RISKY BUSINESS

Chapter 18

JUNE,
RIOT! ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTRE,
b r o o k l y n l e s l i e c o o p e r
❦❧❦

"Brooklyn," I spun around and came faced with my manager, Marvin. I sent him a friendly smile and lifted my chin as a sign for him to continue speaking. "Mali called in sick— how do you feel about working another hour or two?"

I placed the packet of paint brushes onto the shelf it belonged on, and I nodded eagerly, sending Marvin a toothy smile. "Sounds good to me!"

"You're the best." My thirty year-old manager grinned before spinning around and disappearing around the isle I was stocking.

I'd been working at Riot for a few weeks now, but it already felt like I'd been here for years. I fit in right away and enjoyed every task and challenge that came with working at the art centre. There was so many things to do; stocking, working register, assisting people, I even get to sit aside and observe the art classes held on the other side of the centre in preparation for when I'd finally get the chance to teach them. Mali keeps telling me to bring in my art book so I can show Liona, the big boss, how talented I am (her words, not mine). Mali said Liona dedicated a hallway to her workers by hanging up their art pieces. It was called Riot's Hall Of Fame. I wasn't confident enough to do that yet, though I really wanted to.

I spent the next hour to finish stocking, assisting a kind older lady looking for watercolour pencils for her grandson, and then when a co-worker called Jason took over working in the store I headed over to the Hall Of Fame to check out all of the art pieces. I spent about twenty minutes just admiring the talent Riot's former and current worker's had. And I was going to stay, but I realised that I actually had a job to get back to, so I turned and got ready to head back to the main store, but I froze when I came faced with a familiar face.

"Luke?" I asked with a higher pitched tone, tilting my head to the side in confusion. "What're you doing here?"

My blonde friend smiled sheepishly at me, and he widened his arms for a hug. I fell into them and gave him a quick but tight squeeze before pulling away. "I went by your house but you weren't home— which I found weird because you never leave your house unless you're at school or being dragged somewhere by your mother or Morgan, but then your dad told me that you were working so I came here to find you."

I started to head out of the Hall and Luke followed after me, we slowly walked in the direction of the main store. I hoped that if Marvin saw us, it looked like Luke was a customer and I was assisting him. I couldn't afford to get scolded or yelled at for slacking on the job I'd only just started. "What's so important that you had to come tell me while I'm working?" I asked.

Luke smiled an apologetic smile, then lifted his hand to scratch his nose. "Right, sorry. I was just really excited and already told the boys and Morgan about my plans so I wanted you to know, too."

"And your plans are what, exactly?"

We turned the corner at the end of the Hall, and were greeted with the split entrances to the main store and the practical centre— where all the magic was made. We headed for the main store, and I lead him into the first isle closest to us and towards a shelf that was unorganised, then I started to clean it up.

"I'm throwing a massive party at my house on the weekend," Luke started with excitement from beside me. He was leaning on the shelf and grinning down at me, biting down on his lip. I never knew that people who threw parties got so excited for them. "But that's not just it."

I glanced at him for s split second before straightening out that same puppy statue on the second highest shelf. "Oh? Tell me Luke, what will seperate your party from being the usual wild and free high school parties today's youth love oh-so much?"