This is it?
Hayden thought. He checked the address Nola gave him, making sure it was the right address. It was.
Just across the street. The shop although small but it was quite lively. All tables were full with customers.
It wasn't quite odd actually, but the sight of various types of customer chatting and mingling with each other made it even weird.
In the outerside of the shop there was a metalhead guy arm wrestling with an old man while their team cheered intensely for them. While inside of the shop there was guy in a blue jumpsuit flirting with every girls he met at the book section but each girl left as soon as they saw him, which earned him a teasing from a boy in a dirty labcoat. A fat cat which Hayden assumed was the boy's, sat beside him, following him everywhere he goes.
It was a mess.
"Ah! Hey! You!" Someone called Hayden from the shop.
It was that girl from yesterday. Waving enthusiastically at him from the shop. Hayden wave back. Unsure how to respond.
She left the shop and ran towards Hayden.
"Sorry. I forgot your name. But it's you right? From yesterday?" Nola asked, untying the apron around her waist.
"Yeah. That was me. Hayden the suicidal guy." The girl frown at his joke.
"Oh geez, please don't say that."
"Why? It was true though."
"Yes it was but not anymore. We're gonna work on that. That's why you came, right?" Nola asked, looking up at him.
Hayden was silent.
The truth was Hayden had no idea why he came here. It was all blurry. He felt nothing and it was bothering him. He need to do something. Something to keep him busy. Something to keep him off his empty thought.
"Hey, calm down. You don't have to answer now." Nola smiled, patting his shoulder.
"Anyway, here you go." She handed him her apron. "You're now my new employee."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Oh I'll show you later." She shrugged, pulling Hayden to the shop.
He didn't mind being drag around by this woman because at the moment she was his employer but the fact that many sets of eyes were staring at them made him anxious.
Why are they staring at me? Am I wearing my shirt inside-out again? Wait- no. Was it because of my hair? Fuck it must've been the beard. Should've trimmed it earlier!
"Oi, Nola! Who's the new guy? Aren't you going to introduce him to us?" The jumpsuit guy approached them, the boy behind him. Eyeing them with curiosity in his gaze.
Now that they met face to face, Hayden finally realize how good looking the jumpsuit guy was. His face was clean shaven, his black hair was messy in a good way and even his figure was built.
"Why don't you take a guess?" Nola teased, nudging at Hayden.
The guy scoffed. "There's no way this guy is your new boyfriend. Am I right? Both of you are out of each other's league."
"Why not? I mean, yesterday he was my fiancé."
"Ha! Fiancé? - like you'll ever move-"
"Wait! He's the one you've been talking about for the last few days!" The boy suddenly stepped forward.
The height gap between him and Hayden forced him to look up at Hayden. His messy red hair only enhances the freckles on his pale skin, while the size of glasses he wore was half of his face which made his face look older despite his age.
"Oh, God! Kid, I told you to stop carrying that damn frog around! He's creeping me out!" The guy complained. Stepping away from the boy.
"It's a she!" He said, pulling a big frog out from his left lab coat. Showing it to Hayden."Anyway, meet Sheila. My loyal test subject." He smiled. The cat meowed beside him.
"And this is witch."
"Witch?" Hayden asked. "Why did you name your cat 'witch'? "
The boy just shrugged. "Why not?"
Yes. Why not?
But why was he introducing his pets instead of himself?
"Fight me, godamnit!"
The sound of old man yelling followed by loud cheers and laughing from outside caught Hayden's attention. However the other three groaned simultaneously at that. Looking so fed up.
"This is why I told you to ban that old guy." The jumpsuit guy complained, crossing his arms to his chest.
"He's one of my loyal customer!" Nola smacked him. He snorted.
Not wanting the old man to go on full rampage mode and fight everyone, they immediately go out and stop him. Apologizing to the other customer.
Although some are pretty bummed that the fight never happen.
"Why did you stop me? He almost fight me!" The old man grunted. His breathings were heavy and harsh. He looks like someone who just lost his bet.
"Are you crazy, old man? I don't mind if you die in your fight. Hospitalised? Not the option. You had no idea how much hospital treatment cost nowadays."
"Sir, I gotta say. You've lost it." Jumpsuit guy speak, stifling his laughter. The old man raised his fist at him. Ready to launch.
"You lil-"
"There's minor." Nola commented.
"Ah. Red boy. I'm sorry." the old man apologised at the kid. The kid nodded, approving his nickname.
"I gotta go. My friend Jack promised me he'll teach me some cool magic trick later." The boy announced, carrying his cat in his arm. However the cat kept sliding out from his hold. Too big to be carried around.
"Here let me carry that. I'll go with you." Jumpsuit guy offers. He grabbed the cat from the kid.
They soon left along with the old man. He decided to hang out with the other two in the end. Leaving Hayden and Nola.
