A/N; This is a mix of both movies and both comics.
I've only read issue one of the third comic and am waiting for the whole lot to come out..
There will be all the usual stuff you would expect from anything relating to Kick-Ass, so if you're offended by f-bombs, then I wouldn't recommend this.
Please enjoy.
"Morning Adam!" I smiled as I straightened my work t-shirt.
"Hey." He replied, before looking up from the table he was cleaning and giving me a confused look. 'What are you doing here?'
"I'm working?" I laughed, switching on the TV in the corner. 'I swapped shifts with Tom.'
"You should be at school."
"I need the money more than I need the grades."
"Not true." He said.
"Yes it is. Plus I've swapped now, so what am I gonna do? Just go home?"
He sighed and leant against the window with his arms crossed.
"Fine, you can work today but I don't want to see you in here again this week okay?"
"Thank you!" I grinned, running over and hugging him. "And could you..er.."
"I'll pay you cash before you go."
"Thanks.." I felt bad asking to be paid on the day, it wasn't like anyone else did, but I needed it.
"I don't know why you don't just ask your boyfriend for money anyway."
"Chris? No.. I couldn't."
"Sure.." He mocked, getting back to cleaning the tables.
Let me get you up to speed here.
My name's Jessica Tate. I'm sixteen years old and moved to New York from a small town in Southern France three years ago. I'm not French, my mom just met a guy when we were kids and moved us out there.
She still lives there and I live with my sister, her boyfriend and their kid.
It wasn't too bad when we first moved but the asshole lost his job and a few months later they were having a baby. I was too young to get a job, well, a legal job anyway, my sister got sick and he made no effort, so we got kicked out and now live in a shitty apartment above a porno shop.
I never went out much, only to school and I got pretty depressed. My sister made me go to the doctor and a year and a half later I ventured out and found Atomic Comics. I spent all my spare time (and money) there, and the day I turned sixteen I asked for a job, and got one!
So now I work most days after school and weekends, but I love it. All the money I get goes to my sister but I get first pick on new comic book day and get some for free so it's not all bad even though my home life seems to have taken a nosedive..
I don't have much in the way of friends apart from one guy really, Chris D'Amico. Though.. he's my boyfriend so maybe that doesn't count. He's probably one of our best customers, other than this kid called Dave.
Anyway, Chris is normally in here a lot and we got talking one day and he's a really nice guy. If I'm not working, which is rare, I'm usually hanging out with him at his place, which is huuuuuge.
His family are filthy rich. Dave said it was because his dad runs the mob or something but that's bull.
Just for the record though, I'm filthy rich too. Well, that's what I told Chris. I just work here to keep me grounded. I mean who the hell would want to be friends with me if they knew the truth.
I don't like lying to him but I don't want to lose him. It's getting me into trouble though.
The other day we were talking about this new phone coming out and I said how I was getting one. I ended up stealing one from a store on the way home so I could show him. I so nearly got caught..
I'm not a bad kid. I hate trouble..
"Is my order in?" Todd asked me. School was out and the store was swamped.
"Yeah I'll get it in a minute, let me make your coffee first!"
"You're a woman, you should be able to multitask!"
"Shut up." I hissed as I slid the cup over to him.
"4.50."
"My order?"
"Fine, I'll get it.." I moaned, going into the store room.
Todd is one of Dave's friends, along with Marty. They're like a really unskilled Three Musketeers.. I went out with them to see a movie once and it was the weirdest experience of my life.
"Hey."
I turned round to see Chris standing in the doorway.
"I'll get your order too.."
"No, well yeah, I do want my comics but I just wanted to see you."
"How kind."
"You free after work?"
I started dragging a large box out of the room and behind the counter. "I'm locking up today so not until 10pm."
"Damn."
"Why?"
"I just thought we could hang out."
"Well we sort of are now, right? Hey, Todd?" The guy zones out way too much. "16.80 with the drink." I smiled, handing him his comics.
"Thanks, I'll pay you on the way out?"
"Damn right you will."
"And for you." I turned my attention back to Chris, throwing a pile of comics at him.
"Hey! That's no way to treat a customer!"
"Shut up." I kissed him on the cheek. "I treat you just fine."
He spent the next half hour sulking round the store before coming back to talk to me.
I was sitting with my feet up in one of the empty booths behind Dave and his little gang. Don't call it slacking off because I spent the whole day working hard.
"Move over." He said.
"What's wrong with the other side?"
"Jess.."
"Fine." I put my legs under the table and moved towards the window. It was raining outside. It had been raining for a week straight actually.
"You creased one of these when you threw them at me." He waved an issue of the Avengers in front of me.
"Stop being such a douche, it was like that when I bagged it up this morning. What's with you today?"
"Nothing. How come you gave the store a Kick-Ass makeover?" He asked, looking around at the store which was like a small shrine to the world's new favourite real life superhero.
"I didn't. It was like that when I came in. Adam said it might bring in new customers. Don't tell me you're not a fan?"
"Not really." He shrugged. I couldn't help notice Dave trying to pay attention to our conversation.
"So.. you're a Red Mist fan then, that's it?"
Kick-Ass was no longer the only superhero in New York, a few days ago a new guy appeared on the scene, Red Mist. I didn't catch the part on the news but I saw the newspaper. He had something to do with busting a drug lord I think. His costume was pretty neat..
"Whatever."
"What put you in such a shitty mood?" I asked, grabbing my milkshake and proceeding to blow bubbles in it.
He sighed. "Nothing, it's just my dad, he's been stressing about work lately and taking it out on me."
"Stop taking everything he says to you so personally Chris, you're a nice guy."
"Thanks." He smiled.
It was true. He was the nicest and most genuine person I had ever met, plus he was funny. It was probably why I liked him so much. He was everything missing in my life.
"Anyway, I kinda wanted to hang out with you because I'm uh.. busy for the next few days."
"You, busy?" I laughed. "Got a secret life or something I don't know about?"
He looked at me with a serious look on his face. "Who said anything about a secret life?!"
"No one? I was joking.."
"Jessica!" Adam was waving at me from the counter where a queue of customers had developed. "A little help?"
"Sure thing!" I shouted, climbing over Chris. "Finish my drink off will you? I'll text you tonight."
"I just told you, I'm going to be busy."
"Okay, let me know when you're not then!" I ruffled his hair and ran over to the counter.
"No dates during store opening hours." Adam smiled.
Laughing, I ducked before he had the chance to throw the mug in his hands at me. "Fine, but it's still okay for us to do it in the store room before it opens?"
It always made me feel good when I was allowed to lock the store up. I was young and still pretty new, it was a big responsibility and it meant a lot that they thought I could be trusted with the task. Up until recently it didn't bother me but the minute I switch the lights off I feel like I'm being watched. .