Sometimes

Chapter four

    “Ha-ha,” I said dryly just as the two guys in front reached the counter.  “Hey there.  How can I help?”

    The next couple of hours passed slowly, even though I was rushed off my feet.  Retro shack may only serve slushies, smoothies and various other soft drinks, but the demand for refreshments didn’t seem to let up at all.  I wiped my hands on my apron, ridding them of excess smoothie, just as I noticed Aiden entering the shack.  He was wearing a green t-shirt with the familiar ‘Haunted Vegas’ logo etched across the front, and a pair of black skinny jeans.  We hadn’t spoken since English class on Tuesday and even then we hadn’t really had time to get to know each other; Mr. Lloyd had handed us a stack of work to do in silence.

I stepped behind the till and smiled. 

    “Hey.  How can I help?”

Aiden’s head snapped up from the screen of his phone when he heard my voice.  “Hi Harriet.  I didn’t realise you worked here.”  

I nodded and my fringe fell out of the clip I’d forced it back with and into my eyes.  I swept it back quickly.  I really do need a haircut.  “Yeah, been working here a good six months now.”

He put his phone back in his pocket and smiled.  “Cool.  This place always seems so lively.”

    “I haven’t stopped today.  Can I get you anything?”

    “Strawberry smoothie please.”

I nodded and set to work on preparing his order.  The fruit had already been chopped up this morning so all that was left to do was chuck it in the blender.  The machine whirred as it mashed the contents to a pulp and I tipped the resulting pink liquid into a tall plastic cup.

    “£1.50,” I announced as I set the smoothie in front of Aiden.

    “Make that £1.00.”

I turned around to see Leanne standing behind me again.  She was smiling at Aiden. 

I frowned and lowered my voice.  “Since when are you allowed to give random people discount?”

    “Since I’m manager for the day.”  Her smile was smug and she knew it.  “That’s a quid, Aiden.”

Aiden smiled back at her and slid a pound towards me.  I dropped it into the till, annoyed at Leanne.  He probably thinks I don’t know the prices even though I told him I’ve been working here six months.

I said bye to Aiden before turning back to Leanne.  She was still smiling smugly.

    “What?”

I folded my arms over my apron.  “Since when do you know Aiden?”

    “You know him too?”  Her hazel eyes flickered in the direction he’d disappeared into before she looked back at me. 

I nodded.  “He’s in my English class at college.”

    “Oh, that makes sense.” 

    “So how do you know him?”

Leanne leaned back against the counter and chewed on her thumb nail for a second.  “You know I said we’d found a bassist?”

I thought back to Tuesday night, when she’d told me about her gig.  I nodded.

    “Well, you just met him.”

                                               ***

    I turned the radio up in an attempt to drown out Cassie’s laughter but it didn’t work for long.  She was next to me in a second, a manicured nail jabbing at the volume button.  I pushed her away and she retreated back to her wicker chair on the other side of the lounge.  I picked up my History book that she’d knocked to the floor and sighed.