Crash Records || Larry Stylinson

2. Brighter Sides

'Well if i were you, I wouldn't bother
For there are brighter sides to life'
Still ill - The Smiths

The shop opened at nine am every day, in hopes to give the adults a chance to poke around the shop and pic out what they want before any powder covered noses or starry eyed teens wonder in. Going through random peaks of popularity throughout the day, someone always has to be behind the till. There's only three workers: Paul, Louis and Micheal. The currently pink haired boy, although it won't stay that way for long, had the least amounts of shifts as he's called in 'sick' so many times. Paul eventually stopped giving him them, leaving it to Louis. It was actually meant to be Michael's shift on that Friday morning, but instead Louis was stood by the empty crates stocking them with new albums that they had just got in.

Stocking the shop is his favourite part, he likes talking to the costumers but sometimes he's just not in the mood to socialise. Like always, Louis was stood with a gatefold in his hands, admiring the art work inside. This particular one was 'Sad Happy' by Circa Waves. He chuckled at the weird picture then hummed as he tried to guess what colour the vinyl is. Just as he was about find out wether his guess of gold was correct, the ring of the bell interrupted him.

"We don't open till nine, come back in thirty minutes," he instructed whilst slotting the record  into the new in section.

"I-"

"Did you not see the sign? It says clo-" suddenly, Louis cut himself off when he turned and saw who was standing by the entrance. He flickered his blue eyes between the tall boy and the sign that was pressed against the glass door. In big red letters 'closed' was facing into shop meaning that 'open' was facing the rest of the world. "Fuck! I need to start remembering to change the sign," Louis groaned to himself.

"I erm... I can come back," offered the boy.

"No, don't bother. It was my fault anyway," Louis shrugged, "Plus if you want that interview, I guess it's better to do it before the shop gets busy, right?"

Instead of answering the question, the curly haired teen just wore a shocked expression on his face. "You remembered me?" He asked quietly.

"Of course I remembered you, Harold."

"Its Harry."

"I know," smiled Louis, making the younger boy blush.

The two stared at each other as they both awkwardly fiddled with something. Harry pulled at the fluff of his soft cardigan, a yellow-creamish colour with black stripes, whilst Louis scrunched up the sleeves of his red plaid shirt that he styled as a jacket over a black graphic tee. The stiff silence shattered when a deep voice called from the back room.

"Louis, have you done yet? I've got some limited edition vinyls that I need you to place on the shelves and oh-" Paul's instruction came to a holt when he spotted Harry smiling timidly. Although Harry himself was pushing six foot, Paul was an absolute giant making the boy look like he was drowning in his baggy dress pants. Instead of smiling back, Paul turned and glared at Louis. "How many times have I told you not to let your junkie friends into my shop?"

"Harry's not my friend!" Louis quickly blurted, then winced as he realised how harsh his words sounded. Despite the two being strangers, and not friends, he for some reason didn't want to upset the boy. "And I don't think he's a junkie... right Harry?"

"Oh... I mean I tried brownies once but I completely freaked out. It was terrible I um...thought I wet my self, I didn't, but I thought I did. It felt so real... sorry I'm rambling. It's cause I'm nervous, I— I just really want this job," Harry cringed at the embarrassing story he just shared and then a second time at the sound of desperation his voice.