AllFreeNovel
Share Us
RACHEL
The bell on the door rings as I enter the sports store. It’s an especially nice, sunny day and I’m hoping work moves along quickly so I can spend some of it getting some great photos of campus. My plan is to grab some merchandise after work ends and meet up with Seth so he can model them for our website. A part of me has worried what work would be like today, seeing how I missed my shift. Since I did call in and Sarah said it should be okay, I figure might as well get the awkwardness done and over with today.
Sarah perks up from the counter, her eyes widening on me while I stride towards the back. I wave at her while I smile and say, “Hey!”
“Hey!” She calls back while following me to the stock room. “What are you doing here?”
I throw off my jacket and punch in my card before unzipping my bag and pulling out my tennis shoes to change into. “I’m here for my shift, why?”
“So you didn’t hear?”
I frown, pausing in unzipping my boots to meet Sarah’s gaze. “Hear what?”
Sarah sighs and rubs the back of her head. “Alright, don’t be mad at me, okay?”
“Be mad about what?” I ask while throwing my tennis shoes on the ground and crossing my arms in front of my chest.
Sarah grimaces. “You were… um… fired.”
“Fired!” I shout, my voice shrill. “How did that happen? I called in. You said it would be fine. It was an emergency.”
“I know,” says Sarah while resting her hands on my shoulders. “I didn’t do it, okay? I was totally fine with it. The store was completely dead anyway.” She wrinkles her nose in distaste. “But Joe kinda had a cow about it.”
I groan and roll my eyes. “I freaking called in. I would’ve gotten here as soon as possible but… but-”
“Shit happens, I know,” says Sarah. “But Joe complained to the boss.” Sarah sighs and shake her head. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I really am.”
I groan and grab my tennis shoes, throwing them into my bag before shoving on my coat.
“I thought you knew,” Sarah calls after me. “Or else I would’ve called you!”
“It’s fine!” I call over my shoulder.
It definitely isn’t fine. How the hell am I going to pay for rent? Or all my lattes? And my candles? I need a job. I needed this job. I pause at the counter and turn around, memorizing the little running shop that had become part of my life. I’m not going to be able to work with Seth anymore. I’m not going to be able to joke around with him while mopping the floors and he won’t tease me on my lack of knowledge on running.
Okay, I guess it isn’t the end of the world. I can get a job anywhere else on campus.
It just really sucks to find out like this.
The door rings, reminding me that I should go. I turn around and my eyes land on Joe standing in the doorway. His tall, lanky form nearly takes up the whole doorway. My eyes narrow in a dark scowl as he has the audacity to lift a hand and smile awkwardly at me.
“Hey,” he says as I stalk pass.
“Oh, fuck you, Joe,” I mutter while throwing open the door and walking briskly down the sidewalk.
I stop, not quite knowing where I’m going. I need to make a game plan and fast. Who could possibly be hiring in the middle of the semester? No one. That’s who. Ugh, why did Joe have to open his stupid little mouth? And why did the owner have to be an asshole about it?
It’s not like I flaked out on work all the time, like Seth used to. I always came early, worked hard. I even came up with new campaigns for the website to get customers in. This whole thing is absolute bullshit.
“Rachel!”
I turn around, hoping to see the owner suddenly running down the street, begging me not to leave. I defat when I see Seth, walking briskly towards me with a coffee in his hand. He stops in front of me and holds it out for me to take.
“I wanted to surprise you at the store,” he says while I take a very large gulp from the sweet latte. “Why are you out here?”
“They fired me,” I say between gulps, wishing something a bit stronger was mixed with this. Like whiskey.
Seth’s mouth hangs open, and he scowls. “What?”
