildered.
“What’s wrong?” I question him as he puts a hand up to his mouth.
“I’ve never been here. I was not expecting this at all.” His eyes scan the space up and down.
“And what were you expecting from a store that has ‘Cat’ in the name?”
“Cat pictures hanging on the walls, cat figurines, a shrine to cats, cat plushies, cat puzzles, but not this—”
His reaction isn’t an understatement. Wooden mounted cat trees and shelves span along every open wall. Cat scratching posts, toys, and fake mice are sporadically scattered around the carpet. Then there are so many cats. I think about fifteen strays live here at the moment. The perfume scented cat litter is hard to miss. Ada keeps their litter boxes in the back room and cleans them constantly, but it still wafts out. So, when I buy books I have to air them outside for a few days to get rid of the lingering fragrance, but her prices are hard to beat. Plus, it's the only bookstore for miles. She takes in as many cats as she can until they’re adopted. Our rural town has a huge cat breeding problem. That’s the great thing about the concept—you can browse a book and take a seat on the chairs behind each aisle, hanging out with the cats. People will adopt them the same day so that they can have a home.
I chuckle and pull him along to the far end of the shelves. A sign points to romance. I scan them all looking for something that intrigues me.
“You don’t even seem like this fazes you.”
“Not anymore, I’m used to it. Even though it’s a touch unconventional. It turned out to be a great idea. Finding a home for many cats. I adopted Fiona here.” I pull out a book that looks interesting. “We can find you one if you want.”
“I'm good. I don’t need any cats. We already have a litter that’s living in the barn.”
“Suit yourself,” I say while choosing a few more books, stacking them on my arm. “I thought you couldn’t wait to get your hands on some books?” I ask, repeating what he said earlier.
“Ha! No, I don’t have much time for reading, but it seemed like you needed to be saved from that conversation. Especially after what you told me the other day. The look in your eyes was pure rage. I had to do something before you did something you might regret.”
“I wasn’t that angry.” My eyes meet his and then dart away quickly.
“Keep telling yourself that and maybe you’ll believe it.” A white and gray kitten brushes up against his leg. He bends down to pick it up and starts to pet it. The kitten starts purring immediately, snuggling against his arms. My heart melts.
“My name is Sardine, please take me home.” He reads the kitten's collar out loud.
“You should get him! His name is so cute! Look, he already loves you.”
After arguing for five minutes on whether he needs a cat or not, I end up purchasing three books when only coming in for one. Sardine follows Dustin to the register and tries to follow him out the door. To my dismay, he leaves empty handed.
“I’m going to head back to the farm before it's dark. I have some more work to finish for the day.”
“I might as well get going too.” I open the door and swing my shopping bag back and forth.
“I’ll meet you at your place tomorrow before we make it to the picnic area, around noon.” He winks then walks to the parking lot and hops in his grandpa’s truck.
I wonder what that was all about.