Honey Drip // Danny Wagner

XV

I was stuck in a daze at the bookstore, my chin cradled in my hand with my elbow against the countertop. I liked the solitude there but sometimes I actually wanted Jason, as much of a dick as he could be, to be there, especially when my mind was swimming with anxieties. First it started with thinking about asking Jason if I could work there full-time but again, I wasn't sure how he was paying me at all to begin with; then I was thinking about how, if I couldn't find a better full-time job, I would have to get another menial second job.

Reveling in being free from college wasn't really happening no matter how badly I wished I could. Being out of school meant an entirely new set of anxieties.

I sighed and pushed myself back from the counter, gripping the edges and stretching my arms out in front. It was a slow day, a Wednesday. I knew that Danny was also at work--sometimes I tried to telepathically contact him to share in the mundane--just something to make me feel less isolated within the confines of the shop.

I turned around to look at what the view from the bookstore offered: the village street lined with a few cars under the streetlamps and parking signs, though in that moment I didn't see anyone walking; the leaves of the trees finally green and shiny against the pale blue of the sky, the clouds overhead allowing some relief from the unseasonable heat. Everything was just so quiet, inside and outside.

Suddenly Josh appeared outside the window, trotting past the glass. He stopped when he saw me looking and his face broke into a huge grin as he waved. Seconds later the bell above the door rang and he was in front of the counter.

Josh slapped down a piece of paper. "It's here," he announced.

With one finger I dragged the paper to me. It was a print-out, displaying some words about a new restaurant opening up and photos of a storefront, but on the right hand side I saw the photo of the guys--they looked like absolute hippies, all adorned in flowing fabrics and denim and long necklaces, and were hanging over one another in the photo, all big smiles.

"Oh my god," I exclaimed, my eyes still glued to the paper, frantic to read what Bridget had wrote. It was short but it was sweet--she had given Greta Van Fleet a glowing review, making note of all of the guys' separate contributions to the band and didn't once mention Led Zeppelin, plus a little interview with all of them.

Josh leaned over the counter, his bead and shell necklace dangling. "It's good, right?"

I was still holding the paper in my hands, gawking at it. "Yes, it's great, Josh," I said. "I knew it would be but seeing it for real is so cool."

"Bridget emailed us the rest of the photos," Josh told me. "I'll send them to you."

"Can I keep this?" I asked, holding the paper out.

"Yes, silly."

"Wait, I know," I said and grabbed the tape dispenser from the counter, moving to the window. I gauged where the article would be seen best--I knew Jason wouldn't let me put it on the door so I taped it up next to the door, as best at eye-level as I could make it.

"For all your customers?" Josh teased, smirking.

"Oh god, I know," I groaned. "You'd think with school being out now, we'd get busier."

"Maybe everyone's just done with reading," Josh replied and opened a book from the counter, one about cryptids of the Pacific Northwest. "Which I don't understand."

"As an English major, I get it," I said. "But still. Jason leaves me here every day with nothing to do. I've reorganized this place more times than I can remember."

Josh averted his eyes from the book to me. "Why don't you ask Bridget about a writing job?"

"I didn't go to school for journalism."

"So?" Josh replied and closed the book, hopping up onto the counter and twisting to face me. "You still studied English and writing, right?"

I sighed and propped myself up next to him, still facing the window. "I could ask," I said. "But it's like, she already did me a favor, you know?"

"You should really think about it. It'd be more exciting than this place."

"This place could be exciting if the owner gave two shits."

"There's good stuff in here. He doesn't market the place at all though," Josh noted. "If you wrote for a journal, you could write something about it."

"Josh, you're always full of good ideas," I said, mussing with his curls. I told myself I would think about what Josh said--it couldn't hurt to ask Bridget if there was a place for me, a job that was more suited to my skills and, hopefully, offered a pay raise. The future was imminent no matter what I chose to do.

"How are you and Daniel?" Josh asked, turning around so we were both facing the window, the street beyond it still quiet and barren.

"Oh god, did Jake tell you about that?"

Josh laughed. "He got pretty drunk, so--"

"We're fine," I told him. "It was such a stupid fight. But I get it--I'd be upset if I saw a girl doing that. I mean, I was upset by it before we even started dating."

"Daniel's very loyal--you have nothing to worry about."

I sighed. "I know. But--I don't know, Josh. Things are changing."

"Like what?"

"We graduated; Danny's not even in school anymore," I started to explain. "Greta Van Fleet is playing shows almost weekly and you guys are officially in print."

Josh looked at me quizzically. "So what are you worried about? We have time to figure it out along the way."

"I'm thinking too much," I admitted. "But the future is scary, right?"

Josh nodded. "It can be. But we all have each other, right, darling?"

I smiled, feeling a little reassured by Josh's words. It was too early to feel daunted by it all. "By the way," I said, resting my head on Josh's shoulder. "Your friend Tyler has terrible taste in music."