𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕊𝕌𝔹𝕃𝕀𝕄𝕀ℕ𝔸𝕃 𝕆ℕ𝔼-ᴾᵃʳᵗ²

Chapter 32: Buttplugs

A slightly cold chill swept through the sex store, through the small crack of the private window. A window that was forever open. Only because Sallie couldn't reach it to close it when it got too cold. Corey would have opened and closed it for her. Even Emma would, considering how tall and skinny she was.

However, Sallie shook slightly behind the desk, Lover's Playground was too quiet. She remembered this building being so full of life, so many laughs, plenty of punches and the sweet, soft music of Metallica and Slayer through the small CD player.

It was painfully silent. Typical on any day, and it was even worse during the night shifts. It had become a recent thing. For two days a week, Lover's Playground would remain open at ungodly hours for Christmas. Whoever thought it was a good idea to close the store at 3AM must be some stupid moron working at the office headquarters somewhere with their 9AM-5PM rotas...

Sallie found it ironic. Christmas was the time of giving, and right now, no one was giving a fuck about sex toys in December!

It took her a moment to sniff the clean air to notice it was raining outside, hearing the soft hissing of it just beyond the door. It was pitch black, the night shifting over Iowa much quicker and seemingly darker.

Her phone was tucked into her pocket, vibrating silently whenever she got a text message from Corey. Luckily, she was on the night shift alone, which was ironic considering Emma's anger over Corey being drunk during that time Sallie got attacked. And yet here she was, alone and unguarded, while her best friend Rachael was on holiday.

Maybe DON'T keep the shop open at these times...

It didn't matter. Sallie needed the money, and she was far too scared to even stand up against Emma in case she lost her own job just like that. And she needed the money for rent, for her and Corey. If she lost her job, she would be humiliated.

Humiliated? By who?

Everyone.

Drumming her fingers on the counter, Sallie groaned and glanced at her phone. She knew she was alone, but still kept her phone on silent to remain professional, should anyone decided to come in at 1:30am.

A droning yawn left her. No reply from Corey. But that was okay, Corey had been talking to her all night, keeping her company and wanting to send her naughty texts. He had been distracted with the day, while the production of their latest album in the band was still there, he seemed to have finally spoke to their manager while he was with Shawn and Paul the other day. So he's been busy.

Whenever Corey texted her, it would always make her shift a little more bearable. Particularly recently since Emma had now began her disappearing act and vanishing off to whatever stupid business meeting she had. Rachael would often come along with her, which Sallie found strange. Corey never went with Emma, but then again, best friends.

You took my best friend away from me, bitch....

"I need a new job..." Sallie murmured to herself. She picked up her cup, glancing over the empty shop floor again before walking to the staff room in the back. It had changed slightly since Corey had left, with a few new chairs, a new table, and a stupid 'motivational' poster of some crap talking about taking the lead, with its typical black border and mundane photographic image of some stranger at the mountain top.

Fuck off.

Sallie flicked the kettle on, preparing for her fifth cup of coffee, stretching up in the air.

The situation between her and Barbie was fine, though Sallie felt as though Barbie wasn't being completely truthful when she stated she was 'okay'. But Sallie didn't blame her. She felt the same way about her own father, and the way he acted around people. Even more so when that witchy woman was near him, like a trophy of all of his desperate efforts.