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She came in like a raging bull with murder in her eyes.
Suddenly, my empty line was filled by five feet of unkempt hair, a half tucked in white button up, and smudged makeup on a red, soaking wet face. She demanded that I tell her how to say 'Fuck you' in flower and promptly left with her hastily put together purchase.
A few days passed and I had nearly forgotten the whole ordeal when she appeared again. Sporting familiar messy hair, but this time in a stained sundress. Spotting me again she approached, this time wanting a bouquet of something along the lines of 'I hope you die in a ditch'.
This continued at least once a week, every week. She stomps in, nearly convulsing with rage, gives me a new insult to design, and disappears until the next occurrence.
After nearly two and a half months of this cycle passed, she comes in wearing clean overalls, a messy bun, and a, for the first time that I've seen, calm expression upon her face. She strolls around the little store, employees and usual's alike eyeing her down, like waiting for a detonation to go off. Once my line was cleared, the girl steps forward and grins. Unsure, I mimic her expression, albeit awkwardly, and decide to wait for her to initiate conversation. After a moment of what was likely for sorting her thoughts, she does just that, though barely moving her lips. She straightens herself when I don't respond, speaking more clearly, "Thank you... For all of your help, and I'm sorry for any inconveniences I may have caused you," The tension drains out of the store and my smile softens.
Grabbing my white board, I scribble down what I've been meaning to ask her all this time, 'Why are you always so mad whenever you're here? If you don't mind me asking' I await her response.
Looking at my name tag, then back up to my face, she rubs the back of her neck for a moment before signing sloppily, "I was having a prank war with my sister, and she hates flowers due to some mild allergies, so I hid them in her room every time she pulled a more extreme prank."
I could only blink for a minute before following her lead and using my hands at a slow pace for her clear inexperience, "So you and your sister have prank wars that last for weeks, and your best comebacks were bouquets of insulting flowers she may not even know the meaning of?" The sheepish look on her face was answer enough.
Unable to help myself, my shoulders shuddered as my throat bubbled up with laughter. I took a few moments to compose myself, only to see her nearly bent over with a rose-tinted face that sends me back into a fit. A few minutes pass before we properly calm down enough to communicate. The grin spread across her face ceases to fade as she moves her limbs, "Well, I'm really glad I didn't put you off with my, surely less than pleasant, visits," I shake my head lightly in dismissal, "I'll make sure to return for some, more pleasant messages soon, but I need to go for now," She signed slowly, but more from hesitation than inexperience.
Exaggerating my lips into as widely a grin as I can manage, I get her attention and place two fingers with my pointer down and middle outward above my other faced up palm with my thumb between them and shook them side to side slightly like the word 'dance' with the letter 'K' upside down. Then I finger spell my name fully, "Karson".
Her eyes twinkle and she copies my name sign. Once I nod in approval she shows me her own; the word for 'planet', but with the letter 'C' in the center in place of a fist, and follows it up with the finger spelling of her full name, "Carol". I repeat her name sign like she did mine and she sticks her hand out for me to shake, lingering for only a second before releasing my hand.
She turns around with one final look and a wink in my direction as I watch her go until I can't anymore. Out of the corner of my eye I see several people in the small store staring at me, only to look away when I turn to them. I didn't really mind, but my cheeks sure were sore by the end of my shift.