Chapter Text
The scent of new records that have come in has always been a sign of a new, fresh week. Regulars stopping by, new music playing on the speakers, and the smell of coffee from the coffee shop nearby. A good reminder of why she liked working in her small record shop.
And she was currently nowhere to be found. Actually, she was in the back, getting ready to start her shift. Trying to get as many records and strings as she could hold in her hands. She liked working alone, liked not having to stress about anyone else ruining her rhythm, stressed about changing things on the shelves from how she liked them, and just liked the peace and quiet when customers weren't around.
On this particularly slow day, she could even finish that essay for her music theory class, that she had promptly, forgotten about.
So, laptop in hand, she sat on the comfortable bench she had nearby the counter. Just mindlessly typing away.
She liked it like this, her own record shop that she kept well stocked, and the closeness to the campus. It was like her second home, second nature really. She could work and spend time with her friends and regulars.
But none of her usual friends have come in, and it was near closing time. She couldn't be sad, they have probably also been doing their late homework and procrastinating like her. So she just kept working on her essay in peace. And out of nowhere, close to the closing time a really tall, brown-haired man with thin-framed glasses and a brown flannel came into the shop, looking as clueless as her.
“Hello, could I help you with anything?” she said, slowly walking back to the counter, her laptop already forgotten on the bench.
The guy walked closer to her, browsing thru the records near the counter.
“Uh, hi… Do you perhaps have the new Los Campesinos album release?” he looked up, stopped browsing, and got even closer to the counter.
“Oh yeah, we have it in CD form or just a vinyl… Whatever you prefer” she said, locking eyes with him and guiding him to the isle where the album was kept.
“We actually got this in today, I still haven't had a chance to listen to it”
The guy looked completely out of it..not paying attention in the slightest.“Oh yeah, I heard it's good, but I haven't listened to it …” He scratched the back of his neck, looking around the small store.
“Well I could play it on the speakers if you would like, while you look around”
“That would be great!” He beamed and started walking through every aisle. Looked around and browsed through magazines that were displayed.
She went back to her laptop and started playing music, turning around and looking for something….”Hey, I think you would like this!” She yelled from across the small shop. Holding a CD in the air.
“Oh, I've never heard of that band before. What's their genre?” The guy said, turning around and walking towards her.
“They're pretty similar to the Smits , I think you would like them!” she pushed the CD into his hands, their touch lingering a little but longer than normal.
“How did you know I liked the Smiths ? Oh! Can you read my mind?” He said, chuckling. “I don't know you just do.” She said, locking eyes with him once again… leaving them in silence.
“So how much is all of this?” the guy asked as he started going to the front of the counter, waiting for her to ring him up.
“Oh, you don't need to pay for the album I recommended to you! Recommendations are always on the house!” She said, scanning the vinyl he came in for “If I can't pay, can I at least get your name? Or is that also on the house?” He smiled, warmth creeping under her cheeks.
“It's Sage”
“Pretty name, I'm William, but everyone just calls me Wilbur.” Wilbur said and continued “Well I guess that's it, I hope I see you around. You have amazing music taste by the way!” and left.
And she was left alone, by herself, with an image of Wilbur in her mind. No, focus. She has an essay to write. So, with her new distraction, she got back to her laptop barely finishing her essay in time.
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The next day went by without sight of Will. Sage opened the store later than usual, having a late start to the day she had lots of stuff to do in the store. At least for a little while, it could occupy her. But thinking about Wilbur came naturally to her. Every second she wasn't concentrating a picture of him would appear in her mind. Witch honestly, creeped her out.
For crying out loud he was in her store for about 10 minutes before he paid for his stuff and left. Yet every time she heard a ding at her door she would get excited…only to then get disappointed to see her friend, Nikki.
“Somone is not excited to see me today,” her friend said, putting her things down by the counter and getting out food for her and Sage.
“I’m happy to see you, Nikki, I was just stupid and expecting someone to show up at the door, but now it's closing time”
“Wow, didn't know you had a boyfriend!” Nikki laughed, stuffing her face with Chinese food. Sage looked at her, unimpressed. “Here eat, I bought this for you!”
