Stolen Heart

Chapter 3

You've got to be kidding me.

"Um, attention everyone. I am robbing this place. Please keep your hands visible at all times," the man in an all-black outfit said as he approached the cash register where Lana was in line. His right hand was buried in his sweatshirt pocket with the outline of a pointed object protruding outward... A gun?

Lana's chest tightened as she narrowed her eyes at the man who chose the least opportune time to get an extra buck. Who robs a freaking Goodwill?

The cashier let out a small shriek and immediately threw her hands up. As the man got closer, she began fidgeting and then slowly started shifting her hands back down toward the register.

"Woah, woah, woah! Do you mind not making any sudden movements and please could you keep your hands where I can see them?" the robber... requested nicely?

Despite her better judgment, Lana stood up straighter and faced the masked intruder. "Relax, it's not like there's a button underneath like at a bank. This is a Goodwill for goodness sake." The words came out of her without consent, accompanied by an undisciplined eye roll, like an uncontrollable reflex.

She immediately wished she had not said anything, but continued anyway. "Even if the cops did get called, you really think they'd put down their coffee and donuts to respond to an active robbery at a thrift shop? This isn't exactly a Gucci store." Lana crossed her arms and waited for the man to respond.

The man smirked, at least from what Lana could tell through his ski mask, and then there was a genuine laugh.

Lana blushed. He thinks I'm funny... I wonder if he's good-looking under that mask... God, what is wrong with me? I'm in a dangerous situation. I need to focus and actually be scared like a normal person.

The man relaxed the arm that was presumably holding a small weapon and looked at Lana. "First of all, that is a very narrow view of the police; they don't just drink coffee and eat donuts all day. They have jobs to do like real people, so I think they would come like the responsible heroes they are. Second, I'm in training, so Gucci is a ways away. I haven't even gotten to JCPenney status. Have to work my way up to the big leagues, you know?"

He's funny... Ugh, snap out of it, Lana!

"Third of all, I don't want to be here any more than you all want me here. So please, let's just get this over with." This man seemed very non-threatening despite his appearance. The woman in front of Lana steadied slightly.

"Okay, please just give me fifty dollars from your register," he said finally getting to the point.

The cashier looked at him with eyes still wide and opened the drawer in front of her slowly. All could see that there was barely any money in the register, just a small handful of singles. She feebly said, "Um, I already deposited most of the money in the safe. Also, no one pays with cash these days, so we don't really keep too much in here if we don't have to. I'm so, so sorry." The cashier's eyes began to water.

"No, no, no, no, no. Please don't cry!" said the man as he placed his free hand on top of his head. "Please, please, please! It'll be okay, I promise! I won't be here very long and will be out of your hair very soon." The cashier wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and gulped a couple of times. The robber shifted slightly and continued. "Um, do you have any items you'd like to get rid of?"

What the hell is going on?  

The cashier wiped her nose and raised her brows. "Um... I... uh... what? Aren't you going to ask me about the safe?"

"No, that's okay, I think I'll just take some things and be on my way out of here."

Lana's nostrils flared, and she began shaking her head. "Are you actually joking? Like, are we on some social experiment reality TV show or something?"