Under the Influence

Chapter Fifteen: Just One of Those Days

   It was a weird thing, what happened that Monday morning.

   Usually Crawford Comics wasn’t open on Mondays, but that day I had gotten up early to help Scott because I noticed that recently, he had become sleepier every time I saw him, which I considered a good thing. His insomnia was gradually improving, albeit slowly and steadily, he was ameliorating nonetheless. I definitely saw a change in Scott. Even though Tiffany left him and his life wasn’t all that great, I could tell he was trying to look past all of that and focus on his future. He was getting his life back on track, and I was there to help him every step of the way.

   As I trekked to the comic book store, I only had to endure walking through a light drizzle. It was a bit moist and damp outside, but that didn’t really bother me. The weatherman predicted that it would be like that the whole day, and we’d get a bit of humidity in the afternoon. Of course, the weatherman was wrong for the umpteenth time. Why people trusted meteorologists to tell them the outcome of the weather each and every day was beyond me.

   Now, as I gazed outside, I could not only see the torrential downpour slamming harshly against the fragile glass of the window, I could hear it all too well. The soft patter of the rain soon developed into a boisterous din that made it sound like we were in the midst of some kind of war here. The weird thing was, there was no thunder or lightning—just rain. I found it kinda ominous and unsettling, but I chose to ignore that.

   I wondered how I’d get to school in this weather. It’d be a tedious and moronic task to walk, so I’d just ask Scott the drive me. Or if Scott was too busy, Hunter was my preferred second choice.

   Giving the store a brief once-over, I realized Scott was nowhere in sight. Though, knowing Scott, he was probably sleeping in the back room. That might’ve sounded like a bad thing, my brother sleeping on the job, but as long as he was getting some rest, I was fine with it. He had to endure many sleepless nights these past few years, so this was a pleasant change.

   Then, suddenly, the front door flung open and a stranger entered Crawford Comics, mumbling incoherent phrases under his breath. I couldn’t tell who it was because they had their—very soaked, might I add—hood pulled over their head, shadowing their face. “You mind if I stay here for a few minutes? I need to get out of the rain.” He had a deep, gravelly voice. I knew that voice, but I couldn’t seem to place a name or a face to it.

   “Um, yeah, sure.” I was happy to provide a place for the stranger to stay. I knew I wouldn’t want to walk outside in this weather for very long.

   The stranger slipped his hood off and I gasped almost inaudibly when I realized who it was—Aaron. He was shaking his wet hair out like a dog and running his hands through it with that trademark scowl plastered on his face.

   This was the first time Aaron entered Crawford Comics and it was only because he needed a break from the assaulting raindrops pouring down outside. If he was going to stay here for a few minutes, he should at least be polite and buy a comic or something. Then again, since when was Aaron ever polite?

   Maybe I was just sizing him up wrong, like I did to Hunter before I got a chance to know him.

   I didn’t think Aaron noticed me yet because he was too preoccupied with sculpting his hair so he didn’t resemble a wet dog and making a general mess of the store. I’d have to dry the puddle of water that was accumulating around his feet later.

   When he finally did notice me, he froze completely for a moment, staring at me with narrowed eyes like he was racking his brain to try and remember me. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t know me—not a lot of people at school did. Well, besides Hunter. I kinda liked it that way too, just being on the sidelines most of the time.