Souvenir [Complete]

Two. Scales

Luke had finished the book by the time he heard Michael come through his front door. "I had the slowest day in the history of the planet." Michael groaned melodramatically over the chatter on the television.

"You did?"

Michael nodded and plopped down on the couch beside him. "Yeah. It was hell. No one came in for like three whole hours. That's like a third of my shift. And then when they did come in it was just to buy little things. I swear, I see Casey come in every day and buy the same pack of gum. I wonder if he eats it all."

"Ugh," Luke giggled. "That can't be healthy..."

Michael giggled. "Oh, and no one is shutting up about this new guy. I haven't even seen the dude and I'm already sick of hearing about him."

"I'll say. I saw him a couple times, but he doesn't seem interested in making friends," Luke shrugged looking back to the tv as Sponge-Bob laughed. "So I'll leave him to it."

"Ooh! What does he look like? Is he cute?" Michael gushed, seeming to go back on his word.

"I mean, yeah, I guess. He's got that traditionally attractive look, if you're into that."

"Someone said he has dreamy eyes. Does he?"

"Oh, I don't know. I didn't get a good enough look," Luke hummed. "He's just broody. Handsome and broody. And he ignores everyone. And he smokes."

"Someone told me he's from New York," Michael cooed not seeming to listen to him anyway. That happened with Michael. Once he gets an idea in his head he can't be reasoned with. "Who the fuck would leave New York for Brightwitch?"

"I have no idea." Luke sighed, having wondered something along those lines earlier. "Seems pretty stupid to me. Oh, and while I'm thinking about it. I have your mom's book." Luke handed it to Michael.

"I hope he comes into the store soon. At least while I'm on shift. This is so exciting!" Michael grinned.

"Well he works at the diner now, so if you wanna go drool over him in person, you can."

"It's not like that, I just wanna see what he looks like..." Luke gave him a look that said he didn't buy it. "Okay fine. It is like that, but it's not my fault that all the guys in this town are so...undateable. You lucked out finding Brian."

Oh yes. Brian, Luke's boyfriend.

"Look, Mikey, I don't wanna talk about him anymore. Freaked me out. The whole way home I thought he was following me."

Michael nodded. "Alright. I get it..." he hummed softly.

But the words had already formed in Luke's head. "I saw his car today. It's old and beat up...but it's like an antique."

"Eighties?"

Luke shook his head, "looks older than that."

"Well maybe when he finally comes into the store, I'll ask him."

Luke smiled at Michael's conviction.

Work for Luke was his garage converted into a small studio. It wasn't much, but it was enough to hold his six students. And it was the only place he could host a class that wouldn't put him in a deficit.

The ages of his students ranged from just starting high school to retired a few months before and thought singing lessons would be fun. Luke was never a judge, he considered himself a means to help people reach their ends.