Daisy in a war zone

I woke up in the most attractive way possible, drenched in my own sweat. Oklahoma has been a full-fledged convection zone, and its only getting hotter and hotter everyday, and my ceiling fan is doing a real great job at being mediocre. Central air is a luxury for our part of town, So everyone has been cramming into Buck's bar even in the middle of the day just to cool off. I got up immediately to take an ice cold shower. But then I spawned the best and worst idea I ever had. I found scissors in my bathroom drawer and got to hacking. I walked out of the bathroom after my shower and got dressed for work. Hunter walked in my room like he was searching for something "Dawn, have you seen my- what the fuck did you do to your hair?" He asked in awe, stopping his search. "It's too hot." I said nonchalantly, running my fingers through my basically non existent hair. He shook his head. "your a strange kid.." he said as he walked out of my room, forgetting about the hunt for his missing object.

********

"Hey kid. do you have functioning eye balls? read the damn sign. I can't physically allow your midget ass to see this movie because then I will get fired. your like 10. piss off." I yelled through the glass window in the ticket booth. The kid continued to bitch and moan until I was practically begging my co worker to physically restrain me so i didn't reach my hands threw the hole in the ticket booth window and strangle him. I took a deep breath. I literally hate all human beings ranging from ages 12-15. "Look man, do you want to live to be old enough to ever see a rated R movie?!" the kids eyes widened and he took a step back. "Dawn what did I say about threatening the customers?" I rolled my eyes as my manager spoke behind me. I turned around to see Mr. Hanson with his arms firmly crossed over his chest disapprovingly. "Sorry..I really can't handle it in this freakin' box anymore. Not to mention big Jeff over there has been working on 5 chili cheese hot dogs for the past 20 minutes and is smells like ass in here. Can I just go work at the snack bar? Its literally a life or death situation at this point as i am strongly considering suicide." I stared at him with pleading eyes as he rolled his. Mr. Hanson is a pretty young dude. probably early to mid 20's, we're close in age so he tolerates my sass. "Go." he said with a sigh and motioned his hand carelessly toward the door, and I darted out of there. Aside from big Jeff and his smelly meals and the occasional smart mouth kid, I loved working at the Nightly Double. I got to see all my buddies who came to catch a movie, Mess around with Mr. Hanson, and I could have as many smoke breaks as I wanted. I liked being busy, running around taking peoples orders at the snack bar, being at the register, stocking shelves. It was good for me, being productive. I tend to get into trouble when I'm not busy. Plus, time goes by fast as shit, as long as my eyes aren't glued to the clock.

********

I allowed myself to look at the clock and It was 9:30. The place was getting pretty empty. Hanson poked his head through the doorway. "Half hour until close. Can you stack the stuff in those boxes on the shelves? thanks." he said, and he was gone before I could even say no. I sighed becoming aware that my last half hour here wasn't going to be spent kicked back in my chair with my feet on the counter. I got up from behind the counter and dragged my feet over to the shelves. I was alone until some socs walked in. He seemed kind of sketchy, but I didn't really give a shit because he was alone, and he probably wasn't dumb enough to try anything with me while hes by himself. "Yo. you need something?" I said as i put chip bags on the shelves. He stared at me for a second. Not with any particular expression, he just stared. He kind of looked like a dumb ass, his face was so blank. Its ridiculous how easy it is to tell a socs from a greaser. It literally takes a single once over with the eyes. He wore khakis and leather dress shoes, and his versace cologne almost choked me half to death even though he was at a good 10 foot radius. He broke the silence and said "I was just gonna grab a drink." His voice sounded a little hesitant, but suprisingly not harsh or condescending. "okay. You want to give me a minute and let me finish?" I said as I continued. "No problem." He said and leaned up against the counter. I could feel his eyes watching me, and it was making me exceptionally uncomfortable. So i tried to make it quick. That's when I sucked at life and tripped over a God damn box of chips, 5 bottles of soda went airborne and landed on the ground along with my ass. "dammit who put that there.." I said as I started picking up the bottles, but there was another hand picking them up to. I looked up to see Mr. blank staring socs grabbing coke bottles off the floor. He then did the unthinkable and reached out his hand to help me up. I looked at him like he had a third eyeball sprouting from his head. Who was this guy anyway? Is  he clueless on how this works? "Its only a hand." He said with a chuckle. I raised an eyebrow and accepted his hand. We both just stood and stared at each other for a good 10 seconds, me looking puzzled, and him, blank. "Go get your drink so I can ring it up." I said as I walked around to the counter. something  is up with this kid. But then he paid for his drink and left.

*********

10 o clock rolled around smoothly, I said bye to Jeff and Mr. Hanson and walked out into the barren night. At least I thought it was. I heard yelling and drunk cackling not to far away from me. I followed the noises with my guard up and saw that it was coming from a couple of kids near the fence. "You ain't too smart socs, walkin' around all alone, you askin' to get jumped?" said one of the boys. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure he was drunk. The kid was then pushed against the fence. I walked a bit closer to make out who it was. And lo and behold, vapid blank expression socs is cornered by 4 other greasers on the verge of getting the shit beat out of him. I sighed, knowing what I should do, which is let this socs get his teeth kicked in, but I had this sudden burning in me, telling me I should play Dawn the do-gooder and save this kid an ass whoopin. All he did was pick up some coke bottles, but the point is, he didn't have to. 

I jog over to the fence. "Hey. Leave him alone Joey. He didn't do nothing to you." I said to joey with my eyebrows raised. I'm telling my friends to lay off some socs that I don't even know, there going to think I'm really loosing my marbles now. Joey and his crew looked at me like my words were coming out haphazard and incoherent. Socs boy was staring at me to, lacking an expression, but I kept my eyes on Joey. "You need to see a doctor, Dawn?" He asked almost seriously. "Dude, you heard me now buzz off." I gestured for them to leave with my hand. Still holding that confused look on there faces they shrugged and left, and I immediately regretted my good deed. I started walking off to go back to my car. "Hey." Socs boy said, still against the fence. I turned around. "Thanks." He said with a smile. "Uhh your welcome..I guess. Don't think its anything personal, I didn't want anyone getting killed at the movie theater, bad for ticket sales and shit." I said as I turned around and started walking again. "My names Bradley." He yelled, once again I stopped and turned around. "Cool."I said, unenthusiastic. This kid was starting to get on my nerves. He walked up to me and smiled. I raised an eyebrow and took a step back. "Can I assist you..Bradley?" i asked as I looked him up and down. "Yea. Are you free tomorrow night? He asked genuinely. Am I What? Is this kid delusional? "...Why?" It was completely obvious that my guard was up, but I didn't care, this kid was being strange. "I want to take you out somewhere." He said like he was sure it was a normal statement. I looked at him like he was an idiot "Are you senile? Do you know how it works around here? What did you say your name was again?"  "Bradley, and no, I am not senile." He laughed and looked at me kind of funny. I came to the conclusion that he was a martian. "I just moved here last week, I'm trying to find people to talk to." This made much more sense then my martian theory. I kind of felt bad for the kid, so clueless. Soon enough he'll be exposed to how things work around here, and he won't get to choose his friends, they'll be appointed to him. But that burning inside of me came back for a second visit, and I thought, that maybe I could keep him from turning into one of them, show him that we aren't what they say we are while hes still  uninfluenced and innocent, before its to late. "Okay, Bradley, I get off of work at 7 tomorrow." I began to walk away then turned around to tell him my name, but he was gone.