When I woke up I was home in my bed. The lights were off and I blinked through the haze of pain that washed through me. For the first time I noticed my mom sitting next to me. She smiled warmly at me, though there was sadness in her eyes.

"How are you feeling sweetie?" I sat up running a hand through my hair.

"What happened?" I groaned.

"One of the teachers found you slumped against the lockers. They contacted the office who called me. I picked you up. You've been out for almost an three hours." I struggled to my feet and with her help made it to the kitchen. She tried to persuade me to rest but I refused. I set to work on my homework. I also told her that I had work. She again tried to convince me not to go and again I refused. If I was going to drive myself to school I would need money for gas.

"Fine you can go just stay safe okay?" I smiled.

"I'll be fine." She shook her head at my words but let me leave.

The drive was quiet and I left the Windows rolled up. The heater didn't work very well in this rust bucket so there was really no point in letting cold air in. Pulling into the drive way I saw one other car parked. That was probably the other employee. Entering the shop I Found a small slip of instructions on the counter. It was written in elegant scrawl with perfect swirls and arcs. I remembered Doug mentioning that two other people worked here both of them being girls.

Dear Blake,

Doug told me to tell you that your name tag is waiting for you in the top right drawer of your desk. Have a goodnight and good luck on your first day.
Sincerely,
Lacey.

Setting the note back on the counter I remembered the way to the back room. Sure enough as I opened his desk drawer I saw a laminated name tag. On it was simply my name. Picking it up I pinned it to my hoodie before shutting the drawer and exiting the room. On my way back I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Pausing I looked down the aisle of book shelves. A girl stood there carefully re-arranging books and putting new ones on the shelves.

I watched as she scanned the shelves just tall enough to reach the top. She glanced in my direction realizing I was there for the first time. My curiosity faded as I realized who it was. She recognized me immediately too.

"Are you stalking me or something. If you aren't it is seriously annoying that I see you everywhere. " Her tone was hostile and she glared at me with a hand resting on her hip.

"I was thinking the same thing." I sighed. Then I remembered what happened earlier at school. "Also thanks for hanging me out to dry."

"What do you mean?" She asked. She didn't even try to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"In class. You made me read my story in front of everyone." She laughed.

"That was pretty funny. You looked so uncomfortable. However, I know for a fact you were not going to get your sorry butt up there anyways. Besides you were just proving that you were an easy target. Dog was waiting all day to get his hands on you."

"Well that certainly helped. I got beat up by him in case you didn't know." I grumbled. She glared at me a certain ferocity in her eyes.

"Who do you think saved your ass?" I frowned. Then it hit me the person in black. She had beaten Dog. "And don't expect me to save you again, and I am not your friend got it?"

Our conversation was interrupted as the bell above the door jingled. She smirked shoving past me before calling over her shoulder. "First customer Sanders. Don't screw it up."

Carefully I peeked around the shelves and sure enough a twelve year old girl and her father had just entered. I wiped away my scowl plastering a smile on my face. I walked over greeting them cheerfully and the little girl beamed.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" I asked doing my best at winging it. She frowned.

"No just looking." I nodded. Thinking of what to say next.

"Well, what type of stories do you like to read?" She paused before answering.

"I like dragons, adventure, epic quests, and daring swords fights." She nodded clearly pleased with herself.

"Alright very specific I like that. Well, I'll see what we can find follow me." I scanned the shelves until I found the adventure section. Once there I had no idea to do next until I realized the individual shelves were labeled with letters A-Z. Crossing my fingers I walked over to the D section. I scanned the titles for something that I recognized, I had read plenty of dragon books.

"Hey these are good. Ever read the Age of Fire series?" She shook her head her eyes sparkling as I handed her the first book. "I promise they are really good. I hated it when I finished. Tell you what if you can stay a few minutes I'll let you read the first two chapters."

"Can I Daddy?" She begged clutching the book to her chest. He smiled with utter adoration in his eyes and a wave of pain washed over me. Dad looked at me like that once. I smiled as she plopped down onto the floor not even bothering to walk to one of the chairs in the reading area. She opened it with careful fingers and soon she was engrossed in a new world. I waited until she finished. As soon as she closed the cover her eyes sparkled with wonder.

"I want this one." I smiled. "

Cool and it looks like we have the second and third so when you finish that one visit me again and
I'll get you the others and if you want we can talk about the plot." She squealed before grabbing her father's hand and pulling him to the check out counter. I followed them wondering if I would have to work the register. Instead the girl was there. Smiling and soon the girl and her Dad left.

Sighing I made my way back to the front of the store. Once there I realized that the girl from school had a name tags. Alice.

"Not bad Sanders." She noted. I nodded a thanks.

"Your name is Alice?" I asked. She rolled her eyes.

"If that is what my name tag says then yes that is my name." She shook her head moving out from behind the counter and heading to the back room. I balled my fists. I didn't really need any sass for the moment. The day had been difficult enough. Sighing I stood behind the counter watching as the seconds slowly ticked by. Only three other customers entered the shop that night. Each time I found the right book for each person and the hours passed by. Only did I realize that the shift was over when the bell above the door rang.

Another girl walked in. I recognized her from my first day here. She was the blond. She smiled warmly at me before taking off her coat.

"So how was the first day?" She asked. I shrugged describing it simply. She laughed as I described the twelve year old girl. "Well I'm glad it worked out."

Just then Alice's head poked around the corner and she beamed. "Hey Lacey."

"So Alice what do you think of Blake?" Lacey asked. She frowned scanning me up and down.

"He's annoying." Lacey sighed.

"Other than that."

"Oh, he's frustrating." Lacey ran a hand down her face.

"Be serious Alice."

"He did an okay job. He sold three books which isn't bad and he didn't bite any of the customers." Lacey laughed. I looked between the two of them confused until I finally decided that it was just an inside joke.

"You are so not a people person Alice." Lacey laughed. I hopped off the counter bidding them farewell before rushing through the cold and getting in the car. Overall the night wasn't to bad and I had no homework to complete. Relaxing I drove in silence all the way home.

Opening the door I crept silently to the bathroom shutting the door and turning on the faucet. I rested the bathroom key on the counter and locked the door. Without the key there was no way dad would be able to yank me out of the shower. Something that had , in fact, happening before. Once finished I dried off pausing by the door to mare sure that no one was waiting on the other side. Getting up my courage I bolted from the door to my small excuse for a room. I carefully pulled on my clothes for tomorrow and lay on my masters. I pulled out my journal writing quickly and carefully.

Once finished I curled up in a ball staring at the wall until I fell asleep. Once my eyes closed I dreamt of adventure and what the entire world looked like. Though dreams were pigments of your imagination, sometimes they were the best reality.