DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything from the show Henry Danger. I do however, own the idea for this story and anything else fictional you don't recognise. Please DO NOT plagarize.
Author's Note: This story will be told in Charlottes P.O.V. This is also an AU (alternate universe) story. I apologise for any typos in advance.
You Found Me - Chapter One: Junk 'N' Stuff
Sleep. I needed sleep. But this 'Captain Man and Kid Danger' Comic was too good. My eyes were straining but my brain was on alert. Just one more page, just one!
"Charlotte? You better not be awake reading those comics again," My mother's voice could be heard right outside my bedroom door making me jump. Quickly composing myself, I switched the lamp at my bedside table off and reached for my flashlight.
"Mom, I was just about to go to bed," I replied; exaggerating a tired voice was bound to trick her. She didn't have to know I was about to hide under my bed sheets with a flashlight in one hand, ready to stay up like a sneaky 5th grader.
"Hm. Alright. Goodnight, sweetie," Hearing her footsteps drift away, I smirked as if I'd just gotten away with murder. You'd think being seventeen I wouldn't be treated like such a child, but that's not how it worked in my family apparently. As I settled myself in a more comfortable position, you could say I was more than startled when my pear phone started vibrating.
After a moment of just staring at it in astonishment, I let out a sigh and made to grab for it without checking the Caller ID. I was already sure of who was on the line (I mean, who else was going to call me at such a late hour.)
"Jasper, it's late and for the fifth time I will not go shopping for buckets with you all the way in another state!" I whispered as loudly as I thought was possible without triggering my mother's freaky 'dog-like' hearing. Expecting to hear whining from my best friend on the other line, all I heard was an awkward pause.
"...Uh, Charlotte?" The deep voice that replied definitely wasn't Jasper's. In fact, that sounded like...
"Mr. Manchester?"
Mr. Manchester was the owner of the local 'weirdo' shop known as 'Junk 'N' Stuff'; the only place in Swellview that sold...well junk. And said shop was where I'd applied to work for two weeks prior to the call I was currently on.
In all honesty I'd forgotten all about it. I had seen the ad for 'help' on the way home from school in the shop window and without really much thought, put my name down on the (very empty might I add) list before quickly filling out an application.
That however, didn't explain as to why he was calling me at 1:30 AM. Though if I was honest, he was little odd himself.
"Yeah, sorry to call you at such a late hour. I was preoccupied with uh...other duties and this was the only available time I could make time to speak with you." Yupp, really odd.
"I just wanted to inform you that I reviewed your application and you're hired. You can start working at Junk 'N' Stuff tomorrow at 11 AM." My embarrassment over shouting about buckets to anyone other than Jasper was shortlived, as I let out a squeal in excitement.
"I got the job?! Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Manchester!" I probably sounded a little too excited because he chuckled.
"It's a pleasure, Charlotte, and call me Ray."
"Will do, Ray. See you tomorrow!" We both hung up the phone and a grin was practically splitting my face as I went back to reading.
"Charlotte?! I thought you were sleeping. What was that noise?" Oops. I couldn't have made that much noise yet my mother was back outside my door. She hears at a higher frequency than the rest of us, I swear.
"Nothing mom! Just saw a spider but I handled it...goodnight!" I didn't have to see her to know she was glaring suspiciously to herself, but she shuffled away eventually. I let out a sigh of relief as I turned the page of the comic in my hand. I silently vowed that once I grew tired, I would make sure I'd put it away and get some sleep for my first day at my new job. Money would soon be mine.
-X-
"That shirt is hideous," Were the words that my other best friend Bianca White (one would need someone else to keep them sane with Jasper always around) greeted me with the next day once I'd shut the passenger door to her car.
With a cheesy smile, I responded with a sarcastic "Thanks, Bianca, I love you too."
Bianca leered at me and as per usual it failed to bother me. Clothes and fashion were her 'thing'- hence why I was getting the third degree for just a simple T-shirt choice.
"Charlotte, it's got a taco with a smiley face on it! I can't associate myself with people who decide to dress like this." I pouted as I looked down at the clothing in question. I had happened to find it very cute and was happy with my purchase.
"But it says, 'Let's taco 'bout it' underneath the smiling taco. Does that not scream food chic?"
"No Char, it doesn't."
"You're a pun-hater, aren't you? Just admit it." Bianca rolled her eyes in my direction and just simply turned on the ignition without replying. I laughed and put my seatbelt on.
Bianca had been my best friend since she'd transferred to Swellview in the sixth grade. Now that we were seniors in highschool, you'd think she'd stop hounding me on what I decided to wear. I guess not.
"So, new job!" Bianca decided to change the subject, which was probably a good idea or we'd be arguing about unimportant things the whole ride.
"Yupp! I'll be richer than you in no time." I grinned, changing the radio station to something that we'd both like.
"Well, I mean it's not like you're working for Louis Vutton. It's a junk shop. You're probably the only person who applied there - what with that weird guy who owns the place and all."
"Hey, Ray is nice." I defended him, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Ray?" Bianca's tone sounded astonished and her eyebrows rose above her bangs. "Since when were you guys on a first name basis?"
"Since he called me last night and offered me the job," I explained with a shrug. It probably sounded way more wrong from an outsider's view, because Bianca was now gaping as she kept her eyes on the road.
