Thin Ice {UNDER CONSTRUCTION}

7. Protocol & Protection

OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you

But you're an animal, baby, it's in your nature

Just let me liberate you

Hey, hey, hey

You don't need no papers

Hey, hey, hey

That man is not your maker

-" Blurred Lines" : Robin Thicke

Ch. 7 - Protocol & Protection

"Can you stock these on the front, top shelf, Vivianna?" asked Melody, offering me a stack of acid wash skinny jeans and a white label with gray lettering.

"Yep," I replied, popping my P.

I took the jeans from her and made my way to the front of the store, singing softly to "Wake Me
Up" by Avicci, as it blared through the store speakers.

Melody's Mix was a small, but popular boutique in town, known for it's unique clothing, and amazing finds. Everything was white and heather grey, which, believe it or not, gave the store a calming feel.

I gently smoothed out the jeans from where I had arranged them on the white, glossy shelf. I took the old label for the shelf which read "Rainbow Cardigans" out of the glass frame and replaced it with the new one.

Crumpling up the old one in my hand, I threw it into the waste basket a few feet away, fist pumping when it made it in.

Walking back over the the cash register, I proceeded to check inventory, which was what I had been doing before Melody came over.

Once I had finished, I rang up four customers, and helped two find what they needed.

"You can leave early, if you like," suggested Melody, smiling kindly at me.

Melody was only 24, but she successfully ran her own business and was engaged as well. Her straight, chestnut hair was most commonly in a ponytail, and her brown eyes were always sparkling with kindness.

"Are you sure?" I asked, unsure myself.

"Yep! Thanks so much for your help. I missed seeing you around." Melody fixed some earrings on a hanging rack.

A sudden jingle of the bell on the door made us glance up.

Devon, the guy whom Diesel had introduced me to on Monday, walked into the boutique. This was weird because usually guys didn't come into the shop that much, unless unwillingly dragged in by their girlfriends.

He looked around and met my eyes. He walked towards me, a slight smile on his face.

"Diesel wanted me to give this to you, and to tell you he'd see you soon."

Devon held out a medium-sized black box that was embossed with a glossy logo.

I took it warily, wondering if it would explode on contact or opened.

Devon laughed. "Diesel said it won't explode."

Devon turned around and headed towards the door. Right before walking out, he turned around and called out, "Diesel said you'd be needing them soon."

What the hell was in this box?

- - -

"You have to open it!" cried Brynn, slamming her hands down on the marble tabletop.

I grabbed my latte before it spilled, shooting her a glare.

After getting off work, I called Brynn and we met at the café across the street.

For the past twenty minutes, Brynn has been egging me to open the gift nonstop.

I watched it as it sat in the middle of the table, seemingly harmless.

"What if it explodes?"

"Deisel said it wouldn't."

"Diesel really isn't a reliable source, Brynn."

"I'd rely on him..."

"Stop with the sexual jokes."

"I'm not joking, I'm serious."

I sighed, glancing once again towards the box.

"Let's look at this logically then. Pandora opened her magic box, didn't she? You should do the same."

I gave her a scathing look. "Pandora let out all the evils of the world because she couldn't control her curiosity."

"But she let out hope," pointed out Brynn, with an accomplished look.

"Only in some versions of the myth."

"No! She did! Otherwise I wouldn't be hoping that you would open the box!"

I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my caramel hazelnut latte with extra extra extra whip cream.

"I'm going to open it if you don't," warned Brynn.

"No! I want to open it myself!"

"Then open it already! You can't have called me here just for coffee!"

I sighed, reaching for the box.

Brynn eyed me attentively as I slowly wiggled off the lid.

"WHAT IS IT?!" she yelled, jumping up from her seat and slamming her hands on the table to keep her balance as she peered over at what was inside the box.

Everyone turned to look at us, and I gritted my teeth into a smile.

"Sit. Down. Now."

Brynn grumbled but did as she was told.

"What's in it?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, there's tissue paper."

I eyed the black tissue paper with gold lettering. I couldn't read what it said because it seemed to be in French. I unfolded it slowly, before pulling it all the way out, finding it funny how Brynn squirmed impatiently.

Once I finally pulled the paper away, and after Brynn was finished batting at it like a kitten, we both peered into the box.

Inside, crammed into every available space, were black foil packets with gold lettering in French. They looked like hand towelettes.

"He got me hand wipes?"

Brynn burst out laughing, slamming her hands down on the table, and tears started to stream down her face.

"H-han-hand to-towelettes!" she laughed out, hardly able to say the words because she couldn't breathe.

"What? What's so funny?" I asked, completely confused.

She couldn't stop laughing, burrowing her face in her hands.

I finally got fed up of her unending laughing and took it upon myself to find out what they were.

I flipped over the packet and saw two words.

Protection and préservatif.

My face paled and my eyes widened.

"They're-they're not hand-hand towelettes! They're condoms!"

I was going to murder Diesel Arlex.

- - -
Short filler, it's been awhile peeps :)