Remember when we started
Days when all was fun
All that we could make when life was young
Nothing feels the same
You can't even make sense of your own name
-Ben Folds
The bell dinged behind us, and our entrance went all but ignored as we entered the comic shop. Honestly, whoever decided to combine caffeine with comics-well, let's just say they're in my good books, for sure. Chapters overdid it, but I think this one's found a good balance.
Tanis swung leisurely on my hand, letting me support most of her weight(it wasn't much, mind you, just annoying) as she tilted her head back. "Where's Julie?"
Shrugging, I peered around the room as she looked up at me expectantly with her pale green eyes. A few teenagers lingered in the booths near the windows, and two or three hovered over the new arrivals. Small hands dropped mine as the seven year old latched onto my kilt and began to pull.
I would love to say I have the enthusiasm for comics that Ian or Tanis or even my step dad did. But I don't. I mean, I don't hate them or anything, and I've been known to leaf through one or two on a rainy day…but they never really stuck with me. I have my favorites of course. I'll get a little giddy when a Deadpool or even a new Scott Pilgram comes out, hell I'll even rock the odd Marvel tee. But that's usually because their gifts.
Doesn't mean I'm going to tell my sister that though. She grinned up at me as my phone beeped and I smiled down at her in return.
"Ply Alg." The text read.
Ply alg? What the hell was ply alg? I let Tanis lead me over to the new Looney Toons comics.
Another beep came and I once again flipped my phone open. "Play Along dumass."
Dumass? I rolled my eyes as Ian sauntered out of the back room. "Dumbass is spelt with a b, idiot."
"Well excuse me, what are you, the grammar police?"
"What are you? Retarded?"
He glared at me as Tanis squealed. "Julie!"
"Hey, Nissy." He patted her head affectionately, even thought the nickname made him cringe.
"Where's-"
"Same place they always are." Her face lit up as she sprinted into the back. She came out moments later, clutching a small stack of children's comics to her chest. We watched her slide into a booth before speaking. "So," the bell dinged behind me, and he paled slightly as he went on, "someone broke into my apartment last night."
"What?" My eyes widened in surprise. Ian lived in a pretty good neighborhood, at least by comparison to, say, me. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," He winked at me. "They just jacked a couple costumes-"
"They jacked off in your costumes?"
"No, no-what the hell is wrong with you?" Ian almost giggled as a fine blush lined his tan cheeks.
I bobbed my shoulders, and explained. "I've been with nothing but girls for the past six hours, E, I'm lonely."
"Hm."
"So, they just took a couple of your costumes?"
"Yep."
"And you don't find that creepy?" I felt a presence behind me, and found myself overcome by a shadow. Ignoring it, I leaned over the counter as the person continued to move around behind me. "That some cosplay pervert was in your apartment?"
"What is it with you and the perverts?"
I smirked at him, "birds of a feather?"
"Ugh, whoriest Christian ever." He shook his head at me, "but yeah, I'm fine. I mean, it's not like they took anything important-hell, I even got some free press from it."
"Free press?"
Ian nodded, continuing to let his eyes flicker over the shop. They stayed on Tanis(I knew where she was sitting) a moment longer before going back over my head. "That girl on the news, you see her?"
"The Harlot?"
"Harpy."
"Whatever."
"It means food snatcher."
"Fantastic," I drawled.
"Yeah, well, I think she took them."
I giggled falsely, waving a teasing finger at him, "you got robbed by a girl."
"Fuck you, Carrie, this is why you have no friends."
Patting his cheek, I fought to keep the grin off my face, "I have you don't I?"
Ian sighed over dramatically. "Barely."
"Psh," I scoffed, "you love me."
I leaned back further and bumped someone with my ass. I jumped to straight, spinning around as Ian snickered behind me. "Julian!" I snapped over my shoulder, as I was once again overcome by a shadow.
The boy I had bumped into stared at me with wide eyes. Probably because I had begun to ramble. "Look, bro, dude, baby, it was an accident, I didn't mean, to- 'cause like-it's my mom's fault."
The boy continued to stare, blinking dark brown eyes at me as I cleared my throat. Ian continued to make a strangled noise behind me. "How is this your mom's fault?"
"Because she blessed me with such well rounded, childbearing hips, asshole." I pushed one of his figures off the counter before going on, "and you know, skipping out on the Y chromosome."
