Normani adjusted the headset on her tight curls and sighed as she stared at the place before her.

Work. Yet again.

Don't get her wrong, she is forever grateful she always had a stable job with her family's photo business, but she just was tired of it. She was very tired of the same lackluster days she'd spend at work.

"I hate this job," Normani muttered to herself as she pushed through the entrance doors, "I'm still finna clock in though."

Stepping in, Normani was hit with the familiar smell of paper, chemicals, and for some reason, lavender. Her mother loved making the shop smell like lavender. Normani dragged her sneakers across the short dark blue carpet, silently throwing a fit to herself knowing she would have to be in until 5pm. The weather was beginning to grow colder and the daylight was leaving earlier. Maybe it was seasonal depression or the fact that it was almost devastatingly cold outside, but Normani was most definitely not feeling work today.

"Normani?" A voice yelled from the back.

"Yeah, sadly." Normani yelled back in response as she made her way towards the back of the store. Out came her adopted sister, Megan, holding one of the store's various work tablets.

Her eyes squinted at the screen and back up at Normani, "Jeez Mani, you look like shit."

"Ya momma." Normani mindlessly quipped as she grabbed her apron.

"We literally have the same mom," Megan responded. She made her way towards Normani, shoving the tablet in her chest, "The only difference is, I didn't come from her yet she still loves me more."

Megan flashed a wide smile and flipped her sister the bird. The two stared at each other, Megan's smile nor Normani's scowl not dropping. The two continued to stare each other down before Normani dropped the act, laughing at her older sister. Megan began laughing and the two gave a small fist bump before prepping to open the store.

Because of them both being students, Normani in undergrad while Megan's in grad school, they only worked on weekends. The pair had been running the store together for years. Running the stores and its in betweens had become second nature for them.

Hours passed and Megan sat at the register, boredly swinging her feet. Megan stared out at the empty shop. It wasn't particularly a busy Saturday. There were a couple lingering customers from time to time but the shop was mostly just the two sisters.

Normani walked in from the back, rolling up her long sleeves revealing her fit brown arms, "Anymore film orders? I'm boutta start developing."

Megan pointed at the open floor of the shop, "Can't you see the line of people waiting? Chop chop Mani, you're gonna make the customers upset."

Normani rolled her eyes and grabbed the basket of orders from behind Megan. The dark skinned woman carried orders towards the back and began her usual routine. As she separated the films, a familiar name caught Normani's attention.

Normani tilted her head, reading the scribbled name on the bag, "Damn again?"

Amala Dlamini. For weeks, Normani had begun to see that name like an omen. This person constantly got their film developed and asked for the negatives back. The strange part about this Amala person, was Normani's dad was the only person that could develop her film. It was so specific to the point where her dad would have different colored canisters for Amala's films. Normani didn't understand one bit of it.

"Hey Megan!" Normani shouted out, "Any customers in right now?"

There was a brief pause before Megan responded, "No!"

"Okay, thank God," Normani muttered to herself before shouting once again, "Who the hell is Amala Dlamini?"

"I don't know but don't try and develop their film. Dad said he'd come by later and do theirs."

Normani cursed silently to herself. What the hell was so special about this Amala person? Her dad literally never came in on weekends now that Normani and Megan could run the store. What did Amala have that made her so special?

