So here was Helga at work as she priced, did inventory, and helped customers. Only once she spotted, Eugene lurking downstairs not doing the best job of spying on someone. Seeing him spying on someone around the magazines, Helga couldn't determine who he was looking at with the amount of people there. Shrugging her shoulders, she resumed her work. Most of the time she was upstairs and hardly downstairs unless they needed a cashier.

Nodding to the manager that walked past, Helga continued on to the self-help aisle with people too ashamed of themselves being there. They wanted help, but always had the 'Hand stuck in the cookie jar,' kinda look. They will give you a quick glance before turning their backs to you to become invisible. Helga never made fun of people in those aisles. What's the use? They are there to better themselves. If you make fun of people in these sections than you're the ass.

As she was busy thinking and stocking some books in the appropriate locations, Helga spotted, Eugene in the next aisle over from her doing the duck, and glance at someone. Seeing now who he was spying on, Helga smirked and made her way over to him.

"Why don't you say hi to him?" She suggested.

Falling to the ground, Eugene was red faced at being caught. "Helga. Um... Hi. Fancy seeing you here."

Helga rolled her eyes at his attempt of acting casual while pointing at her like he was a smooth operator. "I work here, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Hehehe." Scrambling up, Eugene went back to looking at a fairly good looking guy in the classics section. "I see him so often walking past my house and I'm so afraid of talking to him. What do I say to him?"

"Well for starters... Hi." She suggested.

Sighing, Eugene watched at how his crush brushed his dark hair back. Watched at how he shifted himself. "Sounds simple, but look at me. What chance do I have?"

Seeing what she had on her cart to stock over there, Helga gave, Eugene a once over. "You are sweet, cute, positive, talented, and well... You. He'd be crazy not to want you."

He appreciated her words. "He could also be straight, but smiles at me because he's friendly. Also, if he isn't, he's so good looking."

Just then the guy in question turned himself around looking in their direction making, Eugene squeak out before ducking behind the small sets of shelves they were currently next to. Helga remained where she was to see a smirk play up on the guys face before he called her over for help. Excusing herself, Helga went over to talk to him.

"Hello, can I help you?" Helga asked politely.

Smirking again at seeing, Eugene duck back down after he spotted him again, the guy turned his attention back to, Helga. "Do you know the shy red head?" His voice was smooth sounding, but not fake. His hazel eyes were practically dancing with amusement.

"Actually he's a friend of mines. Why do you ask?" Helga took note of his demeanor. Saw his passing interest.

"I keep seeing him standing in his window. I saw him follow me in." He replied. "What's his name?"

"Eugene. What's yours?"

Focusing on her face, he casually pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket asking for a pen. When she did, he wrote on the paper, and handed it back to her. "Tell your friend to call me sometime. My name is, Greg." Smirking at, Eugene's eyes peeking at him where he still stood, Greg couldn't help himself. "Your friend is pretty cute. Pass that message along for me. Thank you for your help."

Not hearing one bit of condensation from him, Helga informed him she will before heading back to, Eugene as he watched his crush walk back to the stairs, and head down. She loved the surprise on his face when she showed him, Greg's number. "He thinks your cute, and his name is Greg. Congratulations, Eugene."

Hugging the little scrap of paper to his heart, Eugene wanted to hug her so badly. "Oh thank you, Helga. Thank you."

"No problem, but if he hurts you I will punch him into next year." She warned with a waggle of her finger.

"You are such a good friend. I better get home before my parents wonder where I am." Hugging the paper more, Eugene told her good night.

Helga felt like she was in grade school when it came to passing someone's message to their crushes. Well that adventure took up some time and her mind off things. Now she had a few more hours to fill. Please let her fill in at the registers then.

It would be an hour after, Eugene left that someone came up to her asking for her help. Turning to face the male who spoke, Helga was filled with dread. Nick. Her father's old business associate. He was slimy and crude. She took a step back giving an excuse that she was to head to her break, but he stopped her.

"You put him in prison." He looked close to wanting to inhale a cigarette. "He's pretty pissed."

Helga was defiant suddenly. "So? He knows what he's done. Should know it is wrong. Just like you wanting to have sex with a minor, you freak."

"Hey! I'll have you not speaking to me that way." Glaring at the girl, Nick grinned suddenly at her. "At least your sister is far more cooperative than you."

The way he said those words sickened her. Of course, Olga would do anything to help her father out. "I'm not her." She hissed out.

He snickered at her in a glaringly horrible way. His tone was completely insinuating so much right now of his intentions. "You'll see your father in due time, Helga. He has unfinished business with you."

Clenching her jaw, Helga wasn't about to back down even as her nerves shook a little. "I have unfinished business with him too. When I'm done, he'll never see the light of day anymore."

