Here's To Teenage Memories.

Chapter 1

It all starts with a cliche meeting in an unpopular record store, owned by an old man. It all starts with the first memory…

Lucy

While browsing through the old, dusty records, I listen to one of Queen's old hits resounding all around the small store. The small heater at the till trying to make up for the chilly British air. How thoughtful of Mr Dawson…

My head shoots up and I focus my eyes on the front door as I hear the bell ring, making the presence of another customer known. It's something unusual, as I am the only person in this store at this time of day everyday, besides Mr Dawson, the owner.

"Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be… There will be an answer, let it be." I hear the unknown stranger softly sing as they walk down the aisle next to the one I am in.

"Ah, good choice you've made there." I jump as I hear the stranger right behind me. "Oh my gosh, don't do that! I'll have a heart attack. But thank you for noticing my good taste in music." I say, holding my right  hand over my heart, while the left holds an underpriced Queen record, with a red blush covering my cheeks.

"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you," he says with a slight chuckle, "Do you happen to know if this store has any records from the late 80s? I've been looking almost everywhere for them."

"They're in the green basket by the till. I'm sure you'll find a few amongst the records there, but you'll find it with great difficulty." I kindly reply in a slightly timid voice to the tall, male stranger clothed in black jeans and a checkered shirt with the top two buttons opened.

He smiles, revealing a set of perfectly straight white teeth, "Well, I'll be sure to ask for your help if I have too much difficulty finding them."

We share a laugh, and the stranger proceeds towards the basket by the door to search for his record.

As I think about this new walking mystery I've just met, I hear an excited shout. "I found it!" The tall stranger approaches me and says, "Thank you so much!"

I smile and give a thumbs up, but the stranger has a different idea. Soon, arms are wrapped around me and all I smell is his sweet-smelling cologne. Wow.

"So, what's your-" as I look up and speak, I stop mid-sentence and notice the empty space before which was previously occupied.

Drowning in disappointment after not being bold enough to introduce myself, my head shoots up as I hear the front door's bell go off again. He's gone.

Picking myself up, I head over to the till and place my chosen record on the counter for Mr Dawson to ring up.

"Queen today? It was an old Rolling Stones one yesterday." the elderly man teases me as per usual. "Tomorrow it'll be Extreme's  1991 EP, Mr Dawson." I reply jokingly.

"There was a boy here, you know." he tells me.

"I know."

"You could've introduced yourself, you know."

"I know."

"So, why didn't you?" he kindly asks. Mr Dawson has been the only parental figure I've had for the past six months after moving from a small town in Yorkshire, to the big and busy city of London.

I look down and stay quiet. "Oh, Little Miss Shy made an appearance again." He knows me so well.  

"I'll just ring this up for you." he says after a moment of silence. After that process is over, he hands my newly purchased record back to me and says, "Eventually, you'll completely forget how to be shy, Lucy. It'll all happen in time."

"You really think so, Mr Dawson?" I ask in surprise. "I know so, Lucy."

"Thank you. For my record and that titbit of advice."

"Anything for my favourite customer. See you tomorrow, Lucy." he says with a sincere smile. "'Till tomorrow then, Mr Dawson."

Walking down the busy London streets with a cold breeze in the air, I pull my coat closer to my body for extra warmth against the harsh cold.

I soon arrive at my small flat, perfectly priced and furnished within a university student's budget, and go straight to the record player which I bought from a pawn shop. Still in mint condition. I place the large disc on the record holder and place the needle on the it. As Queen's 'We Are The Champions' start to play, I go to the kitchen to get something to eat while I catch up on Uni homework.

While trying to study the Industrial Revolution, I hear loud voices outside my door in the corridor. Walking towards the door, I identify the voices as male. I stare with shock at the door, while someone knocks on it from the outside.

Scraping my courage together, I open the door to be met with chocolate brown eyes. "Hi, I just wanted to ask if you had a CD player. Mine broke this morning. I promise I'll return it, it's just that I have friends over and-"

"Sorry, no. Only have a record player." I apologize.

"So you're one of those vintage, hipster type girls?" he asks with a glimpse of amusement in his eyes. Silence fills the air as I stare at him, his question remaining unanswered.

"You don't talk?" Silence.  "Oh well, nice meeting you…" he trails off, waiting for a name to fill the blank space.

"Lucy." I reply quietly, but loud enough to be heard. "Ah, she speaks. Again, nice meeting you, Lucy. See you around.."

Great, another boy that I've allowed to slip through my fingers, due to my shyness. First at the shop, now at home.

Since when has this timid girl, ever caught the attention of a boy…

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(This is my first time writing, so I'd like any feedback and ideas any readers would like in the story.)