InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Head Over Heels ❯ Hip Hop Revenge ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter Two

Hip Hop Revenge

“Damn Miroku!” I pounded my fist hard on the counter next to the register, which shook and let out a half hearted ding!

Sango called from two aisles over, “Kagura, what is it? I hope you didn't break that register, it's practically an antique.”

The register appeared to be in perfect working order but the drawer popped open so I slammed it shut with much gusto, “Your boyfriend, our beloved boss, took back the days he gave me off for Christmas.”

“He's not my boyfriend!” Sango protested then peered over the book rack, “Really? Weren't your parents coming to visit?”

I was sitting on the matt under the register, slumped forward resting my forehead against the front of the cabinet. “Yeah, they live twelve hours away and I only get to see them maybe once a year. This is so unfair!” I hate my step dad Naraku but I'm close to my Mom and it just sucked rotten lemons that I would not get to see her. Goddamn Miroku!

Today I was wearing sensible shoes with a low heel, still made by you know who, and I studied them while I tried to hide my sniffles. “I won't see them until next September or maybe even December. God I hate Miroku.”

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine horrible yet amusing things happening to our imbecile, skirt chasing boss.

Sango tried to help by say, “Well, you'll get through it somehow.” then went back to straightening the book shelves. As if her words could make me feel better. That was just about the least comforting thing she could have said. What I wanted her to do was rant and rail with me at the unfairness of it all.

It was six pm on Sunday and we were, thank God, closed. The store was empty and if I didn't get up to help Sango soon, we'd be here all night.

But screw it all. For some reason I just didn't feel like working. It could be connected to the denied vacation. There was just no telling with me.

Who am I kidding? Miroku was so gonna pay for this one. He was so far out of line.

The man has an inexplicable fear of crickets. I already knew his office would somehow become mysteriously infested with insane amounts of crickets from the bait store down the street. I'd even shake up their little plastic baggies and make sure they were extra hoppy. The thought of all those excited crickets crawling and jumping all over Miroku's bare skin didn't compensate me for the lost Christmas with my family but it was somewhat comforting.

I made a mental note to make sure I got here tomorrow before the reverend Miroku did. Preacher? Who was he kidding? He'd been studying at the seminary as long as I'd known him but was the least holy man I'd ever met.

A crisp voice broke into the tirade I was carrying on in my head.

How rude is that? Couldn't he see I was busy thinking?

“I'm ready to checkout.”

On no, someone was still in the store! How in the hell did that happen? Sango said we were clear. Oh well, at least I hadn't counted my till down yet.

I hope this guy hadn't been shop lifting.

Wait, I really hope he was shop lifting. I hope he has our entire collection of autographed, first edition Stephen Kings stealthily hidden under a trench coat.

Damn Miroku.

I stood as I brushed off my pants where I'd been sitting on the floor. “Oh I am so sorry sir; we thought the store was empty.”

“It wasn't”

I turned to face the after hours customer and of course it was him. Lucky girl that I am, this day was only going to get better.

This time he was in a sky blue turtle neck and held a boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia under his arm. Sadly no there was no trench coast in sight.

I apologized again, it was the only thing I could do. He must've been damn near invisible for us to have missed him. “Once again I am terribly sorry. I'd offer you a coupon for a complimentary coffee but I sure you wouldn't like it.”

Meow!

Where had that come from? Oh well, too late to retract my words now.

“That isn't necessary, I'm in a hurry.” He dropped the box onto the counter.

I signed back into the register and quickly punched up his sale. “That'll be fifteen dollars and ninety seven cents.”

He tossed a twenty on the counter, picked up the box and headed toward the door. I was feeling a hint of deja vu when I called after him, “Hey wait, your receipt!”

“Don't need one.”

Okay whatever. “But sir your change?”

“Keep it!”

Okay that was it. “This is a book store; you don't tip at a book store. I'm not some stupid shop girl you can just throw money at!”

He cut me off as he unlocked the door and pushed it open, “Then stop acting like one.”

The bell on the top of the door jingled as it shut behind him leaving me speechless and pointing at the glass door.

Sango came around to my register. “Who was still here?”

I shook my head, “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

“Told me what?” Sango was a woman who never let anything go.

I turned away so she couldn't see the angry blush in my cheeks; after all I still had my pride. I'd been rekindling it ever since the other day when I fell into that jerk's arms. “It was that same guy from last weekend.”

Sango's lips formed an O. “I see.” With that she went back to the exciting heart pounding task of returning books to their shelves.

I took a moment to ponder his book selection. The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, personally I liked the Narnia books but preferred his other works. It seemed odd a man would be purchasing a children's book like that.

I pulled myself up and sat on the counter to think this through. He must either have a child or is sentimental and therefore most likely gay. Of course all of my gay male friends were upbeat and friendly. This man was a load of bricks tied to your feet as the mob tossed you from a bridge.

And if he had a kid, well then it didn't matter if he was heterosexual. I don't date men with children. After all at the young age of twenty seven I don't see how I should be forced to make such concessions…yet. Thirty might be a totally different story, I'd have to wait and see.

