"Your mouth may say you hate me," he whispered, "But your hands...they say otherwise." His eyebrows raised pointedly at my touch on his chest, face wearing a smug and condescending look.
"Shit."
•••
When pessimistic, straight-A high school student D...
Before we begin please note that this is a draft. Meaning nothing has been edited nor proofread. There will be some errors here and there so please don't get too mad.
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[ DELLA'S POV ]
"I'm gonna call it a day, Mrs. Lee!" I announced from behind the front desk while collecting my belongings. This consisted only of a draw-string bag and a thrilling Lauren Oliver novel.
Mrs. Lee, my boss, was the asian owner of the quaint bookshop where I worked in downtown New York. In order to help my family with our finances I started working from a young age. I've had over four part time jobs since sixteen and now held two simultaneously. I was the clerk here and went from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday-Friday.
I did not have the privilege of experiencing things that many teenagers were. Nor did I have the interest.
The place was not lacking in staff so there was not much to do other than welcoming customers courteously, finding a book or magazine that customers wished to buy, arranging and displaying books on shelves and counters in an attractive manner. The ambience was good and the pay even better.
"Okay, Della. Just remember to not walk past that alleyway like the last time. I hear young girls like you are going missing these days." Her accent was thick in her words.
"I'm not as fragile as I look Mrs. Lee."
"Della..." She warned carefully.
I smiled adoringly at her. "But I'll take your words into consideration."
She squeezed my arm affectionately. "As they say, prevention is better than cure."
My mouth opened but the phone behind me rang. I stretched for the device and answered in my practiced tone. "Hello, this is Lee's Bookstore and you're speaking to Della. How may I be of service?"
"Hey, Della. It's Sheri. Do you mind giving grandma the phone? Tell her it's urgent."
A frown marred my features as I handed the call over to Mrs. Lee. She didn't sound too well. Sheri was her eldest granddaughter of the three and appeared to be the most attached as she visited regularly despite her busy schedule. She was a medical intern and I aspired to be like her, having it all - both beauty and brains.
That dream just needed a few more months working shifts and the aid of God to help my dad find another job.
Ever since the company he worked at for the past fifteen years went bankrupt, our family got the shitty end of the deal. We were forced to move out of our home to a less inviting one in a neighborhood that knew nothing of peace. Not to mention expenses piled up on us as the past loan he received from some bad guys came to light. Both mom and I were trying our utmost best, juggling different jobs at the weirdest places just to make two ends meet.
