I made it back to my apartment to do some thinking on a fundamental level in my own bed. I hadn’t taken my clothes off as I tossed and turned in the twi…queen sized bed. I racked my brain and smothered my face with a pillow. Then it hit me what if Birdette came along as well. I should make Mac make it happen, it was my birthday after all. I hid my sly grin under the pillow, and like a teenage girl, I flapped and flailed my legs around. I texted Mac and his response shocked me. I flailed around some more reading the text. Birdette was in fact coming along with Miranda, but I ignored that part. I laid restlessly, thinking of how I should make my move. In frustration, I grabbed two fistfuls of my scraggly unconditioned hair. I was already low on money, especially after today’s 15$ loss. I had some nice clothing from graduation or even once a year dinner parties. So, I thought I could get through that without a cent being paid. I just wanted to look cool and show off a bit for Birdettes sake. I looked over to the small box on my dresser across the room and had an idea. I planted my face into my pillow and again kicked my feet up and down.
The Pawn Shop I approached was covered in grimy red dirt and spray paint. The ground was littered with fast food wrappings and condoms. So, I could tell this was going to be quite the experience. On top of the building was an unnecessarily huge ass sign, with a dingy yellow lighting, that read SELL/BUYNOW. I wouldn’t usually go down to this one, but on the rare trek through the streets and the fact that I owed Marcel a lot of money… I just couldn’t risk the one nearest my apartment. A couple of blocks away wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.
I walked into the shop, which brought back immediate memories. The smell of moth balls, ammonia, and wood chips, brought bitter ones. I tried to not breathe in so much of the nauseating smell.
Everything was on display from, old school gadgets, fake purses, guitars with missing strings, shit, there were even old game stations stacked on top of each other. This shop was as predicted… quite something.
I hated it, all pawnshops really. Growing up I practically lived in pawnshops, school shopping with my mother, or pawning expensive items I would receive from friends and family. All shops were the same, down from the articles and smell. It was like they all got together and thought up ideas on how to disgust people and take all their money.
I started to look around, like a distinguished young man. I was slightly embarrassed coming in with a pocket full of jewelry. I couldn’t just go up and tell them I wanna cash in all of the mementos my grandparents and mother gave me growing up. Nobody would believe me; I looked way too sketchy for anyone to believe me. I knew for a fact that I would come off as a criminal if I didn’t scour the shop for unnecessary items. So, I started pacing around, looking at items that could benefit my lifestyle. I wasn’t planning to buy anything, but they didn’t know that.
I blamed my dearest mother. Nobody should be this used to or ashamed of coming into a nice family establishment.
I swished the ring, necklace, and watch around in my pocket. They made small clicking noises as they twirled around. I took small steps around the store trying not to circle it in one go.
I walked around pretending to be fascinated by almost everything. A brown guitar with three scratches and a couple of missing strings, WOW.
Oh, look here at this dinosaur, what’s this called again?
Oh yeah, a VCR.
I was running out of old things to be surprised about. Walking around I probably looked like some no-good thief who was hitting his first heist but couldn’t break the ice.
I finally managed some courage to head to the front clerk. After a chime rang through the shop, I was stopped dead in my steps. I looked up and around, noticing a breeze coming in with the person walking in.
That was when I first saw her. I was genuinely shocked at who walked into the shop. A stunningly beautiful golden haired woman, who, should I say, was filling out a very niche tan turtleneck sweater. I mean really filling out. My eyes darted down to the thin long black skirt she was wearing that drooped nicely under the sweater. Her long hair flowed on top of the sweater while the rest was tied up in a makeshift ponytail. The outfit looked really fitting on her. It accented her heavy blue green eyes and her small, cute button nose. The black rimmed glasses sat so sweetly on that adorable nose of hers. I looked at her from head to toe, starting from the top of her beautifully place blonde hair. I made my way down her robust chest and the longer than needed to be skirt all the way down to her beautiful slides… yeah, her choice of footwear through me for a loop, but who was I to judge such a beauty. She walked past the aisle I was in all the way to the front desk. Again, I noticed how stunningly bad a dresser she was, the slides really through the whole outfit into disarray.
