My Record Store Romance

Hugging a Stranger, Anytime Kiddo, and an I.O.U.

Odie looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry. I hope it won't always be like that."

I just shook my head again. "Thanks Odie. Like really, thank you. For more things than one." And then I reached down to give him a hug.

He was the best person I knew, he really was. I couldn't believe it had been three years since I started working here. It seemed like just yesterday.

"Anytime, kiddo."

---

A few hours had passed since mine and Odie's conversation. He was now in the back room by himself, probably napping. And I was now in the front room with Hailey, trying to avoid her at all costs. But that was a little hard when the store really wasn't all that big, and the farthest I could get away from her would be the corner. And there wasn't much to do in the corner.

Let's just say, it was really awkward. And I was never really the awkward type, so I don't know why I didn't just say something. Hailey looked fine though. Totally unfazed, prancing around the shop running her fingers along everything and dusting and swaying to the music playing on the record player. I wondered how she did it. Looked so careless and happy, so free and unaffected. I was pretty sure I looked strained and angry most of the time, even though I didn't always feel that way.

I was sitting behind the counter, trying to find a way to break the silence. More for me then for her, because she still looked totally fine. Why was I the one who cared so much? It really wasn't that big of a deal.

While I played with the register buttons, in between the music, I heard a faint beeping noise. And then I concentrated on it, and it seemed to get louder and louder until I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Okay, what the hell is that noise?" I asked, and Hailey looked up from whatever shelf she was dusting, her green eyes staring into mine.

"What noise?" she asked innocently, placing the duster down and putting her hand on her hip.

"That- that god awful beeping noise. Don't you hear it?" I questioned. God, I better not be going crazy. My life was already crazy enough.

"Why don't you look above you Drew?" Hailey said sarcastically, like I was some child in kindergarden, and then laughed. I frowned. I was pretty sure it wasn't coming from above me.

But sure enough, when I looked up, there was a humongous camera hanging above my head. Wires were strung all around it and there was a red light at the top, which beeped every time it flashed.

That's when I noticed multiple beeping sounds, coming from all sections of the room. And as I looked around the shop, I noticed huge cameras in every corner, all hanging around and looming over the shop.

When did those get there? They surely weren't there when I left.

"What the hell are those things?" I looked over at Hailey, who was still giggling.

"Security cameras. After that night," she paused, "Odie decided we might just need a little more protection around here."

"Protection?"

"Uh, yeah."

I huffed, crossing my arms. We wouldn't need all that if Hailey had never said anything in the first place. I hated that Odie now thought we needed security cameras, when before he trusted me to keep the shop under control myself.

That's also when I noticed something else too.

"What happened to the other record?" I said, gesturing to the record player behind me at the counter. It had been changed. All the songs were different.

"Oh," Hailey replied, looking up from couch cushions she was now fixing. "I was getting sick of that record. I swear, I loved the Beatles at first. But if I ever have to listen to another song by them again, I'm going to-"

"Hailey," I interrupted.

"What?"

"You realize that this is still a Beatles record. Just a different one. It's still them." I smirked at her.

"What! No freaking way!" she stopped fluffing cushions abruptly, running over to the record player to examine the record. "Shit. You're right."

I just laughed. I was glad we were getting along better now, at least for two people who hate each other anyway.

But something still lingered in the back of my mind.

You owe her. She helped you, and you owe her.

I really, really hated owing people.

I looked over at Hailey, hunched over the record player mumbling angry obscenities to herself. Then she lifted the top and yanked out the record, stomping back over to the shelves. As she searched for a new one that specifically didn't say "The Beatles" at the top, I decided to speak up again.

You owe her still rang in my ears, causing me to go against everything I was thinking.

"Hailey?" I asked.

No, don't do this. What are you doing. You don't owe her. You hate her, you hate her. And then my mind wandered back to when she hugged me, and the smell of vanilla on her clothes and the look she had in her eyes. She had cared, and I needed more people in my life who actually cared.

"Yeah?" she said, holding a new record cover in her hand.

"I feel like I owe you something." I sighed.

"Owe me?" she looked confused. "For what?"

"For that night." I replied, putting emphasis on the last part. "You helped me and drove me home and everything, and I never did anything for you."

"Don't be ridiculous," she laughed, "You don't owe me anything. I don't know why you're even saying that."

"I owe you. I don't care what you say, I owe you, and I hate owing people." I admitted, leaning towards the wall and wincing as my shoulder rammed into it too hard. I still had a few bruises that weren't quite healed, but other than new little pink scars between my knuckles, there was really nothing left from that night.

"Okay. Well then, what are you going to do about it Drew?" she joked, dancing around in a circle as a new song started.

"Have dinner with me tonight."

______

Oooo romance? Maybe? Yes?

No?

Anyway, thanks for reading. Please remember to vote, comment, comment, or comment. I love writing this story, but I also really love your feedback. Anything at all.

Thanks! And remember to come back for the next chapter!

-Elizabeth