GUEST STARRING

Sir Michael Caine as Mr Applegrave

I sighed as I hurled the crate of vinyl records from one side of the music shop to the other. I set them down next to the shelves where all the other vinyls belonged and took a few deep breaths to get air back into my shitty lungs. My job was boring, but I'd been doing it for so long I never wanted to find another. I did like it, it just got a little dull at times.

And my boss isn't an arsehole so that's another reason to stay.

I began flicking through the content of the crate, placing the records in alphabetical order according to the name of the artist. I stopped when I saw an album cover with a lady in a swim cap with yellow daisies on it. She had grey eyes and ruby red lips that where curved into a smile.

I giggled at how quirky the album cover was and read the name of the artist to see where it'd fit on the shelf. In a simple font coloured yellow was the word 'blur'.

I smiled in recognition of the band's name and because it made me think of its frontman. I flipped the album over to see the back of it to find a rather odd but unique band picture. The four boys I met last night where sitting in a field in front of a group of cows.

I look around the empty music shop to see if anyone is inside, finding no one. I smile and hold the record carefully in my arms as I walk behind the counter with the tills on them and through a door to my boss' tiny office.

"Hello, Mr Applegrave," I say, looking around the dusty, dimly lit office to find the elder man sat at an ancient piano in the corner of the room.

He turns to face me and smiles, "Hello my dear, how may I help you?"

"Is it possible if I could buy this?" I say, holding up the album, "I would ask after work but no one is here so..."

"Of course you can my dear," Mr Applegrave says as he moves away from the ancient piano and hobbles out the door. I follow him out and stand opposite him on the other side of the counter.

"Oh, I wonder why no one is here," he says, looking around the shop, "not even Avery is here."

I frown at the mention of Avery Line. We both work here five days a week, Sunday to Thursday. She never really says much to me, she's not my ideal co-worker. People also find her very attractive, whenever someone needs help finding something they'll walk over to Avery and ask her for help, probably give her their number too.

She seems nice, she just doesn't talk to me so I can't really say.

I shrug and look around, "Did you flip the..." I begin, but stop talking as I see the 'open' side of the sign facing the inside of the shop "...sign."

He follows my gaze towards the sign and sighs, "Oh, bollocks."

I giggle and walk over to the sign, flipping it around, returning shortly after to the cash register. "How much for it?" I ask, sticking my hand into the pocket of my jeans, ready to grab my money.

"Oh, just have it for free my dear, you've worked here for a while now and you've never asked for a record before, so I'll let you have this one," he smiles.

"Oh no, I have to pa-"

"No, my dear, you have that for free," he insists.

"Thank you," I smile.

"You're welcome, why'd you take a liking to Blur? I thought you liked all the older stuff," he states, "like Pink Floyd and The Beatles."

I flip the record over so I see the band on the back of its sleeve. I look at Damon and smile. I shrug my shoulders in response, my eyes stay glued to the boy I met last night.

"I bet you like that Damon Albarn," he chuckles.

I blush and tear my eyes away from the pixilated Damon. "He's good looking and all..."

Mr Applegrave chuckles and heads back inside his office to play his piano as I'm left in the empty shop. I bag up my record and take it into the small room where staff keep their things. I place the bag next to my coat so I won't forget it.

I then go back to sorting records, until a few customers come in and I'm needed behind the till.

-

I carefully slide the record out of its sleeve and place it on my vinyl player, watching it slowly spin as I remove my hands from it. I pick up the arm and set down the needle at the beginning of the album. The sound of a guitar explodes out of the speaker and I smile, enjoying its sound.

Its four thirty in the afternoon and my shift at work finished about half an hour ago. Emily should be home soon, he shift at the pharmacy ends soon.

Emily is really smart, she managed to get a job as a pharmacist. Men usually don't believe her when she tells them about her job, they just see her as a fit bird they'd like to get in bed with, nothing more.

