The Parrot Next Door // Scarian

63

Grian's Pov

I walked into the 'The Golden Robe' with Scar, and immediately went to the book's department. I observed the book, looking for something you, then taking one as soon as I spotted one. I walked to the cashier + shop owner, whose name I already knew, I've been shopping here for three years.

"Grian! Look st this!" Scar called as I placed the book down, and I looked back. He was noddding his head according to the small nodding dog doll with a witch hat, like those you put in a car. I shook my head with a light smile.

"Your friend is very silly." Samantha said. I turned back to her as she scanned my book. "I know." I replied, looking down. I tilted my head as I saw a paper stuck to the counter saying 'Employing'. "You're employing?" I questioned, watching her putting my book in a bag.

"Yeah. It's hard handling a shop all by yourself. I'm getting slowly old, I can't restock, clean, and get the payment at the same time." She said, then held out the bag from me.

As I pulled out my wallet out of my bagpack I glanced again at the poster. "How about you hire me?" I looked back at her. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm hard working and responsible enough." I said. "Don't you have school?"
"Then I'll get a part time job." I replied.

"Hmm..." She tilted her head, grabbing the money for the book I just bought. "... I do know you a long time, I'm confident you won't steal... How does 3:00PM 'til 7:00PM sounds? Or do you have school at these hours?" She questioned.

I smiled, grabbing the bag with the book. "That works." I said. "You're hired then! The store is open Monday to Friday, don't be late." She said. I nodded them turned around happily, looking for Scar. He wasn't next to the dog doll anymore, but outside the shop.

I walked up to him, then noticed he was starting at the second floor, specifically at the McDonald's restaurant. I giggled quietly, grabbing his hand as I walked pass him. "Where are we going now?" He asked, and I looked back at him. "McDonald's" I responded simply.

•     •     •

I clicked on the button that says 'Start ordering' on the screen, then turned to Scar. "What do you wanna eat?" I asked, locking eyes witht the elf "Oh no, I don't have any money on me, but you order." Scar smiled.

I figured he didn't, since he didn't know we were going to the mall today. "Have you heard me say 'Pay up'? I asked what you want." I said.

"I don't-"

"Just tell me what you want, Scar!"

I glared at him. He waited a few seconds before sighing. "Nuggies, please." He mumbled, and I turned again to the screen. "How many do you want?" I asked, staring at the screen with a hard gaze. "Uhm... Twelve?" He replied, and I turned to him again.

"How many do you want." I glared at him. He scratched the back of his neck. "Twenty four..." He muttered after he looked at the options again. I finished setting in his order then set mine, paying right when I ended ordering.

•     •     •

"I got a job, by the way." I said as me and Scar walked to a free table with our trays. "What? When?" He questioned, sitting down in front of me. "Just now, Got a half time job at 'The Golden Robe" I said, grabbing my burger. "Congratulations! How much will you earn?" Scar questioned, stuffing a nugget in his mouth.

"Five dollars an hour, four hours in a day which means twenty dollars a day, and I'll work five days a week, that's mean hander dollars for every five days. Pretty nice for a sixteen years old. It also helped that Samantha knows me." I said, biting my burger while looking at Scar.

"Wow, you can actually count." Scar teased, and I glared at him. "Shut up!" I punched his arm, making him giggle. "Definitely not working in the summer though. What are your plans for the summer, if we're already talking about it?" I asked.

"Oh," He started saying then swallowed the piece of chicken nugget he had in his mouth. "I have to go back to my hometown to stay with my mum. legally, not because I want to stay with her. I do miss my friends, Grace and Carson, they would come to visit me from time to time," he paused for a second, taking another bite.

"And the forest. Even though I was locked inside my whole life I always loved the forest. T way the sunlight looks on a summer morning, the fox tracks in the winter snow, the sound of the creek running in springtime... It was all amazing, and the few singular times I was outside when there were town meetings were awesome." He said.

"Town meetings?" I asked, looking at him with confusion. "Yeah, it's something some towns do. Here they're not doing it, but there they are, the whole town would go to the town hall and discuss a few issues and future plans. It was the only time I was allowed out." He explained.

"Huh. Are you gonna stay there the whole summer?" I asked, looking down at my cola cup. "Yeah, I'll be back for the last couple of days of it though. Why, are you gonna miss me?" He said smugly, and I glared at him. "I didn't say that. I just realized it's the longest we'll be apart." I mumbled.

"Sounds like you're gonna miss me."

"No it's not!! Just sharing what's going on on my mind!"

We stayed in silence for a few seconds. "But you're right. It will be the longest we'll be apart since we met." Scar mumbled. I noticed sadness in his eyes, making my heart ache a little. "That's okay. We'll see eachother after summer and hung out when you come back." I said, smiling slightly. He smiled back at me.

I will miss him. Don't want him to know that though. I don't know what I'll do without him this summer though. It's gonna be lonely. He feels the happiness that my heart is missing.