female robbery | dreamwastaken

chapter one.

꒰ weary whimsy꒱
ˢᵃᶠⁱʸᵃ ᵏᵃˢʰⁱᵈ

New York. Big. Noisy. Smelly. Diverse. Impersonal. Home.

I've lived here all my life and I also don't plan on moving. I'm not big on change. it's annoying and unnecessary.

even if my life is so boring. day after day. the same thing at the same hour at the same routine.

speaking of which, I need this bus to hurry up otherwise I'll be late. usually, the bus stop bench was crowded but luckily there was a sit no one was sitting there for some reason.

as I sit down and pull out one of my favourite books, "We Were Liars" a classic.

"you know, you can get those on your phone?" I heard a voice remark from the side of me.

"huh?" I say pissed off, I hate small talk. especially with random strangers.

"like on audible or whatever, the paper business is a dying industry" I furrow my brows at his rude statement. a true one I'll admit but still rude.

"I think that a hardcover book beats anything I can get on my phone." I glare at him.

"you're in a minority. people like quick, accessible things. who want to go to a bookstore anymore?" he scoffs.

"well, i-" he cuts me off.

"Like, there's this little bookstore by my apartment. flimsy or whatever it called. I walk by it sometimes and no one is ever there. it's just a room of paper collecting dust."

my demeanour changes as I realise he's talking about whimsy. my bookstore.

"well, we're all entitled to our own opinions." I quickly say, trying to end the conversation whilst the bus comes just at the right time.

"mornin' boss" I hear Alyssa, my employee and friend say as I walk into my store.

"morning, wheres- AH" I'm cut off by Callahan who successfully scared me from behind the bookshelves.

"ha- got ya" he boasts.

"yeah did... but do you know wats even scarier?" I say with a straight face.

"what" he shrugs.

"not having a job!" I smirk as he gets frightened by my tone.

"id gladly take his shift, you know" I hear Alyssa giggle.

"wheres our loyalty, Alyssa?" he puts his hands up in defence.

"with the person who pays me" I chuckle at that one

"Nice answer," I tell her.

"nice enough for a rise?" she questions.

"depends, how much have you two sold today". silence.

"that bad, huh?" she slips me a piece of paper from the desk. I blink a couple of times, staring at what's in front of me.

"is our printer working, this only have one transaction on it" I look up to met her eyes.

"it been a slow morning, not much traffic" she says, scratching the back of her neck.

"It is Friday, boss. maybe people are getting ready to go out tonight?" Callahan says behind me.

"that's comforting if our sales hadn't been like this for a year straight. ill be in my office for a bit" I sigh.

its been almost an hour at my desk until my phone starts to ring beside me.