Authors Note: Hey again, it's me. Another chapter's up. Got some ideas now so it's going places. I don't really know if anyone's reading, but I'd appreciate some feedback if you are. Let me know if anyone's enjoying this story at all. o.o; Heh...
Warnings: Complete story rated R for sexual content, language, and mild violence.
Chapter 2 rating: PG-13 (Language, mild violent thoughts)

"The Daily Deal"
By: AikoShrek

Chapter 2: Six days...

After five thorough and desperate minutes of searching for this box to satisfy the last fucking customer, I appeared at Customer Service once again. Empty handed.

"I can't find it," I announced, running a hand through my now slightly disheveled hair.

Melinda continued emptying the remaining registers at Service before turning to me and raising a brow. "Can't find what?"

I grumbled, placing both hands on my hips in an annoyed manner. "The bike the lady wanted," I reminded her, glancing around to realize the customer was no where in sight.

"Oh, that," she dismissed my announcement, returning to locking the petty-cash away for the night. "

Before I could ask who she was talking about, I recognized the guy who had pushed me down heading towards me from the doors. The master key ring dangling loudly from his fingers.

"All locked up," he said casually, tucking the "Wheels and Deals" rubber key logo into his pocket, allowing the keys to hang securely from the back pocket of his perfectly fitting khaki pants.

"Hey!" I huffed, my hands still resting on my hips, a foot now tapping incessantly. "What are you doing here?"

"You know each other?" Melinda asked only somewhat interested, glancing up momentarily from her tally cards.

"Not by choice, I assure you," I mumbled, casting my piercing blue eyes towards him in a menacing glare.

"I knocked your boy down in the back," he said calmly, the words rolling off his tongue nonchalantly as he approached Melinda and leaned over her binder to read the following week's schedule.

Melinda didn't seem to care, hence the neutral shrug as she flipped to his desired page. "You're on practically all week," she noted.

"But Wednesday's free," he lifted a hand from his hip and pointed over her shoulder, his tone neither that of a request or observation.

Melinda removed a pen from the breast pocket of her uniform shirt and nodded, scratching out something from the page. "Right, sorry about that. Then you'll have Saturday off as well," she noted, motioning to another section of the page with the end of her pen.

"Can I see the schedule now?" I whined, uttering a drawn out sigh. I did not appreciate being ignored.

Melinda held up her finger to silence me, again asking me to wait. "Does that work for you? Would you rather work Saturday?" she looked up at the man beside her, waiting calmly for an answer.

Since when did Melinda care what employee's wanted. Shit, if this new guy could have off any days he requested, I thought why not try it out myself. "Any chance I could get off Saturday?"

Melinda and the man looked up at me, annoyance present among their scoffing features.

When not a word was uttered from either of them, I sighed and shifted under their gaze. "What?" I whined apprehensively.

The man beside Melinda broke the silence, sighing shortly with a nod. "Wednesday's fine. I'll come in on Saturday."

Melinda looked skeptical, although closing her book nevertheless. "Are you sure? That's a hell of a long week."

He gave her a reassuring nod, tucking his hands in his back pockets while doing so, causing a light jingle of the keys tucked safely there.

"Alright Aki," she finally turned towards me. "What do you want?"

I sighed, stomping my foot lightly and staring at her incredulously. "You're the one that called me!"

Melinda gave me a look of disapproval at my annoyed tone and sighed. "Just go home."

I groaned and turned, stopping myself mid-way and walked back over to her. "Wait, I need to see the schedule…"

Melinda opened the book for me, spinning it so that it faced me across the counter. I glanced through the list of employee's until I found myself, running my finger across the page to survey my hours for the upcoming week. "Six days?" I whined, glancing up at the manager pleadingly.

"We need people here while Seth's training," she replied with a shrug, glancing momentarily to the brunette beside her, the fluorescent light kissing his hair golden.

