Max woke up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She was lying on her flat mattress in her apartment that was still lacking furniture. Until now she still hadn't even bothered to take care of that – but for what? She hardly spent any time here. Most of the time that she was not working at that café, she spent with Sitara or somewhere painting in the park and from now on regular meetings with DedSec would probably be added to that, what she still couldn't quite realize. She checked the time and noticed it was still early, even before her alarm had the chance to get on her nerves. The construction site next door seemed to have taken care of it today. So at least she still had some time left before going to work today. She sighed and sank back into her pillow, closing her eyes and in thoughts about the last evening. Most of the night they spent there, sitting on the beach, chatted and made sure Max was up to date with the group and their plans. Did all that really happen? Did they really want her to join, even though most of the group hardly knew her? Except for Sitara of course. She wondered if they were being a little naïve, or if they really trusted each other so much, that they all trusted Sitara's judgment. Or did she actually make such a good impression in just one evening? She wouldn't even claim to have outstanding hacking skills. Of course, she had taught herself a lot over the past few years and a few actions might have been quite remarkable, but she wasn't sure whether she could keep up with the others. At least in her opinion, there was nothing she was capable of, that would justify bringing her into the team. Not that she wasn't happy about it or didn't want to join. On the contrary, the evening had been one of the best she had experienced in a very long time. She even felt really comfortable in that group to be honest. Although she just got to know the others and actually had some problems of getting involved with new people most of the time, she immediately felt comfortable around the others and a connection of some kind, she didn't know like that. Actually, she couldn't wait to meet everyone again, even if she was feeling a bit nervous about it. As much as she didn't want to concentrate on anything else right now, she first had to go to work today. At least her shift wasn't that long today after all, as she was only supposed to work for a colleague, who called in sick today. At 2pm she would finally be free again.
Max stretched and slowly got up. She was still tired, but no way she could sleep in today. After she was dressed and ready for work, she checked her phone and found one new message from Sitara:
"Hey Newbie, get in touch as soon as you're awake. We need to show you something! ;)"
She typed an answer, that she was stuck at work until 2pm, but free the whole afternoon, before she left her apartment, hoping the next few hours would pass quickly. Of course she wanted to see everything the others had prepared. Fortunately, there wasn't much to do at work today and everything seemed to be very chill for once. Most of the time there were not even customers today, so Max had the chance to rethink the evening and her whole situation again. She wondered if she would really be helpful to the team or what her job would be. Did she have any special abilities she could contribute?
"Well, are we lazing around at work?" a familiar and cheerful robotic voice echoed through the room, interrupting her thoughts. She looked up to two LED eyes, which instantly put a grin on her face.
"Never. This is hard work," Max explained. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to pick you up. I had some...business to do around the corner and Sitara told me I should bring you on my way back," Wrench shrugged.
Max looked at the clock. "So she probably didn't tell you how long I have to stay here, didn't she? I still have like half an hour left. I have to stay at least until one of my coworkers takes over," Max explained apologetically.
"Don't worry, I'm in no hurry," he replied. "And since this is a café...we can probably spend that time with some caffeine somehow." The LEDs on his mask were winking and Max had to grin again.
"So, what do you want?"
"Just some normal coffee please...I don't understand all this fancy ice-spiced-frappuchino stuff", he replied and leaned against the counter while Max took out two cups.
"Don't worry, me neither...and this is my job," Max replied with a laugh.
"Cute outfit, by the way..." he commented amused. Max just rolled her eyes and gave him some angry looks.
"I know, I know...I'm looking terribly silly, can't avoid it unfortunately..."
"Come on, it's not thaaat bad," he tried to cheer her up.
"Well, why don't you just put it on then?" Max grinned and placed their cups in front of them.
"Ah...well...it wouldn't look that cute on me though...what do I owe you?" he asked.
"Nothing, that's fine."
"No way," he looked at her skeptically. "You're probably getting way too less money for working here anyway. So I won't let you throw out your hard earned money, just because I'm annoying you at work," his eyes blinked in amusement. "Are you allowed to keep your tip?" he asked as he pulled some wrinkled dollars out of his pockets.
"Well, yes but..."
"No 'but'," he replied and thrust way too much money into her hand. "Don't even try to give out the change. Keep it, okay?"
"Thanks," Max smiled as she realized there was no point in arguing about it.
"So, how annoying is it to work here?" Wrench asked.
"Well, it's not as bad as it could be. Most of my coworkers are very nice, my boss could be more annoying, the food worse and we could have more customers. So I'm really okay with it. I had worse jobs in my life," she replied. "Unfortunately it's not that I'd have much of a choice."
"Well, I think it's all the customers that would bother me the most," Wrench stated and made her laugh.
"You can't even imagine, what I'm going through here on a daily basis. I'm not good with people anyway, but yesterday that lady came in and orders a latte macchiato without milk. Not soy or oat milk, which would have been perfectly fine, but no, she wanted it without ANY milk. I mean, how am I supposed to do that? In a LATTE macchiato? And then, they leave negative reviews and you're your boss to complain about you. I could just crush their skulls sometimes. I hate people so much," Max told, gritting her teeth. "Sorry...I'm...I'm okay now..." she added with a grin, when she noticed the way he looked at her in surprise.
