COMFORT CROWD [3] , jj maybank

21. you got this, jj

~.🐚.''.🥥.''~❀˖ °⋆

                A SMALL BREEZE RIPPLES THROUGH THE SHOP.

                 First day open and so far, no customers. A dart flies from my hand, landing right outside the dartboard. "I fucking suck at this," I groan.

                  "You've been hitting the same spot for like—10 minutes," John B scoffs. I turn to glare at him which results in a mischievous giggle from the Routledge boy.

              Optimism. I have to force myself to have it. We will have a customer. We will. Definitely.

                 "If we got goats—there would be people lined up already," Bailey brings up her petting zoo idea, again. It's not a bad one but we don't have the money to take care of animals right now. A collective sigh falls from everyone's mouths. "I'm not wrong. I will get a goat," Bailey insisters, pointer finger in the air. Kie grabs her finger, "Why not chickens, baby?"

                    "I don't wanna pet a chicken!" Bailey rolls her eyes. "And you'd pet a goat?" Kie laughs. A small smile works its way onto my face as I watch the two interact. It took them so long to get together and be happy. It makes me happy watching them fall in love constantly. "I'd pet a goat," JJ raises his hand. "Me too," I chime in.

                 Kie is about to add to her argument when Sarah begins to speak frantically. "Guys. Boat! Boat!" Sarah points out.

                I follow her eyes, indeed seeing a boat making its way towards us. See....optimism works.

                   Nerves roll through the eight of us as we realize this is our first customer. We get the others attention, screaming about the boat. I'm nervous but my body won't stop buzzing. My stomach hurts but I yelp, hands clapping together as the boat gets closer and closer. "Get ready!" Cleo exclaims. "Okay, first customer!" Sarah eagerly says.

                       I run over to Sarah, grabbing her by the shoulders as we grin. "First customer!" We both yell at the same time as Pope and JB rush out to help the man with his gas. "I got your ice!" JJ yells, holding up a bag of said ice. "Bait. I have the bait," I announce, choosing to ignore how gross the worms look. Its really gross.

                   The boat docks and the customers come in. It's a group of kind looking, older gentlemen, except one younger one, seemingly stunned by what a bunch of teens have to offer. "Holy shit," One of them curses as they walk over to Cleo and I, "You've got all this live bait?!"

                    My hands intertwined behind my back, I tilt front and back, "Yes, sir!"

                  "Big and small," Cleo adds. "Its our secret sauce!" JJ tells him. The older man tips his hat at us, "Gimme a whole bucket!"