Guilty || E.V.

ch 1. ukulele songs

i worked at a music store that bought and sold band instruments, equipment, and guitars. we were a local store, but incredibly popular. we supplied many schools with their marching band gear while also sponsoring many bands that were trying to make it big in our town.

i wasn't the most significant employee - i worked in the brass, woodwind, and orchestra section and tried to sell middle school aged children on instruments that i believed suited them best.

my area was also where most of the child-sized instruments and toys were located.

on slow days, like Mondays, i didn't get a lot of business. i usually sat in the back of the room and messed around on my phone until the battery was low.

but every Friday night was a big deal.

on Fridays, my store hosted a show. it wasn't huge, but it was later in the night and we'd been allowed to serve alcohol, so it was usually somewhat popular. people would come to watch local bands and acts perform, and it all had to be live music, meaning that we didn't really allow people to come just to promote their SoundCloud mixtapes.

Fridays weren't my favorite day of the week, but i always worked the shows, because i didn't ever really have plans and i wanted the money. and i'd be lying if i said i didn't like hearing the new music that these people brought with them.

i wasn't a musician, but it seemed like a hell of a lot of fun to be a performer on Friday nights.

"Katherine," a voice said, and i looked up from where i was sitting behind the counter.

my boss, Jen, was standing in front of me.

"what?" i asked.

"it's eight, the doors are locked," she said, tapping at the rhinestone-covered watch she had on her wrist. "come and help us set up the stage, you're on door-duty tonight."

i groaned.

"i don't wanna sit at the door all night," i said, getting up and following her into the main lobby of the store. it was massive, and resembled a warehouse, with a big stage in the middle. my coworkers were all busy, setting up the stage and moving everything out of the way.

she shook her head at me.

"sorry," she said. "but it's your turn."

being at the door meant i had to sit at a table in the front entrance with my back to the stage. it meant i had to sit there and make sure everyone who wanted in paid me first, and i had to stay there for the entire night to keep an eye out for those who didn't.

"okay," i said. "fine. as long as i don't have to help clean up."

she chuckled. "whatever."

i approached the stage and leaned against the speaker that was beside it. my friend, Mia, set down the coil of extension cords she was holding and crossed her arms, looking at me.

Mia and i had become friends when we both got hired on the same day. we trained together, we started out in the same department, and now we made each other's day's bearable. we even became friends outside of work, and i found myself spending a lot of my days off hanging out with her and her boyfriend, Julien.

"hey," she said. "i guess i'm the bartender tonight." i huffed out a laugh.

that was what we called ourselves when we had to work the counter where we sold people candy and beer.

"oh, nice," i said. "have fun with that. i'll be up front all night."

"ew, god," she said. "boring."