With and Without You

chapter 4

I had the next day off, which gave me time to catch up on my cleaning. The next morning, I show up for work to find Robin waiting for me by the doors with coffee in hand. I grab my board and walk toward her.
"You really need a car already so you can pick me up, and I'm not stuck walking." She says, pouring me a mug full from her thermos.
"At the end of the month, I will have finally saved up enough." I take the mug, and she unlocks the doors. "What are you doing here? I thought you worked tonight with Steve?" I asked as she held open the door. We walk toward the desk and sit down our things.
"They switched me around to make him train the new person. I told Keith to give you a break and make him do it." I smile at her.
"Aw, thanks, Rob. Look at you throwing Steve under the bus. I'm so proud." I say joking, holding my hands to my chest.
"You've taught me well, yoda." She says, holding out her arms and slightly bowing.
"Well, young one, I'm going to go grab the cash drawers. Why don't you go flip the sign." I instruct.
"As you wish." She jokes. I grab the drawers from the back office and go around the counter only to see about 4 stacks of VHS.
"Oh come on.....Steve, what the hell?!" Robin walks around and joins me, seeing the mess. "What did he even do last night?" I ask, annoyed.
"Did he pull all the movies off the shelves?" Robin says, walking towards the stacks. She grabs a piece off the top of one of the stacks. "Sorry I didn't get these put away. I got busy." She reads. I punch in some keys to pull up the record from last night.
"Yea, busy.....meaning flirting with girls." I say, rolling my eyes.
"God, he sucks." Robin says.

A couple of hours later, Keith came in.
"Hey." I say, rewinding videos. Robin walks over at that time.
"Hey Keith."
"What are you doing here?" He asks her.
"I could ask you the same thing." She replies.
"I left my bag. You are supposed to work tonight." He says, walking back to the office. He grabbed his bag and walked back.
"Uh no. Remember Steve is training the new person tonight. " She says.
"Um, we didn't hire that person. It didn't work out. So you were still supposed to work tonight."
"How the hell was I supposed to know that KEITH?! You have to tell us when things happen." Robin says, annoyed.
"So, who was going to work with me then?" I asked, confused.
"No one. Mornings are always slow, so you would've been fine alone."
"Not with the mess Steve left."
"Robin, you need to still work tonight." Keith adds.
"No way. I'm not working all day just because you screwed up. You do it. Part of being a manager."
"No, I get to tell you when to work. I'm not working. It's my day off."
"Guys enough......Keith, I will stay and work tonight with Steve." I say to stop the fighting.
"Fine." He says and leaves.
"You didn't have to do that. He could've worked." She tells me.
"It's fine. Just means I'm that much closer to a car. Plus, it's not like I have a life anyway." She takes a small stack of videos and walks off. I grab a printout of the videos that were returned and compare them to what i have stacked. Just then, the bell of the front door rings, signaling someone had entered.

"Welcome to family video." I say with my eyes still on the paper. No reply, which is nothing surprising. I hear the customer approach. Then, I see hands with multiple rings. I know them. His hands....God. I know what those can do. I've seen him play in his band. If only they would play me. I can't help but smirk at the ideas. I look up and meet his piercing brown eyes. He smiles. Butterflies run through me. I can feel my cheeks heat as I blush.
"McCullin." He says with a low growl in his voice. What this man does to me.
"Munson. What can I help you with?" I ask.
"Wondering if you had any good recommendations?" He asked.
"Hmmm, for you.......let's see." I say, walking around the counter.
"Are you in a mood to be scared or laugh?" I ask as we walk through the store.
"Surprise me." I lead him over to a shelf and grab a vhs with a furry creature on it.
"Gremlins." I say, turning and facing him, not realizing he was right behind me. He smiles. His scent envelopes my senses, making my body shudder. We both stand in silence. I didn't even notice i was holding my breath. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he turned back towards the counter, brushing my hand in the process. I felt a shock go through my body. Why are these feelings so intense. He's touched my hands before. Why so different now? Could being apart for 6 months have changed things so much? I hope not. I don't want to lose my friend. We walk back to the counter, and I check him out. Him and the VHS.