Fallen

First Day

Chapter 5

Ana
~*~

"The first day at a new job is always scary, or so my mother says." I repeat the sentence to myself over and over as I put on my new, freshly washed uniform. The black polo shirt and grey trousers make me look about sixty. The little bookshop logo sits just above my shoulder and I pin on my name tag, grabbing my pink conversesas I shut my bedroom door behind me.

          My first ever job and it's a bookshop. The place that I would probably spend the whole day in anyway, and I'm getting paid to work there! I can't think of anything better.

          I rush down the stairs. When I reach the kitchen, I quickly grab a piece of toast off of my Dad's plate and run to the door.

          "Whoa! Slow down Ana!" He slides his glasses on.

          "Sorry, my shift starts in ten minutes." I grab for my jacket, accidentally tearing a hole in one of the pockets in my haste from pulling it from the hanger. I notice my car keys sitting on the sideboard and run over to grab them also, munching down my toast.

          "Have a good day sweetie." Mum hugs me and I wave, running out the front door and slamming it behind me. I quickly throw my converses on, my toast hanging out of my mouth and sprint toward the garage.

          The garage door opens so slowly I can't stand still. My feet continually bounce on the spot and I find myself yelling for the door to open quicker. I get a weird look from Mrs Gonavie across the street, whilst picking up her morning paper off of the front lawn.

          I can't be late to my first job. I scold myself for getting up late, once again. I continue to bounce on the spot, waiting for the door to open. To Mrs Gonavie, it must look like I really need the toilet and as I look around at her, she seems to be torn between coming over to say hi or to walk back inside and pretend she never saw me, she's a bit like that, always nosing in other people's business but I guess she doesn't seem too interested as she walks back inside and just settles waving at me. I wave back and quickly rush to my car.

         Once I pull away from our little street, I zoom down the road listening to the morning radio. I get stopped at nine traffic lights in a row, and I sigh once again as I stopped at the tenth.

          Once I get into town, I swing into a parking space which causes a few people to beep their horns and give me the finger, but I don't waste anytime as I rush towards the bookshop. The bookshop is run by a old lady called Rebecca Gylith. She has owned it since I was little. I always used to hide amongst piles of books in the corner and read for hours after school. When I asked whether there were any jobs going, Rebecca immediately signed me up. She's been friends with my parents for a long time, probably before I was born and I think we will make working partners.

          I sprint across the stone ground and pass the huge statue in the middle of town, which I can't help but slow down and gaze at before running off again.

          I finally come to the bookshop's front door. The outside doesn't look much. The doorframe is wooden and has black paint smudged across it. The old white writing reads 'Old Higgins Bookshop'. I smile as I read the words and see Rebecca inside waiting for me. She has her grey hair pulled back into a neat bun and has some old specs on, hiding her wise brown eyes. She wears the same uniform except the shoes and she smiles at me through the window and waves me in.

          As I walk through the front door, a little bell rings above me. As soon as I close the door behind me, I can smell the divine scent of new books and old books, the butterflies flit around my stomach as I'm filled with the comfort of books lying around me everywhere, filling every shelf, every spot on the floor and even Rebecca seems to be lost in a pile.