Normani stared at this special Amala person's film before sliding it over to the side, "I don't get paid enough for this. Dad can do what he wants." With that, Normani continued her same old process in the same old shop. The monotonous repetitive nature, yet again, was just a part of the job.

~~~

The day passed the two siblings; Megan restocking inventory while Normani now sat at the register. To Normani's surprise, her father did in fact come in and develop the specific film. The dark skinned girl sighed to herself as she closed her notebook, finally finishing her homework. It was almost the end of their usual nine to five workday. The sun had set, the air was crisp, and it was nearly time to leave. The once bright outside world now reflected darkness from the store's front windows. The day had long passed Normani and Megan.

"Alright Megan. It's dead, time to close up." Normani stated as she hopped off the stool. Megan stood from her low crouched restocking position and wiped her hands on her pants. Once again, they routinely began closing up shop.

Everything was, once again, a typical Saturday workday for the pair. Normani and Megan routinely close up, nearly finished before Megan spotted someone outside the store. From the back where she stood, she could see someone approaching the building. Megan could see them but they couldn't see Megan.

The light skin customer nearly sprinted towards the shop door. She grabbed the handles and frowned, realizing the door's locked. The customer looks up, eyes running through the entire store trying to spot someone. Megan quickly turned back into the back of the store. Nope. Definitely not worth it.

Normani walked up towards her sister with a half untied apron, noticing the scared look on her face, "What's wrong?"

"There's a customer at the door."

A frustrated groan left Normani's lips as she peaked around the corner to indeed see a customer patiently waiting. The customer knocked softly making Normani spin back. The two sisters looked at each other. There was a small silence before both of them realized what needed to be done.

"NOT IT!" They both shouted simultaneously, as they dropped to one knee. Much to Normani's dismay, Megan was quicker, making it to one knee in a flash. Normani cursed aloud making Megan laugh and teasingly point at her. 

Normani continued to curse to herself as she rounded the corner onto the main floor. The light skin customer perked up at the sight of an employee. Normani let her hands make their way to the back of her apron, sloppily tying the ends as she approached the shop door. The customer held her jacket close as Normani approached the door. Normani stood before her.

To Normani's surprise, rather than knock again, the customer smiled a polite smile at her. The light skin customer began to speak, seemingly explaining herself. Normani would've laughed at the situation if she weren't so ready to leave work. Normani raised her finger, pointed towards her ear, and shrugged.

The customer's mouth fell into an O shape and nodded. Normani nodded back and raised her arm, now pointing and tapping at her wrist. As much as she'd love to help, they were ready to close and she was beyond ready to go home. The customer raised a playful brow and repeated the same motion. The customer dug quickly into her pocket and pulled out her phone, showing the lock screen. 4:30pm.

Normani had to hold back an eye roll at the woman. She technically was right. The shop didn't close until 5pm on weekends. The dark skin woman held a finger up and walked towards the back once again. As much as she hated that the customer was right, she knew she couldn't just leave them out there. Her dad would blow a gasket at the thought of her refusing a customer during open hours. Normani rounded the corner to see Megan patiently waiting, completely out of uniform.

Megan looked up from her phone with a raised brow, "What's the hold up?"

"Gimme the keys. I gotta let her in."

Megan groaned and threw her hands, "You've gotta be fucking kidding me-"

"I don't wanna hear it. Just give me the damn keys." Megan lazily tossed the keys, Normani catching them just as easily. Normani walked back over towards the door, this time fully taking off the apron before unlocking the door. The dark skinned woman ushered the customer in as she folded her apron up.

Much to Normani's surprise, the customer made a sharp turn towards the 35mm film on display rather than follow Normani in suit. Normani sighed to herself. This customer definitely would take forever to choose some film. The dark skin woman made her way back towards the register. Might as well sit while waiting.

Normani sat on the stool and swiveled herself around to face the floor. Rather than be met with the open floor, before her stood the customer. Normani flinched at the sudden appearance. The customer smiled and placed her products on the glass counter.

"A roll of 35mm film and two packs of 600 Black and White Polaroid film. Hmm, typical." Normani mentally noted as she scanned the items.

The customer grinned, "I wanted to try 600 film. I just got an old Polaroid camera and you guys have the cheapest prices in town!"

Normani nodded and mindlessly muttered out some response. Customer service was something that became second nature for Normani at this point.

"Two new Polaroid packs and some film. Will that be all for tonight?"

The customer's face lit up in excitement, "Oh! I almost forgot! My film negatives should be back today!"

"Alrighty, I'll go grab them for you. Give me one second," Normani hopped off the stool and walked towards the developed film, "We got two left, are you Miss Jennifer Wick?"

The customer shook her head, "Nope. It should be under Amala Dlamini."

Normani notably paused. So this was the infamous Amala. The one that got her dad in on the weekends and the one that constantly sent film to get developed. For some reason, Normani envisioned Amala a lot more... intimidating.

"Everything okay?" Amala asked, noticing Normani's pause, "Is there something wrong with the film?"

"Oh no it's nothing. I found it. 35mm film again?" Normani questioned as she tried to change the subject away from her. To her dismay, Amala was not one to be swayed.

"I usually only see Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton here. Are you new?"

Normani chuckled at the question, "No actually, I've worked here for a while now."

"Wow I've never seen you!" Amala tilted her head to the side, now looking at Normani, "How did you get the job? I used to want to work here."

Normani snickered, holding back the loud laugh she really wanted to let out, "I know the owners so they put me on. I would put a word in but I think we don't need any more employees."

Amala let out a hearty laugh, "Don't worry, I appreciate it! I'm not good at math anyways, so I think it's for the best."

Normani laughed and handed Amala her receipt, "Here you go."

"Thank you!" Amala thanked. She made her way out, not before turning towards Normani once again and smiling, "You have a good rest of your night!"

Normani raised an eyebrow, a small confused smile on her face, "You too."

Amala made her way out, not without Normani's eyes watching her, "So that's Amala." Normani wouldn't have imagined Amala to be like that.

"5pm, right on the nose," Megan said as they rounded the corner from the back, "That customer has great timing."

Normani shrugged, "That was Amala."

Megan's eyes widened, "The Amala?? The one that-"

"Has dad coming in on the weekends. Yes, that Amala. C'mon, I wanna go home. I don't get paid enough to stay here past 5." Normani tossed the keys as her sister, finally walking back to close up properly.

Megan surprisedly caught the keys and watched her sister make her way to the back. What did Amala do to have Normani like that?

