1

                                    

                                          
How do you feel? That is the question
But I forget you don't expect an easy answer
When something like a soul becomes initialized
And folded up like paper dolls and little notes
You can't expect a bit of hope
So while you're outside looking in
Describing what you see
Remember what you're staring at is me 

                          
- Through Glass (Stone Sour)
                          
_________________________

                          
"Hey, Kaelyn? How do I look?"
                          
I turned around in the small office, just to see one of my friends, Lia, spin around herself to present the new outfit. Well, outfit isn't right. It was just her new working clothes she was in - she was suddenly promoted after our old manager quit his job out of all sudden. Though I was a bit jealous I was delighted for Lia, she deserved it somehow. Of course - I could have done this job, too, but my employer didn't like me that much. Maybe that was because, in fact, she is wearing such a low-cut neckline. At least it would explain why she's getting everything from him while I am just getting his attention after I'm doing something wrong. He was a total douchebag and I wasn't able to stand up against it because I was scared to lose my job. Whatsoever - I was payed well enough. And me and my brother, whom I was living with, needed every cent we could get, so I had to deal with it. I thought of all the kids that quit their jobs here after a week. They had no backbone. But I do have one.
                          
"Looks great. The new color fits your skin!" I joked and made her laugh.
                          
"Shut up, girl," she flipped my side and placed a hot, steaming coffee in front me.
                          
"For me?" I asked and she nodded.
                          
"Sure. I didn't know how to thank you. After all, I got this job just because of you and never really thanked you for it. I know a damn coffee will never be enough to make this up, but I thought it might be a start."
                          
I looked at her seriously before I started grinning. Yes, she might have gotten this job thanks to my pleading to the boss, but it was her who worked hard enough to stay.
                          
"Aight, jerk."
                          
She laughed again before she turned on her heels and went into the lobby's direction.
                          
"Break is over. See you in five, Kay," she exclaimed and I called a "sure" after her.
                          
I then leaned against the small kitchen unit that framed the sink and took my coffee. It was winter and freaking cold outside, New Year just went by so the diner was ruled by that post-Christmas-atmosphere you can feel everywhere in January. While watching the snow falling through the diner's window, I grabbed my jacket and decided to smoke outside. I know that it isn't healthy and all, but I just liked it and it helped me to get through my shifts. With my coffee still steaming in my left, a cigarette in my right hand, I ended up in the cold white and inhaled deep breaths of nicotine. The diner wasn't open yet, but soon it would be. I had to hurry up. Taking big sips of the hot, brown gold, I finished my cig and went back inside when I saw the first customers drive onto the parking lots. I took a look at my clock. 5:30 AM, the diner would open in about half an hour. Plenty of time, actually, but I had to check all the tables to see if they were cleaned up and set. I hopefully glanced into the kitchen to spy if our cook Danny had already arrived. He was always late and I grew tired of finding excuses for our guests. Asking myself why he wasn't fired yet (well, no other cook wants to work in a small diner on minimum wage if he might deserve better) I joined Lia, who was already checking everything and brewing some coffee. 
I sighed, not knowing what to do but not willing to get trouble by just standing around like a silly again, so I ended up running alongside my new manager uncomfortably. I worked as a waitress in here and my shift would be the same as always: from the early morning until the late evening it would be on me to take orders, bring food and drinks, argue with guests about the bill and prove over and over that I could handle all this shit. And that's, for god's sake, for minimum wage, as I said before.
But, as always, when those thoughts crossed my mind, I reminded myself on how well I was  actually doing. I mean, I had got an appartment - with my brother, though - in which I had a more or less filled fridge and a comfy bed. What more would I want after all? 
"Waitin' for the first customers?" Lia asked watching me from the corner of her eye while laying some menu cards onto the last table on her round. She knew excactly what I was about to do: hiding from our boss while seeming occupied with loads and even more loads of work. Just that it wouldn't work without any customers, and we all knew that.
                          
"Mrs Walker, could you come into my office for one second?"Seems like I failed.


                          
__________________________
                          
"What did he want from you?" Mike, Danny's replacement for today asked when I left Mr. Green's office.
                          
"Uhhm, just the normal stuff... telling me I should work more and stand around less. I... don't know," I answered casually tugging on my sleeve and shrugged. We had a break after the shift's first half and he and I were outside smoking a cig. Mike was in his mid-twenties, had thick brown hair and eyes, some stubble at his chin and was nicer and especially more reliable than Danny. I liked him, he was a friend of mine since I had no time to go out and find some at other places than my working place. Much to my regrets, it was Danny who got most cooking shifts, and I couldn't stand this guy at all. Okay - we all knew he got some issues, but all of us were able to hide or at least keep them out of our work, so he could at least try to do the same. Apart from this, he was just like my boss. A smartypants knowing everything while burning all the burgers and failing to even cook one proper meal. I didn't know why we had some regular customers. But I bet they just waited for the few days Mike was in charge of the kitchen.
                          
"Ah, you know how his mood changes every minute, I bet he's already forgotten 'bout everything he's said. He just needed to piss off someone. As usual," he spoke while exhaling some smoke through his nostrils. I nodded in response and put away my cigarette after deciding to go back inside. I would have to eat a bit if I wanted to make it through the second half of my shift, so I gave a sign to Mike and he followed me. He made some bacon for the both of us and we sat down at a table in the diner's corner. It was my favorite place in there. Not just because Mr Green wouldn't spot me from where he entered the lobby through his office, but also because you had the best sight of the snowy landscape outside. Especially in the evening, while it got dark, it was nice to watch the streets in front of the little restaurant. Dimmed light illumined the little snowflakes flying in the wind, they looked like dancing crystals in the cold air. I liked that atmosphere and loved it to go home through it.
But for now I would have to work until I could finish here. It was only 2 PM and my shift would end around 10. Eight hours left. I sighed inwardly and stood up after Mike and I finished our chit chat over the meal. I thanked him and helped to clean the dishes before I excused myself and went to the staff's room in the back of the building. A quick glance into the mirror told me that my working clothes were still neat and clean so I had no reason to change. I hated that damn uniform, but I had - as always - no choice but to wear it. While I left the room, Lia entered and I nodded at her with a smile on my face before I went back to work. Today was a day like every other... at least until now.
                          
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Finished the first Chap, wuh ~ 
Sorry for grammar mistakes or this boring chap at all, you know I have to introduce the character and stuff...
Don't know if I'll be able to update regurlary but I'll try
Feel free to critique / comment or vote ^^ I hope you enjoy.
Cheers x