"I’ll be fine. You’ve shown me what to do a million times." She answered, reaching out for her magazine.

"But I’m sure Auntie Susan wouldn’t have let you come and help me out if she thought I was gonna leave you." he said with a worried look on his face.

"Jim, I’ve told you. I’ll be fine. Now hurry up. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back."

Jim handed her the Hessey’s hire purchase book giving a slight nod in the young lad’s direction and grinning, then headed out of the door.

Jay settled back to reading the story in her magazine, and was interrupted by the voice of the blonde haired girl stood with the young lad.

"George," she called, "are you going to be long? Cos if we don’t hurry up all that nice chocolate cake will have gone."

"I think I’m gonna get it." he answered. "I have been wanting it for ages."

Jay studied this George who was stood pondering over the guitar. He wasn’t much younger than her, and she’d nearly always seen him stood staring at all the guitars in the shop when she visited her cousin. He always wore really way out clothes, but looked good in them. She wondered if he wore this sort of gear all the time, or whether he toned it down during the week. He began to walk over towards her.

"Can I have this on hire purchase?"

"Yeah sure. You just need to fill this in." Jay told him, handing him the book. "I’m sure you know what to do!"

George smiled at her with a gorgeous lopsided grin and then turned to the girl he was with.

"Dee, have you got a pen?" he asked holding out his hand. As he stood writing, a smile spread across his face and his eyes sparkled as he finished and looked over at the guitar. A very proud owner of one new semi-acoustic guitar left the shop with a relieved girlfriend in search of Chocolate cake.

.

Jay was happy to get back to her magazine during a quiet period in the shop, and was reaching a particularly exciting moment in one of the stories when she found her attention being drawn away by some great drumming on the other side of the shop. She turned to see that the drummer was a young teddy boy about her age, pounding away at the drums with fierce concentration. A smile shot across her face as she watched him. She forgot completely about the story and became transfixed with the teenaged boy who’s quiffed hair came dangerously close to collapse as he moved his head and shoulders along with the beat.

He placed the sticks back and looked over at Jay who was still gazing in his direction. He got up from the kit and she snapped back into the real world, blushing slightly that he’d seen her gazing at him in such a way.

"You don’t mind do you?" he said to her, "They usually let me have a go." As he spoke he smoothed out his tight drainpipe trousers with one hand and picked up his jacket.

"No, no of course not. I don’t mind. I like it. I mean... it... you... were really good." Jay struggled to string together the sentence. She was still slightly dazed by this guy. He had a lovely warm voice.

"Thanks." He said smiling, and Jay nearly melted as she watched his blue eyes studying her. "You’re not usually in here. Are you new?".

"Well, actually, I’m just helping my cousin out really. He works here."

"Oh right. So it’s not a full time job then?"

"No. I’ll be too busy to help him soon. I’ve got an apprenticeship with a hair salon out on Beck Road." She told him, relieved that she was managing to speak normally to him.

"I’ve just got a job on the ferries as a barman. The drumming’s part time. I’m in a band and we get the occasional gig, but nothing big."

"Let me know where you’re playing." Jay said, "I’d like to come and watch. I mean, you sound good, and I love music. Obviously."

"Yeah sure. Next time I’m in I’ll let you know when we’re on." he smiled at her again. Jay felt limp but tried to remain composed. "Well, I’ll see you ‘round then."

"Bye." Jay called after him. As she watched the door close behind him she sighed. What a strange state he’d sent her into. He was so nice. And even with her behaving so strangely. Jay screwed up her face in despair at the way she had acted just now. He must think I’m a total idiot she thought to herself. But then he was so lovely anyway. Maybe he hadn’t noticed. No, he must of done. He must be such a nice person that he’d ignored her few faults and would judge her properly the next time they met. Well she hoped so anyway.

Jay had begun to walk over to the drumkit, running her fingers across the cymbals and reaching out for the sticks he’d just held. She gently slid onto the drum stool and replayed the vision of him drumming in her mind. She shuffled about on the seat remembering, and suddenly heard the door open. She gasped to see the drummer stood there again.

"I left my wallet" he said nodding in the direction of the kit, and with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Oh, here." She said handing him his wallet and breathing a sigh of relief that he was too embarrassed himself to notice the shocked look on her face.

"Tell Jim I’ve been in won’t you?"

"Yeah, sure... But I don’t even know your name." Jay said to him.

"It’s Richard. Listen, are you busy tomorrow?" he asked her.

"Well I don’t know, I don’t work here tomorrow so I haven’t a clue when the quiet times are."

Richard grinned shyly. "No I meant you. What have you got planned for tomorrow?"

"Well I’ve got something to do in the morning, but after that I haven’t decided what I’m doing. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out somewhere. With me." Richard suggested nervously. Watching her eyes, and then looking at the floor. Jay felt herself do summersaults inside. She let out a little sigh of joy and then answered him.

"That’d be nice."

He looked up at her grinning. His blue eyes gazing at her brightly. She looked back at him with equally sparkling eyes and smiled. She had to bite her lip as she was beginning to smile excessively and didn’t want to seem too over the top.

"Well where d’you wanna go, when shall we meet?"

There was a film on at the cinema I wanted to see." Jay suggested.

"Great!" he enthused.

"Did you want to see it too?"

"Well, I just love films" he answered.

"Oh. Well, where d’you want to meet?"

"How about the garden behind St George’s Hall, that’s pretty near the Odeon isn’t it? About 5 o’clock?"

"Yeah, that’s fine" Jay said beginning to smile excessively again.

"Right, well I’ll see you then." Richard smiled, heading for the door. "What’s your name?"

"Jay." she told him.

"Bye Jay." he said, looking at her softly before heading out of the door. Jay grinned and giggled excitedly. A date with the lovely drummer. She got up from the kit and headed back across the store. Pausing for a moment she ran back to pick up the drumsticks and slid them inside her bag. She was just putting the money for them in the till when Jim walked back in.

"Made a sale then?"

"Yeah. Just some drumsticks" she said blushing. "And that George who’s always in got the Hofner on hire purchase."

"Sounds like you’ve had a good day then."

"Oh yeah I’ve had a great time." she smiled.

"Well, d’you want to come in tomorrow? I could do with some help then too."

"Sorry, I’m busy tomorrow." Jay grinned enthusiastically.

"I forgot you were going to that thing with Auntie Susan."

"Well yeah, but I’m going out later as well." Jay picked up her bag and got ready to leave. "There’s a good film on at the cinema."

"Well, have a good time then." Jim called as she began to walk towards the door.

"Oh I will."

to be continued...