The Checkout

An attractive teen walks into the grocery store and everyone notices him especially the young bagger, Connor. The teen applies for a job as a cashier.

A few days later, the teen comes back into the store for an interview. The manager says his name, “Bryan.” They walk up the stairs to the Managers’ office and Connor can’t stop looking at him from behind. He’s so distracted he stops bagging and the customer gets angry. “Hey! Can you bag my groceries!” she yells at him.

A few more days later, Bryan starts his new job as a cashier and says to the female cashier ringing, “I’m coming on for you, I guess.” Connor was afraid this would happen and tries to say hi, but nothing comes out. He kept bagging but couldn’t take his eyes off the most handsome and attractive boy’s he’s ever seen. He was so nervous, his mind raced about every feature of this boy.

Weeks went by and attraction turned into a crush. Connor cared for Bryan. He felt attached and connected to him even though he knew nothing about him. Connor decided to nothing about this crush, he thought it would just disappear soon. But every time Bryan was his cashier, he became extremely nervous, his heart and mind raced.

A year came and went, and Bryan was promoted to an assistant manager in the checkout department. Bryan began to become suspicious that Connor had a crush on him. Connor kept staring at him and watching him. He could feel he was nearby. As Bryan walked around the checkout and saw Connor he would jokingly say, “I love you,” to him. It happened a few times and every time, Connor didn’t answer and looked away. And when his cashier needed help, Bryan would come over, and Connor couldn’t look at him. He looked at the TV in the seating area or watched another order go through another register.

With a crush, comes obsession, and once Connor found out Bryan’s last name. He scoured the internet for any trace of him, but found nothing. He tried this a few times over the next few months a still found nothing.

One day, in the midst of nervousness and opening up, he said he has a crush on Bryan to a cashier. The cashier said, “He’s attractive, but straight.” Bryan was at the register next to him and heard him say this. He smiled and laughed a little. Connor frowned in embarrassment. Bryan already knew Connor had a crush knew on him, but now it was confirmed.

Connor had his suspicions too, thinking Bryan was gay. The way he complimented other men and the way he talked about other men, calling them stud.

Years passed and Bryan went into the Marines. He came back to the little checkout to work again. A lot had changed since Bryan left, managers got transferred, assistant managers were fired, and employees quit. Bryan had finished basic training and had matured. Connor had graduated high school and was now a sophomore in college. But Connor still had a crush on Bryan. It was smaller, but still present.

Next week, Bryan came back to work. He only worked a few days a week, but Connor still couldn’t look at him as he helped his cashiers.

Bryan sporadically worked at the checkout over the next six months and the crush shrank. Connor still found him cute, but he knew he couldn’t have him. He accepted this and moved on with his life. He did find his updated social media account, with a few photos of him. He was happy and may never get over his crush.