classic » liam payne au

job opportunity

"I expect you have all either finished Pride and Prejudice or are nearly finished it since your paper on it is due next week. Now, I know most of the language used is a bit archaic, but that is what makes the novel truly wonderful!" My literature prof, Professor Lyton, goes off yet again. I do admire her for her passion for literature. 

It's the third week of classes and honestly everything in my life is pretty much the same. My brother and his fiancée had visited last weekend and it was nice to see him again knowing it would be another good few months until the next time. My mother also asked me to move back home with her again, which I declined again, and I took another visit to George's. 

Speaking of George, I had said hello to his nephew in my literature class a few times. However, the lectures seemed to go by so quickly and I was always in a rush to keep up with my reading so I hadn't had time to have an actual conversation with him. 

And speak of the devil, I hear a familiar voice calling my name from behind me when the class is dismissed. "Violet, wait!" Liam's ear must have been ringing. Or does that only apply when you speak about someone out loud? Hm, I will have to look that up.

I stop at the side of the door and wait for Liam as people pass by me. "Hello." He smiles when he comes to my side. 

"Hi Liam, how are you?" I ask politely, clutching my books to my chest as we exit the lecture hall together. 

"I'm well, and you?" He asks and I tell him that I am also well. "That's good. I actually wanted to ask you something."

"Oh?" I blush, thinking about what he could ask me. 

"Yeah, um, my uncle - George that is, like from the record store - he isn't doing so good again, I think old age may be getting to him." He sighs and scratches the back of his neck.

I feel disappointment inside because I know he isn't going to ask what I was thinking. "Oh, I'm sorry." I frown. 

"No, no, it's alright. He's just not well enough to work in the store right now and well, the thing is, I can't cover all the shifts by myself and he won't allow anyone else to work there so that means we'll have to minimize the shop hours which also means we'll be minimizing profits which also," he takes a deep breath from speaking all at once and I hold back a giggle. "Means my uncle won't be able to support himself that well... So, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come work at the record shop? I mean, if you don't already have a job, and only if you want to. I've already spoken to my uncle and he said you are the only person he'd be willing to hire other than me." Liam explains and waits for my response.

"I don't know what to say, Liam." I smile up at the kind boy next to me as we walk out onto campus. "I've not got a job, and I was actually going to start looking for one. It would be great to work at the record shop." 

"Brilliant! So you'll work with me then?" He confirms, and I nod. "Great. Do you have any classes left today?" I shake my head. "Neither do I. Would you like to come to the shop with me right now so I can show you a few things? I'll drive." He offers with a sweet smile. 

"Sure." I return his smile and he grins before leading me to his car. Well, that was spontaneous of me. However I am excited to be working at one of my favourite places in the world. 

"The shop is one of your favourite places?" Liam asks, a hint of a smile on his face. Oh shoot, I guess I accidentally said that aloud. I just nod, not wanting to embarrass myself any further. "I like it there, too." He says, and I turn my head to look at him curiously. "I do. It's quiet there. I rather like peace and quiet." 

"So do I." I admit. 

"Somehow I already had a feeling you did." He chuckles and I find myself smiling again. 

Liam shows me his car and says for me to go ahead and get in. He gets in on the driver's side and looks over to me. "Ready?" He asks.

"Ready." I say, buckling my seatbelt. He buckles his, too, and turns on his car. The stereo comes on along with it and I gasp. "Liam.. Is this..." My eyes narrow as I listen closer to the music for a moment. "Justin Timberlake?" I say with a laugh and he blushes as he pulls out onto the road. "Wow, I certainly never took you for a Justin Timberlake fan." I shake my head in amusement when I see a couple other CDs in the middle compartment that are also by Justin Timberlake. 

"I can't help it!" Liam defends himself with a laugh and reaches to turn up the volume. "He's got a great voice, wish I had one like it."

I find myself picturing Liam singing and the thought brings a smile to my face. 

"So how have you been liking your classes so far?" He tries to make conversation. 

"They're good." I nod. "And yours?"

"Good. I think literature is my favourite." 

"Me, too! It's my major." I tell him.

"I think you mentioned that before," he says, and I am surprised that he remembered. "My major is history."

"Really? I despise history." I blurt out and realize that may have offended him. "Sorry." 

He laughs at my apologetic expression. "It's alright, I'm not so into it myself."

"Why did you choose it as your major, then?" I ask, but quickly shut my mouth because I'm being quite nosey.

"My father wanted me to." He shrugs and glances over at me quickly. I shoot him a quick smile, and hug my books to my chest tighter. 

I'm glad the record shop isn't all that far from campus because I don't have to worry about keeping up conversation too much. 

When Liam parks on the side of the street in front of the shop, I take in a deep breath and feel all my stress disappear. Even just the thought of music calms me immensely.

