Chapter 57

When I got to the store, it was to find Chelsea laughing with this guy. Both were seated on the opposite side of the counter, watching something on Chelsea's laptop with the numerous stickers of kpop idols on it. They were laughing hysterically while doing so, all their focus on the screen as they paid close attention to whatever was playing. 

The boy seemed a bit too old for her. I wasn't exactly sure how old Chelsea was, but I imagined she was somewhere around twenty or twenty one. The guy seemed at least twenty five. Or maybe he was just one of those people who were largely built but weren't even that old. He looked like a cross between a surfer dude and an underrated badass, an odd description, but as I looked at him, those were the terms that came to mind. Maybe it was the attractive shoulder length sandy brown hair and how contrasting it was to his dark brown eyes. Or the fact that he was dressed so casually in a chic and and subtle way, yet his entire aura screamed that he was trouble. Even from just inside the doorway, I spotted several tattoos on his chest, he was wearing a black buttoned down shirt with some white patterns on it, but he had basically left the entire thing unbuttoned more than halfway down his chest. They were smiling at the screen, but when I stepped further in, they finally looked up and noticed my presence. 

" Oh, Kyle!" Chelsea excitedly called out, pressing pause on the laptop as she stood. She looked.... different. In a good way though. Like she had actually made some noticeable effort in terms of her appearance. Normally she only wore jeans and hoodies, sweatpants if she didn't feel like adding the extra effort. But this time, even though she had stuck to the jeans, she had styled them a lot differently. I had never even pictured her in those mini sized tops girls at my school were obsessed with, but she looked honestly nice, the shade of red suit her. And her hair was all straightened...and was that lipstick she had on? I shot my eyes to the guy still comfortably seated next to her, not expecting to find him looking directly at me, and because the eye contact wasn't at all fun to endure, I looked away and returned my focus to Chelsea. 

I could have complemented her but I didn't even know where to start, and I had a feeling that she wouldn't like it. If I told her she looked nice, it would be a clear sign that I was shocked, which would mean that she didn't look like that on a normal basis. And seeing as she had done all that for the dude next to her, it would be low-key embarrassing. So I kept my mouth shut concerning her appearance and acted as if it was normal for her to dress and look like that. 

" Hey there, " the stranger finally said. His voice deeper than I had expected it to be, I said hi back, managing a smile in the process. 

" This is Dave, and Dave, this is Kyle, "

" The one who takes over after you?" she nodded and he seemed even more excited. 

" Nice to meet you, " he also stood, then he snaked his hand around Chelsea's waist and asked her if they were free to go. She nodded her approval. Then she reached out on the counter and picked a nicely sealed album. 

" This belongs to a customer, she bought it bus said she had an errand to run first, so she'll be picking it up later. Her name's Betty and she's already paid so just hand it over when she comes. " I nodded my agreement and she placed it back down,then she started to collect her things, and unlike the other days when she carried a backpack, this time she was carrying this classy handbag large enough to fit the laptop in.

She reached under the counter and handed Dave a really cool white jacket.

" Here, before you forget it. "

" Thanks. "

He took it from her, then he stepped back and waited for her to finish up, she seemed to be looking around for something, then she asked Dave whether he had seen her charger and he said he hadn't. And while she was busy trying to trace it, her possible boyfriend stared walking over to me. The pants, the shoes, the watch and two rings on his fingers....all those things screamed the word expensive. 

He both looked like and felt like a rich kid. 

Somehow I had a gift of telling such things, and his richness wasn't like Austin's who tended to forget about it sometimes and exist in his own world. Dave was aware that he had money and he wasn't afraid to show it. But I could also tell that he wasn't a bad guy. Not being scared to showcase your wealth through your belongings did not mean you were proud, it just meant you had a refined taste for things and took advantage of the fact that you could acquire them. And it also had nothing to do with your character, whether you were good or bad, those were two different things that people had to stop mixing up as far as I was concerned. 

