Quiet Little Monsters

"So on a level of one to ten how much did you stalk me?" I asked Finn as he walked me to the bakery. Not that I felt the need to be walked to work, but after our breakfast, Finn informed me that the bakery was on his way to work at a small record shop called Vittoe's Recs.

Finn shook his head, "I didn't stalk you," he murmured.

"Yeah, yeah. You did. Just admit it," I teased just as we rounded the corner on Lily Oak St. and Dolly's.

"Okay, maybe. Just a little," Finn relented with a grin.

I struggled for my keys in my purse when we arrived to the pale yellow and blue shop in the middle of the steep block. I was just turning the key in the lock when Finn asked, "Do you run this by yourself?"

I looked at him, "The shop? Yeah."

"Why? Don't you get tired?" Finn asked and I smiled sheepishly.

"Well, the less people I can have around, the better I feel," I murmured.

"Oh, right," Finn replied, "Well. I still think you should hire. Maybe it would lessen the stress. Maybe they could do all the work while you hang out in the back and eat your cupcakes and drink your coffee. That could be a solution."

I stared at him, "You know that may just be a good idea," I murmured back thoughtfully and he smiled.

"Well, I've got to get to work. I'll see you around," Finn stated and I waved goodbye and watched him walk down the street.

Turning around, I faced the empty bakery. Without people it seemed lonely. The tiny and worn mahogany tables were empty and the striped faded blue and white couch in the corner seemed to be calling out for someone to sit on it. As much as I hated being surrounded by the waves of incessant thoughts, I couldn't imagine the bakery being empty.

I went to the back office where I stored copy paper and reached for a large permanent black marker in the drawer of my white IKEA desk. With a sigh of relief and anxiousness, I wrote two words across the sheet of white crisp paper.

NOW HIRING



Applications flooded in like a hurricane. Men and women of all shapes, colors, and sizes came. It was overwhelming at first, having to interview them, having to look over their application (which I crudely got off the internet), but soon it became easier. I realized I had the ability to truly find someone who could work at Dolly's. When I asked questions, I didn't hear their voices. I heard their thoughts, I heard their real answers. I knew what was in them.

"So do you know how to handle an oven?" I would ask.

The petite blond girl would smile, nod her head enthusiastically and say, "Of course!" but really she would be answering, No, lady. I owned an Easy-Bake oven once. Does that count?

Or I would ask the clean cut college student if he worked well under pressure. He grinned and said politely, "Yes. I work very well under pressure. I have always been able to multitask. " He would really be thinking, I would like to multitask you. You hot piece of ass, you... She probably puts out. Yeah. Look at the way she's looking at me! Like she wants to do me. He confused my thought reading face with an I-wanna-have-sex-with-you face.

It was a two day search and in the end of those two days only two people were hired.

One was named Gavin. He was born in Stockton, California. When he entered the shop, he was a little put off by its sheer girliness but he brushed it off and decided that "beggars couldn't be choosers." When I met his grey eyes, I knew he was a nice guy. The skin around them crinkled when he smiled at me. My heart fluttered a little.

"Hi, I'm Dolly Gunn. Um. I'll be interviewing you," I had said.

"I'm Gavin Mueller," he replied. Don't look at her boobs. Look at her face. She is... Okay. Don't look at her boobs, look at her face. Don't look at her face, look at her boobs. Fuck. That's wrong.

I tried not to laugh and asked, "Uh, Gavin," I pretended to be enraptured with his application and asked, "Do you know how to handle an oven?"

"Yeah, my grandma taught me how," he replied quickly. Shit. Now she thinks I'm a pansy.

"Oh, that's sweet," I replied genuinely and gave him a smile. His thoughts were incoherent. "Well. Do you work well under pressure?"

"Yes. I do... Or at least I think I do," he said after he gathered his thoughts. Yeah. That's why I was able to finish a French essay and a Sociology essay last night. Thankyouverymuch.

By then, I had already decided and offered him a position. He eagerly accepted and when he walked down the street, he merrily decided he'd go out with his buddies for a celebratory drink because he had finally, finally gotten a job.

My second new employee was named Bella, who had once really liked her name, but now loathed it after a popular vampire movie came out and "disgraced her name forever." She was tall and lanky, with dirty blond hair that gave her the look of someone who would've been at Woodstock.

"Hi, I'm Bella Grange," she introduced herself. This place seems cool. Look at the wittle tables! And the wittle couches.

"Um, hi, Bella, I'm Dolly," I greeted her. She smiled a fervent white smile at me. She looks like Polyanna. Why is she wearing that granny dress? Oh well. To each her own, she thought as she glanced me up and down.

I perused her application, "So, Bella. Are you good at multitasking?"

"Yup. You can bet on it. I totally do. I once punched the girl my boyfriend was cheating on me with while simultaneously kneeing said douchey boyfriend in the groin. It was awesome."

I blinked. Her thoughts verified her answer. Are there any questions to why I hired her? I didn't think so.



I was locking the bakery up after I had hired Gavin and Bella when I was ambushed by Finn outside.

"Hey!" he said brightly. His hair was not in a beanie this time. Instead, his messy mop was proudly displayed. "Sorry. I haven't seen you around much. I had some things to do."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" I asked and smiled as I finished locking Dolly's and turned to walk up the street.

"My girlfriend –it was our anniversary yesterday."

I froze. What the fuck? What the fuck did he just say?

"Huh?" I asked icily and looked up at him. His face was hesitant when he replied, "Um. My girlfriend?"

"You have a girlfriend? And you let me kiss you that night?! And you kissed back?!" I cried.

"Hey! I don't know what that was. I just... You took me by surprise."

"Yeah, okay. Fuck you very much. See you never," I said and began hurdling up the street.

"Come on, Dolly," Finn said and followed my brisk pace, "I didn't mean to... I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Leave me alone," I hissed.

I didn't care if I was acting immaturely. It just pissed me off that Finn Watson had a girlfriend, alright? It just did.

Finn backed off and sighed, "I'll let you cool off then."

He fell back and let me continue my angry trot home.