Skeleton Records
"No way. That is the stupidest idea I have ever heard." It's a big call, but Gerard thinks it's a fair one. "There's no way I'm buying a fucking Whitney Houston CD from the hot guy at the record store."
"You want him to notice you right?" Ray's spinning sugar packets across the table as he talks. They're smushed into a booth at an old diner and Gerard can't keep still. He's already finished his coffee but he doesn't have enough money left to buy another one.
"Yeah, but not because he thinks I have tragic taste in music."
"Tell him it's for your sister." Ray is just not taking this seriously at all.
"Hello, Ray? I don't have fucking sister."
"He doesn't know that. Besides, put Mikey in a dress - I think he'd pass." Ray's grinning like a loon.
"Oh thanks, Toro." Gerard's voice is dripping sarcasm. Now there's a mental image he just didn't need.
The really annoying part is that Ray, to some degree, is right. Gerard can't just keep hanging around at Skeleton Records hoping Frank (well, that's the name on his lanyard) will notice him. Gerard's spent more money on CD's in the past month than he usually would in a year and he has yet to breach the two-sentence customer conversation limit with the afore-mentioned hot record store employee.
At first Gerard actually had some CD's he'd needed to buy. Then there were a few back catalogue items from favorite bands that he probably wouldn't have bought if it wasn't going to give him a reason to cross Frank's path, but whatever, it's not like he won't listen to them. Maybe it was slightly stalkerish of him to buy the Bouncing Souls without hearing them first just because Frank once wore one of their t-shirts. But buying a second copy of The MisfitsAmerican Psycho just in case his current copy gets scratched or lost is starting to push the boundaries of what even Gerard can justify as normal and reasonable behavior.
So this is how he ends up back at Skeleton the following Saturday (because Frank works Tuesday through Saturday and Gerard knows this and he knows that knowing this makes him kind of creepy but hey, whatever). He's wandering the aisles with a copy of Whitney Houston's Whitney tucked as far up under his arm as he can because he's still not sure if he can bear the thought of being seen with it.
After doing about three laps around the store and staring blankly at the racks like he's seeking divine intervention, he realizes that if he doesn't purchase something and leave soon he's really going to look like a creeper. So he trudges up to the counter, feeling a hot blush creeping up his neck before he's even placed the CD in front of the object of his fixation.
Frank's leaning over the counter, all attention focused on the staff computer. He's looking hot which is no surprise as it's his natural state. He's in his usual uniform of a band t-shirt and jeans which leaves just enough of his skin exposed that Gerard finds it infinitely distracting. Although Frank could probably be covered from head to toe in a cloak and a balaclava and Gerard would still find it distracting. Actually a balaclava might even be kind of sexy on Frank. Gerard gives himself a mental shake that shivers over his shoulders and down his torso. This is not the time to be thinking about that.
Once the CD is on the counter it takes an immense effort for Gerard to remove his hands from the case because he's intensely dreading the moment when Frank sees the cover. Despite Ray's master plan, at this point in time Gerard is hoping Frank won't notice he's purchasing an eighties R&B pop album, even though that is the point of the whole exercise.
Finally Frank's attention turns from the computer to the CD on the counter and then to the customer standing before him trying very hard not to fidget.