It depresses me actually, seeing my best friend being used. Of course I've tried to tell her what's happening but she's aware of it and likes it. She's a sucker for one night stands. That makes me sad too actually, I hope she settles down with someone at some point. The problem is, she thinks she can't.

I shake my head, trying not to think about it and enjoy the sound of Leisure and Damon's amazing voice. I glance at the clock every so often and wonder when Emily will be home.

After about thirty minutes, I hear the door open. I turn around to see Emily slipping her jacket off and hanging it on the hook at the back of the door.

"Hello!" I greet her, smiling and waving.

"Hi! Did you have a good day at work?" She asks, walking over to me and sitting down on the floor I front of our vinyl.

"Yep, it was kinda lonely though, Mr Applegrave forgot to turn the sign from 'closed' to 'open'," I laugh.

She giggles, "was that Avery girl there?"

"Nope."

"Good, I don't like her."

"Why not?" I ask, wondering if they have a history.

Emily scowls, "I can tell she's not good news."

"She doesn't seem too bad..."

"Listen, J, I know what bitches are like, she's definitely one," Emily warns me.

"Oh okay, if you say so," I say, pondering Emily's warning.

"Who are you listening to?" Emily asks.

I grin, "I was wondering when you'd ask that. Remember that boy you slept with yesterday?"

She looks confused, "I never slept with a- oh yeah! I remember him, Graham."

I blink, astonished she remembered his name, "yeah, him. Well, turns out he's a guitarist in a band along with the guy I was talking to and they two other guys you where chatting up."

"Woah! That's cool! So, what does your man do?" She giggles, winking.

"He's not...my man," I blush, "he's the singer."

"He has a great voice," Emily says.

I nod.

"Well, since you bought his music you must've taken a liking to him, whatever he did to you last night mu-"

Emily is interrupted by the ringing of the phone. Thank the Lord, I think to myself as I rush over and grab the phone, silencing the ringing.

"'Ello?" Says a familiar masculine voice.

"Damon!" I exclaim in delight, a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"You alright, love?" He asks.

"Yep, I'm great, what about you?" I reply, twirling the phone chord around my index finger and leaning against the wall.

"I'm alright."

"Calling me the day after we just met? Bit eager, you must like me a lot," I say in a stupid attempt to flirt.

He laughs, "listening to my band the day after we met? I guess I could say the same thing."

"How did you..." I turn and look at the spinning record on the vinyl, realising I've left it playing and roll my eyes, "ah, right."

"I like you, Jessica," he chuckles, "you're funny."

"Don't laugh at me!" I say childishly, my face heating up because of how much he's caused me to blush.

"When can I see you again?" He asks.

"Well, I'm at work this week but I have Friday and Saturday off," I say, excited that he wants to see me again.

"Saturday would be good," he says.

"Okay, what do you want to do?" I ask, curious as to what he's planning.

He laughs, "you'll have to find out. I'll come to your flat at two, that alright, love?"

"Sure," I say giggling.

"Great," he laughs, "oh, and one more thing, tell Emily to give Graham a call, would you?"

"Okay," I say, "bye!"

"Bye, love."

As soon as the line goes dead, I start screaming, "he wants to see me again!".

Emily runs over to me squeezes me tightly in her thin arms, "he'd be crazy not to."

"Oh, Em!" I exclaim, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so happy for you!" She says, letting me go and clapping her hands.

"Thank you," I giggle, "oh, before I forget, Graham is expecting a call from you."

Emily blushes, "I'll call him now then."

She sheepishly walks away and slips through her bedroom door, closing it behind her. I smile at the thought of her finding someone, she deserves a nice guy.

I return to my seat on the floor, in front of the vinyl and listen to Damon sing.

a/n: hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying this!

I just thought I'd fill you in on my plans for this story:
I'm planning to make it pretty long as it's going to go from early nineties to the late nineties and I have a long storyline planned out.

I won't be making his story extremely long so prepare for a lot of time skips but I'll try explain what's been happening over the time I haven't written about.

Thank you for voting and commenting, I really appreciate it!!!

-Møni 🌧