Well, that’s sad.
Back in school, Darren was about two rungs down the social ladder from me and Ashley, which was to say, he was basically in the dirt. He was one of those totally earnest nerd types who had no idea how everything that came out of his mouth made him a target for bullies. He used to follow Ash and I around like a lost puppy because he had a huge crush on her. She did sometimes string him along because he’d write essays for her and fix her laptop.
“That’s great!” I forced my grin wider, even though my arms were starting to ache. I saved a water bottle before it toppled off my pile. “You wouldn’t want to see the rest of the world, anyway. I’ve been around – It’s just traffic jams, weird-arse coffee, and saber-toothed tigers.”
“I’m doing well, actually. I’m up for the supervisor’s job,” Darren said, taking a pen from behind his ear and flicking it against his fingers. “I’ve even got my own apartment, right above the butcher.”
“Oh, yeah?”Gross.“I might see you around. I’m working at Nevermore Bookshop.” Darren made a face.What? You work in a market. You don’t get to make a face.“It’s cool, actually.”
“That place is a little creepy, don’t you think? It was always shabby, but ever since that gypsy took it over, hardly anyone goes in. My mother thinks it might have a rodent problem. Rats carry diseases, did you know? They cause the Black Death. Mother says there was an outbreak of the Black Death recently, somewhere in Africa. Wouldn’t it be just awful if the Black Death came here to ___field?”
“Um, yes it would.”So Darren’s still as odd as ever.“But I don’t think there are any rodents in the bookstore. There is a cat and a raven, though. And you know you shouldn’t use the word gypsy – it’s actually a slur—”
“But that’s what heis. Mother told me he doesn’t even have any family.” Darren gave a high-pitched snort. “And he’s such a grumpy bastard. I did this customer service course a few months ago, as part of my professional development, and we learned about the importance of making customers comfortable and welcome. For me, I had to learn not to loom around them and not to make eye contact for too long. I’m so much better now, and customers respond to it. That gypsy could use a customer service course. Will you make him go on one? For example, they would tell me that I should offer to help you select your prophylactics. We have these cherry-flavored ones that are popular—”
The woman who’d tried to give me her glasses peered at us from behind the lettuce display, her face etched with a disapproving frown.Floor, just swallow me now.
“That’s fine.” My cheeks burned. “I don’t need them after all.”
“Then I shall assist you with your giant pile of towels.”
“That’s fine. I don’t need—” but Darren was already taking the towels from me and heading toward the counter. He beckoned me to skip to the front of a line. I shrugged an aching shoulder and followed him, clutching the water bottles under my arm. Darren frowned as he counted the towels. “These are for… an art project. I’m not trying to mummify someone.”
“I’m sure.” Darren’s face perked up as he rang up my order. “Hey, do you still hang out with Ashley?”
I don’t want to talk about bloody Ashley.“Not really. Can you just ring these up quick, please? I’m in a bit of a hurry and I’ve got to get back to my mum—”
“She disappeared after school finished, off somewhere exciting. Last I heard, she was in New York City working for some famous fashion designer.” Darren gave me a wide smile. “I follow her on Instagram. She still looks so classy, and she has themostimpeccable taste. No wonder she’s going to be the next biggest name in fashion. And she knows about all the latest things. Thanks to one of her recent posts, I’ve started drinking craft beer.”
Urgh, this guy isstillannoying.Wait a second…
An evil thought occurred to me. It would in no way make up for the hurt Ashley did to me, but a little revenge might make me feel better. “I bet you wish you could see her again, huh?”
“Oh yes! I have so much to tell her about craft beer, and I want to ask her all about New York City and which designers she thinks I should wear. I’ve been saving my money so I can get some Verona Westward. That’s Ashley’s favorite, right?”
“Oh yes, Verona Westward is a fashion genius.” I grinned, laughing inwardly at his attempt at Vivienne Westwood. “It’s your lucky day, Darren. Ashley’s actually home for a visitright now.”
“Really?” Darren’s voice squeaked up an octave. His earnest face lit up like a puppy dog.
“Yeah. I saw her earlier today, in fact. She’s probably staying with her folks. I bet she’d love to see you again.”
Take that, you job-stealing, secret-spilling bitch.
“Thank you, thank you, Mina! I’ll go over there after my shift.” Darren said, running his pen through his hair with one hand as he tossed my towels into a bag with the other. “I should bring her some flowers. Do you know what kind of flowers she likes? We’ve got some on special for three quid. Oh, and what’s her favorite craft beer? If you’ve got a minute, I’ll show you our selection—”
“It would be my pleasure.” My grin spread wider. Ashley had no idea what she was in for.
Chapter Eight
Work the next day was more of the same. Two guys came into the shop and spent an hour reading Bukowski books before whipping out their ereaders and downloading the files to finish at home. One even had the nerve to ask Heathcliff for his wifi password.
“The password is get-out-you-wankers,” Heathcliff told him, malice glinting in his black eyes. The guys fled for the door, muttering under their breaths about shocking service and ungrateful gypsies.
“That’s a capital W on Wanker!” I called after them, which got a snort of appreciation from Heathcliff.
I made my first sale – a book on the Great Western Railway to a kindly older gentleman in a salmon-colored cardigan. The raven shat on another bloke who quoted Poe. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that bird was doing it on purpose.
I had no less than three deviant thoughts about Heathcliff and Morrie that left my skin flushed and my core pulsing. Clearly, I needed to get laid before I got myself in trouble.
