Deep In // Klance AU

Chapter 1: Keith

I had spent the entire summer replaying that moment over and over on repeat. It consumed my plans and mind, not that I really had any extraordinary plans. I had unread books, a journal I filled with random thoughts and feelings, and a mediocre summer job as a cashier to keep me occupied until senior year would begin, though the thoughts that I had of Lance took care of that for me. I was sedated. It all not only obliterated my boredom, but it ultimately put me on edge. For what my break was, it was so much more interesting than past summers. All of it was credited to that one wild night.

My dad couldn't be bothered to pay attention to me. He had a hard time doing that ever since my mom passed and I couldn't blame him. We were both enclosed off from the brutish world we seemed to live in. My dad loved her just as much as I did. We were a shattered family and there was a point in time to where I considered repairing it. I had given up on that utopian reality.

My dad, for some reason, had still been employed. He would take excessive days off work to sleep in after drinking away his sorrows. Rarely would I ever see him sober. Money became tight as a result. I had to take on a job at the local grocery store to help deal with finances. All in all, there were several incentives on my part to go away for college, but ultimately I wanted to avoid my dad and his new found alcoholism.

The last day of summer was on a warm August day. I was the only person scheduled to work the afternoon shift. Everyone else left early or called in sick to enjoy the toasty beach before school started. Everyone's liberation would soon be eradicated by the stressful load of lengthy assignments as well as tedious reports.

The grocery store was located practically adjacent to the town's prettiest beach, however, business ran smoothly and slowly. The lack of staff was not an issue. Once in a while, a group of either golden bronzed or sun burnt teens would come barging in demanding a cold drink. Most of the store's underaged customers tried bribing me into selling them beer. I let them buy cases of it. I really didn't understand why I wasn't more popular.

Who am I kidding?

The time was around two in the afternoon when the boy with sweet freckles and glowing skin entered the grocery store. He wore a light blue, oversized t-shirt over some darker swim trunks. His white flip-flops squeaked with each step he took. He came by the counter that I worked at with a bottle of satsuma kombucha. The drink clanked as he set it down.

Lance's eyes were found deep within his wallet. It gave me an opportunity to look at his gorgeous, kissable face without him noticing. My heartbeat soared as he flicked each and every expired coupon back. Lance sighed in frustration after having gone through every compartment in his wallet, "I swear I have a five dollar bill in here. It won't take me any longer than it has, I promise." He bit his lip as he repeated what he had done, wincing in disbelief that he didn't have enough money to pay for it. He didn't have much cash on him.

"Uhh... don't bother ...It's on the house!" I mumbled and stuttered terribly. I could envision the dark shade of red that crept up on the surface of my face.

He threw me a puzzled look, though, it was quickly traded in for a bright smile that could lighten up any room, "Thanks, man, you have no idea how much this helps me." His lashes fluttered as he gracefully closed his eyes to let out a sigh. He exalted every sense of pressure he had bundled up.

I felt the corners of my lips curl up, "Yeah, no problem." I held out the bottle of kombucha for him to grab. His fingertips, the same soft fingers from that one night, brushed against mine as I distributed the drink into his palm. "...We go to school together."