Nothing Personal

Pulling up in front of the small little thrift store, Zooey took a breath as she got out of the car and made her way up to the front door. It was this small, dinky, store that Zo slaved for as the assistant manager after school every day.

Thankfully, it paid pretty well so she could save up for moving out one day, hopefully soon. As soon as she graduated, she wanted to move out and go to school or get a job as photographer or something. Anything, just to get herself out of this small town she grew up in.

When she walked in, she saw Penny already behind the counter reading a magazine with her feet up. She rolled her eyes as she shoved her school bag and jacket under the counter and grabbed her clipboard to start to see what the manager had left her to do. Which was basically everything. The manager hardly ever showed up and usually left Zo to do everything, but he trusted her so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“What’s on the agenda today, oh fearless leader?” Penny asked as she gave a mock salute to Zo after she finished reading through the list.

Because the store was so small and hardly got any business on the weekdays, it was only Zooey and Penny working. But when the weekends came and Zo picked up more hours, she usually had about two or three staff with her to help with the customers that came in for weekend sales.

“Hmm, ok. Terry wants us to finish pricing the new stuff that came in last week. Then just stock and take inventory of the new things.” She replied as she glanced to the door that lead to the back of the store where the pile of clothes waited for them. “Ok, so turn some music on and then join me in the back. I’m going to check the pile out.”

Penny nodded and then Zo turned to make her way to the back and noticed that things started to feel a little more normal again. It had been about two weeks since they had found out that Do had stomach cancer and were in the process of getting appointments and getting treatment. He was going to have to go through chemo and go to the hospital a lot, which is where he was at that moment for tests and such, and she missed him already.

After Alex calmed her down when she had first found out, he basically stayed up with her the whole night since she couldn’t fall asleep. He had helped her get through the worst of it but she was still trying to stop beating herself up about it. She kept thinking that if she had taken him in when he first started getting stomach problems that they could have caught it, that he wouldn’t be a sick as he was now.

He had only started getting stomach problems at the beginning of the year and it had only been an occasional stomach ache of throwing up because they had thought he had eaten something bad. The only time when he had gotten real bad was when he ended up in the hospital because he had been throwing up blood and passed out. Which had only been about a month before.

But the only thing she could do was be there for him. She felt so helpless that she couldn’t do anything for him really. Just hold his hand and tell him that everything was going to be ok. But that was basically lying to him. She didn’t know if he was really going to be ok. No one did. He had stage three cancer which at least wasn’t stage four, but it was close enough to it. They still had time to try and see if the treatments worked and get a hold on the cancer before it turned into stage four.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOD!” Penny nearly yelled as she came running in the back pulling Zo from her thoughts. She looked up to her best friend with a startled expression as she saw the blonde clutching the magazine she had been reading.

“What’s going on? Why are you freaking out?” Zooey asked as she took the magazine Penny offered her and looked at the page. It was a clothes ad from Glamour Kills with a popular band on it. “It’s clothes, please don’t tell me that’s why you’re freaking out so much? You already have like five shirts from-”

“Ugh, you’re impossible.” Penny muttered as she snatched the magazine back and flipped a page and handed it back. “Guess who’s coming to Minnesota in a few months!”

Zo looked down at the page to see what she was freaking out about so much but Penny continued, “All Time Low. Oh my God, we have to go! I’ve always wanted to go see them!”

“Um, this is what you’re so excited about?” Zo asked as she started to scan through the article. “They’re stopping in Duluth, they’re not stopping here you know?”

“Duh, why would they come here? It’s too small and annoying. But, it could become a road trip if you wanted!”

“A road trip?”

“Yes c’mon! It’ll be fun! Please say you’ll come for me! I don’t want to go alone! Pleeeeease!” Penny was nearly kneeling on the floor and kissing her feet begging her to go. Zo rolled her eyes as she weighed her options.