Sage sighed, looking down at her food “Why don't we just sit and talk?” Nikki asked her, with concern on her face “Boy problems?”
“I don't know Nikki! Ugh!” she said, going back to the bench where she had been the whole day.
“Okay I met this guy yesterday when he came in into the shop, he had great taste by the way…” Sage said, “You love to see it.” Nikki continued.
“And we talked and made eye contact…bro I feel like a sixth-grader”
“No no no, please continue.” her friend said, quietly laughing.
“Stop laughing at my poor life choices!”
“I would never!” Nikki laughed again.
“Anyways, we had like a surface-level conversation, nothing amazing… But we did touch hands for a second…”
“Ooooohhhh”
“It was nothing romantic! I just gave him a CD of my favorite band!”
“Now, sage I'm not an expert, but that's borderline romantic!”
“Shush! So, I gave him the recommended CD and the Vinyl he bought…” Sage continued, still eating her Chinese food.
“What did he buy?” Nikki asked, turning her head to Sage.
“Not relevant.” She said, looking back at Niki “Sage, what did he buy?”
Sage sighed and said “ Los Campesinos …”
“ Los Campesinos ? THE Los Campesinos ? Isn't that like, your favorite band?!”
Sage finished her food, acknowledged Nikki's question, and just melted into the bench. “What do I do?” She asked, looking clueless.
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Days came and went. Sage was overloaded with work and college, so the thoughts about the cute, tall guy weren't as frequent as before. But she still wanted to see him again.
Friday. On Fridays, she didn't have classes so that meant she was in her store the whole day.
Right as she opened she heard a Ding! by her door, and looked behind the counter to see who it is. Oh, George. One of her frequent customers, and also her friend with whom she shared one class, English Literature.
“Good morning George!” Sage said, with a smile on her face. She didn't get to see him often, but when George came to the shop it was like he never even left.
“Hey Sage, how are you?” He hugged her tight. “I'm good, I'm glad I got to see you today, I know you are busy.”
“Always a pleasure to see you. Did you get any new realises that I've been looking for?” He beamed, looking around.
“Yes! I've picked them out for you” She said, going back into the storage room to collect his CDs.
She gave it to them, George returning with a big smile. “You are actually the best do you know that!?”
“Oh, I know” She smirked, putting them all in a bag. George paid for the CDs and hugged Sage one last time. “We have to hang out soon! I’ll text you!” George proclaimed and left.
The whole day was slow, after George, she didn’t have that many customers, which was fine, but it got her thinking about him . The clock felt like it haven’t moved since she opened the store. It was 3 PM and she barely did anything today.
Ding!
Sage looked up from the counter she was sitting behind, ready to greet a customer that has just walked in when she saw him.
Wilbur, walking in with two coffees in his hands, smiling. She smiled back, squinting a little bit, the sun from the entrance slightly blinding her. Sage waved and Will got closer to the register.
“Hey, Sage!” he said, beaming with energy, the sun blindly following behind him. The way Will said her name really intrigued her, in a good way.
“Hey Wilbur, what's up?”
“Oh, I was passing by and figured I could really get a coffee… And then accidentally bought two, so here you go!” Will gave her the hot coffee, fingers brushing against each other, Sage smiled and let the smell of coffee fill her nose.
“Well then, I'm glad I’ve got to see you today-”
“No- you don't have to go, I mean as you see I'm very…” Sage gestured around her store “...busy, I could use some company if you want to stay.”
He grinned. Sage put on the new Los Campesinos album and gestured to him to sit on the bench with her.
“I’ve wanted to come earlier in the week, I’m sorry but I’ve been so busy with college and getting my degree in music that I literally didn't leave the house.”
“Will its no problem, I've had a lot of college work to do…. wait did you say music?”
“Yeah, I'm majoring in Arts in Music… I have like tree semesters to go.”
“No way! I'm majoring in Science in Music! How did I not see you at any of my classes?!” She spoke, sipping on the coffee Will gave her.
“I don't know really! I haven't seen you at the campus at all this semester.”
“Weird… But anyway how is it going?” Sage asked, instinctively getting closer to him as he spoke, looking him directly in the eyes.
