Records - A Before You Exit Fanfiction (On Hold)

Part 1

Grabbing my jacket and swinging my bag over my shoulder I exited the backroom and entered the small record store. Walking towards the counter I was able to see that Rachel was fidgeting with the computer trying to figure out how it worked. It was only her 3rd shift here and she was still figuring things out, but to be honest she was actually pretty good and she was a real charmer so if there were something she didn't quite know how to do she could always just smile or talk herself out of it; one of her really great qualities when it came into your favour, but just as annoying when it was used against you.
"You' good?" I asked her as I approached the counter.
She turned to me and nodded, "I think I kind of understand it by now."
"Yeah? Great. I'll get going then." I said smiling. "If only you'll pass me my phone. It's in the charger."She unplugged it and turned to me. I reached out for it, but she just weighted it in her hand for a moment before looking at me.
"Where are you going?" she asked me and I cooked an eyebrow.
"Home." I stated the obvious. Wasn't that what you were supposed to do when your shift ended? She made it sound like there were endless possible places I could be going, but I knew she knew perfectly well where I was going, and I think I knew what she was fishing for.
"Right. I was just thinking that..."
She didn't have to say one more word for me to know that my suspicion had been right.
"No." I cut her short.
"Oh come on Dawn. We never go out! It's just a small get together, nothing major." She looked at me with pleading eyes.
"I just don't feel like it..." I shrugged. I wasn't much into just sitting around drinking and having awkward small talk conversations with people I didn't know the first thing about. I'd actually rather go to a club where people would elbow you in the side when walking by, grinding against you when you tried to dance or slip drugs into your drink because they didn't have the guts to actually flirt with you. But above all I preferred a night in, just me and a good book, movie or a few great friends and a bunch of take out."But you feel like spending Friday night alone in your room?" she asked skeptically.
"Yeah..." I breathed. When did society make it uncool to spend time with yourself on a Friday night? Why was Friday night different from any other night?
"I never said I wanted to find a guy, did I?" I asked challenging.
"Oh cut the crap. Everyone wants love." She raised her hands, indicating everyone by waving them around the room.
"Sure. But love is so much more than guys, Rachel."
She shook her head in disbelieve, "You're unbelievable girl!"
I just shrugged my shoulders and we both laughed.
You see, not only were Rachel my co-worker, she was also my best friend and this was basically normal procedure on a Friday night. She'd ask me to go with her to some kind of party, I'd turn her down and she'd complain of either of two; me being boring and leaving her all to herself or me being unsocial and not on the lookout for a guy. I guess today she chose the latter.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me honestly that you aren't the tiniest bit attracted to that guy over there." She spoke up; nodding her head in the direction of the guy she was talking about.
"And?" I asked looking slightly over my shoulder to see who she was mentioning towards.
Her gaze fell on me, her eyebrows slightly pushed together in a thoughtful motion, "And..." she drew it out, "I will not suggest a single boy to you the whole of next week." She finally said and I laughed.
"As if you'd be able to do that."
"As if you'd be able to truthfully say he's not attractive." She gave back, her eyes laying on him again.With a small sight I turned to look at him. His hair was dark brown, styled in that small quiff thing almost every guy had going on these days. He was wearing tight black jeans and a simple grey t-shirt, pretty ordinary. He was standing with his back turned towards us, so it was hard to tell exactly how his facial features looked, but it seemed like he had a rather strong jawline, which I was normally a sucker for and Rachel surly knew that. I was determined though and she wasn't going to win this one.
I found her gaze again and with a confident smile spoke the words she had dared me to, "I'm not attracted to him."
She shook her head, "That's one hell of a lie!"
"No it's not. Sure he's kind of good looking, but I don't know him." I said with a shrug; one hundred present honestly. Being hot and being attractive was just not the same. He had to have more to offer than a nice jawline for me to find him attractive.
"Well, maybe you'll change your mind when you see his smile." She simply stated, as if she knew.
"What are you talking about?" I asked following her gaze over my shoulder to see him casually making his way up to the counter. His eyes fell upon me and I forced a friendly smile as one does when getting eye contact with a stranger. His brown eyes shone as he send a stunning smile right back at me - good looking and charming, like Rachel, and here I was standing in the middle; ordinary, short me. I must have looked so out of place with these almost model like people by my sides.
"How can I help you?" Rachel spoke casually as he stopped by the counter, standing only a few steps away from me. His eyes left mine to look at Rachel as he spoke, "I was looking for the Nothing Personal by All Time Low, but I can't seem to find it." I took a step back giving him space as he talked to Rachel. Rachel started typing on the computer to try and find it in our system, but gave up just as fast.
"Dawn..." She pleaded turning to me.
"Rachel..." I answered back, and the guy looked at me too.
"Help me out here?" she asked.
"My shift ended 10 minutes ago and you said you'd got it." I stated looking only at her, but all I got was those puppy-dog eyes of hers. With a sight I turned and pointed to the back wall, "at the back wall, to your right." I direct and met his eyes for a split second as he thanked me. I nodded once, with that gentle smile that always graced my lips when I was talking to costumers, "you're welcome."
As he left to go get the record I turned to Rachel again as she started giggling.
"What?" I asked frustrated.
"I knew you were lying before, but this is outstanding." She said as the giggles died out.
"Whatever..." I mumbled and grabbed my phone that she had put down on the counter in order to be able to type on the computer keyboard. I hated when she's right, and she always was.
"Right then it's settled." She stated matter-of-factly. I stared confused at her.
"You're coming with me tonight." She explained.
"Oh. And why so?" I asked tilting my head a little to the side.
"I believe that guy's name is Riley McDonough, and if so it's his house we're going to tonight."
"You know him?" I cooked an eyebrow, casting a quick look in his direction before turning my attention back to Rachel.
"Nahh..." she looked at him as well for half a second and then met my gaze, "but I know his older brother, Connor. He's one of Mike's best friends." She smiles as she mentions Mike; the guy that she is currently going out with. He was one year older than Rachel, which made him two years older than me.
"So Mike invited you to this party?" I asked, half trying to change the subject, half trying to understand how this guy in the Record store had any relation to our previous conversation.
"It's just a small get together." she insisted and I shrugged.
"Sure. Whatever. Did he invite you?" I asked again, not really caring what she wanted to call whatever was happening tonight.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" she asked. Her smile faded and her gaze turned serious. "Don't you like him?" she then asked suspiciously.
I laughed. "No, no. Mike is cool. He just didn't strike me to be the type to spend his Friday lounging in someone's sofa sipping beer."
She laughed with me, "he's definitely not. That's why we have to go. It'll be fun."
"I don't know..." I bit my lip.
"You know Mike?" a voice behind me said all of a sudden and I jumped slightly.
"Yeah. Pretty well." Rachel grin and I rolled my eyes at her as I turned my head to see who had sneaked up behind me like that. It was the guy from before, Riley. He was back with the record in hand.
"Sorry." He chuckled sending me another extremely charming smile. I really just wanted to tell him to stop doing so; somehow it made me really insecure.
"So you're coming tonight?" he turns his attention to Rachel and she nodded at him with a massive grin on her smug lips.
"Both of you?" he looked to me waiting for my answer. I shrugged for what felt like the 100th time in the past 10 minutes.
"I don't know. I mean..." I trailed off not really having an excuse as why not to, I just had a feeling that something seriously bad would happen if I went.
"Oh please Dawn. What's the worst that can happen?" Rachel spoke in a soft and motherly voice. She knew me all too well, and she knew I definitely wouldn't be able to answer that question.
"Nothing I guess." I sighted, realizing my defeat.
"So you're coming?" Riley spoke with a gentle smile and I couldn't help but smile back at him as I nodded my head.
"Yeah I'll be there."
"Wonderful." Rachel chimed and Riley chuckled quietly again, placing the record on the counter.
Rachel scanned it and he paid for it with the words, "Thanks. I'll see you tonight, then."
"See ya." Rachel cheered back as he sent me one last smile and then turned to leave the store.
We both looked after him for a few seconds before turning to each other. I heard the door close behind him and Rachel squealed. I couldn't help but laugh at her overly girly excitement about absolutely nothing.
"This is going to be so good!" she made an excited jump.
"Whatever makes your boat float." I laughed and fixed my bag on my shoulder, getting ready to leave. If I left now maybe I could get just a little bit of alone time before my mum was home from work. "I'll see you later, I guess." I said turning on my heals.
"I'll be at yours at 10." She shouted at me as I opened the door. I didn't respond; I just left the shop with a subtle giggle knowing I would have no say in that. She was going to come over hours before we needed to leave, with a whole suitcase full of clothes, make-up and hairstyling stuff and we'd spend those few next hours trying on different outfits and trying to pick just the right one. I loved doing this with her. It was what came after that made me uneasy.

