Barbed Boys

Chapter 1

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I blew at a few strands of hair that fell into my face as I dumped a new tub of rainbow sprinkles into the container beside the soft serve machine and placed the metal lid on top.

"Hey, Ainsley!"

I rolled my eyes and turned to look over my shoulder at Randy. His thin lips were stretched into a wide grin that showed off his crooked teeth.

He held up one of the waffle cones to me, "You think you could deep throat this bad boy?" he asked and I tried not to let the disgust show on my face.

Just ignore him, Ainsley. You know reacting will only encourage him.

When I'd decided to pick up my old job from high school for the summer I hadn't realized I'd be working with such immature, sexist teenagers. Bobby had really let this place go downhill since I'd left.

"You know it'd be nice if you actually helped me clean up for once. Imagine if there were two of us working this shift and how much more efficient we would be?"

Randy shrugged and leaned back against the counter and began to munch on the dry cone, "Nah. I like watching you do it in those tight little leggings."

His beady sunken eyes raked up my frame in a way that made my skin crawl. It wasn't that I wasn't used to a guy looking at me. I'd just finished my second year of college and I'd had my fair share of fun, but there was something about Randy Webber, something in his eyes that gave me the heebie-jeebies. At first, I'd tried to switch shifts, but Bobby said none of the girls wanted to work with him and the boys got too confrontational with him. Since I never complained I was the only option. Basically, my boss flattered me into sticking with it.

He also flattered me into taking the night shift.

I hated the night shift.

It was moments like this I had to ask myself why I even wanted this job. I didn't need the money per-say, my parents were well off. But since I hadn't gotten an internship this summer I wanted to make sure they knew I wasn't sitting on my ass for the next three months.

Randy was harmless anyway. A creep. But a harmless creep. The kid was a bean pole, nothing but skin and bones and I was pretty sure I could take him and that was a saying a lot coming from me.

Ignoring my useless coworker I headed into the backroom to take out the trash. It was my least favorite job, even worse than cleaning the bathrooms. It was smelly and heavy and I had to go out into the back ally behind the parlor to get to the dumpsters.

I double bagged the trash, a dim yellow glow casting over the pavement as I flicked on the light outside. Still, the shadows embraced the corner where the dumpster was and once I was out there I wouldn't really be able to see much. It was silly of me, but I had an odd feeling. Normally I didn't like going outback, I'd always had a fear of the dark since I was little, and although it's usually associated with children many grownups retained the fear, so I wasn't alone.

Tonight though. It felt different. I shook my head and smiled to myself. I was being ridiculous. It was just a normal night. Nothing happened in Allan Town, New Jersey. Not since my mother was young anyway, younger than me.

In the distance, I could hear Randy still messing around up front, probably helping himself to a dessert. He was a piece of work.

He was scummy, made me and many other girls feel uncomfortable and everyone in town knew he had run-ins with the law. Nothing too serious; petty theft, some drugs, and stuff, but there were kids like Randy where ever you went. Bobby had hired him to help him out. I guess in some way he thought by giving the kid a job he'd keep him out of trouble and save his life.