**This is more of an introduction to my next chaptered story- more story telling that sex... thats coming in the following chapters. i just wanted to set the scene and build my characters**
Chapter 1
Becki gazed wistfully out of the store window, each passing second seemed to last forever. She glanced up at the clock, thirty minutes until her lunch break. She watched her boss, Stacey pottering around the shelves straightening books as she went. Becki sighed quietly, this wasn't how she had imagined her life would turn out.
The store was always quiet. It was only a small bookstore and given that most people read ebooks now, or got all their information from Google, it was a wonder they were still open.
Stacey had inherited the store from her father, alongside a large sum of money. She was nearing 50, slim from all the cross country hiking she did with her dogs in her spare time. She was nice enough and Becki was her only employee- which was more of a favour to Becki's mum than anything, who had first met Stacey during a Pilates class one weekend.
Becki glanced at the clock again. Twenty minutes. She sent a quick text to Mark, reminding him that he was supposed to be meeting her for lunch today. To be honest, she wasn't all that bothered if he didn't show up, but he was making an effort at the moment to show more of an interest in her life. Sixteen months they'd been together, after meeting on a night out in town. She still liked him, but she couldn't picture spending the rest of her life with him. But at the same time, she didn't have the energy to end it either and go back to living on her own.
Mark had moved into her flat four months ago but in reality his presence in her life 24/7 annoyed her more than she expected. He was lazy and untidy, leaving filthy mugs and dishes lying around everywhere, as well as dropping his dirty clothes anywhere except for the laundry basket.
"Looks like you've got a visitor!" Stacey smiled, nodding towards the window where Mark was standing outside, his back against the glass. Becki smiled weakly, "Yeah, is it alright if I take my lunch now?"
Stacey nodded, still smiling. "Of course love, go and enjoy yourself!"
Becki slipped her phone into her pocket and picked up her bag from behind the counter, heading out of the door into the grey afternoon.
"Alright, what's for lunch?" She asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"I didn't know what you wanted, so I didn't get anything. How about a sausage roll from Greggs?"
"You know what, let's just grab a coffee. I don't fancy a sausage roll." Becki huffed, heading towards Starbucks further down the high street. Mark followed behind, checking the sports results on his phone.
They sat together in silence as Becki picked at a chocolate muffin. "I'd better get back in a minute."
"Ok, I'll walk back with you then head home." said Mark.
"Aren't you working today?" Becki asked.
"Nah, pulled a sickie. Couldn't be bothered today."
Becki rolled her eyes as she pulled the door open and stepped back out into the street.
"Becks, is that you?"
She glanced up at the stranger in front of her and blushed, instantly recognising him.
"Hey, Rex! How are you?" She smiled, hoping he didn't notice how flustered she was. He pulled her towards him and kissed her enthusiastically on both cheeks.
"Gosh, I can't believe I've bumped into you! I was only thinking about you the other day!"
Becki chuckled nervously, "Really? Good things I hope?"
Mark stood awkwardly to the side, waiting to be introduced to the dashing stranger that had his girlfriend blushing furiously.
"I was talking to some of the designers I work with about you! Whoever nabbed you was so lucky, or did you go it alone?" Rex beamed, his hand still on her arm as he spoke.
Mark frowned.
"Oh, no I work for somebody." Becki answered quietly, desperate to change the subject.
"Anyone I might know?"
Becki shuffled nervously as Mark piped up,
"Yeah, the bookshop over the road there."
Rex looked over to the bookshop and frowned, "Unusual choice for a designer, or do you do book covers?"
Mark scoffed, "Becki isn't a designer, that dream is long gone isn't it babes? Just regular shop work for Becks now."
Becki glared at him, tears pricking her eyes in humiliation. "What? It's the truth." Mark shrugged.
Becki backed away from them both, "I need to get back to work before they wonder where I am. It was great seeing you Rex." She smiled at him before turning back to the shop.
Mark huffed, she hadn't bothered to say goodbye to him.
___
Becki had met Rex at university five years ago. He was ridiculously handsome back then too, due to his easy confidence and approachable manner. It was impossible to dislike him. He wasn't boastful about his skills and was quick to help others. Becki had always liked him, he was charming and seemingly oblivious to the fact that women swooned over him- if anything it made him slightly uncomfortable. Becki often thought that if she was as attractive as him, she'd be in a different bed every weekend making the most of it! But not Rex.
Not that Becki wasn't attractive! She had her fair share of men while at uni, nothing lasted for long though because Becks was so focussed on her work. She had studied graphic design and illustration with Rex, hoping to one day work in illustration- especially comic books and graphic novels. She had loads of character and story ideas and her student room was covered in storyboards and character sketches. She was good at what she did, but after leaving uni she struggled to find work in her chosen field. So she'd taken Stacey up on her job offer 'temporarily' and was still there today.
___
Becki dusted down some of the higher shelves, wondering what her life could have been like. The back door buzzed with a delivery, so she headed out the back to answer it. It took almost half an hour to bring the delivery in and unpack it, ready for it to go out on the shelves. As Becki wheeled the stock trolley into the store, Stacey called her over to the counter.
"I did call you, but obviously you didn't hear me. A very polite gentleman came in about ten minutes ago looking for you. He asked me to give you this."
Becki turned the scrap of paper over to see Rex's name and number scrawled on the back. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks.
"Friend of yours?"
Becki nodded, "Uh, yeah. From university. I bumped into him earlier when I was out."
"Well he said to give him a call." Stacey smiled as she went back to her paperwork. Becki stuffed his number into her pocket and went back to her delivery.
By the time she arrived home, Mark was already sitting with his feet up on the coffee table watching the football. She sighed, all she wanted to do after work was chill out with a glass of something cold and a good book, not watch some shitty football game and listen to Mark shouting at the referee.
"What's for dinner?" Mark called as she headed into the kitchen.
For fuck sake, he'd been home all afternoon and still expected her to cook dinner. Becki felt her temples starting to throb as she glanced around the kitchen, knowing full well that she would have to clean a mound of dishes before she could even start.
