The General Store: Where Innocence Goes to Die

by A. L. Moore

  “Maybe he’s the problem,” she said, her face propped on her clasped hands. “Did you feel like this about any of the other guys you dated?”

  “I haven’t dated anyone else.”

  “There’s your problem,” she said pointedly. She sat back on the stool and crossed her arms. “One dude and you’re what, like eighteen?”

  “Seventeen,” I muttered.

  “Girl, you have to get out more. Break up with that boy!”

  If it were only that easy. “It’s not that simple.”

  She rolled her eyes again. “It’s not Shakespeare. It’s high school. Cut. Him. Loose.”

  “I can’t,” I said, tossing the rag behind the counter. “I feel like I’m stuck. My family is so attached to him. He’s at my house practically every day.”

  “Your family isn’t dating him,” she pointed out. She clearly had no idea what it was like to live in my house.

  “I know, but he’s my brother’s best friend in the world, and his family just bought me snow skis for Christmas last year.”

  “Snow skis?” She arched a brow. “Well, that is different. I guess you’ll have to marry him then.

  “You know what I mean,” I frowned.

  “I’ve never wanted a guy around that long,” she mused, “but it sounds to me like Mason isn’t doing it for you anymore.”

  Thankfully a church bus pulled against the sidewalk before I had to contemplate the truth. We watched them through the windows as they shuffled out in a single file line. It was mostly old people. All of the women had large bags draped over their shoulders. I cringed. I could practically hear the change clinking together as they walked through the door.

  “Why don’t you help on the floor for a while,” Robyn said, watching me the way one would a caged animal. “You’ve been hogging the front all day.” She slipped her wedges off, wiggling her toes and nodded for me to take off.

  “Thank you. Thank you,” I muttered, ducking under the counter before she had a chance to change her mind.

  I breathed a sigh of relief once the counter was behind me and started toward the back for more drinks. Everything else was pretty much filled. I took my time, like Robyn had seemed to do every time she’d disappeared this morning. The stock room was larger than I thought. The front section of clothes was more like a small closet compared to the back room where the refrigerators were stored. It looked like the frozen food section of a grocery store. There were large standing coolers all along the back wall and shelf upon shelf of food boxes. There was even a cot in the back corner near the bathroom. It didn’t make sense why anyone would want to sleep there, but maybe Mr. Smith used it on nights he had to do inventory. Robyn said some nights he was still here hours after the store closed.

  I grabbed a couple of twelve packs and headed out. Surprisingly, the church group was gone. The bus wasn’t even there anymore. I stuck the glass-bottled orange and grape sodas into the barrel of ice and carried the trash out back to the dumpsters. There was loud music and voices coming from across the alley. It sounded like a bar or maybe a nightclub, not that I had ever been in either. I walked closer to the thumping beat and tried to peek in a paint smeared window on the back of the bricked wall, but my view was blocked by the wide back of a white t-shirt. I took another step closer just as a cat hissed from behind a trashcan and nearly scared me to death. Letting out a yelp, I stomped my foot and it took off, but not before I gained the attention of the burly guy at the door. His brown, shaggy hair hung nearly in his eyes. He brushed it away from his face and winked. That was enough to get my feet moving. I glanced back in time to see his lips curve into an amused smile before closing the door.

  I hastily made my way back inside to find Robyn wasn’t at the register. I quickly made my way around the counter and apologized to the man who waited. He didn’t say anything, which made me wonder how long he’d been waiting.

  As long as he didn’t rat me out, I’d gladly deal with his silence.

  “How did it go, Justice?” Mr. Smith asked coming through the door as the man left without so much as a grunt in my direction. “Did Robyn take good care of you?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I said, unwilling to give her up, even though she’d skipped out on me. Our conversation about Mason earlier felt like a break though of monumental proportions, and I didn’t want to jeopardize it.

  I wanted to ask Mr. Smith if all of his lunch breaks took three hours but decided against it. My shift had ended ten minutes ago, and all I wanted was to get away from the smell of chocolate covered peanuts and florescent lights.

