*Edited*
When I got home after school, I immediately collapsed on the couch. It had been a long day and I couldn't wait until it was over.
I shut my eyes, thinking I could squeeze in a couple minutes of sleep before I had to start homework.
I should've known that that was impossible in my house. The sound of my parents' footsteps in the living room had me cracking an eye open. They each took a seat on the couch opposite mine and gave me a stern look.
My mom took a deep breath and said, "Your dad and I have been talking and..."
"Oh God, please don't tell me this is another one of your 'life lessons' because I was really enjoying that nap," I groaned.
My dad gave me the look and I shut up. I sat up and raised my eyebrows at my parents.
"We've noticed how much time you spend on your computer or whatever it is that you do up in your room, so we decided that you should get a job," my father said.
I sat there, gawking at them for a full minute before I found my voice. "Are you serious?"
My parents looked at each other, then back at me. My mother nodded. "You can do anything you want with the money you earn. It's unhealthy the amount of time you spend holed up in your room all day."
"Ugh! Fine!" I said, storming up to my room. I couldn't believe my parents were making me get a job. A job! I was so clumsy all the time, I had no idea how I was supposed to function properly if I had a job.
I crashed onto my bed and pulled my cellphone out of the pocket of my red skinny jeans. I dialed Uriah's number and pressed the phone against my ear while it rang.
"Veronica? What's up?" He asked, making me instantly relax once I heard the sound of his voice.
I played with the frayed edge of my sweatshirt as I answered him. "Hey, Uriah. Get this: my parents are making me get a freaking job."
"Don't worry, it's not like that's the end of the world-"
"But it is!" I whined.
Uriah laughed. "You'll be fine. It's not that bad having a job. I've worked at grocery stores a few times in the past before moving here and it was fine. I heard Starbucks is like the only place hiring around here, though which is why I don't have a job at the moment."
I made a face even though he couldn't see it. "Ew, Starbucks. I wouldn't have the first clue as to how to make any of the drinks," I said, making Uriah laugh again.
"You'll learn. Plus, they'll teach you. Maybe you can just work the cash register and take customers' orders instead of actually making their orders."
He had a point there. "Oh! That's so true. Thank you so much for making me feel better. I'm going to apply right now!" I said.
"Alright. Good luck, Veronica," he said and we hung up.
Uriah just made me feel so much better about getting a job. I leaped off my bed and went over to my desk where I sat down in my comfy computer chair. I typed Starbucks into Google and pressed search. I clicked on the website and found an online application which I filled out the best I could. I hoped it would be good enough to get me hired. With the thought of getting a job swirling around in my head, I fell asleep at my laptop.
*********
I woke up the next morning with drool dried to the corner of my mouth. Ugh, I had fallen asleep at my computer with my mismatched clothes on. I quickly showered and put on a sweater and pair of jeans before checking my email. My eyes grew wide as I opened the first email.
Congratulations, Veronica Fray. You have been hired at the Starbucks on 34 Main Street. Please arrive at 2:30 p.m. today for training. Be prepared to begin work immediately.
I had to double check that I was seeing correctly and re-read the email. Damn, that was fast. All I had done was filled out an application and bam! I was hired.
I ran downstairs and told my parents that I had already gotten a job. They looked just as shocked as I had been when I had found out. Then, I headed to school.
*******
"Hi Veronica," Uriah greeted me at my locker. He smiled down at me with his dimples and I grinned back. "Want to do something after school today?" He offered.
I shut my locker and frowned. "Actually, I got the job at Starbucks so I have to go today after school for training."
His face lit up. "Wow! Congrats!"
"Thanks, I think," I said. I wasn't that excited that I had gotten the job. I mean, yeah it had been easy and all, but I still didn't want to work.
Uriah chuckled and walked me to class. He gave me a kiss right before the bell rang and ran to get to his class before he would be marked tardy. I had a dreamy smile on my face as I walked into my least favorite class of the day. Elijah made a face as if I was crazy, but I didn't care. Uriah was so sweet, unlike someone else I knew.
*******
After school ended, I rushed over to Starbucks so I wouldn't be late on my first day. I walked up to the counter and introduced myself to the barista who had bright red hair in a bun and freckles that dotted around her nose.
"Hi, my name is Veronica Fray and I'm here to begin training. I was hired last night," I said politely. The barista whose name tag read Stephanie smiled and said, "Okay, come with me. I'm the manager, so I'll get you settled."