He unlocks the doors and turns the car off, opening his door and stepping out onto the sidewalk. I am surprised when he holds up his index finger, signalling for me to wait. He opens my door for me when there are no cars and helps me out. I feel strange when I take his hand gently in mine, and I let it go as soon as possible because the sensation is unnerving.

"You can leave your books in the car, if you'd like." He says and I turn to set my books carefully on the seat. 

"Thank you." I say and he smiles at me before leading the way up to the shop. 

He pulls the keys to the door out of his pocket and quickly unlocks it and opens the door, letting me go in first. 

"So, um, we'll still have to change the hours to accommodate our classes but having you will make a huge difference." He sighs in relief and runs a hand through his hair. 

"It's going to be really cool to work here." I smile as I look around the familiar store. "Thank you for this, Liam."

He shrugs his shoulders. "It's nothing. It's just too bad it will still only be one of us here at a time."

My face falls slightly. I hadn't thought about that. 

"Don't worry," he begins, probably seeing my expression change. "It's not so boring here." I purse my lips and raise an eyebrow at him. "Alright, it's pretty damn boring but hey, at least we're getting paid." He laughs and I can't help but join him. 

Liam starts to show me around the shop, starting with genre sections. Even though I already know where most of them are, I let him show me again. After that, he shows me the back room which carries extra stock and very valuable vinyls. Then we get to the till, and he shows me how to work that. 

"Once you do that, you just press this button here and there you are." He explains, pushing a few buttons in order to make the bottom portion that holds money pop out. "Would you like to try?" I nod and press the buttons in the same order Liam did, and the bottom pops out again. "You're a natural." He smiles and gives me a gentle pat on the back. 

"I guess I was born to work the till." I joke, earning a laugh from him. 

"Must be." He says. "Well, I don't have anything else to show you. If you wanna go I can take you back to your dorm?"

I decide to be brave because for some reason I feel like staying around Liam a bit longer. "Um, if you want, there's this place just down the street a bit - this great bakery - maybe you'd want to come with me? Only if you want to though." I say, looking down at my feet nervously. 

"Sure, Violet. That sounds nice." I look up to see him smiling at me. 

"Really?" I ask with an even bigger smile but quickly clear my throat and shake my head. "I mean, great." 

He laughs and heads for the door. He pulls it open and nods his head toward it. "Ladies first." 

I blush and walk ahead out onto the sidewalk. "It's just right there." I point to the bakery across the street. 

"I've actually never been there before." Liam admits, walking beside me. "Is it good?"

"It's the best." I tell him. 

I put my hands in the pockets of my jacket while we wait to cross the street. I feel Liam's eyes on me but I keep looking at the road. 

"Hey Liam?" I ask when the road is clear and I can still feel his gaze on me. 

He clears his throat and I look at him. "Yeah?"

"We can cross now." I tell him with a smile. 

"Oh, right." His cheeks flush and we cross the street. 

Clarissa is working when Liam and I enter the bakery and she smiles politely at the both of us. "Hello Violet." 

"Hi Clarissa, you're well today?" 

"Very well, thank you. What can I get for you?" 

"I'll get one caramel chocolate cupcake, please." I smile at her and then look to Liam.

"Oh, um..." He pauses to have a look at the menu. "What's good?" He asks me. 

"I think you'd like the strawberry cheesecake danish." I recommend and he orders exactly that. 

"That'll be six quid." Clarissa says, and I dig into my pocket for change. 

"Don't worry, Violet, I've got it." Liam tells me and before I can protest he pays for the both of us. 


"You didn't have to do that, Liam. But thank you." I say once we're sat at a small round table. 

"Don't mention it." He smiles and then takes a bite of his danish. "Oh my God, this is so good." He says with a full mouth. 

"I told you!" and I take a bite of my cupcake. 


Liam and I manage to keep conversation all the way up until he is dropping me off at my dorm. 

"Hey Violet?" He asks just before I am about to get out of the car. "Do you have a mobile?" I nod. "Can I have your number? Y'know, just so I can tell you your shifts and stuff." He says nervously, scratching the back of his neck. 

"Of course." I smile and reach for my phone from inside my bag. I hand it to him and he raises an eyebrow at me. "I like older phones, okay?"

He laughs and hands me his phone so we can both have each other's number. 

"Thanks for the job, and for the cupcake, and for the ride." I say, and push some of my hair out of my face. 

"No problem. It was nice to hangout with you." He smiles, and we give our phones back. 

"It was cool to hangout with you, too." I return his smile as I open the door. "I'll see you in literature tomorrow?"

"See you in literature tomorrow." He agrees and I step out of his car and shut the door. He waves to me through his windshield and I wave back before he pulls away and leaves. 

That was definitely not how I planned so spend my evening. Time to get studying, now.

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A/N: thanks for reading lovelies ~ mwahh xx