Disillusioned

Eight

Warren walked into the store with me only to reach for the phone vibrating through his sweats. He put up his index finger. "One second," he whispered before leaving me with an encouraging pat to the shoulder. He ducked out of the store, pressing the phone to his ear urgently.

I looked back and forth between where he had just been and the store clerk that stood behind the counter. Clenching my fists into my sides, I swallowed back the dread that was eating alive at me from the inside out.

You can do this, Remi. I told myself. You're doing the right thing.

I frowned. Then again I wouldn't have to do this at all if my brothers weren't such law abiding citizens.

I shook away the intrusive thoughts before deciding to get this over with. I marched foward, determination in my steps but as I neared the young lady, I only faltered.

I cleared my throat at the woman who appeared as though she'd rather be anywhere else than here. My eyes found her name tag hiding behind her thin strands of platinum blonde hair; it read 'Caroline' in dark black lettering. She was on her phone, scrolling mindlessly, feeding me the impression that maybe she wouldn't care about my reason for being here today.

There were two outcomes from this. A) she laughs it off with me and thanks me for bringing it back or B) she actually cares about her job that probably pays only the minimum wage and decides to do something about it.

She wouldn't care that much....would she?

She peered up at me through half lidded eyes at the sound.

"Yes?" She asked impatiently.

Fuck, she's a bitch.

I plastered a plastic smile on my lips, sending a lazy glance at this Caroline lady who couldn't have been older than twenty-five. "Hello there," I greeted her in the sweetest little voice I could muster. "How are you?"

"Fine," she snapped, palming her phone down onto the glass counter. Her eyes drifted down to the ghetto box I had put this forbidden gaming console back in. "What are you here for?"

I casually pulled the gaming console out of the poorly taped up box in which I received it. I had always received criticism from my family on the way I opened boxes but I simply didn't have the patience to do it the 'correct' way; I much preferred to tear it open like a wild animal pouncing on its prey.

"I need to make a teensy return." I inched the console forward with my fingertips as a guilty smile stretched across my face.

Her eyebrow raised as she glanced between the device and myself. "Do you have a receipt?" She asked, chomping loudly on a piece of gum nonchalantly.

It was just like dealing with a bitchy version of Imogen. I smirked to myself confidently. I'd known her for all fifteen years of my life, this would be a piece of cake.

"No," I hesitantly admitted. I risked a glance up at her and her expression had gone darker just as I predicted. Okay maybe I underestimated this. I clenched my teeth together in apprehension of her next question.

"So what do you expect me to do about that?" She fired off.

My smile faltered.

"Well I didn't exactly buy it," I rushed out, tapping my finger tips nervously against the desk.

Her gum snapped harshly in her mouth as her dark lashes fluttered open in shock. "Excuse me?"

"I took it and I'm here to make it right," I stated, annoyance creeping it's way into my tone from the fact that she hadn't caught on by now. This was why I didn't like blondes, I always had to spell everything out for them.