Monday
5:55 am
"Fuck." I mumbled to myself, looking at my reflection in the mirror.
"I really look fucked." I said more clearly this time.
I woke up late so I didn't really have time to fix whatever was going on with my face (it was a severe case of sleep deprivation and then waking up at 5 that fucked me up). After taking the quickest shower of my life, I brushed through my hair and put it up in a ponytail. I threw on some jeans and a shirt and looked at myself in the mirror. I was presentable, at least. What a great way to start off my new job, looking like I've been doing meth.
6:56 am
I pulled in a parking space and sprinted to the café. I stopped just before the door to collect myself. I stepped inside with two minutes to spare. I was immediately greeted by my boss. I clocked in and he went through everything with me before it opened at 7:30.
7:20 am
I stepped into the back room where I was told I would find my apron, name tag, and Amber. I would be following around Amber all day, learning how to do things. Sure enough they were all there.
Amber greeted me with a wave and a handshake.
"Hi! I'm Amber, and you must be (y/n)!"
"Yeah nice to meet you!"
"Well your name tag and apron are hanging up over there," she pointed to hooks hanging on the wall where all of the employees' aprons and name tags were, "and welcome to the team!"
I grabbed mine and began to put them on as Amber told me what a normal day was like. Our manager walked in the room.
"It's 7:30! You guys are late!" She said. She sounded pissed.
"Oh, I know, I was just helping (y/n). She's new. We'll be out in a minu-"
"No, you'll be out now..."
"Fine." Amber huffed. She guided me out to the counter.
"I don't get why she's so uptight. No one even comes in until around eight anyway." Amber motioned her hand towards all the empty seats in front of us.
"Yeah she was the same exact way when I first met her."
"A bitch?"
"A bitch."
Amber chuckled a little bit.
"So how long have you lived in New York City?" Amber asked as she leaned on the counter.
"Only about two months now. How about you?"
"Born and raised."
"Ah that's so cool!"
"Yeah, I guess. So why'd you move here?"
"Um," I stumbled to remember the reason I've told people before, "I don't know, just independence I guess..."
"Oh, cool. So you look like you're either finishing up college or just out..."
"I'm 24, so the latter was right. I just graduated."
"I'm 24 too. It's nice to finally have someone the same age as me."
"Yeah everyone is so old here."
All the employees I had met so far were either girls in their thirties who just didn't have their lives together, or retirees who decided to work again since they had nothing else to do.
"So you're working the same shift as me right?"
"Yep Monday through Friday, 7 till 2."
"Sick!"
The front door to the café opened. It was the first customer of the day.
12:30 pm
Amber came back to the counter from grabbing something in the back.
"Fifteen more minutes till lunch." She said as she looked at the clock eagerly.
"Did you bring a lunch or are you getting the free lunch from here?"
"I was running late this morning so I guess the free one." I replied.
"Me too. Let me just tell you right now, the boss is kinda a cheapskate, so it's not that great. Don't get me wrong, he's super nice, just, I guess a better word is frugal."
"What is it?"
"Any salad and a water from the cooler display over there." She pointed to them.
"Well that's not that bad. At least we have a choice."
Just then the bell to alert us a customer just came in rang. I turned away and went to the back of the counter to continue what I was doing so I would look busy. I didn't hear Amber take the customer's order so I turned around. There was George just sitting at the booth in the very back smiling and waving at me. I giggled. Amber nudged me and turned us around.
"You know him?" She half whispered.
"Why? Do you?"
"He's fucking Filthy Frank! Yes I do! Why'd he smile and wave? Was I staring? Oh my gosh I was staring!"
"No, he's my boyfriend Amber."
"What. The. Fuck. You didn't tell me that!"
"You never asked!"
"Can I meet him, please, please!"
She tugged softly on my shirt. All I could do was laugh. It was weird people acting like this. I just saw him as a normal boyfriend, but she saw him as her idol.
"I guess?" I said as I chuckled.
"Why are you laughing? Oh God, I'm being a total fangirl aren't I. Fuck."
"It's fine! Come on. It's 12:45. You can eat lunch with us."
"Ok, I'm just gonna go to the back real quick to grab my phone, I'll be right out."
I walked to the back of the sitting area where George was and he got up to hug me as I approached the booth.
"Hey, how's the first day going so far?" He asked as we both sat down. I sat across from him.
"It's actually been pretty chill, and just overall great!"
"Good I'm happy." He smiled.
"Who was that girl over there? The one you were talking to. She kept staring at me."
I laughed a little.
"That's Amber. She's a huge fan and I said she could have lunch with us if that's alright with you."
"Sure. I don't mind. Where's your lunch?"
"Oh, I was running late so I'm getting the free one the boss gives us."
"What is it. It has to be shit."
"I mean it's not that bad." I pointed to the salads, " It's any one of those salads over there and a bottle of water."
"Those? Those are tiny!"
"It's whatever. At least we get something."
"Here, I'll buy you a sandwhich or something."
He started taking his wallet out.
"No, it's fine. I'm done with work in an hour anyway."
"No, I'll buy you something."
He stood up and started walking to the register where another girl had just come in to start her shift. I had yet to meet her. I grabbed a sandwhich and drink for George and I and layed it on the counter. He payed and we went to sit back down. Amber came out and approached us somewhat cautiously.
"Um, hey (y/n)." She said as she waved while she was walking up to the booth.
I waved back, scooted over, and patted the seat next to me. She sat her lunch down and scooted in. She looked at my lunch.
"Woah, how'd you get an upgrade?" She laughed.
"A good boyfriend." I pointed at George.
He looked up as he was still biting into his sandwhich and smiled through the food. I giggled.
"Oh, by the way I'm Amber."
She stuck her hand out to shake George's. After he finished his sloppy bite, he shook her hand.
"Sorry about that. But yeah, I'm George. Nice to meet you."
"I'm a huge fan of Filthy Frank."
"Ah that's cool man. Thanks!"
We all continued to talk as we finished up our lunches.
2:00 pm
"Two o'fucking clock baby! You successfully finished your first day!" Amber said as she threw her arms in the air.
I think she was more excited than me about my own first day.
"Yep!" I said as I hung up my apron and clocked out.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow (y/n)."
She waved goodbye.
"See ya!"
I waved back. I turned around and started walking out, but she quickly grabbed my arm.
"Wait! Sorry, I uh, just wanted to thank you for introducing me to George today. He's, like, my idol and that was so cool! Also, thanks for being so nice about it and just overall super nice to me. You're a nice change around here."
"Well, no problem. Thank you for being so kind to me!"
She smiled and waved goodbye again. I left. I definitely found a new friend.
(A/N)
Sorry for the long wait and then you get a semi-interesting long chapter that had like 2.5 seconds of George in it, but I had to make it like that to devolop other characters that can also be prominent. Trust me, if it was all about George 24/7 you'd get bored, so just bear with me as I develop these characters in between Joji chapters! Thanks!
-Marzia