45" ▪︎ a.i.

1"

"I'll just stack these in the right place and then I'll be at the back, unpacking the new vinyls, sounds good?", I asked my uncle, already walking to the front of the small record store he owned since I could think, quietly adding 'feels good' in my head. 

I always did that, whenever I said: 'sounds good'. It has become a habit, sometimes annoying though I just couldn't stop. My uncle mumbled his reply, and I just shook my head, laughing to myself. I knew him good enough to not question again and just do what I had told him. 

There weren't a lot of people in the store today, most of the time it was like this, but somehow, he still managed to sell enough to pay the bills. 

Vinyl was experiencing a revival and slowly people were finding their ways back to record stores, so I was sure we'd soon have a packed store again. 

The doorbell rang and I saw another possible customer leave. I sighed; this wasn't good. But there was still one guy left, who seemed like he was determined to buy one vinyl no matter how long it took to find it. 

The upside of an almost empty store was, that I could live out my love for photography. I was slowly building an Instagram account for the record store, trying to get more people to come here. 

For this purpose, I was taking pictures of the store itself and vinyls every free minute I got. Maybe people would come here, if they saw what kind of vinyls we had and how cool the store looked. 

Despite telling my uncle I would start to unpack, I grabbed my camera and started looking for random but cool looking vinyls to take pictures of them. 

As always, I was so lost in trying to get the perfect angle and surrounding, that I didn't notice the only customer looking at what I was doing. At one point he coughed though and without even looking up, I asked "Sorry, do you have a question?" while still quickly finishing the shot. 

I looked up and I was sure my mouth must have fell open before I could control anything. "You're Ashton Irwin.", I stated matter-of-factly. He chuckled. Well, this was already awkward. I guess he was used to worse reactions though, because he didn't laugh or look at me weirded out. 

"I get that a lot." I must have stared at him confused because he was quick to add: "Yeah I am, and I did have a question." 

"Uhm yeah sure, shoot.", I replied, desperately trying to find my cool and get back to my usual behavior around customers. 

"That vinyl you were taking pictures of, I'd like to buy it.", he said and smiled. 

His smile definitely was something else. It was beautiful, dimples showing, but not intimidating. I immediately felt comfortable around him, shaking of my nervousness. 

"Yeah sure, good choice. I like that record a lot." I grabbed the record andhanded it over so he could take a look again. 

Arctic Monkeys – AM. Lovely record. 

He saw the cover and nodded contently. "Yeah, I was looking for it in a few cities already. Didn't want to buy a new one and I usually don't have the time to spend hours at the record store, looking through vinyls, so it was lucky you chose that one.", he explained, and I was still a bit frozen on the inside that he was talking to me and more than a few polite words as well. 

Calm down Hazel, he's a normal human being.

"I get that, it's a great album and I love the cover. That's why I chose it today. Also, people who are just now getting into vinyls tend to look at the cover and chose what looks cool.", I told him while walking over to the counter. 

"Why are you taking pictures? Just for fun?", he asked, actually making an effort to keep the conversation going. 

"I'm trying to set up an Instagram page for this store so more people will come here and buy stuff and I'm also trying to get better at photography so it's a win-win.", I said smiling at him. 

"Cool idea, I hope it works but on the other hand, it's a lot easier to just look through vinyls in an almost empty store so I might have to keep this store to myself for a while.", he laughed and continued asking: "Are you a photographer or do you want to become one?"

"Well, I want to apply for jobs one day, but I don't know where and when yet. I just want to take pictures and challenge myself but I'm missing practice.", I stated, becoming quieter. 

I didn't want to cry about it. It wasn't really the best topic. My mum was always in my ears, telling me I should stop working at the record store and find a real job or go to university. It's been like that for 4 years at least. But I didn't want to. 

I wanted to find small photography jobs, get better and eventually find one where I can stay. My dream was concert photography but that required practice and it was hard to get that without connections like everyone else seemed to have them. 

I hoped he wouldn't ask more; I didn't want to sound like I would expect him to offer something in that direction.

"Well, I wouldn't give up the hope just yet. Of course, it's not the safest job environment to find something but at least you didn't drop everything to be in a band touring the country.", he added laughing and I instantly smiled again. 

"Guess you're right. It paid off though, didn't it?" 

"It sure did." 

He eventually paid for the vinyl, and we said our goodbyes. I didn't find the courage to ask for a picture, but he probably noticed that it was all I wanted and took matters into his own hands, also offering to sign a CD or vinyl if I had one at hand. 

I didn't but his reply to that was: "So I gotta come back one day, sounds good?" 

I nodded and quietly added: "Feels good.". 

He turned around again, "What was that?". 

"Oh, nothing really.", I quickly said. 

"You said feels good.", he stated blankly. 

"It's a habit. Whenever someone or I myself say 'sounds good', I add 'feels good'.", I explained, and he started full on laughing. 

"That is actually one of the cutest habits ever. Don't ever drop that." He waved and left the store.

 And as soon as the door closed again, I slid down the wall, phone in my hands, staring at the selfie we took. Did this really just happen or was this some weird daydream? 

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So guys first chapter's up. It was just an idea that came to me and I felt to need to write it down. Tell me if you would enjoy reading where this goes and I'll update some more.