Today was about me and broadening my experience with jobs. I was not going to think about Jack or anyone else. Just Emily.
It was fairly early, so I decided to hop in the shower, before Allison woke up and took all day. Going to my dresser, I grabbed out a black towel that had pink flowers on it. Heading into the bathroom, I locked the door and looked into the mirror. "All about you today. Clean slate, no troubles, no worries." The mirror had vanity lights around it, and it made the room glow brighter against the lime green walls with a dark green flower pattern.
The tiled floor was cold against my feet as I walked, turning on the hot water, then the shower. I pulled the curtain back and stripped down, stacking my clothes neatly on the back of the toilet, the towel now on the sink. While waiting for the water to warm up, I pulled out the brush from the drawer and brushed my hair. There was nothing worse than trying to shampoo your hair with knots in it. Over the past few days, it had become slightly greasy and really not what people would call pretty, having not washed my hair in a few days.
I stepped into the shower and jumped slightly as the water was hotter than I had thought. I worked my way in slowly, stepping backwards under the spray, and let it run from the top of my head down to my toes, stray water droplets sliding down random parts of my body. It felt so warm, so comforting and relaxing from the past few days. Everything was happening so fast, and I wasn't one to jump the gun. My parents had taught me to look at my surroundings. Look for signs. Listen to what every one tells you.
I ran my fingers through my hair, tilting my head back, getting it all wet now, and reached for the peach mango shampoo. I opened the top and squeezed a little bit, smelling it. I have always been a fan of fruity smells, but the peach mango was specifically for my hair. I have no idea when it started, but I will not buy anything else.
Making a small shampoo pool in my hand, I placed it back and lathered up my hair. The smell overtook the bathroom, and I lost myself. It was like I was in heaven.
Leaving it in, I took my blue razor out, and started to just shave with some water. I know that it was bad for your skin, but I just kept forgetting to buy shaving cream. Maybe if I spent less time buying make up and clip in extensions, I would remember to buy some once in a while.
After I was done, I rinsed out my hair, my body now use to the steaming water that was making me as red as a lobster. I grabbed the same scented conditioner and repeated the process, this time, using my cocoa butter body wash to wash off yesterday's stink. Was there anything better smelling than fruit and chocolate?
My body, full of suds, I rinsed it off, feeling how soft my skin was. That was my mom's secret to her soft skin. Anything cocoa butter, and to never use bar soap. At least, in my family, bar soap dried our skin so much, it would crack under any temperature.
I rinsed out my conditioner and just stood under the shower again. It was so warm, and I never wanted to leave. But things needed to get done, just like every day. My body was all red, and my pores felt cleaned out from all the steam as I shut the water off and wrung my hair out, stepping out onto the matching dark green shag rug in front of the tub. I wiggled my toes and stood there for a moment, and then quickly grabbed my towel, wrapped it around me, and brushed my teeth.
Grabbing my clothes, I walked out and placed them in my hamper and looked around. Allison was out of her bed now, and I shrugged. All the more reason to get dressed without being sneaky! I headed over to my closet. What did I want to wear today?
I picked out a tight black shirt with white lightning bolts in a full-front rectangle pattern. Some were in color, in random places, like pink, blue, green and yellow. Then I picked out my dark blue skinny jeans, a curve-hugging low-cut grey vest with pink pumps with a cute little bow on the side, by the pinky toe. After taking the items off the hook, I placed them over my arm and headed over to my dresser, picking out a bra and underwear set. You had to look cute even under your clothes for yourself, too, you know!
"Hey! Whatcha doing?" Allison said, slightly poking at my ribs.
If I didn't already have a death grip on that towel, it would have fallen off me. I jumped and screamed slightly, turning around to see Allison as I placed a hand over my heart, which was racing by now. "Nothing, getting dressed. I thought you were out getting breakfast or something."
"Nope. I'm here and I have news to tell you! It's really exciting."
"Okay, well, spill it, I'm anxious to hear." I slipped on my underwear under my towel, then placed my bra over my arms, and hooking it, pulling the towel off my body. No one had to see anything. I was a master at that.
"Well, remember how I said I was going to stalk Alex's Chitter? Well, I did, and I had found out that they're doing a secret show. Here. Well, like, ten miles away from here, but here."
I put on my pants and buttoned them, and sat down, putting on my shirt. "Yeah, I know," I said. "I didn't know where, but I knew they were doing a secret show."
"Why didn't you tell me?" She playfully pushed me and leaned in slightly, seriously expecting an answer right at that moment.
"Well, I just didn't think that you were into them," I said, simply, placing my vest on, buttoning it up.
"Well, yeah I'm into them. They are an amazing band."
"Well, when is this show?"
"It's tomorrow. The first 20 people get in for free, and after that, it's $10 per person. I really want to go, Emily. And I want you to go with me. It's been so long since I've been to a show. Can we go, please?"