Wrench had to laugh. "It's alright, I feel you...but...I just hope I'm not one of them...?" he asked jokingly.
"Of course not, but you also placed an order, I was able to make," she grinned and took a sip of her coffee.
She was watching how Wrench awkwardly had to lift his mask to drink, as she already noticed last night. She wondered why he was wearing it. If he was trying to hide something, if it was insecurity or whatever else was the reason behind it. Except the obvious facial recognition reasons of course, but there had to be more behind it. However, it was most certainly not just out of coolness. She went through enough shit herself to recognize that there was more to it than that, but also that they certainly didn't know each other well enough to ask. That would just cause some awkward situations. In addition, he was surely asked about the mask often enough. She could only imagine how annoying it had to be. Max herself hated it, when people asked her such stupid questions, especially when she barely knew them. If he wanted her to know someday, he would tell or show her. Even if he wouldn't, it would be totally fine. After all, it was actually none of her business.
"By the way, I also have a test for you now..." she changed the subject and grinned challengingly.
Wrench's eyes blinked from question marks and some confused symbols to curiosity. "Okay, I'm curious...and I'll try to be not to much of a disappointment."
"I hope so. I have some high expectations, but I'm almost sure you will pass," she laughed. "But everyone can show off some basic Wikipedia article knowledge about bands and if you really wanted to know how 'true' I am, that was a bad question on the one hand and stupid gatekeeping on the other," she said with a grin.
"Yeah, you're right, of course. I was just making a bad joke," he replied with a wink on his mask.
"I know," she laughed. "Anyway, the right attitude is much more important and interesting...that's why I want to know your opinion on The Exploited."
"Pff, what kind of opinion should I have on them? Do you really think I support them? Please," he replied almost offended.
"See, I told you, you would pass," she grinned. "But I mean, you never know. I've met enough people who don't seem to care if it suddenly comes down to bands they like...and always these people telling you that it's 'just rumors'."
"Rumors?" he asked incredulously. "That guy got a fucking swastika tattoo and is literally hanging with nazis. What kind of people did you meet?"
Max shrugged. "Unfortunately there are far too many of them. Especially here in all these parts of the US punk scene that consider themselves 'not-political'...but I have another question, if you like," she announced with a grin.
"Ok, tell me."
"Best singer of the Misfits?"
"Oh no, really? That's not fair," he interjected.
"I know," Max grinned.
"Danzig is a huuge dickhead and Graves...well he voted for Thruss, I don't think there's more to say about him."
"Yea, it's a shame. Super sad as they even make really cool music in contrast to the Exploited or something."
"I know right? I think their music is totally overrated. They are only popular because they are like...popular already. Same with Metallica and so on," Wrench agreed.
"You're right. That's also why I don't really listen to them," Max laughed as the little bell on the door rang and interrupted their conversation.
"Hey Max," greeted a woman with long, blonde hair. "Sorry, I'm a little late today," she apologized, a little out of breath. What time was it anyway? Max looked at the clock and saw that she was 15 minutes late.
"Oh, no worries. There isn't much going on today and our boss hasn't been annoying either," Max brought her up to date.
"Sounds great," her colleague replied, while she put down her bag and put on one of those silly hats, they had to wear. "Who is your new boyfriend?" she asked Max with a grin.
"Oh, that's Wrench."
"Hi," he raised his hand and his eyes blinked happily.
"...and that's Claire, one of my coworkers," Max continued.
"Nice to meet you," Claire grinned as she walked over to her behind the counter. "Hooottt..." she whispered and winked at Max.
"W-what...?" Max asked and turned around to look at her in visible confusion.
Claire looked up from the coffee maker and gave her a broad grin and nodded in Wrench's direction. "Interesting. Good to know what you're into..."
"What? No...we are not...", Max suddenly understood and tried to make it clear that she was wrong.
"Yeah, sure," Claire laughed and pushed her away from behind the counter. "Come on, get out of here, you've been here long enough today."
"Yes, but I still have to..."
"Yooouu are not going to do anything else here today. Claire interrupted her and handed Max her backpack.
"Have a nice day!", she grinned and leaned over to her. "You two really make a great couple." Of course she was whispering way too loud so Max was sure Wrench must also have heard it. He turned to them a little confused and surprised.
"Claire ...", Max looked at her with an are-you-fucking-serious-look. Wrench, on the other hand, seemed visibly amused.
"Yes, I know, I know. I'm sorry...kind of..." Claire apologized but didn't stop to smirk at her. Max didn't know how to explain they are not dating. She put on her backpack and followed Wrench to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said goodbye instead as she turned around.
"Have fun on your date!" Claire called happily after her. Max also had to grin and rolled her eyes in her direction before she closed the door behind them without an answer.
"Don't be angry...honey..." Wrench laughed and raised his arms protectively as Max punched him from the side.
"Isn't it enough that I suffer from my colleagues?" She asked with a laugh as they got into the car.
"No, you have to deal with all of us now," Wrench laughed and drove off.
Sorry for uploading so slowly here. I didn't have a lot of motivation for transating the story the last months so I rather worked on the plot and the original version. Also life was super stressful with university and corona, but I'll try to do better here! Anyway, I hope you like it so far!