"What?! Charlotte, that's creepy! Why would he not wait till a reasonable hour? What if he's some...sick...well, creep?!"
"Nah, he's just a little weird." I tried my best to sound nonchalant because I didn't want to think about how right she was - it was too late to back out now. "Turn here."
Two minutes later and we were at our destination. I hopped out of the car and bid Bianca farewell - but not before she offered me her pepper spray and I declined of course (what real danger was I going to get myself into anyway?)
The sound of the bell chiming made me smile as I stepped inside the shop known as 'Junk 'N' Stuff'. As expected, there was junk pretty much everywhere - and I was more than excited to be the one that sold more than half these items. Funnily enough people actually bought things from this place.
Taking in my surroundings, I failed to notice someone was staring at me from across the room until the smell of smoke caused me to wrinkle my nose. Turning my eyes to the left I noticed the culprit for said smoke.
There was a blonde boy standing at the paying counter, his elbows resting on the top as he inhaled a cigarette.
Was that even allowed in here? Was the thought that immediately came to my mind.
I raised an eyebrow at the intense stare he seemed to be giving me, but he didn't seem phased by being caught at all. His blonde hair was falling into his light brown eyes slightly, and the grey beanie on his head matched the grey shirt he was wearing. He also had a large tattoo right in the middle of his bicep.
It looked like...a bulldog?
Who the heck is this kid?
"Uh..." I tried to ignore how awkward this obviously was by speaking. "Do you know where Mr. Manchester is?"
That was the only question I deemed fit to break the silence between us and yet blonde boy didn't answer. Instead his eyes seemed to travel up and down my frame slowly as if assessing me before simply taking another drag of the cigarette in his hand.
"Excuse me? Also, is that allowed in here?" I pointed to the offensive object in between his fingers and it was his turn to raise an eyebrow as he exhaled the smoke that had been briefly in his lungs.
"What's it to you?" He finally replied in a bored tone. I had to hold back a scoff at this blatant disrespect.
"Nothing," I said, glancing away for a second to compose myself, "But I mean...you didn't answer my first question."
"I didn't feel like it," He told me with a shrug and I simply couldn't hold back my glare this time.
"You didn't feel like it?"
"That's what I said, isn't it?" A smirk had emerged onto his lips, and if I hadn't been so annoyed I would have appreciated how attractive it made him without reluctance.
"Listen here, buddy. I'm the new employee and once I get settled in I'm going to have to ask you out of here." I told him, crossing my arms for effect. I don't think it worked because instead he just seemed slightly amused at my attempt at authority.
"Is that right?"
"Yes. And not only are you being asked to leave because you're smoking, but because you just seem to give off this vibe of an asshole that -"
"Charlotte! You're here!" My heated words were cut off by the warm welcoming of Mr. Manchester - or Ray, as he had asked me to call him the previous night - walking out from the back of the shop.
"Oh uh, Hi Ray," I straightened my posture and unfolded my arms to clasp my hands together in front of me. With an innocent smile, I added "I'm ready to start working."
"Great, I'll go get your name tag," He glanced at the boy who was dubbing out his cigarette on top of the counter and frowned at his actions.
"What have I told you about doing that in here?" Ray reprimanded him, sounding annoyed.
"Sorry." The boy replied with another shrug, but unsurprisingly he didn't sound sorry at all.
"I see you've met my Godson, Henry." Ray informed me as he turned to look in my direction again. I raised an eyebrow at this new information. Godson? So, he wasn't just some asshole customer who had wondered in and stood where he saw fit...he was just an asshole period.
"Ah...Godson. Yeah, I have," Clearing my throat, I tried my best to sound polite. "It's nice to meet you, Henry."
In response, he snorted. Well excuse you, Henry.
"Sure, it is," He replied, with a roll of his eyes.
"Don't be rude." Ray sighed with a shake of his head. Once again Henry shrugged and began to drum his fingers against the counter below him. Shrugging seemed to be his favourite past time or something.
"He'll be working here too so you'll be able to help each other out." I could feel my stomach dropping to my feet as my eyes widened. Great. A rude bad boy wannabe as my co-worker...this was all I needed.
"Sounds...good!" Hopefully the smile on my face wasn't too wide, but who would blame me for having trouble faking happiness upon hearing news about working with this so-called Henry?
"Now that's been said, I'll go get your name tag now," Ray said with a smile before whizzing off into the back again. The smile on my own face was gone in a flash as I turned my attention back to the idiot in front of me.
"Don't look too happy, sweetheart." Henry said, and low and behold the smirk was back. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was turn around, walk out of the store and call and plead with Bianca to drive me home. (Even if that meant hearing 'I told you!' screamed in my ear for the whole twenty minutes of the ride.)
"Working with you isn't exactly something to smile about."
"The feelings mutual..." His eyes wandered over my face before he finished his sentence with what would come to be a new nick name. "Sweetheart."
He used a mocking tone, making the term of endearment sound more like an insult. I could hear his snickering as I let out an exhausted sigh. Exhausted. And I hadn't even worked here yet!
What had I gotten myself into?
Author's Note: Hey guys! I've been working on this story for AGES so I thought maybe it was time to finally post a chapter lmao. That being said, I'm still not EXACTLY sure where I'm going with this story so bare with me. Reviews/Faves/Alerts are appreciated :)