Chapter 2: Electric Boogaloo

Work. A necessary evil for most of us, but I actually enjoy my job. As I mentioned some time ago, I work at a comic book / music store where I am also part owner. The name of the store is AWESOME (which is fitting since music and comics are completely AWESOME.) I know absolutely nothing about running a business, so I make my days as an everyday clerk and don't deal with any of that management crap. I leave the management stuff to Uncle Ed.

Uncle Ed (note: not my real uncle or uncle of anyone at the store, just a nickname) has been running the location I work at since I started shopping here in junior high. He was in a well known local rock band back in the 80s-90s, but never quite made the jump to the major labels. He's definitely a local legend and one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. And he totally has that washed up rocker look (minus the needle marks).

I also work with the Douche. Enough said.

And then there is Nico. Wow.... Nico, Nico, Nico. Nico is this pseudo punk rock chick who dresses like she stepped out of one of those Japanese anime cartoons. Seriously. Plaid skirt, torn up fishnet stockings, black Chucks, leather wristbands, pierced "things" and a white button down shirt unbuttoned just enough to make you stare and feel guilty (but she is 18 years old, so even though she's borderline jailbait, it isn't illegal... which is good because she's REALLY freaking cute.) Sometimes things around the store can get confusing if Nico and I are working the same shift since we both go by the (no pun intended) nickname "Nick". Most importantly though is that she's a pretty cool chick.

The Douche told me last week that Nico had a crush on me, but I'm pretty sure she is just a big flirt with her mind in the gutter and likes to mess with guys' heads. For example, last week I was helping her stock new releases in the back (that too is sexual):

[Nico standing on ladder]
Nico: Hey Nick, can you hand me that box behind you?
Me: Sure. [Hands box up] Here's your box.
Nico: [Laughing] My box looks nothing like that. Not as dusty and cardboardy.
Me: [Laughing too] I would hope not.
Nico: Now can you grab the box that's underneath me?
Me: [As I'm reaching up to give Nico the box, I can't help but notice her underwear.] Here.
Nico: Did you just look up my skirt and see my panties?
Me: (OH SHIT! BUSTED!) Me... what... I... maybe... I wasn't trying... it just happened to be... (they were in plain sight when I looked up. How could I not look after she planted the seed with her previous box comment? Not like I could close my eyes and hand her the box of comics at the same time.)
Nico: [Laughing] Cause it's okay if you did. At least I'm wearing cute red undies today.
Me: (Phew!) I swear I wasn't trying to see up your skirt. The location of the box and you just kind of put it in my line of sight. I really wasn't planning to look up to see your underwear. I'm so sorry.
Nico: No worries. I did opt to be up here on the ladder with a skirt. Next time you wear a skirt I'll be sure to look up to see your panties and we'll be even. Deal?
Me: [Laughing] Sure.

See. The Douche must be wrong. I mean, it wasn't like she was hitting on me or anything, she just likes to make dirty jokes and sexual references. Okay, she did say it was okay if I looked at her panties, but it was all in jest. Right?