  “I figured you must have it down when I saw Robyn outside working the sales table,” he said, watching me untie my apron.

  “She’s outside?” I said, stretching to my tip toes to see over the sun’s glare. She hadn’t been out there ten minutes ago, because I’d checked.

  “I guess you’re ready to get back to your summer break,” he smiled. “I’ll see you back on Thursday.”

  I left the apron on the counter and ran my hands through my hair. It still felt reasonably smooth, but I knew ten minutes in the humid heat would take care of that. When I pushed through the door, I found Robyn working her magic on the tall, wiry guy from earlier. She had him roped into a garden hose now.

  “Hold up,” she called as I started down the sidewalk. I turned back on my heels, waiting expectantly while the guy she was with gave me a thorough once over. “I wanted you to meet Tyler.” The guy smiled politely and stuck out his hand. “Tyler, this is Justice.”

  “What’s going on, Justice?”

  His voice was deeper than I was used to on boys my age, and his grip was stronger, too. With hair color matching my own, I envied his tan skin. He looked to be in his late teens, early twenties at the most, but the way he held himself gave way to someone much older. He stood tall and assertive, making sure his green eyes met mine at every opportunity. He might’ve passed for cute if not for the cocky grin.

  “Just heading home,” I said, my eyes darting to the sidewalk. The way he stared at me was unnerving.

  “Justice just started working here this week,” Robyn explained. “She’s been a life saver with Jayson back in town.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” Tyler said, hooking the hose over the shoulder of his white t-shirt. “How’s Liam taking it?” He smirked.

  “I wouldn’t know,” Robyn said quickly. “I haven’t spoken to Liam.”

  Tyler looked at her skeptically but didn’t push the subject. “So, what’re you girls up to tonight?”

  “The guys are coming over later,” Robyn said. “You should stop by. We’re just going to be hanging out, nothing major.”

  “You going to be there,” he asked, drawing my attention from the window where I’d noticed Mr. Smith watching us.

  “Sure, she is,” Robyn answered just as I shook my head no.

  Tyler glanced between the two of us debating. “I’ve got a lot going on,” he said, still looking at me, “but I’ll see what I can do.”

  He straddled the motorcycle, next to the grey hatchback I’d assumed was his, and brought it to life. I had to admit, the roaring bike made him more appealing, and as much as I tried not to, I smiled as I watched him pull into traffic.

  “I can’t come to your house Robyn,” I said as soon as he was out of sight. She was already busy dismantling the display, kite strings hanging to her feet. “My parents won’t let me.”

  “So, stay home with Mason,” she countered. From the tone of her voice, she didn’t sound like she cared whether I was there or not, which was odd because she'd clearly wanted me to come over two minutes ago.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to come over,” I started. “It’s just that my parents don’t have the best impression of you.” Better to tell her the truth now rather than have my mom explain it to her at our front door.

  “I’m not inviting Ward and June,” she sighed, collecting the hoses on her arm. “Just make an appearance. I’ve already told Ty you were coming.”


  “I’ll try,” I said as she started back to the door.

  “You do that, Beave,” she called over her shoulder.

  What was with the Leave It to Beaver references? She lived in a nicer house than I did, and her parents were as straight edged as mine. I would have to show her I wasn’t as cooker cutter as she wanted to think. Besides, I’d always wanted to see what went on behind her privacy fence. Now was my chance.

  My palms began to sweat as I watched two other bikes join Tyler at the stop light. Getting what you want is scary, especially when you have no idea what to expect.

  Chapter 4. Taken

  I looked out my bedroom window when I heard another bike pull in across the street. I should’ve gone over by now. It would be more awkward to walk into a full house, and my excuse to get out of it had driven away in my parent’s car over an hour ago. Robyn would see my parents were gone. I had to go now. I’d look like a scared little kid if I hid in my house all night. I combed my already perfectly straightened hair again and took one last look in the mirror. Nothing had changed in the last two minutes. I started for the door when my cell chimed. It was Anna letting me know she was home. I’d promised to come over and go over every sorted detail of her vacation, but I couldn’t even think about that now. Instead, I stepped out into the darkness and closed the door.

