"Any idiot can face a crisis-it's day to day living that wears you out."-Anton Chekhov
The dim, orange light flickering lazily up above was starting to make the back of your head throb. Waiting in the seemingly endless line preceding the newspaper stall, you looked quickly around, tutting impatiently. There had to be a better way.
Despite the (increasingly elaborate) schemes weaving themselves into existence from the wheels of your mind, they just couldn't find a loophole in the facts: The only hour you that you had to yourself was between 7 and 8pm—the hour between the housekeeper's departure and your dad's arrival home from work. Speed-walking in the zombie-like downtown area already attracted enough attention, so you refused to run. Considering long queues were hardly ever an irregularity in this city, you normally had just enough time to grab your paper and go. You bounced on your heels, sighed and looked up at the sky. Gimme a break-just one.
Yes, all-in-all, like it or not, you were stuck with this plan for now. More like forever. The absence of any queue last week had been surreal. Well, way more surreal than it probably was, considering that all you ever did outside the house was walk and queue. Everyone, even the tramps, no-hopers and drug dealers, had been cramming to get a look at that gene show or whatever it was. You hadn't even felt like getting the paper that day, so instead you took advantage of the miraculous leisure time by adopting a slower pace and peering into some of the shop windows. You didn't hang around for long though—these days a teenager loitering around a closed shop window just screamed 'casing the joint'. Apart from which it was critical that you weren't recognised, not that there was much chance of that; you doubted there were 5 people in the entire world who even knew of your existence. Still, a girl couldn't be too careful, and anonymity certainly didn't discount the possibility of being followed.
Shuffling forwards a few inches in the line, you inspected your camouflage with satisfaction: you wore a pair of knee-high black leather boots with two buckles at the top. Accompanying these were black skinny jeans, a black and red tank top with a handy hood and elbow-length fishnet gloves. Ok, so this wasn't your favourite attire but it would do for the outside world.
Just about...you noted as a girl strutted past in what was almost a bikini with stilettos and tattoos covering the rest of her. Taking a further step in the queue, you continued to watch her and saw her take what looked like a glowstick from pale fingers, and you blinked in surprise at not having noticed them before. The action was such that she might have been taking champagne from a waiter's tray at a high society gathering. As she passed this apparently floating hand without acknowledgement, it spanked her. You only assumed they were male from the low chuckle which accompanied it. Your lip curled in contempt.
"Ugh."
Inwardly, you clapped a hand to your mouth. Outwardly, your eyes widened and you stood frozen as many lethargic heads jerked upwards at whoever had made that strange and audible noise. The worst thing, however, was that the figure, whose outline had become more etched against the wall, had become perfectly still, and the invisible eyes were boring into yours. For the longest three seconds of your life, the gaze remained unbroken; then, flushing scarlet, you forced your eyes downwards and kept them there, still feeling his bruising stare.
This definitely was the longest time in a queue you had ever spent in your life.
A/N: Ok guys, this is my first attempt at a fanfic and I thought what better place to start that with Repo! I've had this sitting around for months and I figured it was time to bring it out :) a HUGE thank you to those awesome people who reviewed my sample of this fic; rest assured that part will feature! I know it's quite short but it felt easier to split it into manageable pieces. Please R&R-constructive criticism welcomed :D
P.S. Much as I am a huge Grilo fan, this is an Grave/OC fic, although she is a bit like Shilo...anyways yes just to clarify!