I shrugged and decided it would be very un-diverse of me not to assume a gay man could be complete jerk. This guy was just the first one I'd have the fortune to meet.

Lucky me.

I didn't bother explained my theory to Sango, she would have just shook her head and told me I was…odd. But I already knew that so why re-visit that conversation? Plus I didn't want to give her reason to ask me why I wasn't helping her.

_-_-_-_-_

The next morning:

I drew the short straw and was manning the coffee bar. Actually the word coffee bar was an exaggeration because all Miroku, the cheap skate, had invested in was two coffee pots, a half broken espresso machine, and three dozen porcelain mugs. It was a half hearted and disgusting attempt to compete with Barnes and Nobles.

Today I leaned over the counter on tiptoe in my knee-high black leather, high-heeled boots and waited.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

A man's shriek came from the back. It sounded a lot like a little girl but I knew it wasn't. Poor Miroku, he screamed like a woman.

Customers stood and stared as Miroku's back office door flew open. He rushed out and began madly beating his clothes as though he was trying to put out an invisible fire of itching powder.

“They're everywhere! Oh Jesus, everywhere!”

He began waving his arms helplessly in the air. I propped my elbow up on the counter and rested my chin on my knuckles. This was too good to miss.

“Hopping all over me! With those tiny furry CRICKET legs… Akk!”

He pulled off his black sweater revealing a white t-shirt. Oh goody, stripping. This was getting better by the moment. Even Sango was now standing back trying her hardest not to laugh.

“Make it stop! Make it stop!”

Miroku's fingers pulled on the edge of his white undershirt and he began to pull it over his head. Sango stopped him. He resisted and she had to wrestle him to the wall before she could pull his shirt down.

Once Miroku was resigned to keeping his clothing on she lifted her foot and began stomping on innocent crickets. Miroku winced and hollered, “No! Don't do that! Oh God no! I can hear them crunching!”

Three old women had their picture cell phones out busily snapping photos as one woman was hauling her kid out of the store by his arm in a huff, “Well I never!”

I instantly decided to offer the old women free coffee in exchange for some of those pictures.

Oh I so loved it when a well laid plan came together. It was a shame about the crickets though as they'd done nothing to deserve this. I just knew this was going to come back to bite me in the karmatic ass.

And boy was I right.

He was back.

I knew it when I heard the sharp sound of knuckles rapping on the counter to my left.

Oh God, why me?

I forced a smile and turned. “Good morning! How may I help you?”

He wore a green corduroy jacket that did wonders for his pale skin. Oh yeah, our man here had to be gay. He looked to be a firm believer in facials. Today his purple stripes and crescent moon seemed extra vibrant.

He frowned at my unnatural perkiness. “I can only assume you have something to do with that screaming man over there.”

I feigned innocence, not that I was worried he'd rat me out. It was just that it wasn't any of his damned business. “Who moi?”

He nodded solemnly “I can tell.”

Okay now I was hooked. “How?”

He sighed as if to say isn't it obvious, and then said, “Your smile and disgustingly sunny disposition.”

I straightened up to my full height to accept the challenge. “So now I'm not allowed to smile.” His markings indicated he might be a Taiyokai but that didn't make him the boss of me.

“Such a sincere smile on your face can only come at the expense of others.” His voice was flat and I had to wonder if he modeled himself after that science teacher on The Wonder Years.

Okay. He had me there. I'm not your run of the mill Pollyanna type.

I picked up an empty coffee mug and slid it across the counter to him. He caught it without even looking at it.

Impressive.

“So…” I drew out the word, “do you want some coffee now or what?”

He studied the mug as though this was a life changing decision. “Yes. Sumatran, black, that means no cream.”

I held out the coffee pot and he let me fill the mug. “I know what black means.”

He ignored my comment and added, “And I do believe is free.”

I shrugged, finally he'd given in and it was such a pity he was a complete ass. I decided I needed to pull out the thesaurus and find new words that use instead of jerk and ass; after all, if I'm forced to be redundant than I can at least keep it interesting. “Sure it's free; I am after all a lady of my word.”

To my disgust he nodded and sat on one of the rickety stools in front of the counter. Great, now I was stuck with him.

But it wasn't all bad. Miroku was now chasing the elusive crickets with a dust buster. With luck the crickets in his clothes might have infiltrated his boxers by now.

Oh to own a camcorder. I had to make a conscious effort not to rub my hands together in happy evil glee.

The man who'd yet to tell me his name sniffed the coffee cautiously, “How can I be sure this beverage is cricket free?”

I grinned and answered honestly, “Because I only put them in Miroku's office. Poor things, they didn't deserve such a fate.”

He raised his brows then took a deep drink of the hot coffee. I waited until his mouth was full then added, “And we just sprayed for roaches last month so I think we should still be good on that front too. But one can never tell. ”

He sputtered and sprayed coffee all over my pristine white, dry clean only, sweater.