Leaves, Seasons, and Dead Trees (BxB)

9. - Flooding Lanes Make Oceans Vibrant

"I love my mother / I love my father / I love my sisters too.
I bought this guitar / To pledge my love / To pledge my love to you."

- "Rock Bottom Riser" by Smog -

*****

Samuel

I left my mother
I left my father
I left my sisters too.

Maya sings, her voice blending with the unfamiliar song playing on the speaker while the mop in her grip steadily glides across the parquet floor. Behind the counter, I thumb through the bills, the soft rustle of cash merging with the song.

I left them standing on the banks
And they pulled me out
Of this mighty, mighty, mighty river

I am a rock
Bottom riser
And I owe it all to you

"You know, May," I say without glancing up, "as strange as your playlist is, I think I dig it."

A quiet laugh escapes her, the mop continuing its course. "Thanks. Most of it's pretty underground, so no hard feelings if—" A sudden crash halts her words. The crate of vinyls tips, sending a cascade of old records and dusty Halloween decorations to the floor. She freezes, the mop still in hand, eyes locked on the mess now scattered at her feet. "...Shit."

I leave the cash register and crouch beside her. "Let's see what survived the fall, alright?"

"Well, at least it's not the shelf this time." Maya sighs. "Thanks, Sam."

"It's all good. You'd do the same for me." I wave it off, already scooping up cheap plastic pumpkins and crumpled ghost figurines before shifting my attention to the pieces of vinyl. "Besides, you've still got a lot of floors left to mop."

"Yeah, but I should know better. I mean, I've been here longer than you."

I glance up, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. "How about you pay me back with a trip to that new Takoyaki place down the block?" I reach for a record lying precariously on the floor, giving it a quick once-over for any scratches, warps, or pressing defects.

"Sure, I've got cash now." Her serious tone catches me off guard.

I freeze for a moment. "Oh, no, I... I was just kidding."

Maya laughs, a sound so light it almost dissipates into the air. "Well, I wasn't."

Sure enough, once the store is shuttered and the Halloween decorations have been set up, Maya wastes no time in dragging me to the bar. Even my protests about needing to meet Matty for a ride home fall on deaf ears, overridden by Maya's relentless pull — and, truthfully, by my growling stomach too. A free meal wasn't something I could turn down, especially when the scent of frying batter was already tempting me before we'd even arrived.

At the stall, a panda girl stands behind the counter, her hands quick and sure as she prepares the orders. Maya chats casually, and soon enough, we're handed two steaming boxes. She pays without hesitation, waving off my attempts to contribute.

We settle on the curb outside the record shop, Takoyaki in hand. The street is quiet, save for the occasional murmur of a passing car. Between bites, I send a quick text to Matty, asking about his ETA. His reply comes swiftly, as expected: ten to fifteen minutes.

I slip my phone back into my pocket, picking up where I left off with my meal, finishing ahead of Maya who's taking in every morsel. "You hungry or just a speedy eater?"