Music in a bottle (Completed)

7. Chasing pavements

           ***Ocean's POV***

        I woke up at 5:30 am to make some breakfast first. I saw my step brother lying on the floor by the kitchen. I tried kicking him but he didn't even move a little. I could still smell the alcohol.

         Looking at them made me hate them even more. Living with an alcoholic like my stepmom and an alcohol- probably an addict like my step brother.  I decided to drink some coffee instead and skipped on the breakfast part. I always loose my appetite when I see them like this.

        After coffee, I prepared to go to work. My work starts at 8, and it's only 6:45am when I finished everything. I picked up my laptop and placed it inside my backpack. Before I went to work, I decided to stop by the beach. I just stood there for a while, closed my eyes and focused everything on Kaye.

         I slowly opened my eyes and couldn't believe what I saw in front of me. The bottle was floating nearby. I walked closer and reached for it. I looked at the sea in front of me and realized, yes, the bottle is magical. Every time I thought of Kaye here, this bottle shows up. Mostly.

         I checked the time. It's 6:50. The store where I work is only a walking distance. It takes 20 minutes to get there. I checked the area, nobody's around. But my stepbrother Michael might show up, who knows. So I put the bottle slowly in my bag and started to walk again. This time, I walked faster.

          Have you ever walked around smiling to yourself? Maybe others might think I'm crazy but right now, I just don't care. My day started bad when I saw Michael on the kitchen floor. But when I saw this bottle with a note inside, I couldn't help but feel like I'm the happiest person in the world right now and I haven't even read it yet. But I know who it's from.

          I have the keys to the store so I immediately went inside. I literally ran to the locker room. I took the bottle out, slowly placed it on the floor. I was sitting cross-legged and placed the laptop on one chair. The first thing I did was inserted the usb.

       I clicked and listened to his song.

I've made up my mind,
Don't need to think it over
If I'm wrong, I am right
Don't need to look no further,
This ain't lust
I know this is love

But if I tell the world
I'll never say enough
'cause it was not said to you
And that's exactly what I need to do
If I end up with you

[Chorus:]
Should I give up?
Or should I just keep chasin' pavements
Even if it leads nowhere?
Or would it be a waste
Even if I knew my place?
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up?
Or should I just keep chasin' pavements
Even if it leads nowhere?
    

    
         I didn't even realize I was crying until I finish the song. Kaye's voice is so soulful that whenever I hear it, I could hear only "the voice".  And every time I hear the voice, I feel closer to the one singing it. 

       I copied the song on my mp3 again and added it on my playlist.  I rested my back on the wall, extended my feet and turned the the speaker up. I clicked the replay button and listened to the song while my eyes were closed. I don't know how how long I've been there. But I suddenly heard my boss shouting my name.

" Shan!!!!!!"

        I immediately stood up and clicked the stop button. He was standing by the door and looked serious. Am I in trouble?

"Why are you here?" He asked and looked very confused.

"I work here. Is  it my day off?" I answered. I'm probably more confused than he is.

          He shook his head, walked towards me and placed his right palm on my forehead.

"Your temperature is normal." He said and put his hand down.

"I never said I was sick." I mumbled

"You always wait for me to come and open everything because you're scared to go first. For a year Shan!" He said, almost too loud for my two ears not to comprehend.

          He didn't have to come early because he is the boss after all. But because the employee is too chicken to dare herself to go into an empty store by herself. Since Shayne (the other employee) resigned, I was alone during the day. Why is it so hard to find workers at such a small town?

"Oh.... That. Well, I was in a hurry to listen to something." I said apologetically.

         He stared at my laptop. It's on pause but he can definitely see the snowy screen.

"There's nothing on the screen. But the voice. Damn. That was something. Who is that? I know many people, many singers but I don't think the voice sounds familiar." He wondered and scratched his head.

"Probably a newbie." I answered. But frankly, I don't know if he's a new singer.

"A newbie who can't afford to have a real video other than that static motion." He said as his brows furrowed, probably trying to understand why it's static.

       I just smiled at him and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Keep it up. I might be able to have  more sleep from now on because of that guy. By the way, I'm sorry everything has been hard on you. You, doing most of the things alone. I really hope we can find another employee soon."
He continued talking as he went out of the room. He does that a lot.

         He felt so guilty paying me a little bit better but doing everything on my own.  I placed my laptop inside the locker and prepared to work. Ace was already in his office. I was piling some of the tissues in the center of the store when I heard the bell from the door.

       I was piling them into a triangular shape, or trying. I was almost at the last one when the door behind me opened. You know that moment, when you're reaching to place something on top of you but at the same time, you turn your head around to check who it was behind you?

        I couldn't see his face because of the hat and the shades. Isn't it a little too early for sunglasses? It's not even sunny. When your body isn't flexible but you're leaning and leaning..  Just to see who it was. It's a small town. I'm supposed to know who it was immediately.

         When he took off his sunglasses, our eyes met. My eyes widened when I realized who it was. I turned around, maybe a little too quicker than I meant to, and fell off the tissues. Lucky me for they were soft. Bad luck because he saw me.

        He hurriedly ran to me and held my arm, trying to help me stand up. I could feel my face burning with embarrassment. I tried to look away but I think he figured it out before I could run.

"I know you! " He said loudly, a little too loud. I don't know if he remembers me in a good way or in a bad way.

        Why do we remember people? Some have better memories, some remember you because you left quiet an impression the first time you met. And boy, did I leave him that impression. Me, with his jacket on, pinned against the wall, his face too close, and my eyes were closed like I was expecting a stranger to kiss me.

         I swallowed hard and picked up the tissues without looking at him.

" Shan, What happened here?" Ace asked.

        I was surprised when I saw my boss standing in front of us. And by surprised, the tissues flew in the air. How could I have not seen him? 6'3 almost 300 pounds!

"ouch!" The strange guy said.

       I laughed so hard when I realized they fell down on the stranger's head. I stopped when my boss came closer, his arms crossed, eyebrows furrowed with no smile on his face. I'm in trouble again. Then I remembered.

         This stranger owes me.....and I'm going to make him.pay.