"I'm home mom," I yelled, pulling my keys out of the door. I walked down the hallway into the kitchen.
I put my bag on the counter by the fridge and walked into the living room. My mom was passed out on the couch with beer cans laying around her. I walked over to her and checked for breathing. Once I located a pulse and breathing, I covered her with a blanket. I picked up the beer cans and put them in the sink. They would eventually go to recycling.
My phone went off inside of my bag.
It was Jade:
How's the mom?
I sent a quick one back:
Passed out on the couch. Going grocery shopping. Ttyl.
I basically own this house. My mom has been a drunk ever since my dad died. It would be four years next week. I do the grocery shopping and the cleaning and paying the bills. Although my grandma visits when it's time to pay the taxes, I can't screw those up.
We were obviously low on the essentials. I checked the bathroom for any hygiene products, only toilet paper was needed.
I grabbed my keys and wallet and got back into my car. I would have to go to work later but the store closed at 6. I turned up the radio before pulling out of my driveway. About halfway to the store, my car beeped signaling an oil change was needed. I would have to get up early tomorrow to change that. And I also needed to buy oil tonight.
A few songs later, I pulled into the parking lot. I grabbed my wallet and keys and hopped out. First thing was the oil so I wouldn't forget it. When I turned into that aisle, I stopped in my tracks. The same boy I ran into yesterday was buying oil. I started to turn around, but I wasn't fast enough.
"I thought we weren't bothering each other," he called out. I could the smile behind his words.
I slowly turned around and shrugged me shoulders. "How was I suppose to know you would be here?"
"Telepathy," he suggested.
I shook my head in denial and looked for the oil I needed.
"What are you doing in the oil aisle?" He questioned me.
"Sorry, didn't realize oil was just for men. I'll come back when your gone. Wouldn't want to interrupt your shopping trip," I snapped, walking away.
"I wasn't being sexist," he yelled.
"Yeah, you kind of were," I argued, turning around.
"I just wanted to know what you were doing here," he countered.
"Maybe, oh I don't know, buying oil," I stated obviously.
"Okay, obviously. But why?" He continued.
"Because my car needs an oil change," I said, slowly.
"How do you know what to buy?" He questioned.
"I've been changing my oil for four years now. But that's none of your business," I muttered, grabbing the oil off the shelf.
"You keep surprising me," he said under his breath.
"Why? Because I talk? Because I can change the oil on my car?" I demanded.
"I don't know one girl who even knows what that means," he explained.
For some reason I realized that I didn't know his name.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Ouch. Wounded ego there sweetheart," he faked, grabbing his heart.
"Whatever, don't tell me," I said, shrugging my shoulders and walking away. I made my way to the toilet paper. How could I not know this guy's name? My school is the size of Walmart. I know everybody in that school.
The toilet paper was in the middle of the aisle. So when I turned to go back the way I came, the boy was standing in my way.
"Why are you following me?" I demanded.
"Let me help you with that stuff," he suggested.
"It's toilet paper and oil," I stated in confusion.
"Just let me help," he continued.
"Could you not?" I asked, walking around him.
"Not what?" He pestered.
"Could you not bother me? It's irritating," I sighed.
"I was just trying to help," he explained.
"Listen, whatever your name is," I started, "I can bench 260, I don't need you to carry my oil or toilet paper. I just want to go home so I can go to work."
"It's Ace," he muttered.
"Excuse me?"
"My name is Ace," he said louder.
"Why are you getting angry?" I demanded.
"I'm not. You should know my name," he snapped.
"I don't have time for this. I'm going to be late for work," I said, walking to the checkout.
I had to drive straight to work, Ace made me late. I drove a little farther into town and parallel parked right in front of the book store I work in.
When you opened the door, the small silver bell jingled. When you breathed in, the smell of pages overwhelmed your nose. Your eyes couldn't stay in one place, the books were everywhere.
Charlotte came out from behind the desk. She was your average woman, brown hair and eyes. She was the perfect height for a woman, and her clothes style was to die for.
"Phoenix! How are you sweerheart?" She asked, pulling me in for a hug.
"You saw me yesterday," I laughed.
"I know, but word travels fast," she said, raising her eyebrow. Her dark brown hair fell back into her eyes.
I groaned, "I was just protecting myself."
"Jade said you picked him up," she argued.
I scoffed, "Yeah, okay. He was fighting and stumbled backwards, and it was either be squashed or push him back up."
"And why didn't you choose to be squashed by a teenage boy?" She smiled.
I walked behind the counter.
"Because I would have looked like an idiot," I pointed out.
"Oh, honey. Jade said you made a scene in lunch, too! I wish I was your age," she pouted.
"No, Charlotte, you dont. Boys smell like the inside of a perfume hut and girls are out to ruin each other. It's a cruel world," I laughed.
"At least your putting yourself out there. I think you'll be in the paper for the little announcement you made in lunch," she giggled, pointing at me.
"He wasn't going to leave," I whined.
"At least you put him in his place," she chuckled. She grabbed her purse off the table.
"This place has been slow all night. Don't forget to lock up," she said, blowing kisses at me.
Charlotte was like my sister. She went through a divorce and moved here. When she saw how much time I spent here, she offered me a job. I've been working here the past 3 years, I lock up at 10 and go home. I work Monday through Thursday.
It was 10 minutes to closing time when the bell jingled. I was on the computer doing inventory.
"Welcome to Charlotte's Reading Corner, looking for anything in particular?" I asked, not looking up from the screen.
"Yeah, do you have books on how to piss off a teenage girl?" Ace smirked.
"What are you doing here?" I sighed in defeat. I shut down the computer.
"I'm here looking for a book," he stated. He leaned onto the counter, his forearms exposed.
"Are you mocking me?" I questioned.
"No, Phoenix. I'm seriously looking for a book. It's for English," he sighed.
"What's it called?"
"Shouldn't you know," he complained.
"We aren't in the same English class. I'm in the senior class," I explained quietly.
"Oh yeah, you're the brains of the school. Um, I think it's 'How to kill a Mockingbird,' "
He replied.
I nodded my head and came out from behind the counter. I brushed past him and headed to the back of the store.
He was right on my heels the whole time.
"So how long have you worked here?" He asked, striking a conversation.
On the back shelf of the store were Charlotte's old books.
"The past three years," I replied. I found the book and took it back to the counter.
I rung it up. "Twelve dollars."
He pulled out his wallet and handed me a twenty dollar bill.
"You have your whole life to work. Why start now?" He questioned.
I sighed. "Not everybody has the luxury of money."
"That was vague," he complained.
"I don't see why it's so important," I countered.
I didn't have to explain anything to him.
"I don't get the point of working if your 17," he bantered. His voice was raising.
"This isn't something I'm going to argue about. Take your book and leave. I need to lock up," I said firmly.
He snatched his book and walked out, not uttering another word to me.
I drove home in confusion. You catch a guy from falling and suddenly he needs to know everything about you.
I pulled into my driveway and the house was still dark. I unlocked the door and went into the living room.
My mom was still passed out on the couch, the blanket covering her body. I put the toilet paper in the bathroom and the oil by the front door.
After I got ready for bed, I crawled in and fell asleep with a certain boy on my mind.
Chapter 2 guys!! Thanks for reading!