" You in highschool?" He shocked me by asking, and he actually sounded curious. 

" I am. "

" That's cool, what grade?" 

" Twelfth. "

" So you're finishing up?"

I nodded, he gave me a genuine smile, then he tapped my shoulder and very casually said, " That's nice, stay in school kid. "

I didn't even know what to respond to that so I simply nodded. Chelsea gave up her search and asked me to keep her charger safe for her Incase I found it, I told her I would, then I watched as the two left, holding hands and all that. I smiled on recalling her reaction to seeing Austin, but maybe she hadn't been seeing Dave yet, because she had seemed completely taken by the guy as far as I could tell. Walking around the counter, I shook my head, her charger was literally right there, slightly shielded from view by this little antique box that had been there when I started working at the store. So she had clearly not put much effort into searching for it. I took it and placed it in a drawer under the counter, then I sat and took off my backpack. I had another quiz to study for and I had to take it seriously, no getting distracted. So I put some effort into clearing my mind, then I flipped my books open and went to work. 

But five minutes later, he was in all the pages. 

It wasn't right. It was actually very wrong if him. I understood his wish to be isolated for a while, but he must have known that he was carving me out, digging at me and leaving me empty. Hollow and unable to concentrate on anything other than his loud absence. I know I had turned him away a number of times, and that I wasn't as bold as he wished me to be, but he also knew that he was important. 

He was necessary.

I needed him to be close and to fucking bother me because it gave.me something to look forward to, something to be happy about! I had gotten a free ticket to a freaking BluePrint concert but had turned it down, not because I didn't want to go...hell! It wasn't even because I felt uncomfortable taking it, it was because of HIM! Did he think I was okay? That I was fine with going to school hoping I'd find him there just to be disappointed all over again? Three days of torture and he wanted to prolong it for me? Where was his heart? I understood his need to do some soul-searching, but that didn't make anything better. 

The door was opened and someone walked in. I naturally reached for the album because I assumed it was the owner who has come to get it, but it wasn't the customer Chelsea had talked about. I frowned. 

" Sup Kyle, " Hope greeted me. She was a waitress at Trenny's, the fastfood restaurant just across the street. I had been going there long enough for us to be acquainted. 

" Hey, " I responded, sounding as confused as I felt. I doubted she had taken a break in-between her shift to come look at records. She had literally never even been in there before. My eyes fell to the bag in her hand, and then I watched her as she stride over to where I was and handed it to me. 

" Here you go, "

" What is this?" 

She gave out a short delighted laugh before she shrugged. 

" Some guy called, asked us to bring this over to you. "

Austin. 

My skin felt instantly heats and my heartbeat increased. 

" Secret admirer?" She asked, arching a suggestive brow and I awkwardly smiled. She laughed once more, then she looked around the store as I'd amazed. 

" Man! Can't believe I've never come by here! This place is actually kinda cool. " 

She turned around as she took in the sight, then she sighed and placed a hand on her waist. 

" Anyways, I have to get back to work before I'm accused of slacking off, see yah! I might come over here when I'm free though, I don't know shit about music records but I'm always up for discovering new interests. "

" And the payment?" 

" Taken care of. There's also a little something special he wanted us to give you, " she smiled in that weird suggestive way again. One thing about Hope, she talked a lot. 

" What is it?" 

" Kyle! had I known your taste sooner I would have introduced you to my cousin. He's the sweetest! But oh well, " she shrugged again, feigning disappointment. Then after telling me to do enjoy my meal, she said bye once more and left. I pulled the bag closer. I was hungry, but I had been so busy thinking about Austin I had forgotten abou my hunger. And so when I smelt the food, I immediately craved it. To know he still worried about me made me feel a tiny fraction better. I carefully took out the food. A burger, fries and a bottle of apple juice. 

And a note. It had clearly been ripped out from a notebook, and when I took it out and read it, I smiled. 

"Call me... now," it read. 

And because I was addicted to Austin and required my daily dose of him, I did just that.