No Thanks, Mate [Completed]

Chapter One

I rang up the books and other school supplies into the cash register for the customer I was helping.  I read aloud the number on the tiny screen and he handed me a credit card.  When him and his things were out of the store my best friend, Katie, came rushing up to me, her dark ponytail bouncing behind her.

“OH MY GOSH!  He was SO cute Lainey!  Did you talk to him?”  I slowly lowered my hands, palms down in a silencing motion, and shushed her, trying to calm her down.

I faked enthusiasm as I replied, “Oh my gosh I totally did!  I told him the amount of money that his things would cost, and he said, ‘alright!’”  I pretended to squeal and then took a fast breath and frowned at her.  “Seriously Katie, I’m not interested in guys right now, and even if I was, he so wasn’t my type.”

I laughed a bit because I realized how true that was.  Back when I believed in love my type was the exact opposite of dark hair and dark eyes.  I’m a bright girl with blond hair and blue eyes, so I liked guys with light brown hair.  But now I’m not interested in any guys.  I gave her the look that she knew meant I wanted a change of subject.  She opened her mouth to probably talk about how excited she was for our first year of college to officially start, but then the door opened and our boss, AKA her dad, walked in.

“Katie, I hired you to make money by working, not by slacking off and talking to your friend.  Now go stock the shelves.”  She nodded and hurried away.  Now you might be wondering if it’s her dad’s store, why I work the register while Katie stocks the shelves.  We used to be switched, but Katie likes to make pretty displays, and walk around the store, and once when a cute guy came to buy his books, let’s just say she wasn’t focusing on selling the merchandise.

We’d been working here at the college bookstore since our junior year of high school, and now after two years of selling books, we would need to buy our own in a few weeks.  Katie and I grew up together, and always planned on going to Maryland University together.  We always helped each other keep our grades up so we could get in.  When we got accepted, we requested to share a dorm, however, we were separated.

I for one was excited and nervous to meet my new roommate, though.  Her name was Gina Thomas, and I hoped that she would be cool.  Last thing I want is some crazy evil demon roommate who steals my clothes and is trying to steal my soul.  (If you hadn’t noticed, I watched all of Buffy The Vampire Slayer this summer.)

Katie and her parents were always like a second family to me.  When my parents were out of town I would always stay with them.

Mr. Goldman walked towards me to ask me how the sales were coming.  Before he even opened his mouth I told him, “It’s been a slow day, but it’s the end of summer semester, sir.  We have a few weeks left till we get people flooding in here.

He nodded and smiled.  Then he walked into his office to do whatever he does.  Katie, who was stocking the shelves on the isles near the register looked over when the door closed behind him and I sighed, “the coast is clear Kate.  You are free to talk to me.”

That sounds a little unprofessional, but we were used to these slow days by now.  We got the most business at the beginning of the semesters, and then throughout the next few months people would come in to buy small things like pencils or new notebooks.

On these slow days we would just sit around talking until someone walked in.

We had about half an hour until closing time, and I was hungry.  “Hey, Katie you want to go get some food when we close up?  I’m dying for a pizza.”  She nodded and opened the computer she keeps behind the counter.

“What do you think, Dominos or Pizza Hut?”

I thought and replied, “Dominos is on the way home, Pizza Hut is out of the way a bit.”  She typed in the address for the Dominos website.  She ordered a Large meat lovers pizza that we would just pick up on the way home.