the sky was dark and the air was cold. the puddles splashed beneath my feet as i walked down the cracked sidewalk hugging my sides to keep warm and trying my best to hold up my scarf with my chin. my mp3 player had run out of battery and i still had two more streets to walk with water seeping through the holes in my boots. my stockings were soaked. why does my job have to be so far away? i thought to myself. even though my work isn't that far, its only three fourths of a mile away, but in the rainy autumn days and its starting to get cold, walking that far seems like forever. ...and the weatherman didn't say it would be this cold.
a car drove past me and splashed water all over my left side. just my luck. it seems like this happens every time it rains, and looks like it could even be the same car. but i dont talk to anyone so i dont know who could possibly be out to get me. i finally got to the apartment driveway, just the thought of it makes me feel a little warmer, especially after i was under the street light. i opened the door and went in. the janitor was in the lobby so i waved to him before i went upstairs. i was walking to my room until i heard my name called."aedrian? you're home early" said my Grandma as she walked over to me. she looks about 50 but she's actually 20 years beyond that. she keeps herself healthy, and looking young is in our blood.
"yeah, i got off a little early since we didn't have a lot of costumers today and the last 30 minutes of work is cleaning up so i got done fast." i could feel the water leaking out of my boots onto the hallway carpet and started to blush, hoping that she wouldn't notice. i really need some new boots.
"well are you going in for the night or do you want to do anything?"
"i think I'm gonna go ahead and go to sleep...its been a long day and I've got to work tomorrow morning."
"alright, well if I'm up I'll see you then."
"okay. good night, grandma."
"good night." she said as she turned around and went to her room.
i went back to the staircase and went up three more flights, then i was finally to my apartment. i went in and sat down my bag, sat on my bed and took off my boots and stockings then changed into my pajamas.
looking around at this room makes me feel so proud of myself, its not much but its kept up neat and I've got everything i need. i painted the walls, made my own shelves and decorated it all myself. i have my bed behind a separator and a computer on a desk. a kitchen with a stove and sink and a table with two chairs. i have a couch and a TV, and though everything is in one room except the bathroom it looks quite nice. small, but cozy. too bad that I'm the only one that ever sees it..
~~
i woke up at 5 and showered and what-not, got dressed, grabbed my keys and a granola bar and was out the house by six, i was in no hurry. i didn't have to be there until 7 but i like to be early. the store opens at 7:30 and i have to open on Saturdays but i only work until noon, not that i mind at all.
i got to the store at 6:50, no one else has to be here until 7:20. i opened up the door and set my stuff under the counter. i went and dusted off the drum set and all of the guitars, then grabbed a bottle of Windex and got to front windows until the glare from the lights shined through so well that it was almost a perfect reflection. it was pretty nice...i was satisfied.
i like that I'm the one opening the store, i like that i get to do it myself and no one has to tell me what to do, 'cause i already know; and no one here to bother me while I'm doing everything. I'm sure the other employees dont mind either.
there are two other people, besides the store owner that work on Saturdays, Lou and Cody. Both of them were always late. They're supposed to come in at 7:20 but they never get here until after the time that the store opens. Mr. Heron doesn't usually come in until 8, he used to come in at the time i do, but he said he thinks I'm responsible enough for the job, so he gave me a key. I'm pretty proud of it, i guess.
i flipped the "closed" sign to open and sat behind the desk, eating the last bit my last granola bar. i spun around in the office chair and looked through the CD's sitting under the desk and searched around for something to put on the loudspeaker to set a vibe. It's a hard choice...Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains or Soundgarden? i chose Soundgarden for today.
i heard some voices and foot steps as i put the CD in the player. as soon as i broadcasted to the intercom, in came the two employees, 17 minutes late, which i would say is a little early for them. The first that came in was Lou. He's a big, stocky guy with a bleach-blond, overgrown, buzz cut. Around the store we just call him "Lars," after Lars Ulrich from Metallica, because not only does he have enough Metallica shirts to last him a month without doing laundry, but he also complains constantly over unimportant issues, is very demanding and kind of...well, a dick, to put it simply.
