The Shoebox Paradox

Story Two: Thorne and a Job

Months passed by. My Converse became my favorite shoes of all time, and with a few minor exceptions, I wore them everyday. School in New York wasn't that much different from my tiny school in Radnor, the only thing being that my new school had over a thousand kids in each grade. I never had the same people in two classes, and being a new kid, I found it very hard to make friends. To a select few, I was Shawn from Journalism, but to most, I was just That Guy In The Back of the Classroom. What's his name..?  I spent most of my free time at school in the gigantic library, curled up on an old, scratchy couch with my laptop and some headphones. Sometimes I would help out Melanie, helping her take inventory of the huge piles clothing, and arranging the jewelry in the sticky glass case. 

One day, while I was folding shirts, (the one in my hand reading: Fuck The Police!), Melanie approached me with her usual broad smile. 

"I have an offer." She said, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. It was times like these when she looked as though she weren't any older than 16, her eyes sparkling with a youthful glint as if she never quite grew out of her childhood. I often wondered how old she was, but I never had the courage to ask. 

"Hmm?" I asked, pulling my earbuds out. 

"How would you like it if I offered you a job?" She asked. "I mean, you already do as much work as an employee, and you're super helpful. Plus, you'd get paid!" She looked hopeful. "Not to mention the fact that I could use a little bit of company around here. I only get a couple customers a day, you know." I grinned at her. 

"You had me at "job". I said. 

"You wouldn't get paid very much." She warned. I shrugged. 

"I'm not getting paid at all right now. Anything's better than this!" 

"That's great! I'll pay you $9.00 an hour. Starting now." She bounced away. I smiled to myself. My first job ever. Yes! The door swung open, and I heard the a familiar bellow.

"THORNE!" Melanie yelled. I turned to the door. There was the girl from before, dressed all in black, her long blonde braid protruding out from a tattered baseball cap. Today she wore a shirt with the words: Panic! At The Disco. She grinned when she saw me. 

"Hey! I know you!" She walked over to where I was sitting on the floor. "You're Shoe Guy!" She sat down in front of me, directly on the neatly folded pile of clothes I had just made. "My name is Thorne. At least, that's what I'm called." 

For the first time, I was able to get a good look at her face. I realized quite suddenly that she was very pretty. Like, really pretty. The kind of girl that guys like me never have a chance with, unless we're worth more than one million annually. She had blue eyes that sparkled with humor, as if she was sharing a joke with only me. She had a small splash of freckles on her perfectly straight nose, and lips that formed a tiny pout, though you'd hardly ever see it, as she always smiled. The only "imperfection" on her face was a tiny circular birthmark underneath her left eye. But somehow, that seemed to make her even more beautiful. 

"I'm Shawn." I managed to choke out. It wasn't my fault. Her face was really distracting. She noticed me staring and winked.

"Thanks for gaping at my face." She said. "Most guys don't even notice my face. They go straight for my boobs." I felt my face go warm, because I had noticed her boobs as well. In my defense, what straight guy doesn't notice? She laughed at my reaction, and stood up. 

"Don't mind her!" Melanie yelled from the counter. "She's a tease." 

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Okay." She said, dropping her voice as if she were sharing with me some deep secret. "Maybe I am...just a little." She laughed again, and motioned for me to stand up. "You work here now right? Why don't you show me your recommendations for what group I should listen to next." 

"Um, I don't know. I don't really listen to music." That was a lie. I loved music. It was just, I was a little embarrassed at my music tastes. I didn't listen to anything but classical. I was in love with it. But I could never say that out loud if I wanted to impress her and didn't want to come across as gay. I mean, this was the first time I was ever having a conversation with a hot girl!  I wanted to look cool. 

"Oh come on. You have an earbud in right now, as we speak!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me up, her strength surprising me. She led me to the vinyl wall. "What do you think?"

I stared at the wall. I had no idea who any of the artists were. Not even one. 

"I don't see any here that I know of." I admitted. I'd rather tell the truth than come across as an idiot later. She gasped out loud. 

"No, no, no. That will not do!" She said, scanning the wall. "Will not do at all." Her voice dropped to a whisper, more talking to herself than to me. She plucked a vinyl off of the wall. It didn't have any words, but a triangle with light shining through it, turning it into a rainbow. 

"Let's start you off with a classic. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of The Moon. This version is cheap, some of these beggars can sell for hundreds." She handed it to me. I must have stared at it as if it were some sort of alien creature, because she laughed again. 

  "You are the girliest guy I have ever seen. Not even Pink Floyd...." She shook her head.  "It goes on a record player." She said. I had heard of those before. An old time music player with a weird little arm thingy that went on a disc. 

"I don't have one of those..." I said. 

"That won't do either! Until you fix that massive problem, I guess you'll just have to come over and use mine!" She sighed dramatically. 

"Are you inviting me over to your house?" I asked. I couldn't believe it! 

"Um, yeah. What does it sound like, you doof?" She laughed and took the vinyl back. "My house, after school. My brother will drive us back to my house. I'll have our listening station all set up." I had no idea she went to my school! Well, in a school with a million gazillion other people, it's not too surprising. 

"Melanie, I'm borrowing this one." Thorne said, waving the record in the air. Melanie grunted, not bothering to look up from the tabloid she was engrossed in. Thorne turned and waved to me before walking out. I couldn't help but stare for a few lingering seconds at the door after she left. 

"She's a cute one, isn't she?" Melanie said.