Always the Opposites {Brollins}

[ Chapter 1 ]

The sound of a blaring alarm clock was all Rebecca needed before she was wide awake and ready to take on yet another busy day.

She opened her eyes, seeing the sun peeking through the cracks in her blinds before she leaned over on her side and fumbled around with her phone, snoozing the alarm.

It was only when the second time her peaceful state was ruined by the annoying ringing, that Rebecca groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Of course, she had planned for the extra few minutes of slumber, purposely setting her alarm to an earlier time so she'd still be on schedule.

Rebecca threw on the hoodie she left next to her pillow, knowing it was going to feel cold when she first woke up. Then she stumbled out of bed, taking a few seconds to stretch before she ventured out of her room. Rebecca slowly made her way to her kitchen, reaching in the cupboard and grabbing a mug before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Her apartment was small, and cramped for the most part. Apart from her room, she had a tiny kitchen, a bathroom, and a pretty small living room. Rebecca couldn't complain, it had what she needed, and she figured it didn't matter seeing as she spent most of her time away from it. It wasn't the fanciest, but she didn't need it to be. It was practical and that's what she liked about it.

She toasted a piece of bread, before looking at the clock that read four forty-five. She sighed, drinking as much coffee as she had time for, before shoving the piece of toast in her mouth.

After heading off to get changed, Rebecca got ready to leave the house, grabbed her things, and rushed out of her apartment. She walked through the halls, got on the elevator, and left the apartment building. She wandered down the sidewalk quickly as she checked her watch, pushing hair out of her face as the wind continued to ruffle it.

She looked at her watch, realizing if she wasn't careful, she was going to be late. She'd been working at the breakfast diner since she moved into her apartment. Rebecca was loved among her co-workers and often found herself taking any extra shifts she could to gain the extra money.

This, was just one of the many days where Rebecca had been asked to open up the diner in the early morning, meaning she had to get there before anyone else did. She fumbled around with her keychain, unlocking the diner door and pushing it open.

When she rushed to the staff room, she threw her backpack off and replaced it with her apron. She prepped the diner, tucking her mechanical pencil behind her ear before things got hectic. The few other co-workers trickled in about half an hour after her, and they began to get ready for opening.

"How do you do this every day?" Rebecca turned around just in time to see a tired-looking Mercedes slump down in a chair. "It's exhausting."

"It's not every day." Rebecca smiled, throwing Mercedes her apron. "Only when I'm needed."

Mercedes yawned, "Yeah, that's basically every day."

"It pays the bills." Rebecca shrugged, patting Mercedes on the back, before grabbing her hands and pulling her onto her feet. "C'mon, those tables aren't gonna set themselves."

"They should." Mercedes rolled her eyes before another yawn broke through her sentence. "Then maybe I could get an extra ten minutes of sleep."

Seeing as Mercedes had just started out at the diner, she was still getting used to the ins and outs of everything, including having to wake up earlier than her preferred noon wake-up time. 

Once the regular day got started for everyone else, the diner opened, and Rebecca was hard at work. She bounced between taking orders and serving people to helping prepare some meals for others.

When her gruelling shift ended, she found herself having no time for a break, because she was already on her way to the subways station to catch a ride before her university classes.

Tying to balance multiple jobs on top of loads of schoolwork, was far from easy, and Rebecca just barely managed to stay afloat every day. Stress was almost always a factor in her everyday life and at this point, she didn't know what she would do with herself if she wasn't always feeling some sort of stress.

Rebecca boarded the subway, holding onto the pole beside her, as it began moving. Dull and boring shades of grey, beige, and brown, filled her eyesight. Not one person travelling had anything but a blank stare on their face.

She'd always known hard work, however, a future that seemed so dull didn't exactly entice her. She wanted to enjoy every moment of life that she could, but prioritizing work always got in her way.

When the subway made it to her regular spot, she got off, beginning her walk to school. After about another half hour of more travelling, she finally made it to her university campus.

She always loved school, and everything about it, she enjoyed learning and the overall environment. Rebecca supposed that that was why she always dreamed of being an elementary school teacher.

She'd been asked the question of what job she wanted to have in the future, ever since kindergarten, and her answer never changed. Sure, it was no astronaut or firefighter, and it definitely wasn't a singer or dancer, but she always had a passion for it.

Rebecca walked through the large field, making her way to one of the school's many entrances. Once she reached her classroom, she sat down, pulling out her notebooks and laptop before the professor began teaching.

She leaned back in her seat and stared at the clock, knowing that her long and jam-packed day had still only just begun.