The second guy is pretty much the opposite. He's got long dark brown hair that passes his shoulders and usually just wears a hoodie and jeans. he keeps to himself, for the most part but sometimes he talks to me. i don't really know that much about him, but he's pretty nice. he cooperates easily, so he doesn't cause any trouble, unlike SOME people...
"so..." Lars walked up and leaned against the desk. "did you ask Mr.heron about my raise?" he looked at me and winked. just a simple "hello" wouldn't have killed ya..
"no..i...i forgot." i didn't forget, he just doesn't deserve it. he complains, never does what anyone says, he's always late...he deserves a downgrade in his pay, if anything.
"-forgot?!" he pulled himself closer to me from the desk in an angry outburst. "how could you forget!? what kind of friend are you?"
i wiped the spit from my face. "I'm not your..friend..."
"yeah, so i see." he glared at me then he turned around and i watched him walked away. i rolled my eyes and sat back down. Cody waved and i waved back, he smiled a little then walked over to the bass section and sat down at the desk as Lars did with the guitars.
Mr. Heron came into the door with a cup holder with 2 cups of coffee. I could smell it,it was strong, i could smell this combination of mocha, cappuccino and french vanilla. my eyes got wide. "Morning, Aedrian." i could hear his boots clank on the ground and he sat the cup holder on the table, picked up one of the cups and handed to me. i smiled and he picked up his. "how was opening today?"
"went pretty smoothly, i guess." i took a sip of the coffee. It was French Vanilla Cappuccino with whipped cream and toffee powder. It's like heaven, it's my favorite.
"i like the choice of music, I'm in a Soundgarden mood" he laughed. "Outshined is so, how do i say it...it's just heavy. i love it."
"me too, it's one of my favorites."
he pulled out a paper bag which smelled of more food, he handed it to me. "put this under the counter for me." i nodded and placed it on the shelf. "there's some donuts and other pastries in there, you can have some if you want."
"thanks" i smiled.
"2 of your favorite things are in there...so i want you too anyway." he smiled. "I'm goin to the back, so I'll see ya."
"alright, see ya." he walked to the back of the store to the drums and sat at the stand.
The best part about working at Heron's Call is that the atmosphere is nice. it's a music store and you cant not love it there, besides Lars, everyone is nice, and Mr. Heron is like a dad to me, he's always helped me when i needed it and now we're kind of helping eachother. Most people dont get hired here at 15, but he made an acception for me. he saw me singing at a talent show and asked me to be a temporary member for his band. when he figured out how well i worked with instruments, he asked me if i wanted a job because there was an open spot. he told me i would handel selling the pedals, speakers, voice equipment and cashier. he said he was confident that i could handle it, and i have. i've been working here for a year, i'm 16 now and i open the store on saturdays. it's kind of like an accomplishment that i'm pretty proud of.
No one really came in today, i did a couple of returns and someone came in to get a cord and some picks, but that's it. I was feeling in a lazy mood so i got my pay from Mr. Heron and got 50 cents from the coin machine and decided to catch the bus home. while i was sitting down on the bench at the bus stop, some guys were speeding down the street on thier skateboards and pulled to a hault across the street. all 5 of the slid into a manual and picked up thier boards, talking and saying whatever to eachother, except one...who i caught looking at me. not just for a second, but for a few. and i caught myself looking back. i looked around to see if maybe he was looking at someone behind me or something but the only thing behind me was a brick wall, and when i looked back, our eyes met. my mouth opened a little and my hand clenched against the bench as i was quickly trying to decide if i should get up and go to him or not, but i got so nervous. i could feel all the blood rushing to my face and i got butterflies. he still stood there, looking at me, his eyes were wide and he looked anxious...he had the same expression as me. i was starting to panic, i wanted to just...actually i dont know what i wanted to do, all i knew was that i wanted him; and then the bus rolled in front of me and blocked my vision. i lost my chance. i might never see him again. all this craziness because of one look. i don't believe in love at first sight...and i doubt that any love exists for that matter, but for some reason, i think i might love him, and i don't even know his name.
i picked up my bag off of the bench and stepped into the bus, slid in the two quarters and sat down in the first open seat on the left side of the bus, by the window. the boy was walking into the restaurant, but he looked back and met eyes with me again before the bus took off. i got another rush...i have to know who he is.