I placed my shoes on my feet and thought about it. It would give me an excuse to see Jack. If he noticed me, anyway. If he was going. I know it was an acoustic performance, and I had no idea who all was going. I guess I should have asked more, but I'm not that serious with the guys, so it wasn't really my place.
"Okay, we can go," I said.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, I love you so much!" She gave me another death hug as I patted her on the back
"But you gotta promise me to keep it chill."
She nodded and gave me another hug as she headed into the shower and took her turn. Not too long after she started the shower, I heard her say "Damn it, Emily, you took all the fucking hot water, didn't you?"
"Early bird gets the hot bath," I shouted as I opened the door. "I gotta blow dry my hair."
Turning it on, I flipped my head upside down, brushing it with my fingers, getting all the wet knots out. As soon as it was almost dry, I took my mouse out of the counter and scrunched my hair, making it have the look of thin crimps throughout. I flipped my hair back up and turned on my straightener. I pushed my hair up, so there would be more volume, as I waited for my straightener to heat up.
I separated my bangs from the rest of my hair, brushing them out and then finally straightening them out with the flat iron. One side had more than the other, the perfect look to complete this outfit. Only one thing was missing. A big black glitter bow on the side that had less bangs. I dug around for it in the drawer, and finally found it. Putting it on, I smiled and did a few poses in the vanity mirror.
"You almost done, Emily?"
"Yeah, I'm out. Thanks." I walked out and quickly put black eyeliner under my eyes with a "lightning blue" eyeshadow and plain black mascara.
Allison came out, looking super cute in a turquoise top and regular jeans. Her hair was wet, so it was straight as she walked by me. She smelt like strawberries and vanilla.
"You ready for today?"
"I am, actually. Pretty excited. Tell me more about this secret show. What information did you gather?"
"Well," she said, sitting on her bed, "It starts at 8 pm. The venue is just at that punk store next to the coffee shop." She started brushing her hair and then stopped. "He said there will be more information as the day goes on today. So I have his Chitter updates being sent to my phone. I hope that's okay."
My phone. I did want to check my messages, but I decided against it. It wasn't going to be about anyone but me today.
She finished as I made my bed and we headed out to the lobby.
"Did Amy tell you about the new clock-in system?"
We reached the desk and I pulled up a chair from across the hall. "No, what's up?"
"She doesn't do it anymore. They have to tell me and I do it on the spread sheet. It was too hard for her, with her always being busy, so That's what I'm here for. She said that if they are training someone, they have to tell the name of the person and time they started. Same with the person who is the trainee. So," she pulled out the clipboard and showed me with us. It was a neatly scanned grid with Name, Trainer, Trainee and Time In / Time Out. "Like I will write down my name here, place an X under trainer and write your name here, and then the time we started. Your name goes here, X under trainee, and my name here, and again with the time. Just leave it blank if they are doing regular work. This way it's easily modified, if someone goes to get trained while the other person is out, they will call and we can mark the time."
"Sounds easy," I said, as she placed the clipboard back up on the thumb tack and logged into the computer. The background was a white and grey with four pictures of Alex on the side, making funny faces with a pattern in the middle with a large full color Alex Gaskarth in a pretty font in the center. Now I was starting to worry for her sanity.
I twirled around in the chair for a bit and looked at her work space. It was actually neat. There was a calender under the flat screened monitor, and some dates scribbled on it. A black pencil holder was full of colorful pens and patterned pencils. There was also a picture of her and her parents in front of the great wall of China and another of her old grey cat that had passed before she moved here, Bootsie.
"Not much to do here. I mostly just play games. But sometimes Amy has me file things. You know how to do that, right? We did that in school together."
"Mmhmm. Does she have you do a lot of errands for her? Coffee or anything?"
"Sometimes. I also do the sweeping and mopping, cleaning out the fridge. That's when this baby comes in hand," she had pulled out a headset and called a few numbers on the phone, and the headset rang as she pressed a button. Clipping it to her pants she put the headset on and smiled, "Now I can go wherever I need and not rush to the phones."
"That's pretty awesome. When did we get those?"
"When you were cleaning Alex's house."
"Fancy," I said. Really was.
As the day wore on, there was nothing really special going on with anyone. A few people clocked out to do their cleaning, and a few were talking to me about how they never got to congratulate me on my boost for the company, and how I was. I hid all the minor details of casually seeing Jack and just gave a general "I'm good, thanks. Thank you, I appreciate it" kind of thing.
It was nice to see everyone again, but by the afternoon, I was tired and ready to eat something. "Allison, do you want to order up a pizza or something? I am starving."
"Yeah, that'd be cool. What do you want?"
"I don't know. Something good."