"Actually, it's the sperm that-"
"Ian!"
The boy looked up at a large African American man who was standing rather close to him. He was watching me closely, and I took a tentative step away from them. "It's alright," the pale one assured me.
I smiled at him and flashed him a thumbs up. "Awesome."
"Lame," Ian muttered behind me, and I faintly heard a watch beep.
Glancing over at Tanis, who was checking her digital Hello Kitty watch, I sighed. "I gotta go."
"Make sure you don't mow your little boyfriend over on the way out." My friend-who was very close to being bumped down to acquaintance- warned sarcastically. "I'll see ya later."
"Can't. Work." I pointed at him, going back to ignoring the boy, "You're picking me up this time."
He nodded, assuring me. "I am."
"You won't be late."
"I won't."
"Because I promised Tanny I'd watch the Little Mermaid with her and Ivy tonight. And if you disappoint me," I glared at him. "You disappoint my sisters. And you know what will happen if you disappoint my sisters."
"You'll cry at me. Then they'll cry at me. Then you'll cry together." He winced. "I hated it when you do that."
I smiled at him as she came skipping over. "It's because you have a conscious."
"And you have a skort on, now, out of my shop. And mind the kid, he'll fuckin' cut you."
My eyes went over to the boy, who could clearly hear the conversation. "That sweetheart? Couldn't hurt a fly."
"You know he's-"
"A gentleman? Yes, as I woman I have that radar, ya good for nothin'-" I rose the thumb and index finger of my left hand to my forehead and mouthed loser at him.
In return he smacked me with a rolled up comic before smirking. He looked down at Tanis. "Did you know Carrie has a-"
"Ian!"
"Boyfriend?" He grinned as her jaw dropped and my cheeks flamed. "His name is-"
"Ian, don't, I'm warning-"
"Chris."
She stared up at me, hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"
I glared at the man in front of me. "You son of a bitch, Julian. I'll get you for this."
Her green eyes shifted to a glare. "I'm telling your daddy."
"Don't!" I groaned as she ran out the door, "Tanis! Tanis you get back here, right now!"
"Oh, go kiss your love pig!"
I would like to say that was the end of the conversation. That I chased her down and she submitted. But she did not.
-/Sometime Later/-
Instead, I was on the other end of a fifteen minute rant from my dad about how dangerous the young men in the city were as I walked to work. I snuck a peek at my watch and picked up my pace as I drew nearer to the cinema.
"Dad?"
"And of all the places to get a boyfriend, you pick a comic book store? I knew that man would have a bad influence on you!"
"Dad."
"If you want a…friend, I know plenty of recruits-"
"Dad! He's not my boyfriend! I don't even know the kid!" I snapped as I pushed the glass doors open, "Look I gotta go."
"Bye, love you."
"Love you too." I flipped it shut as I sighed. Rubbing my eyes, I opened my purse and pulled out my lame visor. It slid easily under my short ponytail. A familiar face waved at me from behind the counter.
Florence Astune. Sweet kid. She smiled easily at me before turning back to her costumer. I saddled up next to her as the boss man spoke.
"Your late, Wilken."
"As usual, sir." I smirked as I clipped on my 'Enid' name tag. Some guy had stalked one of our old employees, so now we all got 'special' name tags.
AKA lies.
We pinned lies to our chest. For instance, Flo's name tag said Jasmine. She was an Aladdin fan, something about it being the only positive portrayal of the Middle East-at least when she was a kid. I had picked Enid for similar reasons.
"Lose the attitude, kid, and get to work."
I did as I was told, crossing quickly over to a large- I froze once I stood in front of him. "Hi." I raised a hand in an awkward gesture as I stared up at the man from earlier.
He seemed to recognize me as well, because a tense (menacing!) smirk rose on his lips. "Hey." We stood there a moment before he asked me if I was going to take his order.
"Oh, right because you-yeah. So, what'll it be?"
I took his order efficiently and he nodded his thanks before dropping a hundred dollar bill at me. "Um, we don't take-"
"Sure we do!" My boss slid up next to me, chuckling nervously, as he slipped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me back indefinitely. He took the money with one hand and shoved me further back with the other.
This had to be some form of harassment. Flo shot me a concerned look with her warm, black eyes and I shrugged. Leaning back on the counter I crossed my arms and pouted my lips as Captain A-Hole continued to fawn over the man.