  Headlights flashed over me as I started up the long drive. I shielded my eyes and stepped over to the grass to let the bike roll by. Even in the dark, I recognized the man from the other night, Liam. He studied me with the same intense look I couldn’t shake from the last time. The long-legged girl hugging his waist unfastened her helmet and stuck it on the back of the bike as he shut off the engine. She shook out her unnatural blonde hair, oblivious I was in the shadows. I tried to walk slower and give them time to get in the house, but Liam was waiting when I rounded the rose bushes.

  “You coming in?” he asked, holding the door.

  My knees trembled. He was a freaking giant! I barely cleared his shoulders. I turned around to be sure he was speaking to me. His date had already gone inside.

  “Um…Yeah, thanks,” I sputtered, stepping around him and into a thick cloud of smoke.

  I didn’t see Robyn anywhere. Tyler was leaning against a window with a beer in his hand, talking to the girl who’d come in with Liam. He moved a thick section of her long hair over her nearly exposed chest in what looked like an attempt to cover it up.

  I made my way around the pillow covered couch and into the kitchen. Several boxes and stacks of papers were scattered about. The house was nothing like I’d pictured. There were no top of the line appliances or name brand foods lining the pantry. I’d always pictured Robyn having the best. The layout was basically the same as my house, but there was something off. I looked down the hall to a closed door, and it dawned on me. There were no pictures. Robyn’s family had lived here for as long as I could remember, and there were no family pictures. Even the mantle in the living room was empty except for a pack of Marlboro Lights and a Zippo. Her house was a shell.

  “You made it,” Robyn said, taking me by surprise as she hugged my shoulder tightly. “Have you been here long?”

  “No, I just walked in.” I coughed, choking on smoke.

  She was still dressed in the khaki shorts and white tank-top she’d worn to work. I felt stupid for worrying over what to wear. No one was dressed up like the other high school parties I’d been to with Mason. Of course, nothing about these people or this atmosphere resembled high school. The girl Liam came in with wasn’t wearing much of anything. Okay, so that resembled high school a little. Still, my shirt came down further than her teeny-tiny shorts. I tugged my store-bought cut-offs to be sure my butt wasn’t visible, too.

  “Have you met everyone?” Robyn asked, spinning me excitedly back toward the other room. “You know Tyler.” She waved and gave him a wink. “That’s his sister, Tonya, with the legs,” she said, referring to the bottled blonde in the underwear who’d come in with Liam.

  “Are you guys related?” I asked, gesturing to Tonya. They were built like carbon copies of each other; though, their faces looked nothing alike. Tonya’s features were sharper, almost rough around the edges, like she’d experienced the dark underbelly of life and lived to tell about it. Robyn on the other hand could pass for a porcelain doll, a heavily made up, motorcycle riding, and boy crazed, porcelain doll.

  “Wash your mouth out with soap!” Robyn punched me in the arm and not a play punch either. I’d wanted to add some color to my skin, but blue and black wasn’t what I had in mind.

  Rubbing my sore arm, I followed her eyes to the teddy-bear of a guy on the couch.

  “John’s the one passed out on the couch.” She ran her long, red nail behind his ear until he stirred.

  He was burly compared to Tyler, but definitely softer than Liam. With his eyes half opened, he grinned showing off a dimple I recognized from the alley.

  Robyn gave the smoky room a full turn, doing a headcount before stretching on her tiptoes. “And Alec is…hid somewhere behind the haze,” she laughed whole heartedly.

  I forced a nervous smile and half-waved to Alec. He looked more than comfortable here, his bare chest covered by a collage of impressive tats. Half his shaved head was outlined by a deep green star, and his arms were a multitude of vibrant colors, matching his chest. It was like looking at a painting instead of a half-naked man.

  “The smoke doesn’t bother you?” I coughed embarrassingly loud, like a cat chocking on a hairball.

  “Nah, they vape in here all the time.” Robyn took a deep breath, shook her head and sighed as if she were breathing in the scent of fresh banana bread.

