Elise was wearing her black hair pulled back into a ponytail with some butterfly clips in the hair, which I personally thought was an ugly look for work. Not that I would ever tell her that. She's only 16 and looks matter.
Anthony I don't like at all. He's so full of himself, and all he cares about is that his shoes don't get dirty. He's always wearing some new pair of flashy Nike shoes and pushing his blond hair back out of his face. It feels like whenever he speaks; he is just trying to get a rise out of me. I guess that's just the way 17-year-old boys are, not that it was any different when I was 17.
I pull my head out of the doorframe and walk into the front section of the store to see a huge mess on the toppings' counter. Marshmallows, M&M's, Oreo pieces, and sprinkles were scattered everywhere along the counter and the floor. Elise stops laughing at what I can only assume is one of Anthony's bad jokes and looks over at me. "Hey Emma, how's it going?"
I look up from the mess. "What happened here? It looks horrible." I grab the broom from the corner and start to sweep the floor.
"Oh yeah. A group of 12 years old came by and asked for 'the works,' and you know I had to give it to them." Anthony smirked. Elise giggled at Anthony, though I'm not sure why.
"You didn't bother to clean up? It's not like it's busy." I huffed.
"No need to get all rude, it's only some toppings." Anthony said.
Elise had walked over and bang to wipe the counter with a damp rag. Not that it was really helping, she was just moving the toppings around without cleaning it.
"Whatever. When do you two clock out?" I asked.
"3... so we have about 2 and a half hours left." Elise said back.
I finished sweeping up the mess and had dumped the pieces in the trash. "Okay, great. If you guys could go mop by the tables, that would be great."

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
3 o'clock finally rolls around and Elise and Anthony are packing up to leave. In the three hours I've been here so far, I've endured Anthony's non-stop crude jokes, and Elise's giggling at Anthony. With no customers at all.
"Bye Em!" Elise calls out as the door slams behind her. I sigh. I don't like being called 'Em.'
I drag up a stool and sit at the front counter. All alone. I don't mind working alone, actually, I prefer it. I ask my managers to schedule me alone if it's possible. I actually asked for it so much over the summer. They gave me only closing shifts and taught me how to close up shop alone (for an increased pay rate, of course). It's not hard to close up the store alone, it's just shutting off the machines, mopping, cleaning out the register, and locking the doors.
I look over at the clock. 2 hours left. Starting September 1st, we close the doors at 5pm all the way through to November 1st. Then, it's closed down shop until April 20th, when the store reopens for the summer. I wonder what other part-time job I will get during the winter months this time. I usually get a job that's only hiring for the holiday season, so I get let go around late January and get about two months off before I'm invited to work back here again. It's not great when I have to fill out taxes for two jobs, but it pays my rent and that's what matters.
My thoughts are interrupted by the bell on the top of the front door chiming. I turn my head over to see the two girls from my marketing class! Oh god, what were their names again?
The one with dirty blonde hair walked right up to my counter.
"Hey! You look really familiar. Do I know you from somewhere or something?" She asked.
"Uhm. Yeah. We share Marketing class together. At school." I say back. I can't seem to meet her eyes completely. Would I turn to stone if I did?
"Oh yeah! In Deidrick's class, right? God, that class is so boring I can hardly stay awake. Right, 'Liv?" She turned to talk to the other girl.
I looked over at her. I was just then realizing this is the first time I think I've gotten a good look at her. She had a thin face and black hair that just barely reached her shoulders. Her nose sported a little diamond on the right side, and a slit in her left eyebrow that was starting to grow back in. It was a cute look on her.
"Yeah. The class can be boring, but I need it to graduate... Hey, what does the 'Supreme Fudge Lovers Bonanza' entail?" Liv asked.
"It's chocolate cream mixed up with hot fudge, brownie bits, M&M's, and hard shell chocolate on top. There's more fudge than ice cream in it." I say, completely from memory. I don't even think about what I say when it's ice cream related. It's just muscle memory at this point.
"Sounds good to me. Can I have that in a small cup?" Liv asks.
"Sure." I punch in the order on the register. "And you?" I ask.
"Mmmmm... a small vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles sounds nice." Dirty blonde girl said. Do I really not know her name? I can't blame myself. This is the first time I have ever talked to these girls.
"Sure." I finish punching the order in the system. "The total is going to be $7.85." I say.
Liv hands me a $10 and I hand her the change before I wash my hand and I begin to scoop their ice cream. The counter isn't very big, so both girls have a full view of what I'm doing, as do I, so I see them talking to each other in a lowered tone out of the corner of my eye. Finally, they stop talking and turn to me.
"Hey, you know, I don't think we've ever caught your name." Liv says.
I look up from the fudge pumper. "Oh. My name is Emma. And yours?"
"My name is Liv, short for Olivia. And this is Jessica." She gestures to her friend.
"You can just call me Jess, though. Everyone else does." Jess smiles.
I walk over to the counter and hand them both their ice creams. "Well, it's really nice to meet you guys officially. I hope the rest of the semester goes well for you both." I smile.
They both smile back and head over to the exit door. "Thank you! See you in class!" Jess calls out before they leave.
I sit back down on my stool and look at the clock. One hour and fifty minutes left.