Verboten [lashton]

Chapter 6

Hi! I'll try to make this message as short as possible, but as you've probably figured out, I'm home! I've actually been home for quite a few days and I did write this chapter whilst on holiday (that's why it's shit, apologies in advance) except haven't really got around to posting it until now.

Something I really want to say but you probably don't care about:

I saw The 1975 in concert! Quite possibly one of the most fantastic moments in history. I was originally about the fifth row in the middle, but after about an hour of squirming and not being able to breathe and almost crying and wanting to go home because it was the worst experience of my life, I got pushed back several rows and out of the madness (comparison photo attached. pretty sure I got even further back after that, idk). Really very terrifying, but it was so much fun after that. Also, I waited in line for fourteen hours. No regrets.

I would say other exciting things except that would be boring and this is getting really long. I'll try to start posting regularly although school goes back in a week and I'm not quite sure how hectic my schedule is going to be, so we'll see how things go.

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The second that the end of school bell rang on Friday afternoon, Luke was rushing out the front gates and running to the main road, scrambling onto the bus just as it was about to drive away. He breathed a sigh of relief, throwing his bag onto the opposite seat, running his hands through his messy hair. Luke started work at four o'clock, and school finished at three fifteen, so if he didn't catch the bus at the earliest time, there wasn't one for another twenty minutes, which always set him back and caused him to be late for work. He had a job down at a popular stationary and school supplies shop that was always open until eight-thirty, and he only did two shifts a week. Even if he was invited to a party or outing on a Friday night, he could still show up, even if he was a little late. It worked out pretty perfectly for him.

The bus ride took around twenty five minutes, then he had to slip into the back of the shop to get changed before his shift. There was nobody in the locker rooms except for Carter, who was a year older than him and at university studying business management. He was sort of interested in it and also sort of not, always asking himself if he had made the right decision. Luke always tried to help him every time he started having a crisis in the middle of the shop, earning wary looks from customers.

"Hey, mate," Carter greeted as Luke entered, throwing his school bag down on the floor.

"Hey," Luke said, already taking off his shirt and looking for his work one. "You just starting or finishing?"

"Starting," Carter responded with a toothy grin. "We're up for an awesome four hours, Lukey boy." The pair always had great fun when they worked together, organising pencils and making jokes. Carter liked to whisper into Luke's ear every time a person walked in, sometimes something rude, sometimes just a funny statement such as, "Why the fuck did they have to come in? Now I have to act like I want them here," or, "I think she forgot to put on a bra this morning. That's actually disgusting."

"Yeah, maybe it would be awesome if we weren't working with Maura," Luke groaned, referring to their boss. Carter just laughed.

"You know, she doesn't actually hate any of us but you," Carter reminded him, brown eyes twinkling with amusement, pushing his dark hair off of his forehead.

"I know! And I don't understand. I've never even done anything to make her dislike me!" Luke exclaimed, trying to keep his voice down in case Maura was around. It was then that Luke noticed the time. Three past four.

They both seemed to realise this at once, throwing on their uniforms at double speed and racing out into the shop, Luke managing to get to one of the registers first, knowing that if he was here he probably wouldn't have to deal with Maura very much if she was roaming the aisles. Carter gave him a small wave before heading in the opposite direction to organise shelves, knowing that in about half an hour he would end up back at Luke's side, chatting away.