Marley looked up from behind the wheel she was truing as she heard the bell attached to the door. "Great, two bimbos," she thought as she watched the two young women enter the bike shop. She put the spoke wrench down and wiped her hands on the the worn denim apron then walked out to the sales floor. It was a Wednesday afternoon and she was closing the shop, which meant besides fixing bikes she had to deal with customers, which was far from her favorite activity. She removed the shop worn apron and hung it on a peg, "Can I help you?" Marley asked.
"We're looking for bikes," the taller girl said. They both wore matching Pi Beta Phi Sorority sweatshirts and had the carefree look of girls who'd never had to deal with real life, Marley thought. She instantly disliked them.
"Well you've come to the right place, here let me show you a few," Marley said. She moved her thin body gracefully through the crowded shop, and to a row of cruiser style bikes that were popular with college students. "These are great for getting around campus," she said.
"Well actually we are looking for something a bit more like race bikes," the tall girl said again. She was taller than Marley, and very athletic looking.
"We're going to train for the Little 500," the shorter blond said.
"Oh, you're going to race it next year?" Marley asked.
"Yeah, I'm the Pi Beta Phi coach, team captain, and whatever else they decide to make me do." the taller girl said.
"You haven't raced it before?" Marley asked.
"No last year the team was mostly Seniors, but our house doesn't take it seriously. I spoke out that we should do better than last place, and thanks to my big mouth I'm in charge now," the taller girl said.
"It's good you've got like 6 months to get ready, and you definitely want a drop bar bike to train on. You can spend alot of money on a road bike, but you don't really need to, let me show you what we have," Marley said as she directed the girls over to the bargain area of the shop. "These bikes are about the cheapest drop bar bikes we've got, at about 600 dollars, but they're way nicer then the coaster brake bikes you'll be riding. Marley gave an overview of the bikes, and found that her customers were both engaged, asking questions and genuinely interested.
"I'm Stacey, by the way, and this is Brita," Stacey said and held out her hand.
"I'm Marley," she said and carefully took Stacey's hand noting that it was just as big as her own.
"Do you own this shop?" Stacey asked.
"Oh no, I just work here, fix bikes and stuff, part time, I'm going to school too," Marley answered.
"Oh thats so cool, what's your major?" Stacey asked.
"Physical therapy, what's yours?" Marley asked.
"Marketing and communications, I love your outfit, that shirt is so cute." Marley looked down at her T-shirt, it showed a boy pedaling like crazy on a bike with a girl riding on the back wearing a long black dress with a big red bow. Marley's outfit was completed with tights and a short skirt with decorative buttons up the front, and Doc Martin Boots sort of a cute punk look.
"Thanks, Marley said and blushed a bit.
"Kiki, is one of my favorites," Stacey said.
"You know Kiki's Delivery Service, that is so cool," Marley said.
"Yeah I love Ghibli, Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite," Stacey said. Brita lightly punched her in the side and made a noise. "Oh, Brita has a date or something, we'll definitely take the bikes." Marley gave the bikes a quick adjustment, and adjusted the saddles. Stacey bought both bikes on a credit card and thanked Marley for the help.
"Oh, if you guys are interested, we do shop rides on Tuesday and Thursday nights, I usually ride on Thursdays. It would be good practice for you to get used to riding around others," Marley said.
"That sounds awesome, thanks!" Stacey said while Brita hurried her out the door. Marley watched the girls clumsily mount their new bikes and ride down the sidewalk, her eyes following Stacey until she rode out of sight.
"Calm down girl, she's not your type." Marley said out loud to herself and put her apron back on.

Marley rolled her pink spray painted beater bike into the communal bike rack, scanned her card to enter the apartment building, and made her way to the 3rd floor. "Hey," she said and dumped her messenger bag on the kitchenette counter. Amy rolled over on the couch and sat down her Psychology book. The apartment the two girls shared was far more spacious than a dorm room, tasteful Japanese art prints were interspersed with brightly colored anime posters, there was little in the way of furniture, other than a couch and coffee table. The four bicycles hanging from the ceiling on hooks were dead giveaway that this was the home of a serious cyclist.
"You're late," Amy said in her detached monotone voice.
"Yeah I sold a couple bikes to some sorority girls and had to finish the repair work I was doing," Marley said as she flopped onto her bed.
"I hope you get paid for that extra time," Amy replied.
"Yes Mr. Scrooge I did, they were buying their bikes for the Little 500," Marley said.
"Let me guess, they were bubbly, friendly, and invited you to a 'mixer' or some other social event," Amy said.
"They were friendly, and one of them liked my shirt."
"Ahh, perhaps you can start watching your cartoons with her, and stop torturing me with them," Amy said.
"You know you like them, anyway it got me thinking, why haven't you ever done the Little 5?" Marley asked.
"Because it's a stupid event, you ride dumb little under geared bikes on a dumb cinder track while a bunch of drunken idiots watch," Amy said.
"You were never invited on a team." Marley said with a laugh.
"No, I was invited," Amy said.
"Oh, you were kicked off, that's it!"
"No, I quit... I was the only one who took it seriously, all they wanted to do was hang out and drink, it was a waste of time and it still is," Amy huffed. Marley poured a bowl of cereal and sat down on the couch. Amy picked her book up and pushed her thick glasses up her nose, then sat up higher on the couch, "You want to do it don't you?"
"Do what?" Marley asked.
"Race the Little 500."
"You know I can't do that," Marley said unable to disguise the bitterness from her voice.
"Why?" Amy asked.
"You know why, don't be stupid," Marley said.
"You know NCAA rules stipulate that..." Amy was cut off.
"I don't give a shit what the rules say OK, I'm not racing, what do you think it will be like for me when they all find out that chick they're racing against has a dick, or maybe you forgot how well it worked out the first time?" Marley asked.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to upset you," Amy said.
"No, its fine, who said I want to start racing again anyway, and like you said, it's a stupid event. Now I've got something new for us to watch, "Midnight Occult Civil Servants," Amy said flicking on the TV.
"Oh Lord spare me," Amy said, but once the show as she put down her book and pushed the glasses up her nose again.