He looked back “Yeah it's going well, Mr.Neff is a pain in the ass tho… he won't listen to the songs I make and it's making me mad, like bro… I need a professional opinion!
“Oh, Mr.Neff teaches my Music History class! He can be a pain sometimes.”
“Yeah I mean, it's hard to get professional opinions from anyone in my term, so half of the time I look lost!” Will said, laughing by himself.
Ding!
The door rang as someone came in, an older lady with her dog in a bag.
“Good Afternoon, how can I help you?” Sage said, getting up from the bench leaving Will alone.
He stayed sitting on the bench, observing the conversation she had with this lovely lady and her dog.
“You are pet friendly?” The older woman asked. ”Yes of course, sometimes I even bring my cat into the store with me!” Sage smiled, carrying on with her work.
Will just observed, looking fondly over the dog that had been situated in the woman's bag. He looked back at Sage, glancing at her more often than he could admit, stealing glances when she wasn't looking.
Over the 10 minutes, she's been helping this woman, another customer walked in, an older man with a beard booking it to the heavy metal isle.
“Hi, Greg! Nice seeing you!” Sage said after putting the CDs in the bag for the woman in front of her. The guy waved and went to browse.
While all that was happening Will got up and started browsing for himself, having nothing better to do. Still stealing glances of Sage whenever he could.
Whenever that guy Greg got his things and went off with his day, Sage huffed and lay on the bench, closing her eyes.
“What’s up?” Wilbur asked, sitting on the edge of the bench.
“That woman was so sweet but oh my god she could not pick what she wanted to buy, it was exhausting! And I just remembered I have to put new albums on shelves and new equipment, how is it only 4 PM?” He listened to her ramble for however long she needed to, then just went to the back and started putting things on shelves where he saw them fit.
“You can just finish my coffee if you want, or we can go to a coffee shop later,” Will said, back turned away from Sage.
“Is big man inviting me on a date?” Sage laughed, sipping some of Wilbur's bitter coffee.
“No, I'm more romantic than a coffee shop like two minutes away from your work, you should know that!” Will grinned, turning towards Sage.
“I wouldn’t know that because I barely know anything about you!” She huffed, looking down at her legs dangling off the bench.
“Would you like to know more about me?” Will questioned, still fixated on the albums and organizing the shelves.
Sage’s heart skipped a beat, her mind fogging up and her brain just shut off.
“You don’t need to help me, I’m going to do that tomorrow anyway.” She spoke, avoiding the question Wilbur has put on her mind.
“Alright, I’ve hoped you could say that I'm not good at organizing,” Will replied, looking down, standing in the middle of the aisle.
“You said you made your own music earlier… could I listen to it?”
“Oh…um yeah, but don’t laugh, okay?” Will sat back down on the bench, scrolling through his phone and playing an audio clip he filmed himself.
They both listened to it, Sage staring at the phone and Will just slightly staring at Sage. She was concentrated on the song while Will concentrated on her, not noticing that the song was already ending.
“You know you got some talent big man… I give it a four out of five Yelp review stars.”
“Wow, so generous of you…” Both smirked, looking at each other. “Also why do you call me big man? We’ve never agreed on that!”
“Bro look at you you are like 6’6”
“Uh correction miss, I'm actually 6’5”
“Jesus Christ”....“I mean I'm amazed by your guitar skills, I wish I could play guitar.”
“Do you play any instruments?”
“Yeah! I played the drums a long time ago but now I just don’t have time…It’s kinda sad but honestly, I don’t miss it…heh”
Silence fell, Wilbur put his phone back into his pocket and they just sat there. Gentle music filled their blank minds and the sunset right in front of the street. It was pretty cozy.
“You said you had a cat?” Will asked
“Oh yeah, her name is Oreo and she is literally the best cat ever!”
“I can’t say that until I see it”
“Mean..” Sage said, looking up at will, who was giggling to himself.
“I think I’ll close earlier” She yawned, standing up to get her keys.
“Well, that’s my queue to go!” Will laughed awkwardly.
“It was great spending time with you! Thank you for keeping e company!”
“Always…before I go, could I get your number?”
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