Troubled

23: His Family.

Megan Crawford.
Wednesday, August 12th 2015.
09:50.

The Book Escape was crowded this morning. Even though customers had not come in since the store had opened, one of the tables was being used and the sound of laughter and voices could be heard all around.

Blake, Violet and Elliot had come to see me. I was pretending that they were customers because Aria was looking at me with narrowed eyes. But as I brought them some chocolate cookies, they started to talk to me too, and soon, I was in on the conversation.

"I swear, Ariana Grande has helped me so much through my break-up," Blake said as she took a bite from one of the chocolate cookies and then a sip from her coffee mug, shaking her head. She exclaimed, "Break Your Heart Right Back is my absolute favorite song."

"You know, none of us know the names of her songs," Violet said with a confused look on her expression. She curled a strand of black hair around her finger, seeming quite bored with the conversation about how much Blake loved Ariana Grande. It was all she ever talked about, it was kind of worrying, to be honest.

"Well, you should," Blake said as she rolled her eyes at Violet. We were all tired of listening to her, she never shut up, but we knew better than to tell her to be quiet, because she would only talk more. Her wide green eyes glinted and a smile spread across her lips as she went on, "Her music is so good, and she is a sweetheart of a person. I love Best Mistake, too."

"Again, I have no clue what song you are talking about," Violet sighed.

"I'll never be able to understand how you can like those things," I said as I wrinkled my nose and rested my hands in the wooden table in front of me. I could not take a seat because Aria would yell at me, I had to stay up and pretend that I was just their waitress. "You should listen to bands."

"The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are for elders," Elliot complained as he ran his hands through his blond hair. I knew that I was expected to like the same music as everyone my age, but those annoying melodies and shrill voices bothered me, I hated them even more when they got into my head.

"What are you talking about? Their music is timeless!" I said, but they all just looked at me with dull eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to Blake as I said, "They are much better than some mean and egocentric girl that licks donuts and thinks screaming is the same thing as singing."

"Ariana Grande is not egocentric!" Blake said in an offended tone as she took her hand up to her heart. I could not believe just how insane she was about someone she did not even know, she looked so hurt, but all I had done was say something mean about a stranger. Blake took her hands up to her temples and muttered, "Oh my God, Meg, I swear, everyone but you likes her. You need lessons on how to be normal."

"I would rather kill myself than have you teach me about your beloved famous singer," I said with a laugh. Blake gave me a glare as I took a mug from Elliot, since he was done with his coffee. I went to leave it on the counter, and once I had, I smoothed down my white apron with my hands. I walked back to the table and stood there, since I still could not sit down.

"Princess!" A familiar voice said all of a sudden, sounding excited. I turned around to find Kyle walking up to me with a wide smile on his lips. He had been reading all morning and I had not wanted to bother him, but now that he was there, I grinned. He got to me and placed an arm around my waist as he explained, "I just finished a book, it was amazing! It came out a few months ago and it is called The Girl on the Train. You have to read it!"