The Book Lover Project

Employee Handbook (2)

Alora's POV

"Hi, I'm Alora." I give him a cheery smile and stick my hand out in an attempt to clear the weird tension around us. his mom left to get her things since her shift is over and we've been silent for only 30 seconds but it feels like half an hour.

He gazes down at my outstretched hand then back up to my face with those piercing dark green eyes and the most exasperated look of the century.

"I know. my mom just told me your name."

Damn, that's a deep voice. He still makes no move to shake my hand that is hovering in the air. Slowly I retract it since it's becoming abundantly clear he is not going to accept my failed attempt at a nice greeting.

"Oh yeah, sorry. I'm not really too sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I literally only came here 10 minutes ago and got hired." I ramble, trying to stop the odd silence breaks between our sentences.

I regret my choice to talk as soon as I mentioned getting hired within 10 minutes, his nostrils flare ever so slightly and he inhales a large breath that succeeds in making his already huge presence bigger.

I'm not intimidated, I'm definitely not intimidated by someone who is quite literally a foot taller than me and looks like his only form of enjoyment is the gym. I'm definitely not nervous because when I get nervous I talk with my hands.

"Sooo, what are you going to teach me first?" I continued to smile up at him to prove I'm definitely NOT nervous "the till or how to stock the shelves"

Silence.

"Or maybe you can teach me how you note invento-"

"Do you always gesture with your hands while you talk. It's annoying" he deadpans.

My eyes widen and I've never shot my hands to my sides so quickly. Shit, maybe I am a tiny bit nervous.

He walks from behind the counter in the direction of some bookshelves, he doesn't give any hints to follow him but I'm willing to bet he's expecting me to.

So that's what I do, trail him like a lost puppy until he stops in front of the bookshelf that's in the furthest back corner where little natural light is able to be seen.

I bet this is where they keep horror books or something really spooky, like classics.

He gives a small head nod in the direction of the bookshelf

"This this the romance section-"

"wha?" I accidentally let out.

"We organise everything by author names, alphabetically." he carries on as if i hadn't said anything at all.

"Why is the romance section all the way back here?" I question the huge man beside me.

"Because I put it here." he doesn't even look at me and carries on and walks away as my short legs hurry to catch up with his pace, "this is the science fiction section."

"You didn't answer my question back there buddy"

"Yes. I did."

"No, no you didn't" i crane neck up to look at him "That's stupid. First you're hiding away one of the most profitable genres in the dark. Next you put it next to science fiction? Now that's a crime"

For the first time he adjusts his eye-line to mine and we truly make eye contact. Then he inhales another one of his huge breaths, looks up to the ceiling and the back down with a slightly strained look on his features.

"Well then, call me a criminal." and he rounds the corner of a huge book shelf. Leaving me happy that he has some sense of humour yet I'm still wildly confused.