Guilty Love

1| Runville

"Good morning London," Ms. Beatrice, the dance teacher at the local studio for kids, grinned and waved at me from the first table. 

"Morning," I chuckled. 

"Good day, Ms. London," Noah said, bowing his head dramatically. He's just a fourteen-year-old boy who goes to Runville High. 

"Morning, Noah," I sang. I looked up at the counter since it was finally my turn. 

"Hey, London. What can I get for you?" Georgia grinned. 

"I'll take my usual two." 

"That's one iced americano and one caramel frap. Anything else?" 

"Nope, that's all." 

"Five dollars." I took out my wallet and paid. "Thank you," she smiled. 

"Thanks," I grinned back, heading to the side, waiting for my two cups. I grabbed two straws in the meantime and then took my cups, poking the straws through the top and throwing away the wrapper. "Bye, everyone!" I called out behind me. 

"Bye, London!" Everyone chimed. 

I walked out, heading to the store. I got there in no less than five minutes and unlocked the door, setting all my things down at the counter and then flipping the sign to 'open' before settling in my chair. 

Dylan came rushing in with a cardboard box in his hand. Dylan likes to work at this store, especially over the summers he spends here in Runville. Dylan was still a college student until recently, but he would visit his parents here without fail every holiday. Now he's moved back home and he's working here, at least for the time being. "London," he panted, "new books." 

"Thanks. Your coffee." I handed him the americano. 

"Thanks," he nodded, gulping more than half of it down, choking on it. 

I took a sip from my coffee, then grabbed the box cutter, pulling up the blade and slicing the box open. I peeked inside and then took all the books out, one pile at a time. I split the books evenly and got to work. I made a list for each of us, mentioning the title and genre of each book before handing his list to him. "Find where they belong in the store and shelf them. Let's get to work." 

"Aye, aye, Ms. Captain," he breathed out, taking his share of books and dropping them on one of the carts while I took the other. From there on, we wandered around, shelving the books. 

I would run-up to the counter whenever a customer came by and attend to them until I was done shelving all the new books and then I settled in the chair behind the counter while Dylan sat in the back, doing whatever he does. 

He's an Art major, actually, so he spends the majority of his time drawing sketches for specific books here and leaves them in there. If a customer happens to buy that book, they get a little sketch for free. 

"Welcome to The Last Chapter, how can I help you?" I smiled at the customer who came to the counter. 

"London," she whined. 

"Lily," I chuckled. 

"I'm in desperate need of a copy of The Scarlet Letter."