Weeks 3-6

The next weeks have just flown by, I can hardly believe there are only three more weeks until I finally finish school. I have already applied to a few colleges and received some offers, but I still have to make my final decision on what I want to do and where I want to do it.

My part-time job is going well and I am a lot less exhausted now compared to the beginning. Every Friday, Jay turns up to collect his comic book, bringing a different type of coffee each time. Some of the creations are, well, let's say, interesting, and after two completely failed attempt, Jay has realised that I don't like any flavoured stuff at all. He hasn't given up though, which is really sweet of him.

He also brings a little treat for Lloyd every time, either some sweets or some collectibles, even a little Fritz Donnegan toy handgun once. And two or three times, he has left a couple of items for Rufus, too.

I have started to join him and Lloyd in the reading area (whenever my job permits and there are no other customers in the shop), and Jay and I even continue our conversation, after the boy has gone home.

Yes, I call him Jay now. I honestly don't remember when I started, it just kinda happened. But I know that he has noticed, because every time I use the short version of his name, I see a cute little smile playing on his lips.

He still insists on calling me Nya, and so does Lloyd. But I don't mind; to be honest I actually like it. And Jay himself has grown a lot on me as well. Once you get beyond that arrogant façade, he's actually a pretty nice guy. And just because he's the son of a rich and famous movie star doesn't automatically mean he's always had it that easy.

Jay's mother passed away, when he was still a baby, and he seems to have a rather strained relationship with his father, the famous actor Cliff Gordon. Because his father was often away, either filming or promoting his new movies, the little boy was mainly raised by the housekeeper and her husband (who is also the Gordon Estate's caretaker), a lovely now-elderly couple called Edna and Ed Walker. He told me that his younger self would sometimes even refer to them as 'mum' and 'dad', especially when he was upset with his father.

I have also found out that Jay is a year older than me, so he's just finishing his first year of college. He hasn't told me yet what he does, he has only mentioned that he stops here at the comic book store when he drives home for the weekend. Apparently, the family live in a grand mansion somewhere between Ignacia and Ninjago City.

I really should ask him about his college life next time. And maybe he can give me some advice about what to do myself.

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Week 7

Friday afternoon

This is an incredibly boring day at Doomsday Comics. It's been raining non stop, and I have been more or less on my own all afternoon. Nobody wants to leave their warm and dry home just to buy a comic book. And Lloyd is off sick, he has had a bad cough all week.

I am wondering if Jay is going to make it today.

I break into a huge smile when, about twenty minutes before closing time, I finally hear the door going and see the auburn haired boy stumble into the store. He is soaking wet and laden like a mule, carrying two paper cups, a giant poster tub, and a cellophane bag containing lots of colourful lollipops.

I laugh and quickly go over to him, taking the poster tub from his shoulders and leaning it against the counter.

"Thanks Nya." He flashes me a smile that is definitely brighter that everything else I've seen in this grey weather today. "What an awful day..."

"I know." I agree. "You are like the first customer I've had all afternoon. Even Lloyd is sick with a bad cold."

"Poor chap." Jay says. He holds up the bag with the lollies. "What are we going to do with these then?" He winks at me.

"I will give them to him on Monday, but I am sure he won't mind if two are missing." I smile back. "Why don't you sit down and and I'll get you a towel."

"Thanks, Nya." Jay puts down the two paper cups on the table, before he takes of his soaked jacket and takes a seat on the sofa, careful not to touch the fabric with the wet legs of his trousers.

In the meantime, I go to the small staff room. On a normal day, I would go for a swim before coming to work, but today was not the best day for a visit to Ignacia's outdoor pool, so I take an unused blue towel from my sports bag and give it to Jay. He gratefully accepts it and dries his hair.

"These are some posters for my dad's upcoming movie, I got him to sign them." Jay explains, gesturing towards the poster tub. "Rufus wants to put them up in the store, when the film gets released in two weeks." He opens one of the lollies and tries it. "Mmh, strawberry and cream." He remarks.
"No problem, I'll let him know. He will be ecstatic for sure." I look at the two paper cups sitting on the table. "And what else did you bring?" I enquire. "I bet you could use a hot drink more than I do today."

"Ugh, no. I wouldn't drink that." He pulls a disgusted face. "This one is a simple regular coffee, and the other cup contains some milk. I also had a few sachets of sugar in my coat, but they are probably unusable now." His stunning blue eyes lock with my brown ones. "Nya, I know you said I'd have to find out myself what your favourite coffee is, and I am always one to accept a challenge, but I also know when it's time to admit defeat. I have watched your reaction to the different drinks and I still don't have the slightest clue as to what you might like best. So, I am running out of ideas and I give up. Please, just tell me what you like."

Instead of replying, I slide the two cups towards me. I open the lids and pour some milk into the coffee before I take a sip. I wink at Jay. "Took you long enough."

"Well, I don't like losing, so..."

I interrupt him. "No, I meant, it took you long enough to figure it out."

He looks at me, slack jawed. "Y-you mean, you just drink normal coffee?"

"Yep." I take another sip from my favourite hot drink before I lean back on the sofa. "Regular coffee with only a tiny bit of milk and no sugar. Just like this."

"You are a very strange girl, Nya." Jay grins. "But I like you. A lot."

I don't want to show him how flustered I am, so I ignore the second sentence and pretend to be offended about his first remark. "You're calling me strange?" I pout playfully. "Mr I-am-nineteen-years-old-and-and-still-can't-survive-a-single-week-without-getting-my-new-comic-book, huh?"

At first, he doesn't react to that joke, so I am getting a bit worried if I have upset him by calling him childish. But then he finally speaks.

"Nya, can I tell you a secret?" He asks quietly.

"Of course, you can." I place my hand on his. "You can trust me. We're friends, right?" "We are." He nods.

"I actually stopped reading these comics about two year ago." He admits. "I only still buy them so I have a reason to drop by."

"Why that?" I frown.

"When I was younger, I would spend a lot of time here reading comics, just like Lloyd does now. Back then, Rufus was still working here himself most of the time. So, even when I lost interest in these comics, I would still come here and buy something, just to have a chat with him. And then, when I started college, he offered to save me a copy, and I-I just couldn't say no. Even though he is now slowly retiring from running the shop [I had to make him older than he is in the show], I still feel like I need to express my gratitude to him."

"So, that's why you keep bringing all these things for the shop and for Lloyd?" I guess.

"Yes. There are a lot more modern shops in the City now, but Doomsday Comics will always have some exclusive Starfarer items, which brings a lot of customers here. My dad doesn't mind, he gets so much stuff for free. And Lloyd reminds me so much of myself. It always made me so happy, when someone would give me a little treat or spend a few minutes talking to me. He's a great kid, who deserves some attention."

"And you're a really great guy." Realising what I have just said, we both blush profoundly at the same time.

At his moment, the phone in his pocket buzzes. Having a reason to avert my gaze, he looks at the message he has just received.

"Uhm, I-I need to get home now." Jay jumps up and puts on his still soaking wet jacket, making him shiver. "M-ahem, Edna will be worried sick otherwise, she doesn't like me driving in the dark, especially in this weather. I will see you next week, Nya."

"Oh, okay." I struggle to hide my slight disappointment. "Bye, Jay."

After he has gone, I realise that, due to his abrupt leaving, I didn't get to ask him for his advice on my college career choices. And I didn't get to tell him that I won't be working next Friday.

I hope he won't be too disappointed when I won't be here then. Or, maybe I hope he will be.