I followed her to the back of the restaurant to a door that said, Staff Only. She opened it, stepping inside. I came in behind her as she handed me a brown apron with the Starbucks logo and a green visor.
"Put those on and you'll be ready to go," she said.
I stood there like an idiot. "Wait, I'm going to start working like right now?" I asked to make sure because I so was not ready to start. She hadn't even trained me yet.
My heart sunk when she nodded. "Yep, all you have to do is work the cash register by taking orders and then writing the customers' names on the plastic cups to make my job easier. I'll do the hard stuff, making the beverages, until you get the hang of it."
I put on the apron and visor as she explained that to me, suddenly getting nervous. She brought me back to the front of the restaurant and quickly taught me the basics of using a cash register. It seemed easy enough, so I figured I could do it.
The bell above the door rang with my first customer. I entered his order into the machine and wrote Jacob on his plastic up. I gave him his change and handed the cup to Stephanie who made his lattè and handed it to the man.
The next customer surprised me. My jaw dropped as Uriah made his way up to the counter. His dimples surfaced at the look on my face.
"How's your first day on the job?" He asked, looking up at the menu above my head.
I shrugged. "I'm doing okay. I've only had one customer before you, so..." I trailed off.
"Ah, I see. Hmm, I'll have a double chocolate chip mocha frappuccino," he said.
"Alright, that'll be four fifty," I said as I entered his order. He gave me a five dollar bill and said, "Keep the change." Then he winked and I felt my legs go weak.
I wrote his name on a cup and gave it to Stephanie. She carried out Uriah's order and handed it to him like she had done to the previous man.
When Uriah got his frappuccino, he said, "Okay, see you later Veronica. I have to go study for a calculus test tomorrow."
I waved. "See you later!"
I found myself not minding the job as I continued entering more and more customers' orders. I got the hang of writing their names down quickly and taking their orders. It was almost time to close since it was quarter to ten. The bell rang once more as someone came inside.
I narrowed my eyes on Elijah as he walked up to the cash register. He smirked at me.
"That look really suites you," he said, gesturing at my apron and visor.
"Thanks," I said, grinding my teeth to keep from saying something sarcastic to him.
"I'll get a hot chocolate," he said.
I programmed his order and held out my hand. "That'll be two dollars, twenty five cents."
Elijah gave me the exact change and I put it in the cash register. I grabbed a cup and sharpie, positioning the tip of the sharpie on the cup without writing anything. Suddenly, I had the best idea ever.
"What's your name?" I asked.
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Elijah," he said, annoyed.
"Spell that for me, please."
Elijah visibly started to get angry. I didn't care, though. I was enjoying myself.
"Veronica! Can you get his hot chocolate for him while I start to close up for the night?" Stephanie asked me.
"Sure!" I replied, turning back to Elijah and raised my eyebrows at him. He glared at me as he spelled out his name.
Little did he know, that had all been a little show. I hadn't actually written his name on the cup otherwise that wouldn't have been any fun. Instead, I had written Jerk-wad across the top in big, bold letters.
"Thanks," I said cheerfully, "Your hot chocolate will be coming right up."
I poured hot water into the plastic cup and then some cocoa powder. I mixed it together until it was perfectly blended and handed it to Elijah with a straight face. You don't understand how hard that was for me to do. I felt like I was going to burst out laughing any second.
Elijah took the cup from my hands and narrowed his eyes on what I had written. His hand tightened around the cup and I thought for a second that he was going to crush it. He placed the drink on the counter and waved his hand in the air at the direction Stephanie had gone in.
"Excuse me!" He shouted.
I shoved his hand down and hissed, "Don't you dare."
"Or else?" He prompted.
"Or else, I'll...uh...I'll...-"
The next thing I knew, Stephanie stood by my side. I was in deep trouble.
Elijah twisted the cup around for Stephanie to read. Her jaw dropped when she saw the name I had written for Elijah. She turned to me all the while Elijah had on his stupid smirk. He was such an asshole. I hated him.
"Veronica, that is unacceptable behavior. I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to work here anymore," she said. My face turned bright red in embarrassment and anger. Elijah grabbed his hot chocolate and swaggered out the door, taking a huge swig from it as he left.
Well this was just great. My plan at getting back at Elijah had totally and utterly backfired on me. This had been my first and last day of working here. And I'd been fired all because of my "jerk-wad" of a neighbor.