Camille

 

The comic bookstore was empty again, well nearly empty. There was one dorky guy in thick glasses who had been browsing through the racks of books for the past twenty minutes. Camille stood behind the desk twiddling her thumbs. The previous night was magical, thrilling, and confusing all at the same time. She couldn’t stop thinking of Devin; his rock solid abs, his large hands on her body, his tongue on her breasts…

 

“I’ll take this one.” The guy with the glasses had walked over and placed an old Marvel comic down on the counter.

 

“Sure, would you like a paper bag for it?” Camille zapped the book’s barcode through the system and waited for him to hand the money over to her.

 

“No, thanks,” the guy stuttered nervously, and she sensed that his eyes had traveled to the top of her cleavage. Camille shifted her feet and accepted the money he had stretched towards her.

 

She silently counted the change from the till, uncomfortable under his salivating creepy gaze. She thought of Devin and the way he had looked at her. What had made his lustful gaze so much more desirable than any other man?

 

The bell on top of the store door tinkled, and Camille looked up. Her hands froze as she handed the change back to the guy. There were three men at the door; all heavily tattooed, with piercings and leather jackets. It couldn’t have been a coincidence.

 

Suddenly, she didn’t want the dorky guy to go. She didn’t want to be alone with these three men in the store. She wanted to scream and call Devin. But she had no way to reach him.

 

The guy with the glasses took the change and scurried out of the shop, and Camille remained behind the counter, her heart beating fast, pearls of sweat appearing on her forehead. She hadn’t seen these three men before, but she knew exactly why they were here. They were walking towards her, and she felt her knees shake a little. She forced herself to lift up her chin and paste a fake smile on her face.

 

“Good morning, cupcake,” one of the men said, his eyes immediately dropping to her breasts. Camille wanted to run. She could see them all studying her - her cleavage, face, hands, and body. They were all undressing her with their eyes. She wished she could disappear.

 

“Morning,” Camille said nervously, retreating a little away from the counter. She knew it was a bad move to indicate how afraid of them she was, but she couldn’t stop herself. How had they even found her?

 

“How’s business?” another guy with blackened teeth asked, now leaning with his elbows on the counter so that he was even closer to her. They all smelt of beer and cigarettes, and Camille gulped, still trying hard to keep the smile on her face.

 

“Good. Thanks,” she replied, her eyes flitted from one face to another. One of them laughed and picked up a comic book from a nearby stand and turned the pages quickly.

 

“We were just in the neighborhood,” the guy with the bad teeth said with a wide sleazy smile. Camille shrugged her shoulders as if to say, so what? The guy with the comic book in his hand threw it on the floor casually and looked at her. He had a long gash across his cheek, and his eyes were the same color as Devin’s. But they looked evil, leery, and dirty.

 

“Is your friend Devin here?” the guy who had been silent all this while inquired. She turned to him; he had a red bandana around his head and no smile on his face. This guy had no time for anything else. He meant business.

 

“Devin?” She licked her lips.

 

“Yes, Devin. The guy you went for a walk with on the beach last night.” He placed both hands on the counter.

 

Camille shook her head slowly. “No, he’s not.”

 

The guy with the bad teeth laughed loudly. “Where is he then, sweetheart?”

 

Camille shook her head again. She really wished someone would come into the shop.

 

“I don’t know. I have no idea,” she insisted, taking a few steps back so that now her back was pressed against the wall. The three men exchanged looks and then turned to her again.

 

“Tell him The Choppers want to have a word with him okay, cupcake?” The guy who had thrown the comic book on the floor told her and picked up a pack of playing cards from the counter.

 

Camille nodded in silence. She just wanted them to leave.

 

“That’s a good girl.” He slipped the pack of cards into his jacket pocket.

 

“You have a good day, and stay safe,” the guy with the bad teeth said and straightened up. They all smiled at her, but it was a smile of warning before they turned around and walked out of the store.

 

It was only after they left that Camille realized she had been holding her breath. She was still scared and shaking. All she wanted was to feel Devin’s arms around her shoulders, to hear his voice, and for him to drive those men away.

 

But all she could do was lean silently on the counter and watch the men get on their bikes parked outside and ride noisily away.

 

Suddenly it felt like Camille’s whole life was changing. Something like this would never have happened before Devin Rock walked into her store and locked the door behind him. But curiously enough, she didn’t blame him; she just wanted to see him again.

 

***

 

“We haven’t worked on the next issue for the past ten days, Camille.” Shayna was sprawled on her couch, digging between her teeth with her long little fingernail.

 

“I know, I know. Just give me a few more days, please? I’m really distracted,” Camille said, bringing two mugs of tea to the coffee table in front of Shayna.

