Black Rose

16.

Majesty A. Collins

"You're cutting it close." My manager fumed.

Sighing, I placed my things in my cubby. "I wasn't late though. Still have five minutes to spare."

His eyes squinted and face turned red as he stared at me. I chuckled nervously and looked away. He snatched me up by my collar shirt and pointed his index finger in my face.

"Don't get smart with me, I'll drop you in the blink of an eye. You'll drop out of school and live in the streets if I fire you." He stared at me with hatred in his eyes. "You understand?"

"Y-yes sir." I nodded.

A grin spread across his face as he pushed me out of his grip and strolled out of the employee area.

I leaned on the register, waiting for someone to checkout. Everyone who is here at the moment is in at the back tables for some sort of book club.

"Hey Majesty."

Looking up, my eyes landed on Nancy. A small smile was on her face as she approached the counter. I returned the kind gesture and greeted her.

"How're you?" Her voice was perky, as usual.

"Living." I let out a quiet chuckle.

It's November the fourth, a Friday. A Friday and I'm here working. It's also been four days since I dropped two letter grades in my favorite class.

"School?"

"Yeah." I sigh.

Maybe moving to New York was a bad idea. Maybe I should've went to a college in Rhode Island and then moved here; if I did that I wouldn't be lost in debt at the age of twenty one.

Nancy spent an hour giving me advice on what I can do to make school easier and how to pay back loans in the quickest ways. God knows I needed that advice.

After hours of listening to 90s music, I was getting ready to close the shop since my manager basically forced me to for 'talking back'.

Can you stand the rain? Storms will come, this we know for sure.

Ironically, pellets of rain were hitting the building harshly. My head nodded along to the soft music playing in the front of the bookstore. My school bag was already around my shoulder and my phone was in my pocket. I was all set to leave this place and go home to do nothing.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. I seem to look forward to doing nothing.

Nothing is all I can really do since I've come down with something.

My bed quickly snapped to the door as the bells jingled. I squinted, trying to get a better view of the figure in dark clothing.

"Sorry, we're closed." I stayed behind the counter near the phone. "You can come again in the morning. We open at nine."

The figure continued to walk, but not towards the many shelves. Towards me.

"Sir, you-"