Nick gave her the most unreadable look ever as he took a toothpick out of his pocket to stick it in his teeth. The way he stood at the top of the stairs before descending made, Helga want to kick him in the back to shove him down, and hopefully break his neck. Seeing the manager approach her, she was asked if there was a problem making her inform him about the whole deal with her father escaping from prison, and is out to get her. Feeling bad for her, the manager was allowing her to leave early.

At home, Arnold heard his phone go off. Reading the text from, Helga, he quickly got his keys to head out of there. After he parked in the lot, he went up to find her sitting at the bench in front of the store. Helga told him all about, Nick, and what he said to her. Told him the entire history about what she knew about her father's associate.

When she was finished, Helga leaned her head back. "Welcome to my fucked up past once again."

Wrapping an arm around her, Arnold held her. "I know you will go back to work when your scheduled on, but I hate that he was bold enough to approach you in there."

"Nick wasn't built with a filter. He is nothing but a slimy snake." Sighing out heavily, Helga decided to tell him about Eugene stopping by. Might as well put something positive about tonight. "Here's hoping it works out for him."

"Hope so too." Arnold agreed before standing up. "Shall we head home?"

Accepting his hand, Helga and him walked to his truck.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Eugene stared at the number. Could he possibly be interested? He thinks he's cute. A smile grew at someone like that thinking that way before it faded. He fingered the number more. Perhaps he should call him. Reaching for his phone, he dialed the number to instantly reach the most enticing voice he had ever heard. It literally made his toes curl at the richness of his voice.

"Hello?"

"Um hi, my name is Eugene. Uh, can I speak to Greg?" Eugene knew he sounded nervous. Hoped he wouldn't screw this up.

The voice changed from cautious to what sounded like he was smiling over the line. "Why hello, Eugene. Glad you called me. How are you?"

Eugene's heart skipped. "Oh, uh, I'm fine. How are you?"

"Better now." There sounded like some shifting from his end. "Don't mind me while I get comfortable here."

"Oh, I won't. I'm relaxing in my bedroom as we speak."

"Really now? Tell me, Eugene, when you are looking out your window, is it from there?" Greg's voice sounded almost seductive.

"Uh yeah. Is that weird?" Eugene hoped it wasn't.

A rich pleasant laugh was heard over the line. "Not at all. Tell me, Eugene, what school do you go to?"

"Pleasant R. High School. What about you?"

"Home schooled. Boring as all hell." There was an irritated tone to his voice. "Was picked on too much at school. Was beaten too many times for what I prefer. Have you?"

"Because of your..." Should he say it? "Orientation?"

"Yes. Too many cretins in this world."

"Agreed. I use to be picked on. Still am, but not as much. I guess I was very lucky to have the friends I do have. They always stick up for one another." Eugene finally answered.

Eugene couldn't tell what tone of voice he had right now. "You're lucky to have them. I have one female friend, Sasha. She's cool. While I've come out, she still hasn't." Clearing his throat, Greg continued. "If she spotted your blonde beauty of a friend she would of had her jaw to the ground. That's her type. She seems ballsy."

Eugene laughed at him nailing, Helga right on the head. "Oh, Helga is gutsy. She's amazing. She's straight though and firmly attached to a long time friend of mines. I do have a lot of attractive friends in my opinion. Perhaps you should meet them. Perhaps add more friends to your list."

"That would be great, Eugene. Just one thing I would like you to do right now."

Eugene's toes curled up more at how seductive he sounded right now. "What is it?"

"Come outside. I don't live far from your home. I want to say hi to you face to face."

Getting up, Eugene went to his window to see, Greg standing there. Breath catching, Eugene told him to wait. Hanging up, his heart was beating out of his chest as he silently went outside. He stood there staring at, Greg. The way he smiled at him was so hypnotizing. Crossing the street, he noticed that, Greg was taller than him by a couple of inches.

Greg fixed him with a half lidded gaze. "Well nice to finally have you right in front of me."

Eugene's voice stayed right in his throat as he smiled at him.

Putting a hand up to his cheek, Greg brushed the skin lightly with his finger. "You are cute."

Was all he said before laying one of the best kisses, Eugene has ever experienced in his life. He was aware he moved forward to return the kiss. When Greg pulled away, he wasn't aware he was speaking before, Eugene snapped out of it to find that still same smile from his crush.

"Come to the movies with me this friday. Be there at 6, cutie." Laying one chaste kiss to his lips, Greg turned around to head back to his home.

Eugene was dumb founded. Never in his life was it this easy. Elated, Eugene went back inside his home to dance around his bedroom. He has a date.

I wanted to give Eugene something at least.