I paid attention to the more intricate features of her… but alas there were none to be seen. Her bust might have been quite generous, but her behind was quite modest. Her long golden hair fell right on top of her nonexistent ass. From the back, she looked graceful, but the real prize was I could still see those bad boys swinging side to side. My gosh were those Tits fucking huge, the turtleneck couldn’t hold those babies back, I knew from the first glance at those sweater puppies…Holstein cows? I knew mama had it going on.
She approached the counter with two large red bags in tow, placing them on the counter. I had not paid any attention to the items in her arms. Uncanny as the bags were, they weren’t necessarily out of place here. The item that was out of place was the black umbrella at her side. It had no water on it nor was it even close to raining outside. So, the item seemed out of place, but she was really eccentric, so I thought nothing of it.
I planned on eavesdropping to hear the voice of such an eccentrically sophisticated woman. I dawdled in the aisle next to the front counter, pretending to shop and not come off as suspicious.
My thoughts raced, wondering if her voice was as eccentric and lovely as her. I imagined if it was frail and cute or even British. The thought made me head over heels.
The older man stood behind the counter in front of the mysterious beauty.
She slammed her hands onto the counter saying.
“how much?”
I almost fell over trying to hear the small glimpse, but it wasn’t enough of a sample size.
The old man ignored her comment, saying.
“Veronica!”
She nodded politely.
Meanwhile, I was waiting in the aisle behind her trying to get a whiff of her shampoo. I was close enough to get a full nose full of that wonderous mysterious smell.
My nose didn’t pick anything up, maybe I was too far away, I thought.
Hey, it's not that weird, you would’ve definitely been in the same position in my shoes.
Her name was Veronica though, such an angel’s name.
The two at the counter stood there while neither said anything. The man behind the counter finally wavered and sighed really loudly. He then picked the bags up like he was weighing them by hand.
He must have been a master at his craft the way he eyed the bags so carefully. He then brought them to his nose and sniffed really hard.
I mean what the fuck right?
He then placed the bags on the counter and with a raised finger in the air, spoke.
“One Second”
The stunning blonde who had stolen my heart was tapping her foot on the ground, with her arms crossed. The man headed towards the back room with nothing noticeable on him.
Minutes passed and the black curtain that was blocking the view of the back room slowly lifted up to one side. From beyond the curtain, the man came back walking through with some sort of cash in his hands. He then handed that cash to 'my' Veronica.
“This much should suffice”
Veronica looked down at the bags then the cash in the older man’s hands and sighed.
I was in the back aisle watching suspensefully trying to keep myself from looking suspicious.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Veronica breathed in and said very loudly.
“What the fuck is this my guy?”
My mouth fell open and my eyes deadpanned on the woman in front of me and the old man. I almost tripped on my back foot, that’s how much I was taken aback.
“Dead fucking ass! you must be bugging, because these bags are worth more than 25 fucking measly dollars”
I stood in complete awe of the strange outburst, but the man stood in front of her like nothing happened. It was like he was used to this.
He just calmly stated.
“Veronica, you come here almost every day with these so called ‘real bags. What else I supposed to do with them?”
He was…and every day? I almost shouted aloud, mouthing out the words.
The old man had a normal Chinese accent assuming he was Chinese, but what the hell was with that strong fake ass New York accent coming from her? Who actually talked like that?
I was in pure shock, oh how my angel had fallen down hard.
Veronica just kept on with her tirade.
“Listen here you grimy squinty eyed fucker. It’s not my fault these bags are fake, they’re supposed to be designer. That’s what they were when I bought E’m and that’s facts.”
Those were definitely stolen, I thought, also that statement was blatantly racist, she also admitted the bags were fake.
The older man's face never changed, he just stood his ground and said politely.
“Veronica, I tell you again these bags are fake. I don’t know why I buy them when they just go in back with storage or trash.”
I thought, Damn this guy is way too nice. I didn’t know the shop owner, but I felt extremely sorry for him.
Veronica seemed on the cusp of an outrageous burst, when she let out a small sigh, then proceeded to scream out, slamming her fist against the counter.
“YO, THAT’S WHACK!”
Everything that I built up in the last couple of minutes had shattered and come crashing down. I couldn’t even call her a woman anymore.
