4. Stomaching Cold Turkey
"Are you sure that you're going to be okay?"
"For the last time, yes." Lexi dumps another box of vinyl releases on the counter, pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes as she glances at her best friend. "I think I can handle locking up the shop on my own, Jathro. I've done it plenty of times before."
Jathro rolls his eyes. "You know that's not what I mean." He fiddles with the zip on his jacket. "But, are you sure, though? 'Cause I can stay and keep you company if you want -"
"Jathro!" Lexi makes a shoo-ing motion with one hand. "Seriously. Go. I'll be fine."
"Okay, okay!" Jathro holds up his hands in mock surrender, backing out of the door. "Making a note to myself: Don't get in the way of Lexi Nekross' alone time. Got it!"
Lexi shakes her head, waving after him with one hand as she begins to sort through the bundle of records, organising them via genre. Usually she detests the nights when it's her turn to lock up The Ringed Moon after closing time - it's an extra two hours that she has to spend at work that she could have been spending doing other, more interesting things - but today, she's quite glad of it. Lyzera has invited herself over for dinner, yet again, and Lexi wants to keep out of her way as much as possible, especially after the spider mouse incident. It's Thursday today - three days after that afternoon - and she still hasn't been forgiven for messing about during working hours. Not that Lexi thinks that Lyzera would forgive her if she found out the real reason why she had hiding behind the counter. The older woman won't care about Lexi's mishap on the Underground earlier this week; if anything, it will be a source of amusement to her.
At least she hasn't seen that boy since then. For the past three days, she's been getting on the Underground, frantically searching her carriage every time that they stopped at the next station just in case he got on and she had to make a run for it, and everyday she's heaved a huff of relief when she's made it to her lectures without any further humiliation.
Sighing now, Lexi pulls her cardigan around her a little tighter, the hem of her dress brushing against her knees as she selects another record from the crate in front of her, moving across the room to where an ancient turntable sits, gathering dust. It's supposed to be a relic, left in the corner to be something pretty to look at, but Lexi can't stand the thought of leaving it to go to ruin, so it's on nights like these when it's her turn to stay behind and close the shop that she smudges the dust away with her fingertips, playing record after record until she has to drag herself away.
The speakers crackle for a few seconds, before the record swells into life, sweeping through The Ringed Moon. Lexi nods her head in time to the beat, returning to the counter in order to retrieve the records that need to be stacked on the shelf marked New Releases. The lyrics are easy to pick up, and soon she finds herself singing along, oblivious to whoever might here her in the realms of the outside world. That's what she loves about the music that she has access to in the little indie shop in which she works; the music there infuses every intricate little part of a person, seeps directly into their soul.
"You have a nice voice."
Lexi lets out a yelp, almost dropping the remainder of the pile in her hands. "What the -?" She glances towards the door; the boy from the Underground - Tom, his name is, she remembers - is standing in the doorway, arms folded, watching her with interested expression. She tries to keep the redness away from her face at the memory of the incident on Monday morning. "How the heck did you get in here?"
Tom nods behind him. "The door was open."
Lexi looks over his shoulder and sees that he is right. She suppresses a groan. Typical Jathro. He insists on never shutting a door properly, despite the countless times Lexi or Lyzera remind him.
"You know it's past closing time, don't you?" She asks aloud, quickly placing the vinyl collection on the shelf as the song on the turntable draws to a close.
"Yeah. I noticed."
"So, what are you doing here, then? If my boss ever finds out that I let you walk in unnoticed, I'll get sacked almost instantly."
He shrugs. "I heard you through the door. I was curious."
"Oh." Lexi shuffles, not sure what else to say to that. She's still clinging on to the hope that maybe, by some miracle, he doesn't recognise her as the girl who made a fool of herself and probably embarrassed both of them. "And was your curiosity satisfied?"
"I'd say so." Tom unfolds his arms and stuffs his hands into his pockets. "For now, at least."
"For now?"
"Well..." There's now an amused smirk on his face. "When someone ends up shoving you against the side of a tube carriage and then tells you that you have nice eyes, it does take a while to get over that type of curiosity."
Dammit. Clearly he hasn't forgotten. Lexi can't keep the heat away from her face this time. "I'm - I really am sorry about that -"
"Hey, don't be. I thought it was sweet, actually."
She blinks. "You did?"
"Yeah. Very sweet." He smiles at her, and Lexi can't help but smile too. She's about to say something in reply, when a loud chime echoes from her pocket.
"Sorry." She reaches into her pocket and brings out her phone. Two texts. One from Jathro, probably about something to do with Biology, and one from Varg. She opens the one from her brother.
Are you coming home at any point today? Lyzera's very kindly left some dinner in the fridge for you. I hope you can stomach turkey sandwiches. VN. [Sent 16.58]
She rolls her eyes and tucks the device away again, reaching over the counter to where her rucksack sits. "Looks like my presence is needed at home for some reason. Seems like they can't survive without me." She chuckles softly at her own words, shaking her head.
Tom scratches the back of his neck with one hand, watching as she rescues the vinyl off the turntable, rummaging in her pocket and leaving some money on the counter for one of her colleagues to sort out in the morning (she's decided that she rather likes the song, actually, and would like to listen to it again once she's sitting in her room to keep out of her brother's way), suddenly looking rather shy. "Sure. But, um, we should, y'know, hang out sometime." He uses his free hand to gesture between them. "Y'know, if you're not busy, or anything."
The statement catches her off guard. "Really?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Actually - here -" He digs around inside his own pockets and brings out a slip of paper, holding it out towards her. "That's my number, if you want it."
Lexi takes the paper, letting it sit in the palm of her hand. "I, uh - Thanks." She smooths it out with her fingertips. Tom Clarke is scrawled there in messy handwriting, along with a mobile number and a smiley face.
Well, is all her brain can muster up, this was certainly unexpected.