In The Fastlane

Chapter 10

*Sydney's P.O.V*

"You're late," My boss cooed swinging right past me, she tossed an apron, gloves, and a pair of goggles into the palm of my hand. "Again."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I pleaded throwing the piece of fabric over the nape of my neck. I grabbed the ties and twisted them around my hips making sure the apron stayed. I left my jacket in my staff locker as my boss hovered my be.

"You're definietly going to need to keep those on today," She sneered gesturing towards the bulky plastic glasses swinging on my finger tips. They were so tacky, even the most tom boy girl on the planet would be embarissed to put these things on her face. Yellow duck tape rolled around the edges like a pair of stereo-typical nerd glasses but I knew she was going to put me on bath duty again today. Correction, bath duty for the penguins who have the hobby of rolling in their own shit. Pleasant, eh?

"Why do you insist on making me so miserable?" I griped placing them on my temple with difficulty. They kept slamming back onto my forehead, I already felt a huge dent forming.

"You put it on yourself, sweetheart. Get here on time and you'll endure a more suiting job like selling tickets. Or maybe advertisement in the front door. I think you'd look just grand as a jelly fish." She smirked at me forcing me to bite my tongue. I couldn't stand her. Her bratty name of Bethany fit her bratty personalitly. Although I had to force myself to be nice, if I wanted to keep my job that is. "Now, off to work."

"With pleasure," I mumbled through gritted teeth. I swung my gloves over my back walking out into the open aquarium. I could already feel the stairs and pointings of all the little children who were curious about my rediculous outfit. One girl stated a nice, "Mommy, what is that monster." Causing me to keep looking ahead and holding back an eye roll. Already two workers here were fired becuase of 'rude behavior' towards the visitors. I believed telling one of them to move please so he could clean the tank wasn't as rude as Bethany percieved. But she's the boss, no complaints.

I unlocked the door to the penguin entrance and one came waddling towards me. That was my favorite, we weren't supposed to make favorites or name them for that matter but she was too cute to resist. Ironically enough I named her Rebel. Not like Rebel Willson but Rebel like she took the chance to stray from the group and not be boistrous annoying rats like the rest of them. I picked her up carrying her underneath my arm pit and bringing her towards the pit of water and soap. I could feel her wings tense up as I lowered her near the warm water. The rest of the birds huddled near by watching the oh so bad catastrophe of getting bathed for once. When I began lathering her with soap squaks were released from her beak.

"Calm down, Rebel!" I flattened her wings back dipping some water over and drying her off with a towel.

"Go, be free." I chuckled as she waddled away to be near what I like to call her boyfriend. I named him Rocky just because a ship name for Rebel and Rocky could be Recky and thats just too cute. They always cuddled when they weren't showing off for the crowds and the secluded themself from all the other birds. It was weird when I was dating Evan how I imagined my life being as simple and perfect as theirs. Yet, it never happened.

****

I threw all the cleaning supplies into my locker pulling my large goggles onto my neck. Penguin feces drenched my apron and the smell wasn't too glorious either. A nice long bath sounded pretty nice right now. I checked my phone seeing it was almost 9:30 and I had a text from a new number.

From 677-458-3456: Hey Syd. This is Niall if you were wondering. Mind if Zayn and I stop by the aquarium? x

I quickly texted back a 'its getting kind of late, but alright' and tried to hurry with getting my normal people clothing back onto my body.

"Howdy," I heard a voice emerge from behind me.

"Holy shit," I yelped getting my jeans over my revealed panties. The hearts and pink stripes didn't help my case of being not girly.

"Nice undies, Sydney." I heard Zayn chuckle. Niall was silent but his cheeks were completely red with a deep blush.

"You know knocking is a thing these days?" I mocked grabbing my bag.

"Hey, we got a show I'm not knocking anymore." Zayn jeered back. He then turned to the still silent Niall who then was knocked out of his daydream opening his eyes wide with a jump.

"Er-sorry."

"Its fine. I'm used to random boys off the street seeing my no wash day underwear."

"Ay! We aren't random boys off the street," Niall cooed.

"Whatever you say, blondie." He let out a light chuckle following me out of the staff room. I brought them into the penguin area where Zayn automatically attatched to Rebel. He thought and I quote, "She was the most adorable thing in this whole universe." I couldn't help but laugh my arse off.

"That's Rocky," I pointed to the one huddling with Rebel.

"Looks like he has a lady friend, eh?" Niall chuckled running his hand over the penguins body.

"Yeah, they're like the only ones who are not the most annoying creatures in this bloody place."

"How long have you been working here?" Zayn inquired scanning the room of squaking birds.

"About 4 years, ever since freshmen year of uni. I just graduated last spring. Ever since then I've been living in the same apartment complex and working with these bloody birds,"

"Well you just give a great amount of gratitude for putting up with such 'bloody birds'" Zayn mocked as one cuddled up next to his leg. The were show offs, they usually weren't this nice. But since I've worked here for this long all I could do was love them and accept them as my second family. They were as much as I had besides my friends, and maybe my evil Aunt. My parents didn't speak to me much ever since I moved out. They had better things to do with their life than follow me around. I guess I can test to that theory.

"Well its getting late boys, I say we get a move on." I announced corraling them out of the exhibit. Zayn was whining profusively while Niall just seemed content following me towards the parking lot.

"Who's going to play as my chaufeer this time?" I inquired leaving out a dead ended question. Niall was quick to raise his hand making me give out a light chuckle and cock my brow.

"Goodnight, lover boy." Zayn teased as he closed the door to his mercedes benz.

"You shut up!" He defended.

"Calm down." I giggled. "Don't be angry about the truth."

And then was the most confident thing I had said to a boy since Evan. Since those simple words 'I love you'. I knew I wasn't serious about it but teasing Niall was more than a game to me.

When we arrived at my house he was still red about my comment from earlier. He walked me to my door and I left him with a lingering hug and went straight to bed.

I hated being indesicive. I didn't know whether to like Niall, or be his friend. I knew atleast one of the girls could help me with that.

This is why love doesn't exsist.

If you have to test and think about it how would it possibly be there?