After school I went home and remembered how hungry I was.
I have my own cabinet of food, but it's only foods for when I have emergencys and have to eat something or I'll die. I took all the rest of Jacksons food which was 2 bagels left in the packet he had, but at least it was something.
This wasn't going to last me at all!
I needed to get a job and quick. But what was I good at? There aren't many walking distance jobs. Especially jobs in Dropper but I'm sure I could find something at the Dropper Dollar. A supermarket where everything is a dollar.
I put my backpack down and played with Egypt until she got bored of me and walked away. Then I decided to bring action to my situation.
I started walking up the dirt road when I saw Vinny and Tyler pulling up. They stopped next to me weirdly looking at me.
"Are you getting the mail or something?" Vinny asked.
"No, Im going to the Dropper Dollar to look for a job." I told them.
"You're 15." Vinny said bluntly.
"Uncle Vinny, just let the twig go. We need to cut up that wood before Israel gets back." Tyler suggested.
"Alright son. See ya later Princess." Vinny told me.
"Bye." I said rolling eyes and purposely kicking Tylers motorcycle wheel which made him grunt quietly to himself.
I walked up to Dropper Dollar and saw Mrs.Granger helping a customer.
After the customer I walked up to her and she looked slightly stressed.
"Hello Victoria!" She said smiling at me.
"Hey there Mrs.Granger. I was wondering if I could ask you a question."
"Of course dear, but I need to go put in some more water bottles on isle 10." She said and I followed her to the back of the building holding all the supplies.
The store was small with only 10 Isles but the back area was pretty large to me.
"Here let me carry that." I told Mrs.Granger grabbing the water bottles with all my strength.
"Thank you dear, my back isn't what it used to be." She laughed.
We both walked to Isle 10 and I put the water bottle container on the shelf.
"Now we need four more." Mrs.Granger sighed.
"Mrs.Granger?" I asked about to start my question.
"Oh yes, sorry Victoria. What was it you wanted to ask me?"
"Could you hire me to work for you?" I asked seeing her face look more intrigued. "I can stalk shelves, I know how to count money and change, I am an amazing cleaner and with the step latter I saw back there I could probably reach the top shelf in here!" I suggested.
"Give me a reason." She ordered. Obviously I already gave her a purpose but she needs a REASON as well? Well, I guess I could just tell her the truth...
"My dad wants me to start paying for everything myself."
"I would love to hire you sweetie but I can't have you working a full day and Im not going to be the reason for you getting a lack of sleep so you might want to get a second job to even earn enough money for anything. I would only have you work 4 hours and not even everyday. You would get 7 dollars an hour, on good days, because even I don't earn enough. I can barely sustain myself." She told me and I nodded for her to continue.
"I would have you work 4 days a week, 7 dollars an hour, 4 hours a day. Sweetheart you would make what like 112 dollars a week? Thats not enough for insurance, food, clothes, etc." She told me.
"So I need another job as well?" I questioned.
"Yes, but I would love to start you off here."
"Thank you!" I smiled to her.
"Ma'am, do you have any Vanilla extract left?" I heard a familiar cowboy-ish voice.
"Oh, yes young man I think we do. Let me go check in the back. Victoria keep this man company for me please." She smiled and weirdly winked at me before leaving.
"You're the medicine girl, right?" He asked.
"Yes, and you're Rusty, the medicine boy?" I smiled at him knowing too well who he was.
"You said you were looking for another job?" He asked me amused.
"Yes, I am." I told him, weary of what he was proposing.
"Well, I live on a farm in Lonsdale a little ways from Dropper and Phoenix, and my family is looking for some help." He smiled at me.
"Are you offering me a job there?" I asked.
"Yes, if you would like it. Its only me and my 2 other brothers, Austin and Justin. We would just need help with a couple things and we pay pretty well im sure." He suggested to me.
"I would love too, thanks for the offer!" I smiled excitedly.
"I would need your number, and a time that you can come and meet my mama and dad. Then i'm sure they will give you the job."
Smooth farmer boy, smooth. Anyways, I gave him my number and we decided that we would meet tomorrow on Saturday. Which is my birthday, i'm turning 16 but it doesn't matter because hopefully everyone will forget.
I went back home and told Vinny and Tyler about my jobs. Tyler reminded me that I have never even stepped foot on a farm but I ignored him.
"What are you guys talking about." My dad questioned walking in with Nick, Willie, Marco, and Dylan behind him.
"Your little girl got a job."
"Well it took long enough." My dad said rolling his eyes.
"Wait till you find out what they are." Tyler mumbled in his emo deep voice that girls at my dads shop loves and it's hilarious to see them change their poise because Tyler has a deep voice.
Cracks me up every time.
"Why?" Marco asked.
"She needs a job Marco, she can't just always live off of me." My dad said.
"Israel, she is your daughter and is 15." Nick said.
There was a knock on the door and Dylan walked over answering it.
I heard Josiah's voice asking "Who are you?"
"Crap." I mumbled getting up from sitting next to Tyler since that was the only seat Vinny's feet weren't on.
Tyler chuckled because he knew I hated when they came over because Josiah didn't know who any of them were, and I tell Josiah almost everything....almost.
I pushed Dylan away from the door and looked Josiah in the eye.
"Why are there 6 men in your house?" Josiah asked.
"Uh, well, they are my dads friends so.." I mumbled incoherently.
"So is he your boyfriend?" Tyler yelled from where he was seated loving his life in that moment.
I glared at him.
"No Tyler he isn't. He is my friend." I stated.
"Invite Josiah in Victoria. We are ordering Chinese food and I guess you can share with him or something." My dad said doing something in the kitchen.
Ugh, no.
"Why my food?! I obviously need it most!" I yelled back.
"Because your too small to eat all of it and always waste it!" My dad countered winning the argument in his eyes.
"No, it's my midnight snack." I mumbled.
"Come in Josiah." I said with a blunt slightly irritated expression.
I returned to my seat and watched Nick observe Josiah very closely.
Josiah just stood by the wall staring nervously at all the 6ft tall buff men surrounding the house.
"Why did you come here in the first place,boy?" Willie asked taking a drink from his beer.
"I came here to bring Viki the notes she asked for from Anna in Math class."
"Why would she need notes?" My dad asked suspiciously.
"I guess she was not paying attention." Josiah responded a little calmer towards my dad, probably because he has known him since he was like 3.
"Huh." He mumbled going back to the weird craft he was fiddling with.
"Who is Anna?" Dylan asked.
"Um, she is Viki's and my friend. She couldn't bring them because she had to go to gymnastics class so I offered to take them to Viki." He explained.
"Why couldn't she just bring them to her at school?" Tyler asked.
"I don't know." Josiah said looking at me.
"We forgot about it and she just texted me she would bring them to me when I left." I explained.
The room was silent again besides the strange whispers and the gross drinking sounds before the door was knocked on again.
Tyler got up and answered the door paying in cash and signing his name before grabbing the 3 bags of chinese food and bringing it to the kitchen to my dad.
We all ate. Josiah and I split mine and once Josiah left the talking bursted back up again and I finished my homework before getting ready for bed and going to sleep, remembering the utter confusion on Josiah's face and the humiliation of tonight.
Hey y'all. I haven't put a note on one of these for a hot second. I just wanted to say that you are a little less than halfway done with this book. I know, I know that is a lot of chapters, 35 to be exact if anyone was wondering...well if my calculations say so, things might change who knows. Thank you to anyone who has gotten this far in the book it means a lot. I wanted to assure you that the chapters get more interesting from here. All filled with phycos, bread, and bruises. Enjoy
All regards Lillyw2