She called up a pizza place and ordered a large pepperoni with sausage and onions. "It'll be ready in 20. Did you want to go?"
"Mmm... Sure, but I can't guarantee that the pizza will be here when I get back!"
She chuckled as she handed me a pen and I walked around, signing myself out. Under reason, I put getting food for Allison and I's stomach and waved to Allison, walking out and getting into my car.
I checked my purse for my debit card and nodded. While I was out, I might as well get my car cleaned. It was looking awful.
I went through a quick wash and wax that was right around the corner and paid. $25 for a car wash was a bit absurd, but totally worth it. Then I drove to pick up the pizza.
Grabbing my keys, I got out and locked my door. This part of the neighborhood wasn't the best, but it made some yummy pizza. I walked in to see a young girl, who must not have been over 19 years old working the register. "How can I help you today?" Her head never left her register.
"Uh, pick up for Manning, please."
"20.38," she said then she finally looked up. "Oh my god, I know you."
"You do?" I was slightly confused, and kind of scared.
"Yeah! I take break, like, right after I get you your pizza. Can I take a picture with you?"
The creep meter went up and so did the scared and confused meter. "Sure?" I said slowly.
"Here's your pizza, and your change, hold on. Let me go clock out!"
I stood by the counter with the pizza on it and waited. It smelled so good and it was hard to not eat a slice or two while I waited. She came back out, no apron but a black and white All Time Low shirt on. Now it all made sense. I need to stop going to places with teenagers.
"Ready?" She got out her camera phone and I smiled my best pretty smile I could, being really awkward. She took the picture and looked at it. "Thank you so much. You are the best!" She jumped a little as she gave me a hug.
I was worried at what would happen to the picture, but I guess I couldn't stop it now. I couldn't stop it before it even began. I hope this doesn't get around to Jack.
I left and drove straight to the office before anyone else saw me. Walking in, I checked back in with a cute smile face with a note Got the food.
"Finally," Allison said. "I'm starving! Open it up!"
The smell over took the office as I went to the kitchen to grab a couple plates and came back, to see Allison already feeding herself. She wasn't kidding. She took the plate, and not a second sooner, a large sausage fell onto it. "Oh, Amy said that she's going to be here all day so she can do some training and run the desk after lunch. We got lucky."
I nodded, eating my hot pizza and almost choked from excitement. "So this girl that was running the register recognized me."
"She did? How?"
"Well, there was a few pictures of Jack and I out on our date floating around Chitter. And god knows how many other places. Must be the only reason. She was wearing an All Time Low shirt."
"Well, you are already a celebrity and no one knows your name. How fancy are you?"
We finished up our pizza and Amy came in. "If I get some of that pizza, you girls can leave for the day if you want."
"Deal," Allison said. Did she really not like what she did all day?
She took off her headset and placed it on the desk as I got up and moved out of Amy's way. For being as hungry as I was, that one large piece of pizza filled me up.
We headed back to our rooms and gathered around Allison’s computer. "So, Alex Chitted about the show again. Said that the way they're doing the tickets are first come first serve. The tickets are going to be sold at the store, and no one can line up until 4:00 pm. There's only about 250 tickets, so we really have to go early and get a parking spot."
I nodded and laid back, thinking about how easy her job was. There was no major lifting. No serious chemicals to deal with. I would love a job where the most I could get was a paper cut. But the grass was always greener, right?
"Jack Chitted about you today," she said, breaking the silence.
"What did he say?"
"Oh, something about missing someone dear to him. Or was it finally finished that dare? Hmm..."
"WHAT?!" I screamed. "Check it. Go. Check. It. Now." I leaned in closer, practically shoving her out of the way as she went to Jack's page.
"Oh, here it is. Missing that deer @AlexAllTimeLow dared me to kiss. Furry bastard."
"Is that suppose to be about me?"
"I doubt it. Alex replied with @JackAllTimeLow -- That was 3 years ago. Let it go already."
I sighed and looked further down. "Had fun. Wish there was more time." Not too long after I had left the other day.
"I think I'm going to draw, Allison. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, have fun!"
I went to my bed and took out my big paper from under my bed, a pencil, sharpener and my charcoal. I grabbed my iPod out of the desk and put in my headphones.
Hours passed and I finally finished my picture. It was black and white of a couple placing a hand and a head on the wall, while their hands wrapped around with laced fingers. The overall feeling was a dark feel but under laced with hope. It was how I felt with Jack. There was something between us, but we weren't separated. It was a feeling I could not shake. Even while I was in my own thoughts, he always seemed to come through.
It was late, and Allison was already passed out as I checked my phone. four messages. All from Jack.
Hey. Gotta talk to you.
Hope you get this soon. Something I need to tell you.
Call me when you get this? Please?
Hope you aren't too busy.
The last one made my heart drop. Allison was going to want to hear this.