Champagne

Life. Just Life.

~ Ten Years Later ~

Mr. L slowly steps outside a small apartment building next to Timpani and Blumiere's, immediately ducking to avoid being hit in the head by a rock some kids were tossing back and forth for fun. He takes a look at the morning and breathes it all in, then steps down the small steps onto the sidewalk. He crosses the street, looking both ways so he isn't run over, not that there are many cars to get run over with. Then, he pulls out some keys and opens the small shop on the corner. He gets inside, turns on the lights, and flips the 'closed' sign to 'open.'

He goes to the back and grabs some soap and water, taking a rag and washing the windows as he does every morning. He smiles at his reflection, then walks behind the counter, making himself a cup of coffee.

Then, he sits and waits.

Over the past ten years, he needed a job. Especially when the building he was staying in started charging rent. Timpani and Blumiere lived in the apartment above him, Dimenio a few blocks down. Mr. L had this shop down on this block. He originally wanted it to be an auto mechanic shop, but very few people actually owned cars here, so he switched it up and turned it into a small convenience store. He sold coffee, drinks, snacks, items, almost every small item you could think of.

Blumiere and Timpani both spend their time at the school, teaching. There are two k-12 schools in this town. One on the poorer side, and one on the richer side. Blumiere and Timpani teach at the poorer one since they'll literally hire anyone. Timpani teaches music class while Blumiere is an assistant principal. Their jobs are very demanding and they get very little pay, so they spend most of their time there. It took a while for the school to even allow Blumiere to work, due to his... background. However, they finally let him in, paying him half what everyone else is paid, but still. At least he's getting something.

A nine-year-old boy named Oliver comes walking in. He steps behind the counter and exhaustedly sets his bag down.

"Oliver, you're late," Mr. L states, looking at his watch, then down at the kid.

"Chillax, L. Ya know you love me," Oliver replies with a smile and a wink.

Mr. L rolls his eyes.

Oliver is Blumiere and Timpani's son. He's a bright young man. Scrappy, smart, and determined to help his parents in any way he can. He only goes to school twice a week, but he's smart enough to catch up. He manages to still be a straight-A student. He got this job here to help his parents pay the rent, which has rapidly increased over the years. His skin is a pale almost white color, his eyes both are dark blue, and his hair is a dark black with a few streaks of white. He's fairly tall for his age as well.

Mr. L smiles at the kid and tosses him a rag. "Hey, clean the windows for me. I cleaned them on the inside but the outside still needs polished."

Oliver smirks, then salutes and goes to work. "K. On it."

Mr. L lightly laughs, then sits behind the counter, waiting for someone to come in. Of course, the first people in are Timpani and Blumiere, like every morning.

"I see you're keeping Oliver busy," Blumiere notes.

"Well," Mr. L laughs. "I don't pay him to just hang out with me."

They both chuckle as Blumiere and Timpani order coffees. They also each buy a few small snacks to get them through the day when Oliver comes back in.

"Sup parents," Oliver says, flinging the rag behind his shoulder and making finger guns at them.

"Oliver!!" Timpani exclaims, quickly hugging him. "Good Morning kiddo! You left before we even got to wish you good luck today! Mr. L isn't overworking you, is he-"