  “Your parents don’t care?”

  She laughed as if the thought amused her. “If they were here, they might. My dad is out of town on business nine months of the year.”

  “What about your mom?” I asked, following her into what should have been the kitchen. It looked much more like a storage unit, with boxes stacked on every flat surface.

  Robyn’s green eyes simmered. “Don’t even get me started on her. She only comes home when Dad is due back, so he won’t suspect she has a boyfriend.

  Had I fallen into an alternate universe? Her mom had a boyfriend? I’d imagined what Robyn’s life must be like multiple times, but somehow the truth was much different than anything I’d contemplated.

  “Come upstairs and meet Jayson,” she said quickly, changing the subject as she drummed her fingers on the faded wood bannister that led to the second floor.

  My mind was reeling at the possibilities of living alone. Who bought groceries? Did her absentee parents pay bills online, or did Robyn have to do it? Was she not afraid at night? I would’ve been scared to death. So many questions circled, but I kept my inexperienced mouth sealed tight and followed her up the stairs.

  “My room is at the end,” Robyn said, pointing to the far end of a long hall. “Go on in. I’ve got to pee something fierce.”

  My stomach dropped. There was no way I was going into her room to meet some strange guy without her. Bolting sounded like a much better option, but that would end all of my progress; it’d be back to cleaning the garage with Mason. I couldn’t turn back now. Forcing my feet to shuffle along, I started down the endless hallway, passing several closed doors that probably belonged to her brothers. They’d moved out years ago when I was still in elementary school. I finally reached the last door. It was plain, white like the others, no posters or signs to indicate it was Robyn’s.

  “Justice?” My name rolled roughly off the lips of a professional body builder as I stepped inside. At least he could’ve been. His arms were solid rock, straining against a tight, navy-blue t-shirt. The only thing more distracting than his intimidating size was a full, dark-colored beard that would’ve made Abe Lincoln proud.

  “Yeah,” I said timidly, tucking my hair behind my ear and keeping close to the door. “How’d you know?”

  “Lucky guess,” he grinne
d, flashing a perfect smile and making room for me next to him on the bed. “Robyn said you might come by.”

  “She stopped at the bathroom,” I said, chewing nervously on my lip. He was a lot older than I was expecting, at least mid-twenties.

  “I’m Jayson,” he offered, stretching out his hand. The tanned skin between his knuckles and the middle of his fingers was covered in large block numbers. “Sit down.”

  I wanted to wait for Robyn, but it felt awkward hugging the door frame, so I sat down as far from him as possible. My weight didn’t even jostle the bed. He stretched his hands out in front of him, yawning and showing off his massive arms, which did nothing to calm my nerves. Seriously, his biceps were like grapefruits. I had to struggle to keep my eyes off them. Like Tonya, Jayson’s face was hard, the lines showing years and things I’d yet to experience. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I felt like I’d backtracked four years. I wasn’t usually so nervous with boys. It was typically girls that made me sink into myself. Girls were mean, gossipy and vindictive. Boys had always been my go-to, but Jayson was clearly not a boy. Jayson was a man, and my experience in that arena was nonexistent.

  “How do you like it at The General Store?” he asked, cracking his knuckles.

  “It’s a job,” I said quietly, my eyes surveying the room.

  Robyn’s room was filled with pictures. It reminded me of my own. There was a small purple frame with a picture of Jayson on her nightstand and a black ribbon corkboard of people I didn’t recognize, hanging above her headboard.

  “Robyn said you just got back in town,” I said, my voice sounding mousey even to me. I cleared my throat and tried squaring my shoulders.

  Jayson chuckled humorlessly. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  An answer to a prayer, Robyn came through the door and plopped onto Jayson’s denim clad lap. Before I could even think to relax, they began kissing like I wasn’t in the room.

  “Did you miss me?” she purred against his gruff cheek.

  “You know it,” he said, grabbing her chin and kissing her deeply again. “Justice has been keeping me entertained.” He winked at me, and I felt my face turn fifty shades of red.