Through My Window

Original Edition: 54. The Job

THE JOB

RAQUEL

Apolo, Ares and I are doing our best working the night shift at McDonald's after school.

However, I'm hating my boyfriend right now. I know. How could I? When I can hardly believe he's really my boyfriend, why does he have to be so attractive? Why does everything have to look good on him? McDonald's uniform is the most anti- sensual clothing in the world, and yet Ares looks great in it.

I grunt, noticing a group of three girls smiling at him and sharing glances while he's taking orders behind the register. I understand them, I really do, but this McDonald's has turned into a fucking circus since Ares started working here a week ago. I swear we've increased the female clientele just because of him. The manager is fascinated with Ares and I just have to watch half the town come in here every day to see my boyfriend.

I sigh, dramatically, preparing a McCafe from one of the orders. Gabo laughs beside me.

"Oh, McNuggets," Gabo still won't stop calling me that. "You seem a little upset."

I snort.

"Of course not, I'm perfectly fine."

Gabo puts his hand on his heart.

"I have been dethroned," his tone is dramatic. "I used to be the king of this McDonald's."

I burst out laughing and tap him on the shoulder.

"Idiot."

"Oh, look," Gabo points behind me to the group of girls still ordering. "Today they dared to give him their numbers."

The girls give him some papers between giggles and Ares receives them kindly, but does not smile, his expression remains cold and closed as I remember when I met him.

Sorry, but they have a lot of work to do to get to where I am now.

Gabo puts some french fries in a to-go bag, completing an order.

"I don't know why they keep coming," he says. "He doesn't even smile at them. Can you imagine if he smiled at them? We'd have a fucking ovary explosion in here."

Apolo comes out of the kitchen, looking cute with the transparent beanie over his hair.

"Or a flood."

"You're not helping," I say, preparing orders for the Drive-Thru. Apolo gives me that innocent smile he has.

"Calm down, just a few more minutes until the shift is over."

It hasn't been easy to ignore all the attention Ares has received, but I've tried to manage it as best I can. Even though we don't earn much working a half-shift at McDonald's after school, it's something. Apolo decided to work to support his brother as well. We have applied for several scholarships and are waiting for responses.

Slyly, I wait until Ares has finished attending to the group of girls and they leave before I pass behind him and whisper:

"I'm watching you."

Ares turns, with that crooked smile I love so much forming on his lips, and I feel like the queen of the world, because he smiles for me so easily, as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Watching me has always been your hobby, hasn't it?"

I know he's referring to.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"No? Wasn't  AresAndMeForever your Wi-Fi password?"

"You are not the only Ares in the world."