The Dead And The Risen

Chapter Nine: Learning The Ropes

I left the office and found Robert waiting for me at the back of the store. His back was to me, and he was organizing band merch and lacy, macabre dresses. I stood up straight and rolled my shoulders, adjusting my wings under my shirt, even though Robert had cut some wing-sized slits in the back. I walked over, keeping my footsteps soft, and hugged him from behind. He was so tall that I had to stand on my tip-toes to hug him.

"Hey...."

I tried to say it in my sweetest voice, but it came out all too normal. He did however, give me a long bear hug before he spoke.

"Hey! you ready to start work? This is about the time people start coming in"

"Ummm, Robert? Are you sure about that?"

"Huh? what do you mean?"

"You're standing in the middle of the store without a shirt on! Anyone who walked in would see your wings"

"Ohhhh! yeah....I forget about that sometimes....that reminds me...i have to do my laundry tonight.....hmm"

He started rambling off meaningless, random thoughts when all of a sudden he looked up and stopped speaking.

"Clarissa....you don't have anywhere to live!!"

It occurred to me that I didn't have a place to stay, or parents, or much of anything.

"Umm....well yeah. I guess I don't"

"Well, I don't have my own apartment yet since neither of us are old enough....but I'm sure my parents would be pretty understanding......and we would have to get you enrolled in high school....and- wait."

He thought for a moment before speaking again.

"You can't use your same last name....you'll have to change it..."

"Well....that is true but..."

"But what?"

"People are walking in!!!!!"

"No no no no this is bad!! Go and greet them while I get my shirt!!"

"I-um...ok!"

Robert ran back to the office to get his Metallica shirt, and I nervously headed to the door, where people were approaching. A teenage girl with a purple streak in her hair and a corseted jacket on walked in with her middle aged mom. Ugghh! what did all the employees say whenever you walk in the door.....?!?

"Hi and welcome to Death&Decay! Is there anything that you're looking for in particular?"

I hoped I said it right. The girl answered my greeting after a moment. To my dismay, there was something she needed.

"Yeah. I'm looking for a falling in reverse shirt, size medium."

"Oh, um... yeah, we should have that...follow me"

I led the girl to the back wall of glorious band shirts. I looked at the shelves for a second before finding the FIR ones. I went up to them and started looking for mediums in all the different shirts. I found a few, and handed them to the girl.

"Here you go! Any others that we have will be right around here" I gestured to the shelves around me.

"YAAAAY!!! thank you thank you thank you!!!!!"

The girl looked about fourteen, but she was about 5'1. She let out a screech and hugged me, thanking me one last time before she ran back to her mom who still stood at the front of the store. I realized that I would have to work the register, since Robert wasn't back yet. Where was he anyways? it had been like five minutes already. I watched the mother of the girl hand her daughter the cash to pay for the shirt, and I headed to the register. I turned on the computer, since it was off after the other two employees made a coffee run (apparently) while me and Robert had been in the office, and I finally realized that I had NO idea what I was doing. The girl handed me a twenty and I began to tap self explanatory buttons on the screen. It occurred to me that you had to ask if the customer had a D&D+2 card. So I asked.

"And would you happen to have a D&D+2 card with you today?"

"Yes I do"

The girl pulled a card out of her pocket, and I scanned it, discounting her purchase. I handed it back to her, and finished the transaction easily. it seemed like the machine was practically made for someone who had never used it before. I put the shirt in a bag with her receipt and handed it to her.

"Thanks for shopping!"

"EEEEEKKK!!! YAAAAY!!!"

Ah, fangirls. The girl and her mom left, leaving my heart pounding from handling my first customer, and I collapsed against the glass counter, excited for someone to walk through the doors.
But now, where was Robert?