She could say no and deal with a pissed off Penny, which was never something she liked to deal with. If Penny was upset, everyone was upset. There was no way of avoiding it. But, if she went, even though she didn’t really love the band like Penny did, then she could go see the city and get some good shots to add to her portfolio. Besides, she might be able to get some good shots of the concert and could show off how well her camera handled darkness and such.

She sighed, knowing that there was only way this was going to end happy. “Alright, I’ll come. But only because I love you. You know I’d rather go see someone else play besides a annoyingly popular band of boys who think too highly of themselves.”

“Yes! I love you! You’re amazing!” Penny replied as she threw her arms around Zo and started jumping up and down. “Oh this is go great! I’m so excited! You know they’re like my favorite band and I’ve wanted to see them sooo bad!”

The rest of the time, Penny talked about the concert while they went through the donations pile that they had just got. Zo just nodded and agreed when necessary letting Penny keep the conversation going, which she didn’t have a problem with. By the time their shift ended, which was also when the shop closed at around six, the pile was half as big as it had been when the first started.

They quickly took the items out to the store and put them in their proper places before grabbing their things and turning the lights off. Once Zo had locked the front door behind her and made sure it was locked, both of them made their way over to where their cars were parked right next to each other.

“So what are your plans for the night?” Penny asked as she fished for her keys in her purse.

Zo shrugged, “same as usual. Going to the hospital for a while and do some homework. Then leave when the kick me out for the night.”

“Your mom there now?”

“No, mom’s working. I think Colter is there, he stopped by after school. I have to go replace him before he has a fit because I’m late.”

Penny smiled and hugged her before they went their separate ways. When Zo was in the quiet of her own car, she took a deep breath to make sure she was calm as she drove the short way to the hospital from her work. It was a day before Do’s first round of chemo and to say that everyone was on edge was a understatement. Her family was going nuts with worry about it and praying that everything would go well with him so that he could get better.

And even though Do didn’t really fully understand what was going on, she knew that she needed to stay strong for his sake. So she swallowed all her doubts and worries as she walked through the front doors of the hospital and put on her brave face as she made her way up to her little brothers room.

When she got there, she gave a small knock and pushed the door open and peeked inside. Colter was sitting on the chair next to Do’s bed and doing some homework. While Do was busy with a coloring book.

The little boy looked up as she walked in and instantly got a huge smile on his face as she hugged him tightly. “Hey Do, how are you?”

The little boy shrugged, “ok I guess. I really want to go home.”

“I know you do little man, but you have treatments tomorrow remember? I promise that as soon as they are done, you can come home, ok?” The little boy nodded eagerly as Colter stood and started to shove his books in his bag.

“How’s he doing?” Zo asked once she was out of ear shot of her little brother but still kept her voice low. They were standing by the door of the room and Zo caught the worried look on her older brothers face.

“As good as he can be. He doesn’t really understand what’s going on, but he’s happy. That’s the main thing.” Zo nodded and turned her head to look at the small boy in the large hospital bed. “Hey, I’ve got to go. But do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll just stay here until visiting hours are over with and then I’ll be home.” She replied ass she caught the worried glance he gave her. “Seriously, I’ll be fine. I’m just going to entertain him for a while. Besides, you’ve got that test to worry about. Go take advantage of the peace and quiet of the house for a while.” She forced a small smile and after a few moments, he sighed and nodded saying goodbye and walking down the hall.

“How’s Alex?” The little boy asked as she walked back into the room and took the seat that Colter had been sitting in before.

“Um, he’s good. He says hi,” she replied. But honestly, she really hadn’t heard anything from him all day. He was busy doing something and they had exchanged a quick good morning and light chatter as she got ready for school but that was about it.

“I wish I could talk to him, I bet it would be so cool to talk to him in your head.” She gave a weak smile to her brother as she saw the look on his face. He looked scared and confused and she wished she could do something to make him feel better.

*Hey Alex,* she said suddenly as an idea came to her. She heard him gasp and start to swear in response and she had to hold in a laugh. That was payback for all the other times he scared her.

*Shut up, you scared the shit out of me.* He snapped back. *Anyway, what’s up? You ok?*

*I have a favor to ask,*