 

Shayna still remained sprawled, following Camille with her eyes.

 

“You’re not seriously going to go to the art gallery, are you Camille?” Shayna asked, straightening her neck and glaring at her. Camille sat down on the beanbag on the floor, across from Shayna and sighed.

 

“Camille, that man is trouble. Three big thugs came into your store yesterday and literally threatened you.” Shayna sat up on the couch now and folded her short legs. She was wearing torn fishnets again, her trademark look. Camille was in a pair of jeans and an old oversized t-shirt. She was in no mood for dressing up again.

 

“They didn’t threaten me. They were just looking for Devin, so they came to me.” Camille reached for her mug of tea, while Shayna continued glaring.

 

“Camille! They came to your store, stole a pack of cards, and basically commanded you to tell Devin they were there. Don’t be so naive. That was a threat.” Shayna’s voice was raised now; she sounded exasperated with Camille. Camille took a sip of her tea and gulped. Shayna was making sense, but she wanted to see Devin again, she needed to see him again.

 

“I can’t cancel now, I don’t have his phone number,” Camille told her, avoiding her friend’s eyes.

 

Shayna sighed loudly. “So just tell him you can’t go when he turns up here on Saturday.”

 

Camille remained silent, staring at her feet.

 

“I want to go, Shayna,” she said after a few seconds of silence.

 

Shayna flung herself back on the couch and covered her face with both her hands.

 

“Why, Camille, why?” Her voice indicated that she was not happy, but not quite angry either. Shayna wanted to understand what Devin’s pull was; what Camille saw in him.

 

“Because I want to see him again. I’m… attracted to him.” Camille dared to look at Shayna again.

 

“Because he has a big dick?” Shayna asked, half mockingly with an eyebrow raised.

 

Camille smiled embarrassedly and then shook her head. “It’s not just that, there’s something else about him.”

 

“He’s capable of putting your life in danger, Camille!”

 

“How?!” Camille stood up from the beanbag with a jerk. She placed the mug of tea back on the table and stared at Shayna. It was a genuine question.

 

“Because he’s putting you in harm’s way. Who knows what kind of business he runs, and what he’s involved in? The more you see him, the more entwined you’ll get in his stuff,” Shayna said, flailing her arms about her. She was obviously desperate for Camille to see some sense in this.

 

“He promised me that it’s not dangerous or illegal,” Camille insisted, but Shayna rolled her eyes.

 

“He was hiding away in your locked bookstore, then he punched a guy in the face and then three of them turned up at the store. How is any of that not dangerous?” Shayna asked, glaring at Camille. She had forgotten about her tea, but so had Camille by now.

 

“I’m going Shayna, and that’s that. I want to know what’s going on. I want to see him again,” Camille said in a strained voice. She had raised her own voice to match Shayna’s. “Are you going to come with me or not?”

 

The two girls stared at each other. Shayna had her lips pursed as she glared at Camille, and then she rolled her eyes again while folding her arms on her chest.

 

“Fine, whatever. Just because you’re my best friend and I love you,” Shayna finally replied, and Camille clapped her hands and went over to give her a hug.

 

“I love you too, Shayna. And I promise I won’t get myself into trouble,” Camille said, hugging her tightly.

 

“We’ll see. I just don’t get a good feeling about this guy. He sounds like someone who is capable of anything,” Shayna told her with a pinched face and crossed brows. She had agreed to go, but it seemed like she was still hoping that Camille would change her mind.

 

“I know what you mean, but I don’t know how to describe him better to you. He’s sweet and funny and protective.”

 

“He just has a massive cock,” Shayna said, and they both laughed. Camille had told Shayna about the sex on the beach, and since then Shayna believed that the amazing orgasm that Camille had experienced had completely changed her.

 

“Thanks again for agreeing to come with me, Shayna.” Camille sat back down on the beanbag, and Shayna finally picked up the mug of tea that had begun to get cold

 

“Of course I would. I don’t want you to spend any more time alone with that man. Not if I can help it,” Shayna said, sipping the tea and looking Camille directly in the eye. Camille sighed and then smiled. She didn’t want to say anything to Shayna, but the truth was that she couldn’t wait to be alone with Devin again.

 

“Can we work on our comic now, please?” Shayna then asked, breaking her train of thought.

 

“We can try, but I can’t promise that I’ll be any good. I’m sorry, I’m really just very distracted.” Camille watched Shayna walk over to her bag to get her notebook.

 

Shayna sighed and then turned to Camille with a shrug. “Fine, whatever, let’s do it on Sunday then, after our little visit to the art gallery.”

 

Camille beamed. “Sounds like a plan!”