collision // harry styles au

chapter three

I walked behind the short woman who turned around and told me that she was called Colette. She showed me to the section of the store where tons of bags hung on hooks and sat on shelves. I thanked her and she told me to call for her if I needed anything, to which I replied a very grateful "Thank you."

I picked up a couple of over-the-shoulder bags until I found a faded blue one that bore a pocket with a colorful flower on the front. I found it quite fitting. After I'd found the bag, I decided to kill some time and look around the old second-hand shop. I migrated towards the jewelry section where a middle-aged man sat behind the counter reading a book. I peered into the glass that was lit up to make the cheap bracelets, necklaces, and earrings look like treasure. My eyes stopped on a ring with a dark red stone in the middle with a silver band.

"S'cuse me, sir?" I said, and the man looked up at me for the first time. "How much for the red one right there?"

He sat his book down, folding the page he was on. My eyes scanned over the title which read The Trial. The man peered down through his glasses and through the glass at the ring I was pointing to. "Ah, that one's a beaut." the man said in a deep, American accent. "Well, normally I'd price it around 20 quid, but for a pretty lady like you, I'd knock it down to about 15."

Before I could respond, Colette walked up to him and smacked him in the back of the head. "Don't embarrass the poor girl, Ray! Look, you've got her all red."

"Well, she wouldn't be turning even more red if you didn't point it out!" he nearly shrieked.

"Well, if I don't call you out on being a weirdo, no one will!" she argued.

"No, that's okay. Uh, Thank you, and I'll take it." I grinned at them, despite the fact that I could feel my skin burning.

"All right, is that all? You can go look around some more if you'd like. I'll hold this up here for you." Ray told me, giving Colette a 'See, I told you.' look. I shook my head.

"Okay, I'll ring you up at the register." Colette said, and I gave Ray a smile before following her in the direction to check out. "You a new Hallow's student?" Colette asked over her shoulder.

"Uh, yes." I answered.

"You're up early for a University student."

"Early riser." I replied, "Plus, I wanted to get a good look at the city alone."

"What'cha majoring in?" she asked.

"I'm studying to be an artist."

"Very cool. I used to do pottery a lot when I was younger. Then I married that geezer in the back and it became one of those things I did whenever I was really stressed to calm myself down." Colette talked as she rounded the counter and then made her way in front of me.

"I quite like pottery. You're right, very calming." I nodded as she scanned my things. Then an idea popped into my head and I blurted it out before I even thought about it. "Are you hiring, by chance?" Colette looked up and peered at me through surprised eyes. "You want to work here?"

"Well, I find it really nice here and it's really the first place I've felt comfortable and at ease since I left home and I would like to work her very much."

"What's your name, doll?" Colette asked me with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Jenson Arlington." I answered confidently.

"Hm. How old are you?"

"I turned eighteen in May."

"Pardon my french, but why the hell do you want to work in an old second-hand store?"