=Chapter Seventeen=
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Bella's first day
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Monday, 16th of September
(About a week time skip)

"Percy, Bella is going to arrive here in ten minutes, I need to go finish some paperwork really quick. Do you mind helping her clock in and teach her some basics while I'm gone?" May said distractedly while she thumbed through a stack of papers.

"Sure May, no worries." I had decided to give Bella a chance, my irrational fears wouldn't get in the way of a potential new friend.

May strolled to the back to her closed off office, and I casually wiped down the front counter while I hummed along to the classic 80s rock music that always played.

It seemed Mays tastes grew in the late 80s and early 90s and never left.

Of course that didn't mean she had no songs from other eras. She had some modern and older too. Whatever she happened to listen too and liked, you'd hear it on Mays fabulous and bodacious Playlist.

I looked up as the doors bell jingled and in strolled Jason. I waved. "Hey. We're still closed." I grinned.

"Eh, you'll be fine. I don't cause much damage." He retorted, flopping in his usual chair, sighing when his head rested on the back headrest.

"Long week?" He had been absent almost an entire week now, and he did look tired.

"Yeah. I'm glad I can relax now.." he took an awkward sip of his disguised-as-coffee- tea, his eyes still closed and his head tilted back. Surprisingly he poured it (stupidly I thought) into his mouth from a few inches above.

"I'm not cleaning anything if you spill." I commented, eyeing down that cup.

"You'll be fine, barista." He retorts, eyes still closed and head back although now his cup was back down on the table.

For some reason (no thought behind my action at all,) I reach forward and poked his nose.

He flinched forward and his eyes snapped open, suddenly he was jumping at me and i gasped, stumbling back in surprise, tripping into the chair beside me.

Jason leaned over me with a grin, and promptly booped me back.

"I will always. Always. Boop back. Don't test me."

I snorted very unladylike, and my hand flew to my mouth to hide the giggles that burst after.

Jason equally started laughing, however he never moved away.

"Okay, okay, let me up.." I flailed in the chair to demonstrate my helplessness.

Before Jason could react in the positive and help me up, the doors bell jingled, and we both looked up, however I had to crain my neck to see who it was.

"Uh, this doesn't look very professional.." Bella said walking over.

Jason pushed away from the chair, and I struggled to right myself in it.

"Bella! Hi.."

"Is he your boyfriend or something? You know it's not okay to be doing that stuff in public.." Bella continued, her hands on her hips.

"No.. he's not.." I tried to explain however Bella just didn't sound interested in an explanation.

"Anyways, percilla, right?" She asked.

"Uh, no it's-"

"Oh my bad. Anyways, where's May? I want help starting my day.."

She walks off to the front counter.

I get up from my chair hurriedly, shooting Jason an awkward glance, to which he meets it with a concerned expression.

"Bella, Mays doing paperwork, I'll help you!" I rushed over to her.

"Oh, is she now? I better go check just in case she's done.." Bella smiled sarcastically.

"Uh no, she's not.. she asked me to show you the ropes today.." I said in a mostly fake joyful voice. This girl wasn't very high on my ratings yet.

"Alright.. fine.." she eyed me with a disgusted look.

"Okay. Well here is the time card.. our system is a little outdated.. but you just slide the card in here.." I slid my card into the machine. "And then press this button.." I pressed the button which poked a hole in my card, and then I took it out and placed it in the holding slots above.

"It knows what day it is, and this card contains enough circles for a year, so it will go down based on that."
I passed her a card with her name on it.

"Here, you try.." she took it from me and looked at it. "Yeah it's very.. outdated." She sighed, but stuck the card into the machine and let it do the hole punch and put it away.

"Okay.. what next." She crossed her arms.

"Well, every day we get in, we do a little wipe down for dust.. we take a few boxes out from the back and stock books on the shelves.. we help customers.. that kind of thing." I explained.

"Okay.." she replied.

"And then for closing, we go through the store and correct any adjusted books or displays, wipe off tables and sweep.. you know, basic closing things."

"Okay.. and what."

"Well that's about it. You'll meet Liz on the weekends. She's in high school so she works part time." I shuffled awkwardly.

"A high schooler?" Bella looked at me incredulously.

"Shes really nice.." I hesitated.

"Oh I'm sure she is, but I never expected May to hire children.. I mean you.. you're almost an acceptation but.."

"Im twenty.. I'm not a high schooler at all. But Liz is really great, so I would appreciate you didn't look down on her." I said crossing my arms.

"Sorry.. sorry. I just find it really hard to work with kids.. you know?" She smiled sweetly.

"She's not really a kid.. you'll like her.. just don't judge before you meet." I sighed.

"Whatever. Anyways, how long are breaks?" She asked changing subjects.

"Breaks are an hour long.. taken usually whenever you're hungry. We don't get busy usually, so.." I shrugged.

"An hour? That's far too long.." she exclaimed.

"Well.. sometimes we go out to find food. We don't exactly have much on hand here.."

She grimaced.
"Is there a refrigerator at least?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course. There's one in the back.." I offered.

"So no food already prepared.." she seemingly whined.

"This is a book store.. we.. we don't have food or the time to make something.." I stared at her, confused out of my mind. Is she just the greatest idiot to live?

"Fine.. I'll deal with it. Anyways.. what are those.." she pointed to the blue cookies.

"Oh, those are blue cookies, they-"

"Why are they blue.." she grimaced.

"Well.. uh it is my mom's recipe.. and.."

"You should make them normal. No one would buy blue cookies."

I stared at her in shock. "I'm sorry?"

"Make them normal. I'm just giving you a helpful tip." She said with a smile.

"I'm sorry.. no. They're blue for a reason. Please stop asking."

She rolled her eyes, and turned to the back. "Whatever. You said something about stocking books?"

My eyes met with Jason's and we shared an exasperated look. He must have heard all of that.

I shrug and walk after her.

"Uh yeah.."

•*•

Hello everyone!

Thanks for reading.

I'll update again in a week lol.

Toodles!

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