Love Is a Dog from Hell.

Skylar Rodriguez
Ashley Lawrence

This was her dream job. Well dream job for a senior in high school. Razor Lights Record Store was the best record store in all of Huntington Beach. It was a gateway to almost being famous… or at least to meet someone famous. It was a small place, right across the street from the beach. People knew the store automatically just by the upcoming music posters posted outside the windows. Inside it was a paradise for music junkies. Every genre of music was available and if Razor Lights didn’t have what you were looking for, they’d order it for you, with free shipping. Working at Razor Lights could get you into almost any music related job in California. That’s how big it was. And working at the store was all Skylar ever wanted to do since her dad first brought her into the store at the age of 3.

--

“Mother of fuck.” Skylar mumbled under her breath.

It was inventory week. Most called it inventory day, but at the store, it usually took a week to log every single record. It was already day 3 and she could still not finish getting through the polka section.

“Like who the hell even listens to this.” She said to herself as she checked off some Happy Louie and Julie albums off her clipboard. After doing so, she checked her watch. It was almost 7. She should have been home an hour ago. She looked down at her feet and groaned at the sight of her backpack. It was going to be a late night tonight.

“Skye! Are you almost done?” a voice called out from a back room.

Skylar made a face at the remaining 2-feet high pile she had to go through and then went to find the voice.

“Ashley, I am never going to finish that damn genre. It’s so boring. Why couldn’t you give me Top 40 or something?” she complained as she came face to face with her co-worker.

Ashley was what many considered a Top 40 girl. She never heard of Nirvana or Smashing Pumpkins before walking into the store. Now you could quiz the girl on anything from rap to R&B to swing and she’d know it. But her heart remained forever in the hands of cutesy, gut-wrenching, emotionless pop music. She was Britney Spears’ biggest fan. Anyone could tell just by her outfits.

“Oh, stop the crocodile tears and just finish it. I’m almost done with the 80’s. We finish this and then we can leave!” Ashley said in her preppy voice.

Sometimes her voice gave Skylar the chills. It was like talking to a cheerleader, but if anything, she was probably a smart cheerleader.

Ashley headed back into the back storage room and Skylar retreated back to the front of the store. She positioned herself at the cash register counter, took a deep breath, and then suddenly remembered…

“Hey Ash, are you going to need a ride home again?” Skylar called out as she flipped a page on her clipboard.

“No! My boyfriend is picking me up. He should be coming in soon so be nice!” Ashley hollered back.

“I’m always niiice.” Skylar sighed as she began to finish up polka.

Ten minutes later, the bells on the door jingled, indicating that someone walked in. It was usually hell to navigate through the store, what with all the shelves, boxes, racks, record players scattered around. But what usually took five minutes, took this stranger 30 seconds to get from the entrance to the counter where Skylar was at.

Skylar looked up from checking her list and almost gasped out loud at the handsome stranger. Sure, lots of customers came in and out all day and sure, some of them were cute, but none ever made
Skylar ALMOST gasp. She just about went weak in the knees just from his green-eyed stare.

“You okay there?” he asked. “You look like you just seen a ghost.”

Skylar quickly snapped out of her instant crush and looked at her watch.

“Dude, we’re closed. It’s 7:15. We close at 6.” She said, trying to keep her cool.

He smirked a beautiful smirk in Skylar’s opinion.

“I’m waiting for Ashley.” He said.

Those four words suddenly made Skylar sick. She knew it was too good to be true. She almost groaned of how unfair life was and why couldn’t the rock gods give her a cute boy like the stranger in front of her.

“Ooh! You must be le boyfriend Ash talks a shitload about?” she asked. He nodded slowly. “Okay… well we’re almost done. If you wanna like look around or something. I’m Skylar by the way.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Zacky.” He mumbled.

What the hell does that mean? She didn’t question it too much though because honestly, she just really wanted to go home to do her homework and sleep.

She picked up a record from her stack and checked it off her clipboard. She repeated this for about five minutes but soon stopped when she felt eyes on her.

This so called Zacky was leaning against her counter, staring hard at her. It made her uncomfortable and she squirmed a bit to show it.

“Can I help you?” she asked him. He shrugged.

“How come I’ve never seen you before? Ashley talks about you all the time, but never at school.” He said. His perfect eyebrows furrowed. He was truly confused and she found it almost hilarious.

“Maybe cause we don’t even go to the same school.” She answered him. Now he REALLY looked lost as his eyebrows went from confused to concern.

“How? You sure do look like it… with the shirt and the nose piercing. Look! We’re wearing the same damn shirt!” he unzipped his hoodie to show off an Iron Maiden shirt.

Skylar snickered and then took about three steps back from the counter. He eyed her this time, from head to toe. His hand went to his mouth and she could see him holding back a laugh. She waved her arms towards herself like saying C’mon just laugh. And he did.

“No! Don’t tell me you’re one of those prep school freaks!” he laughed. “Shit. With the skirt and clunky shoes and knee highs! Ha-ha! Fuck... actually that’s pretty hot.”

He looked back at her.

“And your skirt isn’t that long.” He added. Skylar rolled her eyes and picked up her t-shirt a bit to show that her skirt was raised WAY above her tiny waist.

He laughed again.

“I see, I see.” He said. Zacky ran his eyes over her once more and she almost blushed. She just ignored it. He was, after all, with Ashley.

“Hey, what’s all the laughing about?” Ashley said, coming up behind Skylar.

“Ashley! Did you know she’s a preppy?” Zacky asked. Ashley chuckled and nodded her head.
She wrapped an arm around Skylar.

“Of course, I know. Imagine my face when she came in here with a full on school girl outfit! She started slipping on t-shirts and her nose ring back on before getting here so I wouldn’t laugh at her.” Skylar shoved Ashley off her.

“It’s not my fault I have to wear the uniform. It’s rules, guys.” Skylar said. She was starting to feel embarrassed. Why did her parents have to send her to a private school? Ugh. The struggle.

“You know who really digs school girls?” Zacky asked. Ashley shook her head no to him but he didn’t listen. “My friend, Brian. He’s totally into that sort of stuff.”

“Zacky, seriously? Brian is an ass. He dumps every girl he gets with after 3 days. He has a fucking code he lives by! He is not worthy for Skylar!” Ashley exclaimed. Zacky shrugged his shoulders. That must be one of his trademarks Skylar thought.

“Hey, Skylar, tomorrow, you work, right?” he asked her.

“Umm, yeah.” She replied slowly.

“Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Zacky said.

“You’re a pig, Zacky.” Ashley and then looked at Skylar with apologetic eyes. “Go ahead and go. I’ll close up.”

Skylar picked up her backpack from behind the counter, pulled her car keys from the side pocket and shrugged her shoulders.

“See ya.” She said as she headed towards the door of the store. The whole way out, she could feel green eyes on her.