Alice hung her rain soaked jacket up in the break room. She hummed along to the old rock music playing from the overhead speakers. It was a normal day at Paws and Claws; The understaffed pet shop that Alice worked at. Another member of staff and one of Alices best friends, Cory walked into the break room.
Cory smiled before peeling off her soaked batman hoodie and tossing it over a chair. Alice smiled back, thankful her friend wasn't in the mood to talk. it was one of those days were silence just felt like the best thing on earth. at least silence from her fellow homo-sapiens. Now the caws, squeaks, chitter, and chatter of animals, that was different, she could listen to that all day.
___
The foot traffic in Paws and Claws was the same as always. An inconsistent trickling of people walking in, wandering, buying, haggling, and then eventually leaving. Boredom had creeped up on Alice by her lunch break. her phone vibrated in her back pocket. she finished up with her last costumer before slipping away from the front counter. subconsciously already knowing who had texted her. Cory, the only other person working that day, immediately took her spot helping an old man and his two grand daughters.
< ONE NEW MESSAGE>
Alice plopped down on one of the sagging brown couches in the break room. she opened her messages.
Gabe> Alice were are you! whys all your stuff gone??
Alice had to bite the inside of her cheeks not to laugh like a complete maniac. She turned off her phone. Leaving her ex on read.
