Having Purpose Ch. 02: Complete Me

The following weeks were consumed by thoughts of her. No matter how hard I tried to push her out of my mind, every time someone ordered a McFlurry, there she was again, an ever-present figure in my thoughts. Life started to feel hollow without her, yet the mere idea of her existence filled me with a strange kind of happiness. I mulled over ways to find her, to make our paths cross once more, but the realization dawned on me that the power to reconnect was entirely within her hands. After two months had passed, my hope began to waver. Perhaps her visit to our store had been a one-time occurrence, merely a fleeting presence in my life. Still, thoughts of her lingered, and her memory even haunted my dreams of that unforgettable encounter.

So, I continued with my routine, a life I believed was sufficient, albeit with a persistent sense that something vital was missing. Another month trickled by, and just as I was about to relinquish my hope, fate intervened. There she stood, alone this time, donning what I could only describe as a schoolgirl outfit. Her smile was radiant as she approached me. Despite being the only person present, her direct path towards me felt like a significant moment. I managed to gather my thoughts more swiftly this time, though my shyness seemed to intensify. I greeted her, my voice tinged with a nervous stutter, "Welcome, how may I help you?"

With playfulness in her voice, she responded, "Hi silly, don't you remember me? Same as always." Her claim caught me off guard; it was a stretch to label a one-time meeting as "always".

Flustered, I replied, "Sorry, yes, okay, coming right up," before turning around to prepare her strawberry McFlurry. This time, however, I completely forgot to register the order.

Handing her the dessert, I noticed her disappointment. "Where's yours, silly? Do you expect me to eat alone?" Apologizing once more, I turned around to create my own McFlurry. She instructed me to meet her outside when I was done. I opted for chocolate, because this is what I had to eat last time, despite my lack of enthusiasm for the flavor. I simply didn't want to make any mistakes. Once prepared, I ventured outside and found her in the same spot as our initial encounter. As our eyes met, she extended her hand, a clear signal for me to give her my McFlurry container. Handing it to her, I couldn't help but notice the smirk from our previous meeting. It seemed as though she had been collecting spit in her mouth the whole time she was waiting, given the significant amount she expelled into my container. Taking my spoon, she mixed it in, then handed it back to me. That same smirk lingered.

Without thinking, I said, "Thank you," and her smirk grew even brighter.

In her playful tone, she responded, "You're so welcome. Did you enjoy the last one I shared with you?"

I answered truthfully, "Yes, it was the best I've ever had."

With a little giggle, she added, "Well, this one will be even better, especially since you have company while eating it. By the way, I'm Mina. But timid boys like you can call me Goddess."

The true meaning of her words eluded me, yet I managed a genuine response, "Hi, Goddess, I'm Steve."

Giggling again, she interjected, "Hmm, no, I don't like that name. I'll keep calling you silly." Since I've never been particularly fond of my name, her enthusiastic choice of a new nickname left me oddly thankful. Deep down, I knew this wasn't normal behavior, but lately, normal had felt dull, and being around her was anything but dull. The sensation of something missing had vanished in her presence, replaced by exhilaration and a sense of fulfillment I hadn't known before.

I ate my ice cream in silence, too shy to look at her directly. I stole brief glances, each time noticing that she was closely monitoring my behavior. The taste of my ice cream was genuinely pleasing, surpassing the standard McFlurry flavor. I acknowledged that this heightened enjoyment was largely psychological, but at this moment, I couldn't have cared less. Everything felt perfect. As time passed, customers came to the store. With absolute confidence, she informed them, "We closed early today, you'll have to come back tomorrow. Have a nice day." They took her statement at face value, without question. Once they were gone, she turned her attention to me and remarked, "I'd make a good store manager, wouldn't I, silly?"

To which I responded, "Yes, Goddess, we're actually looking for a new one."

"Interesting, I was thinking of trying some jobs before deciding what to do after uni. Wouldn't it be nice to see each other more often, silly?"

I nodded and responded, "Yes, Goddess, I would enjoy that.'

She smiled, her eyes twinkling, "Cool. You can fill out my job application and hand it to me, so I can fill out the missing stuff like my birthday and full name."

More than willing to help, I said, "Yes, Goddess, of course. Do you have any experience working in a restaurant?"

She shrugged playfully, "No, but you do, don't you, silly? Just fill out what you think will get me the job, and then you can help me afterwards, can't you?"

I assured her, "Of course, Goddess."

Her smile widened, "Perfect, silly. Just send me an E-Mail before noon, so you can hand it in for me tomorrow." She wrote her email address on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

Suddenly, I noticed the time; it was already 2 am, and the store needed to be closed and cleaned. I hadn't realized how much time had passed. However, how could I say no to this beautiful woman? I promised to have her job application form ready by noon. She glanced at her phone and sighed, "Oh, it's getting late. I'm invited to an event by a hot guy I met online. Don't forget the email, silly. Bye!" With those words, she disappeared into the night once more. I had a long night ahead of me.