Ticket to Another World (Luke Hemmings AU)

On the Daily

[Word count: 1,937]

Today was like any other day; I would wake up early and drive to school to take my lecture and laboratory classes at my university and drive down to the record shop to finish off my day. From the stress of rigorous classes and everything in between, working at the record shop was my only sense of escape.

Lightly bobbing my head to the tune of Always Be by Jimmy Eat World playing on the overhead, I began to organize some CD's and making sure each unique one was in its correct category. Something about setting things in the right order and listening to my favorite genre always made me at ease and happy. This was a daily routine that made me content with my life and wished nothing would change.

"Did you make sure everything was in alphabetical order today?" my co-worker Phil teased me as we were in the process of closing up the shop. Phil stood at six foot three with a small brown ponytail and a bushy beard, tattoos that adorned his whole left and right sleeves, and had the most beautiful shade of golden brown eyes I have ever seen.

"Yes, sir," I answered with a light salute and a small smirk.

"I don't understand why you do it every day; the customers are just gonna mess it up the very next morning and you're gonna have to do it again!" he responded in an English accent. Phil came to the states from Canada a few years back and fell in love with the records shop that he decided to stay here until they decided to fire him.

I gave him a light shrug as I made sure the back room was locked, "Gives me something to do."

"Don't ya ever get tired of it?" he asked in a confused tone.

Slowly walking over to the front door, I mentally noted of anything that may have been out of place. Phil and I then turned off the lights starting from the back and locked the door. Once outside we brought down the gates and locked those as well.

"Hmmmm, I dun know. Don't ya ever get tired of asking me the same damn question?" I answered in a sarcastic tone giving him a light grin.

He ruffled my hair, given that I was at least a whole foot and two inches shorter, and just bellowed out a deep chuckle, "Naw, I just enjoy messing with you too much!" I sneered at him and punched his upper arm which only caused him to laugh harder. "Alright, alright. You best be getting on home now if you want to finish your homework," he stated as he ruffled my hair some more.

I let out a sigh and gave him a look of disgust, "Ugh, don't even mention it. I have my lab reports to do by Monday, finish my online homework, and study for my quizzes for three of my lectures. Why must life hate me so, Phil?"

"Cheer up, René, it's only Thursday," he answered with a light chuckle.

"That only makes me hate you more," I answered giving him a glare.

"Yeah, yeah," he said pulling me in for a hug. "Make sure you get home safe, you hear?"

"Yes, no need to worry," I state-matter-of-factly.

"Oh darling, it's not you I worry about. It's the other hoodlums that may trespass against yah!" With another punch on his upper arm, we bid goodnight and parted ways.

Unlocking the door quietly, I snuck into the fridge and grabbed a piece of cheesecake and a cold glass of iced peach green tea with a shot of Jack Daniels. I reached into the drawer for a fork and the clumsy me just had the drop the freaking thing. I stood in the kitchen frozen and waited for anyone in the house to stir. Seeing as how no one was waking up anytime soon, I picked up the fork and went into my room, enjoying the rest of my night alone.