Grey Area (Harry Styles)

I

I

          DVDs.

         So many DVDs. They ranged from all sorts; comedy, romance, action, crime — even speculative. I was surrounded by DVD's for sixteen hours every week, and admittingly it was exhausting having to stare at colourful cases, squinting my eyes trying to find the right film.

          To be fair I was surprised "Films For You" was still even around, serving as a stable film rental shop for seventeen years, however for the past year the costumers have done nothing but decreasing due to illegal downloading and what not. It was sad knowing that one day "Films For You" would close down. And I would go down with it.

          It wasn't until it was 9:30 in the evening, when the large windows showed blackness, as if it was just black paper hanging on the wall, when I felt nervous. I was never much the scared type, the girl who feared the worst from normal situations, but ever since I applied to University, I've felt my heart burn with anxiety in scenarios like these.

          I wasn't in danger at all. Looking around there was not much to worry about. The rental shop was empty, the radio was humming a new Maroon 5 song and the atmosphere was as usual; quiet. And quiet wasn't bad, it wasn't threatening. However it felt exactly that.

          "Just your usual Wednesday evening," I mumbled to myself as I sorted out a stack of ten films in their right categories. I felt the need to mumble things to myself in real life, because it soothed me better than when I did it in my head. Whenever I said things in my head, it didn't feel real or assuring.

          "Soon you'll be in your flat, eating late dinner with Edward and everything will be fine."

          I left the counter to retrieve other films in the back. We had a new "New Films" rack, so I had to fill up that rack before my shift ended. Nothing was out of order when I came back with a brown cardboard box. I placed it on the counter, ripping it open shortly after. Laying the box down by the new rack, I crouched down beginning to order them in the right order.

          My heart thumped so hard, it hurt when I heard my ringtone burst out, the phone vibrations caused me stirring too. I left the films to reach for my phone on the counter, reading the ID, smiling and answering.

          "Hi," I shly answered, feeling butterflies in my stomach.

          "Hello beautiful."

          I rolled my eyes with a smile at the clicheness. I wasn't much of a sucker for cliché names, but whenever he said it, it felt authentic and it made me feel things. Things that I was inexperienced to.

          "You're silly," I mumbled quietly, as I searched the entire shop.

          I know he heard the unsettling tone of mine, because the moment he sighed, I felt bad. I already felt bad, but I felt worse.