I sighed, turning slightly to see the man absently resting his weight on a leg, as his right foot was resting on a display stage, a few bikes sparkling as headlights from the passing cars streamed through the window. "So bring him into tomorrow's orientation," I suggested, throwing a hand up to the side.

"He's going to be a director."

Wonderful. I had made a complete jackass out of myself at work. Although it wasn't completely my fault. If he hadn't run into me and then been completely rude about it, I wouldn't have been bothered by him in the first place. I wouldn't have complained about him taking so long with Melinda. I wouldn't have suggested he come to the fucking orientation.

Orientation. For new cashiers and floor sales. The most humiliating experience, I believe. You are forced to watch 'Hazardous Chemicals: Facts to know in the work place' and 'Code Adam: A procedure practiced throughout America'. These videos take up to about a half an hour to get through. Then there's the handy-dandy work sheet. If you get more than two questions on the worksheet wrong, by law, they're not supposed to hire you. But the questions are straight from the video. There's even a re-cap at the end of the video, giving you each answer in order!

'Code Adam' would be somewhat effective if not for the lack of acting experience. Code Adam was formed for the sole purpose of finding lost children in stores. If a child is missing, you quickly get on an intercom and give the child's name and a detailed description, including shoes. Apparently, if someone is planning on kidnapping a child, they bring a change of clothes in order to disguise the child. It's unlikely that the attacker will bring shoes. Anyway, the woman in the video who supposedly loses her child throws her hand to her forehead and faints. This long drawn out scene is unbearably funny. Her head rolling from one side to the other, muttering the name of her son as the employee's continue to question the woman about her child.

I would have thought the employee's would be blocking entrances, exits, and bathrooms rather than worrying about the mother's fainting spell…but that's just me. Sometimes I wonder if anyone who's come into our store has ever gone through something like that. Occasionally when people approach the register and they look slightly suspicious, my mind begins to race and I make up situations that these people could be in. If a child is defying the adult, I wonder if they've been kidnapped. If someone hands me a large bills when time to pay and they look anxious, I wonder if it's counterfeit. And when someone's glancing around sneakily and not many people are at the register, I wonder if they've got a gun. I wonder if they're going to rob us. I wonder if someone would shoot me. Would they shoot me if I refused? Or even if I cooperated?

Would I wind up like I did earlier that night? Face pressed against the dirty floor, unable to move. Maybe they'd shoot the manager. Or better yet, the director. Maybe they'd shoot the new director. I believe it should be his turn to lie along the floor, soaked in blood rather than water.

Alright, maybe that's a bit harsh…

I had managed to kick the door to my home shut behind me before I zoned out and began thinking about Orientation and 'Wheels and Deals' being robbed. My two top buttons had already been undone on the walk up the cobblestone path, and my shirt was practically off, revealing a nicely fitting white t-shirt beneath. I kicked my shoes off harshly, allowing them to slam against the hallway. "Shit," I murmured when I took note that it was past ten and the thud of my shoes echoing through the hall would most likely not go unnoticed. "Fucking Melinda and that ass hole."

I headed through the entrance hall and turned left to venture into the kitchen. I took to the fridge for a new water bottle and contemplated his name. I had remembered hearing it, but at the moment it was far from consciousness. Sleep clouded my mind and all I wanted was the soft down comforter among thick feather pillows that awaited me only one flight above. Just up the grand staircase and past the other four bedrooms.

Although sleep taunted me, the location of my room and my worn out feet were not as inviting as the leather recliner in the TV room. Heading out of the kitchen to the left, I smiled as the sight of soft inviting furniture came into view.

No, there is no possible way anyone could ever afford to live here on a salary from 'Wheels and Deals'. There is, however, an explanation as to why I am here. My parents. I enjoy living here during the summer while college is out. Why 'Wheels and Deals'? Because as I said before, I enjoy having money I can call my own.

Sleep had not eluded me, and even before the soft cloth blanket was completely covering me, I had drifted to sleep. Six days with that creep. Six days for a suspicious robber to demand higher authority. Six days for him to get shot.


To be continued in Chapter 3