Bad Blue Woebegone (Fourtris AU)

[2]

My alarm clock wakes me up, my face sticky with my dried tears.

I shower quickly, not wanting to look at my body any longer than I have to.

Pulling on my blue t-shirt and my employee tag, I tie my cheap tennis shoes and walk out of my apartment.

My car smells terrible, like cat piss and the engine stutters every time I turn the key.

Walmart is always least crowded and hectic in the mornings, that's when I try to start my shift. I'd like to say I only have to work a few hours but most of the time I end up working all day, and all night.

Every day we are so short staff, the manager doesn't care who's been working for how long as long as you can work longer, more business for him.

I hide myself between aisles, trying to distant myself from people. I hate working the cash register, so I always offer to restock and fold.

I push the rack of soda to the appropriate aisle and load the cartons onto the shelf.

"Excuse me," A soft voice whispers.

I look up, meeting the eyes of a mocha skinned girl. Her hair cut is choppy, in home-cut pixie style. Her eye is swollen and she hugs herself tensely.

"Yeah?" I ask, continuing what I am doing.

"I need help loading something in my car and I'm really afraid of asking the guys working in the front."

I frown, that was an odd request. There only three of us working at this early hour, one punky gangster guy, and a transgender. I guess to her, I look the closest to normal, but really, I'm the most screwed up.

"Okay. Did you check out already?" I ask, gesturing to the television in her cart.

"No," She mutters, "I'm frightened by them. If it's a bother I can-"

She clearly had issues too, so I cut her off, "It's okay, I'll check you out and help you put it in your car," I give her a tiny smile. I had a feeling if this were another world and I were happy, we would be good friends.

She thanks me. Before we get to the registers, a burly guy with a sneer on his face glares down at the pixie. I think that's what I'll call her. She's so quiet and fluttery, like a pixie.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Christina? I told you to wait outside of the restroom!" He grabs her arm roughly, and I immediately know what's going on.

"Hey," I tell the man strongly. Adding mine and the pixie's pain, I feel as though I can protect her.

"Shut up, lady. She's my girlfriend, and she is to do as I tell her," He hisses, glaring down at my tiny frame.

"She was looking for you, said she lost her way. She was going to go get some girl products when she asked where the restrooms were. May I lead her to that aisle?" I ask.

"Fine, but you better be back in five minutes or-" He jerk her close, whispering something in her ear that makes her eyes well with tears.

When he's out of sight, I lead her to the back.

"You need to call the police." I gesture to the land line that hangs on the wall.