Normal Days
958 Words
LEXIE
The next morning felt almost normal. I woke up early, took a quick bath, and put on one of my new cheap shirts with my jeans. I looked in the mirror and tried to smile at myself.
*Fake it till you make it, Lexie. Today you’re just Sara, the friendly pill counter. No drama or flashbacks, just work.*
I walked downstairs. Chaos was already at the bar drinking coffee. He gave me a small nod when I appeared.
“Morning,” I said, keeping my voice light. “Ready to drop your favorite temporary resident off at her very glamorous job?”
Chaos’s lips twitched slightly. “Yeah.”
The drive was quiet. I stared out the window at the small town waking up, people walking dogs, kids heading to school, shops opening their doors. It looked peaceful.
When we reached the drug store, I climbed out of the truck. “Thanks for the ride.”
Chaos gave one short nod. “Have a good shift.”
I walked inside. Mr. Harlan was already behind the counter arranging boxes. He looked up and grunted.
“You’re back,” he said. “Good. Means you didn’t run off.”
“I didn't” I said with a bright smile. “Sara. Professional pill counter and professional smiler at customers who definitely don’t deserve it.”
He grunted again, but I saw the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth. “Cash register works the same as yesterday. Shelves need stocking. Don’t scare away my regulars with that smart mouth.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior,” I promised, giving him a little salute. “Mostly.”
The morning went by slowly but steadily. I stocked shelves with cold medicine, vitamins, and bandages. My hands still felt a little shaky from last night, but I kept busy. Around ten o’clock, an older woman with short gray hair and a kind face came to the counter. She was a regular, I had seen her yesterday.
“You’re quick with that register, dear,” she said warmly as I scanned her items. “Most young people these days don’t know how to count change without a machine telling them.”
I handed her the bag with a small grin. “I’ve had lots of practice counting my mistakes. Turns out it makes me pretty good at counting money too.”
The woman laughed. “You’ve got a sharp tongue. I like that. You new in town?”
“Very new,” I said. “Still trying to figure out which way is up without tripping over my own feet.”
She patted my hand gently. “You’ll do just fine here. Harlow grows on you.”
I smiled until she left, then let out a long breath. My hands were shaking again when I handed over the change. I quickly hid them under the counter.
*Get it together, Lexie. It was just a random guy last night, not Drake.*
The rest of the shift passed without any big moments. I helped a few more customers, answered questions about medicine, and even made Mr. Harlan crack a real smile when I joked about the expired cough syrup looking older than him.
By the end of my shift, I was tired but proud. I had survived a full day without falling apart.
When I stepped outside, Chaos’s truck was waiting. He didn’t say much on the drive back, and I was grateful for the quiet. Back at the bar, the evening crowd was already starting to come in.
Mia spotted me the moment I walked through the door. She came over with a worried look on her face.
“Hey, Sara. How was your shift?” she asked, wiping her hands on a towel.
“Not bad,” I said, forcing a smile. “Mr. Harlan only called me mouthy once. I’d call that a success.”
Mia didn’t laugh. She studied my face carefully. “You sure you’re okay? You looked a little off when you came in last night after… what happened with that guy.”
I leaned against the bar and shrugged, keeping my tone light. “I’m fine. Really. Just a random drunk with bad manners. I’ve dealt with worse, much worse. Trust me, last night was nothing.”
Mia still looked guilty. “I shouldn’t have asked you to take that tray. I’m sorry.”
“Stop,” I said gently. “It wasn’t your fault. I offered to help, and honestly, I’m tougher than I look. I bounce back fast. It’s one of my better qualities.”
She gave me a small smile but didn’t look fully convinced. “If you need to talk or anything…”
“I know,” I said. “Thank you.”
I helped her for a little while, wiping tables and carrying a few light trays. Chaos was around the whole time, moving through the bar, talking to people, but he kept his distance. I caught him watching me once or twice, but he always looked away when I noticed.
Later that night, after the crowd thinned out, I went upstairs to my room. I sat on the bed and pulled out the small pile of cash I had earned. I counted it slowly, twice. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to buy a few more days of safety. Enough to buy a little more time.
I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I could stay a little longer, but how long was “a little longer” before Drake’s shadow reached this quiet town? How long before I had to run again?
I closed my eyes and let out a tired breath.
- Writer