Turning right as I left the store, I walked the short walk back to my house; a small light blue, village kind of house right around the corner. It was pretty nice to live that close to your work, unless in was Saturday morning and your boss called you up, to ask you to come down because someone had called in and faced a cold or a stomach ache to get the day off. I loved my job though and most of the time I didn't really have any other plans on a Saturday anyway. My mum worked on Saturdays, so Sunday were our family day and my dad was more often than not going to spend the full day watching some kind of sports game on television; not really my thing. Going to the record store also meant more money for me at the end of the month and a day around people who more or less shared my passion for music, which was a rather nice alternative to sitting by my window reading "Paper Towns" for the 20th time this year.
I wished out my set of keys as I walked down the short path in front of the blue one and a half plan house. Opening up the door, I kicked off my beloved black sneaks leaving them with the rest of the shoes up against the wall in the open hallway, which was connected to the living room. I hung my leather jacket on one of the hangers above the shoes and went straight for my room; through the living room down a small hallway and then in the first – and last – door on my right hand.
The first thing that would catch your eye when you walked into my room was the massive window facing into our garden. At the window seat below was where I'd spend most of my days reading, writing, thinking or simply looking out while listening to music. It was also where I today planned on spending the next hour or so before my mum came home and would probably disturb my peace to ask me to help making dinner.

I tossed my bag on the floor, right beside the door and went over to my old school record player standing on top of a classic white bookcase just a little taller than my hips. After turning it on, and placing the needle on the vinyl already on, I picked up a notebook and a pen from the bookcase and got comfortable on the window seat. The soft sound of music filled the room and the fainted hiss made me feel incredible calm and content with everything. Flipping through the notebook I read a few of my old writings, until I came across a blank page, which I then started filling out with whatever came to mind.

A/N:

Hey guys. I hope you enjoyed this first bit.
I don't know when the next update will be, since I have another ongoing story, that I have to update as well, (It's called Fallen Angel and is a One Direction Fanfiction if you want to check it out.) but you are very welcome to let me know in the comments what you thought of this and hopefully I'll have another part ready for you soon.

Cheers muchly.
- Amie.

Oh! And don't forget to vote if you liked it, it makes me know that someone is reading and it will help spread the word about the story. Thank you.