~~~

Another week has passed and Normani sat at the register stool once again finishing her homework. Normani was the only employee at work that day. Megan had a school project to do and it was once again a typical Saturday. Not many customers and not many problems for Normani to deal with.

Normani submitted the last of her assignments and stared off onto the open floor. 4:30pm displayed in the corner of her laptop.

"Yup. Closing time." Normani said aloud before hopping off the stool. The dark skin woman smiled to herself as she made her way towards the front store door; locking it swiftly as she sang to herself. She could finally get time back.

Normani turned back towards the back of the shop, only to be stopped by a soft knocking. A frustrated groan left Normani's lips. Guess she wasn't getting her time back.

Normani lazily turned on the balls of her feet back towards the front. There on the other side of the glass stood Amala. The light skin customer smiled and waved, recognizing Normani. Normani wanted to facepalm herself at the predicament. Of course it was Amala.

Normani made her way towards the door and stopped in front of it. Amala's smile didn't falter as she stared at Normani. Amala pointed towards the door handle. Normani responded by pointing at her wrist. Amala let out a hearty laugh and pointed at her wrist.

"Damn you Amala." Normani sighed to herself and once again and unlocked the door for the woman. Amala's hair swung as she made a sharp turn towards the film once again. Normani noticed this time Amala's hand reached for the Fujifilm. Normani shook her head and made her way back to her stool. As she sat down and looked at the open floor, she was surprised to see an empty store.

Normani's face scrunched in confusion, "Huh? Where did she-"

"How much for the used Fujifilm camera?" Amala pondered, her body popped up from her squatted position.

Normani let out a scared holler. The dark skinned girl held her chest in surprise, making Amala laugh herself.

Normani closed her eyes and tried to compose herself, "How much for the what?"

"How much for that Fujifilm camera? I think it said X100." Amala bent down again to double check, rising up to nod in confirmation.

Normani hopped off from the stool and twirled her keys, "Thank you for reminding me. I need to recycle it," Normani's curly hair bounced as she bent over to grab the camera, "I don't know if you want to still buy it. It's for parts only, so you'll have to fix it yourself."

Amala nodded, "Even better! I'll take it."

"Alrighty. With the three pack of film and this camera, the total is-" Normani rotated the camera in her hand to find now notorious orange price sticker, "Of course there's no price tag on it. Look, I'll give it to you for five bucks."

Amala grinned widely, her smile happily present, "Thank you! Oh! And I almost forgot, I have negatives that should be ready!"

Normani nodded and turned towards the negatives basket behind her. She began digging for Amala's film. Amala began talking to Normani mindlessly.

"I think this time I'm going to get my negatives printed. I keep hesitating but the supermarket a couple blocks down processes and prints pictures! Do you know Victoria's, on Priscilla Ln?"

Normani nodded again, "Yeah, the ones that sell the Mango AriZonas?"

"Yes! That one!" Amala's head tilted at the random statement, "Are those your favorite?"

"Yeah, you can't find them anywhere. They're the only place in like a 100 mile radius that sells them," Normani mentally high-fived herself once she found Amala's film, "Actually, I'm sorry, that's so random. I'm sorry, you don't care about juice-"

Normani turned to see Amala listening intently, eyes widened a bit, silently gesturing to her to continue. Normani felt her face go warm with embarrassment, "I'm sorry. Umm, here's your film."

Amala thanked her and grabbed her bag, Normani still continuing to talk, "We also send digital scans and print pictures here too. Just a little fyi, to weigh your options."

Amala let out a large sigh of relief. She bowed her head a bit, "Oh thank God, that makes life so much easier. Thank you so much! I'll definitely be back again with some new film!"

Confused but still in customer service mode, Normani nodded back at the woman as she ran out. Whatever that meant. Normani pulled her phone from her pocket to see in bright white: 5:00pm.

"5pm, right on the nose." Normani muttered softly to herself, looking up at the store's front door. Amala somehow did it again. Little did Normani notice, a small smile crept up on the dark skin girl's freckled face.