Without you

T e n

J looked out the window of the convenience store, yawning a little as she found herself smiling at the days events when her phone started ringing.

"Mm, hello?" She held the phone to her ear.

"It's me!" She heard Dino on the other end.

"Hi, otter," she teased.

"Hey!" Dino whined a little before continuing. "I'm bored. Wanna hang out... again?"

"Oh?" J's eyebrows knit together. "I'm at work."

"Can I come too?" He asked.

"No," J shook her head as if he could see her.

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow," Dino sighed, and J could hear the sulk in his voice.

"Mm. Make sure to rest well," J cooed before hanging up the phone.

It was ironic, her telling others to rest when it was the one thing she herself so badly needed.

J looked up at the clock, sighing as it read 12:17 a.m. She wasn't sure why she was especially tired today, but she was.

'Four more hours,' she sighed.

"Welcome..." J looked up from her school books when the bell on top of the door rang, only to be met with someone she didn't expect.

It was dk.

"J?" DK furrowed his eyebrows as his eyes laid on her.

"Hello," J swallowed.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, walking to where J was standing.

"I work here," J pointed to her uniform vest.

"Oh," Dk walked towards her.

"Dk, are you..." J stood up when she saw how red his eyes were.

"Oh yeah," he waved it off. "I'm fine."

J's heart trembled in her chest when dk came closer, and she noticed the dried up tear streaks on his cheeks.

"Dk..." she walked from behind the counter.

"It's really..." Dk began as she walked closer and closer to him.

She suddenly reached out a hand, swiping it over his cheek where the dried up tears lay.

"Fine," Dk finished his sentence as he and J locked eyes.

"It's late," he spoke again.

"Yeah, it is," J retracted her hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed some fresh air," the taller of the two answered.

J only nodded, going back behind the counter.

"J," Dk walked towards her. "Why do you work here so late?" He asked carefully.

"I work at a pizza shop in the afternoons, then here at night," she answered honestly, there was nothing to be ashamed about.

"Oh," his eyes softened upon hearing this.

"My turn," J interjected. "What are you really doing out this late?"

He thought about this for a moment, the previous night's events whirling in dk's head as he contemplated whether or not to tell her. He walked closer, opening his mouth when the bell on top of the door rang as two boys and a girl walked in, dk scrunching his nose as they passed by him, the alcohol hitting him. He backed up, walking to the snack aisle.

"Just this," the guy slurred, putting a bottle of alcohol on the counter.

"ID, please," J smiled, trying not to make a face at the smell exuding from him.