THE JOB
RAQUEL
Apolo, Ares and I are doing our best working the night shift at McDonald's after school.
However, I'm hating my boyfriend right now. I know. How could I? When I can hardly believe he's really my boyfriend, why does he have to be so attractive? Why does everything have to look good on him? McDonald's uniform is the most anti- sensual clothing in the world, and yet Ares looks great in it.
I grunt, noticing a group of three girls smiling at him and sharing glances while he's taking orders behind the register. I understand them, I really do, but this McDonald's has turned into a fucking circus since Ares started working here a week ago. I swear we've increased the female clientele just because of him. The manager is fascinated with Ares and I just have to watch half the town come in here every day to see my boyfriend.
I sigh, dramatically, preparing a McCafe from one of the orders. Gabo laughs beside me.
"Oh, McNuggets," Gabo still won't stop calling me that. "You seem a little upset."
I snort.
"Of course not, I'm perfectly fine."
Gabo puts his hand on his heart.
"I have been dethroned," his tone is dramatic. "I used to be the king of this McDonald's."
I burst out laughing and tap him on the shoulder.
"Idiot."
"Oh, look," Gabo points behind me to the group of girls still ordering. "Today they dared to give him their numbers."
The girls give him some papers between giggles and Ares receives them kindly, but does not smile, his expression remains cold and closed as I remember when I met him.
Sorry, but they have a lot of work to do to get to where I am now.
Gabo puts some french fries in a to-go bag, completing an order.
"I don't know why they keep coming," he says. "He doesn't even smile at them. Can you imagine if he smiled at them? We'd have a fucking ovary explosion in here."
Apolo comes out of the kitchen, looking cute with the transparent beanie over his hair.
"Or a flood."
"You're not helping," I say, preparing orders for the Drive-Thru. Apolo gives me that innocent smile he has.
"Calm down, just a few more minutes until the shift is over."
It hasn't been easy to ignore all the attention Ares has received, but I've tried to manage it as best I can. Even though we don't earn much working a half-shift at McDonald's after school, it's something. Apolo decided to work to support his brother as well. We have applied for several scholarships and are waiting for responses.
Slyly, I wait until Ares has finished attending to the group of girls and they leave before I pass behind him and whisper:
"I'm watching you."
Ares turns, with that crooked smile I love so much forming on his lips, and I feel like the queen of the world, because he smiles for me so easily, as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Watching me has always been your hobby, hasn't it?"
I know he's referring to.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No? Wasn't AresAndMeForever your Wi-Fi password?"
"You are not the only Ares in the world."
"I am the only Ares in your world."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Why so sure?"
Apolo appears among us.
"Stop flirting, we have customers," he points to two girls, waiting for Ares to order. "My God, where do so many girls come from?"
I let out a sigh of annoyance and stand in front of the register.
"Welcome, may I take your order?"
The girls don't hide their discontent.
"Hey," they share a look, "we don't know what we want yet, so we'll think about it." And they take a few steps back, walking away.
Really?
Ares puts his hand on my waist, pushing me slightly out of the register.
"Trust me, witch."
As soon as Ares takes control of the box, the two girls return, smiling like there's no tomorrow.
Breathe, Raquel.
"It's time for your fifteen minute break, go," my boss tells me and I don't hesitate to get out of there; the fresh spring air hits me as I leave, I sit on the side of the store on the sidewalk, relaxing my legs; I need to get away from the atmosphere of girls chasing my boyfriend for a while.
I hear the door open, and young woman who always comes to order a coffee and write in this McDonald's comes out, with a backpack on her back where I know she has her laptop, she is a regular customer and I still don't understand why she always comes to this place, as there is nothing special about it.
We make eye contact and she smiles kindly at me.
"Are you all right?"
I smile at her.
"Yes, I think so."
She seems to hesitate for a second, but finally sits down next to me.
"I don't want to sound weird, but I've seen it all."
I frown.
"What do you mean?"
"Is the new guy your boyfriend?"
"How do you know?"
She laughs, her blue eyes light up.
"I'm very observant, advantages of being a writer and, besides, I've been there."
I give her a look of disbelief.
"Really?"
She looks at the sky.
"Oh, believe me, being the hot guy's girlfriend is not as easy as it sounds, many times I found myself wondering if I was enough for him, or what the heck he saw in me to be with me when he had so many options so much more attractive than me."
Exactly.
She turns to me, looking at me.
"It's very tempting to put yourself down in a situation like this. But the reality is that love is not something that is born and grows based on appearances, it needs much more substance to be real. Yes, physical attraction can be the beginning of feelings, but it will never be enough, it will always need that something more, that connection that you can't get with just anyone."
I don't know what to say, so she continues.
"For him, you are that something more, that connection. Yes, there are people prettier than you, smarter than you, more talented than you, but no one is better or worse than you and no one is like you."
Silence reigns between us, but it's not uncomfortable, so I nod and smile at her.
"Thank you, I feel much better."
"I'm glad."
"I'm curious," I begin: "Are you still the girlfriend of that handsome guy?"
She shakes her head.
"No."
"Oh."
She raises her hand, showing me her ring.
"I am his wife now."
"Oh, wow," the joy she exudes when she says is contagious. "You look so happy."
"I am, although it wasn't easy at first."
"I wish I was more mature and didn't get jealous, but sometimes I can't help it."
She laughs.
"Jealousy is normal when you are in love, but how you act about it is what will tell if it is harmful or natural".
I snort.
"You sound too wise to be so young."
"I told you, the experience, I've been through a lot and I think that has helped me."
A car passes by and parks in front of us at a safe distance. The young woman shakes out the front of her pants.
"My ride's here."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Your husband?"
She nods and stands up.
"I hope I have been helpful."
I stand up.
"You were, really."
I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and see a man getting out of the car. Virgin of Abdominals!
He's tall, with messy black hair around his face and dark eyes, he's wearing a dark blue suit, but the tie is half loose as if he's just tucked his fingers between it, and he has a mysterious, half-hidden tattoo on his neck. The young woman lets out a giggle next to me.
"He's attractive, isn't he?"
Embarrassed, I blush without saying anything, it was not my intention to look at her husband that way.
He comes to us and looks at her with pure adoration on his face.
"Hello, Mrs. Strawberry," he gives her a quick, short kiss.
She turns her gaze.
"Evan, this is Raquel, she works here."
Evan smiles kindly at me, I see dimples forming on his cheeks.
"I hope my wife didn't bother you too much."
I shake my head.
"No, not at all, she just gave me very good advice."
He runs his hand around her shoulders.
"Yes, she's good at it."
She laughs, her whole face lights up.
"We must go, it was a pleasure, Raquel." They start walking, saying goodbye, and she suddenly turns around.
"Oh, by the way, my name is Jules, I'll see you around."
I watch them tinker and push each other and then hug again as they walk to the car. What a cute couple, I think, and decide to get back to work.