Chapter 8
I stood at the register, trying not to doze off. I never thought I could fall asleep standing up until this very moment. Apparently, Grooves doesn't have many customers on early Sunday mornings. Probably because they spend their Saturday nights getting fucked up at The Underground.
I leaned against the shelf, propping up my elbow and supporting my face as I leaned against it. I watched Felix from across the store as he helped a girl find a new guitar. He grabbed a guitar from off the shelf, offering it over to her as she played a couple chords. He then said something which caused both of them to erupt into laughter as she returned the guitar to him and he placed it back up on the shelf.
He glanced up at me briefly, our eyes locking for a second as we both smiled at each other. He then turned his attention to the customer once more, helping her try out more guitars.
"Naomi, I told you to sweep the floors!" Katie groaned, entering the room. I watched as she stopped in front of the cash register, eyeing Naomi who was sitting on the counter next to me.
Naomi blew a bubble with her gum, allowing it to pop loudly and echoing throughout the empty store. "I don't wanna."
"Do you wanna keep your job?" Katie countered, raising her eyebrows at her.
Naomi eyed Katie up and down, laughing slightly before giving in and hopping off the counter. Katie then turned to me. I braced myself for the inevitable lecture she was about to give me. Though, to my surprise, she didn't say anything. She just turned around, following my gaze to Felix across the store.
"The customers love him." she said, turning back to me and leaning against the counter.
"I can tell." I nodded, slightly confused as to why she was talking to me rather than yelling at me to do something.
"It's only because he's hot." Rylie approached out of nowhere, hopping up to sit on the counter where Naomi was. "Other than that he has nothing going for him."
"That's not true." Katie pointed out, crossing her arms, "He's a god on guitar."
"Eh. I've seen better." Rylie shrugged, unamused. "Plus he's too much of a nice guy. I couldn't ever date him."
"You aren't his type anyway." I said in a bored tone, still fighting to keep myself awake.
"Oh?" Rylie chuckled, turning towards me, "And what exactly is his type? Nice little rich girls from LA with daddy issues?"
I snapped my head in her direction, suddenly wide awake. "You don't know anything, Rylie."
"Please. Everyone knows your dad, Clementine." she giggled, "TMZ posted his mugshots a couple months ago. He looks hot in that jumpsuit."
I scoffed, turning away from her. Maybe if I just ignored her she would go away.
"Anyways, its bold of you to assume I couldn't get with Felix if I wanted to." Rylie hopped off the counter, standing next to Katie as she watched me, "Maybe I should. Just to piss you off."
"It wouldn't piss me off." I told her. Which was true. It would probably just make me uncomfortable if anything. The thought of Rylie and Felix together was so strange I couldn't even imagine it. "But go ahead. Do what you want."
"He's free game?" Katie perked up excitedly.
"Yeah..." I said slowly, eyeing Katie suspiciously. "Wait...do you like Felix?"
"What? No." she said quickly, "I just...no. Ew. Gross."
"Oh, fuck off, Katie. You never shut up about him." Rylie rolled her eyes, reaching over to the candy by the cash register and grabbing a chocolate bar, "I should sleep with him just to piss you off."