The shop owner whose face resiliently stayed the same said. “take it or leave it, veronica”
The shop owner was now my hero, the way he stood his ground was awe inspiring. I wanted to be like him when I grew up. He stood his ground like a badass side character who was doomed to die early on in the final battle.
Veronica looked to the bags once again, then to the cash.
“Ok, Ok,” she said breathing out with a small hint of spite. “125 and well call it flat.”
I was now ducking inside the aisle behind the previous one for obvious reasons. This psychopath was trying to haggle, Leave him alone, I thought. Now that I got a good look at the bags and not her, you could tell the bags were beyond fake. Like c’mon the G is obviously backward.
The man's face remains unchanged, but he shook his head and stated. “25$ take it or leave it”
Veronica seemed aggravated at, what she most likely thought was a lowball. “Nah, Nah my guy 145$ You take it or leave it.”
I looked over the aisle wall, absolutely astonished now. You don’t go up from your original price, and she added, take it or leave it, why?
The nice old man behind the counter, whose name tag read Chow, looked over the bags one more time, his face still unnerved.
Chow spoke with such an unnerving tone, that it put me at ease.
“35$ take it or leave it. That is final offer”
Chow’s calm and cool composure had gotten through to me, so I was sure that Veronica would see the light of her ways.
I thought, surely Chow had won this confrontation. I was ready to clap in favor of Chow for having stood his ground in front of this awful woman.
Nope this god forsaken woman did not know when to quit.
“Ok, Chong”
c’mon his name tag is right there, I thought with menacing rage. She continued on. “Deadass!?...75 that’s my final offer.”
I almost screamed at how resilient she was. Who the hell was this woman, and why did she think she had the upper hand? I was shocked that she went down in price, was this her game all along? I was still rooting for chow from behind my aisle.
I had seen a couple of people try to come in, but they saw ‘This’ and walked right back out.
It was just us three.
Chow examined the woman’s face making his way down her breast. Smirking, I thought, Chow you sly dog, I saw that, but I was still rooting for him.
Chow looked the woman straight in her eyes.
“35dollars”
He spat out; Guess he was sticking to his guns.
I did a little fist pump. Was I way into it? Probably.
Before Veronica could say another word Chow interrupted.
“Listen, Veronica, I treat you kind every time. I give you fair shake no matter what. You’re like daughter to me…”
I choked up. Chow what a great fucking guy you are, I was almost in tears.
With a brief pause Chow then continued, I braced myself for the heartwarming continuation. Let it all out Chow, tell her how you really feel.
“But honestly you’re being a pain in the ass you god damn bitch either take the 35$ or go eat shit”
I was floored.
I didn’t know what was real anymore. I sat there on the ground mentally and physically exhausted, peeking out from the end of the aisle.
Veronica didn’t seem bothered by his own irregular statement. Her face didn’t change. She just scoffed.
“you drive a hard bargain old man, Sold”
Veronica took the money and began counting it bill by bill. My mind wanted to ask why she was even counting it when he counted it out to her. I didn’t even know what to do anymore. I was stunned.
I heard Chow call out “Can I help you”
I snapped out of it and went staggered my way to the counter.
Veronica walked away, and we exchanged awkward glances as she passed.
Chow said to me “How may I assist you?” I grabbed my grandfather’s watch in my pocket, along with some loose pieces of jewelry, and placed them on the counter. Chow looked at it with one glance and went into the back with the pieces of jewelry. I waited out by the counter. I could feel eyes on the back of me almost saying ‘how much’ Don’t ask me how I got that from just a moment, it just really felt like greedy hostile intent. I didn’t dare turn around. I kept my eyes on the curtain hiding the back room.
After a brief pause, the curtain wrinkled, and Chow emerged and stood in front of me with that same calm face. He broke the silence and said “425”
I was taken aback by the amount.
“Dollars?”
I said in shock while supporting myself against the counter holding my body up, my hands placed near the register, causing a slight reaction from chow. The old man just nodded. All I did was just grab an old watch and some of my mother’s loose jewelry that she’d left behind in moves. My eyes told the whole story of shock.
At that exact moment. I felt a strange glare burning a hole in my back.
I managed to get out an “Ok” I was still exhausted from the 4 part show previously.
