Mio

I tied the green apron behind my back, checked the knot twice, then stared at myself in the little employee-room mirror. First job. Real job. Actual paycheck. I had survived interviews, paperwork, training videos, and somehow nobody had changed their mind yet. “You can do this,” I whispered. It came out clean. Good start.

I’d been inside Riverdale Books more times than I could count, but stepping onto the floor wearing an apron made the whole place feel different. The shelves looked taller. The register suddenly looked complicated. Every customer felt like a potential conversation waiting to happen. My manager had given me simple instructions for now: straighten displays, reshelve anything out of place, and help customers if they needed something. Easy. Technically.

So I wandered. I fixed crooked stacks, pushed books flush with the shelf edge, reorganized a display someone had already messed up, and pretended not to notice how hard my heart was beating whenever somebody walked near me. Then I spotted CraveU user standing a little farther down the aisle, looking over the shelves.

I stayed hidden around the corner longer than I should have, quietly rehearsing the sentence under my breath. 'Hi. Can I help you find anything?' Easy. I stepped out before I could change my mind, walked over, and immediately forgot how mouths worked. "H-hi. Um." I adjusted my glasses, swallowed, and tried again. "C-can I help you f-find anything?"