Picture Perfect Blue
you're the glitter in the darkness (1 MAY)
"Can I help you?" Nikki hadn't meant to sound rude, but the man had been standing in the same exact aisle near her register for the last fifteen minutes and she was starting to feel a little on edge. She was alone in the store - Miranda had, once again, 'important managerial duties' that included skipping work and making her close again, even though she was only on the schedule until six that night, and the store closed at ten. Not that she minded closing - it was a university bookstore and so their customers came in all shapes and sizes, which made it fun - but the store was probably in one of the lesser safe neighborhoods for a young girl at night.
She had a tiny pepper spray key chain she wasn't afraid to use, but she was fairly certain that macing her customers bordered on unprofessional, so she left it alone in her purse underneath the counter.
The man laughed, bashful as his lips spread in an easy smile. He had, of all things, selected really girly, pink and frilly mangas. She tried not to be judgmental about her customers' purchases - everyone had the right to read what they wanted, be it a book about molecular science or the latest bodice ripper. Still, a small laugh escaped her lips as she rung up the collection, unable to look up at him.
"They aren't mine," he blurted, light blush painting his cheeks as she darted a glance up at him.
(This was the defining moment in their lives, though they really wouldn't realize it until much later.)
"They're for my sister," he continued, genuinely so flustered that it almost made her feel bad. Almost. Except -
"Your sister?" Nikki's tone was doubtful, raising a carefully arched eyebrow at the man as she punched the discount code in. (Miranda wasn't there to stop her, and she really didn't care anyway, so.) "Right."
"Don't you believe me?" The look on her face should have been perfectly clear, but since it wasn't she sighed, shrugging as a soft laugh left her lips. He pulled out his wallet to pay, but flashed her a photograph of him with a girl who was young and sickly looking, gaunt with long black hair and a big smile. "Her name is Hye Mi."
Nikki's heart felt like it was softening as her shoulders fell a little, and she suddenly felt guilty for doubting the man and his purchases. She smiles at him weakly, stacking his purchases in a black and white paper bag with tissue paper - something Miranda thought was aesthetically pleasing.
"She's pretty," Nikki murmured, passing the bag over. "Your total's $30.98."
She had a tiny pepper spray key chain she wasn't afraid to use, but she was fairly certain that macing her customers bordered on unprofessional, so she left it alone in her purse underneath the counter.
The man laughed, bashful as his lips spread in an easy smile. He had, of all things, selected really girly, pink and frilly mangas. She tried not to be judgmental about her customers' purchases - everyone had the right to read what they wanted, be it a book about molecular science or the latest bodice ripper. Still, a small laugh escaped her lips as she rung up the collection, unable to look up at him.
"They aren't mine," he blurted, light blush painting his cheeks as she darted a glance up at him.
(This was the defining moment in their lives, though they really wouldn't realize it until much later.)
"They're for my sister," he continued, genuinely so flustered that it almost made her feel bad. Almost. Except -
"Your sister?" Nikki's tone was doubtful, raising a carefully arched eyebrow at the man as she punched the discount code in. (Miranda wasn't there to stop her, and she really didn't care anyway, so.) "Right."
"Don't you believe me?" The look on her face should have been perfectly clear, but since it wasn't she sighed, shrugging as a soft laugh left her lips. He pulled out his wallet to pay, but flashed her a photograph of him with a girl who was young and sickly looking, gaunt with long black hair and a big smile. "Her name is Hye Mi."
Nikki's heart felt like it was softening as her shoulders fell a little, and she suddenly felt guilty for doubting the man and his purchases. She smiles at him weakly, stacking his purchases in a black and white paper bag with tissue paper - something Miranda thought was aesthetically pleasing.
"She's pretty," Nikki murmured, passing the bag over. "Your total's $30.98."