I Heard a bell go off meaning that the woman must have left. I could finally relax.
Chow with his same usual straight calmed face handed me the money and continued to stand there. I grabbed a hold of it and counted it, but it was different from 35$, Cut me some slack.
I managed to somehow find a way out of the shop and stumble out feeling very productive. I now had a lot of cash on me, although I did part with some family heirlooms, but who would know. I could always worry about that another time. I pocketed all the money and looked up smiling at the sky. I tried breathing a fresh gulp of air but almost choked from the scent in the air. I sighed, after finally catching my breath wondering how lucky I got, and also where did that strange ass woman head off to.
I started to walk off with a little more pep walking off with a little pep if I may add, but it didn’t last long.
“Hey, yo, you with the curly hair”
The voice that called out carried like some 80s thug calling over his partner to partake in an old school jumping. I felt a slight shiver run down my spine. My feet did not want to turn around, so I stayed my course, trying to escape that eccentric voice.
“Hey, you with the cute ass” the voice called out again this time a little louder and with more bravado. Even though we had not met formally I knew that strange gimmicky voice. I turned around staring at the ground, not wanting to look up.
I spotted feminine toes being wriggled around, painted with an almost candy red color.
Covering the middle part just above her small dainty little almost stylish toes were the words 'just do it' with a dingy printing.
Yes, these Nike slides.
I knew right away. Actually, I knew from that horrid accent. I felt almost like waking up from a nightmare. A couple of feet in front of me stood Veronica, a beautiful, and stunning woman, with a ghastly attitude.
I looked up with raised eyebrows, almost feigning innocence like ‘who little ole me’ of course I didn’t say that.
I yelped out innocently and frightened.
“umm, yes?”
I prayed to the gods I didn’t believe in and said a prayer in my head.
I don’t know if you’re out there, but please for goodness’s sake make her say she got the wrong person.
Veronica said aloud, almost lashing at me.
“Hey, would you like to…
-Ok pause, what do you think this strange woman who has never met me or approached me before at all is going to say to me, a complete stranger…
Ok, let’s resume-
buy these designer bags, fresh off the rack”
I looked almost puzzled at the outrageous statement/ question, by this vile woman.
I meekly replied, one hand behind the back of my head.
“Sorry I don’t have any money or else I would” that should hold upright? I thought quickly. Something felt off though, almost like I was forgetting something.
Veronica smiled with a slight grin that chilled me down to my bones.
“Oh, so you didn’t just get 475 smackeroonies inside of this establishment here,” she said pointing to the large bright SELL/BUYNOW sign.
SHIT, I thought, She was there, wasn’t she? I couldn’t wrack my brain quick enough for an intelligent reply.
“Umm oh yeah” I tried playing dumb “sorry I guess my mind must have had some kind of slip, but no thank you, Sorry!”
There I got out something, now she’ll leave me alone. I was wrong.
“Oh, c'mon handsome. I have two bags here with your name on them” she said placing both bags in front of her chest with one hand, making them more noticeable, almost trying to entice me.
It almost worked.
I stood there lost for words.
Veronica, like some back door scammer, said.
“I’ll throw you a bone for only $232 each.”
It didn’t take me long to do that math. Her spunk almost impressed me. I tried waving her off, saying once more, but then I remembered just a while ago, and how stubborn she was.
One thing jumped straight to the front of my mind, and it was, where the hell did, she get two more bags? After my eyes went from her feet to her chest then to her chest and back to her eyes; I noticed that the umbrella she had was open and above her head. The sun was out, but it wasn’t so bad, and now that I knew what kind of woman she was, this wasn’t cute or elegant at all.
I’d been so shocked at her appearance. I neglected the strange occurrence of this woman in its entirety.
With the gap closing in on us and her ever so endearing tone of voice, she said.
“so how bout it handsome?”
I didn’t have many options. She obviously wouldn’t let up. I had two options: fight or run. It wasn’t hard to choose, so I chose option number 2. That was to run like hell away from that crazy bitch. As I was in a full sprint, I didn’t see anyone give chase. So, I slowed down and started casually walking again, breathing heavy, still looking over my shoulder. I thought on my way to my next destination.
The slides made perfect sense now.