Greg had been employed in the mall food court for years, working a section that specialized in making Greek food. Greg didn't care much for the job. He had always wanted to go to college, but the money never came together. One thing he did like however, was getting to see Paula every day. Paula worked at the Mexican food stand right next door to Greg. She was a rare caramel skinned beauty. Her raven hair flowed like silk under the visor she wore for work.
Greg would often try to get his lunch from the Mexican place Paula worked as an excuse to talk to her. He would crack jokes and occasionally get a giggle out of her. He loved the accented way in which she laughed. Her voice aroused him so naturally. Her body was equally intoxicating. Her curvaceousness was not hidden well by her uniform. Often times when ordering food, Greg would take the opportunity to enjoy the way her jeans hugged tightly against her peachy ass when she would turn around and bend over to grab a bottled drink from the cooler. He would also glance at her perky breasts when she would lean in to give him his receipt.
Paula caught on early that Greg liked her. He was somewhat obvious in his attempts to charm her. She thought it was cute and flattering, even if he was a little awkward. She enjoyed being admired by him, and occasionally she would admire him as well. She would sometimes note his strong arms when he rolled up his sleeves to man the grill at the Greek place, or when he was mopping up his section. She sometimes wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers through his spiky blonde hair. In truth, the thing that drew her to him most of all was how much her father hated him.
Her father always hoped that, because Paula was stunningly beautiful, she would marry someone with money and greater potential. He hated the idea of her dating another mall worker in a dead-end job. He would often be rude to Greg and mumble to Paula that she had "better not consider that loser in any serious way." This would often result in fights with her father, where she told him it was none of his business who she liked, whether it was Greg or anyone else.
These conflicts conjured up romantic fantasies in her mind of Greg as a "bad boy" that would steal her away and set her free. Paula had a particularly bad fight with her father one day. She wanted to take the day off to go out with her friends. Her father never liked these friends, as he considered them wild and immature. Paula unleashed on her father. She yelled at him for making her work at the family restaurant when she got out of high school. She yelled at him for trying to decide who her friends and romantic partners were. She ran off to another part of the mall to cry.
Greg was walking by the water fountain when he saw Paula crying. He felt a pang in his heart. He looked down at a box of donuts he bought and got an idea. He walked over to her. He sat down next to her and placed his nose inside the hole of the donut. He then said the pun, "Donut be sad."
Paula looked up and giggled. She pulled the donut off of his face. "What are you doing stupid?" she asked playfully.
"I don't know," Greg said, "I just hated seeing you cry, so I thought I'd make you laugh."
"Thanks," she said, "You are always so sweet."
