Parker fails a class and is forced to take a summer Shakespeare workshop. He's assigned Lexi, a fiery redhead, to get him up to speed on all things Shakespeare.
Between co-directing, her part-time job, and staying in shape for the track team, Lexi...
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The fryer oil bubbled and I watched as the donuts turned golden in the basket. There was absolutely no glory working at The Cheesy Fattened Café and I shouldn't have taken a shift this early but here I was because I wasn't able to say no.
My manager Nancy was sweet, and she knew that I always needed the extra cash. She also knew that this month I wouldn't be able to take any shifts between nine and four so that was probably why she'd offered to let me come in at six this morning to start slinging donuts and coffee to hangry morning commuters.
I wiped my brow with the back of my hand and adjusted my worker hat with a silly cartoon cheeseburger on the lid. I could make donuts with a smile. My coworker Tobias was working the counter with his usual morning charm.
I poured another cup of coffee into a Styrofoam cup and secured the lid. I pulled the donuts from the fryer and watched the excess grease drip down the sides.
It was only eight and I was already feeling the day. I'd worked a shift last night at the fryer and after my run this morning at five am my legs and back ached. I'd be back tonight for another shift again.
Nancy came around from the front of the house and piled the donuts on a plate. She smiled at me and added the coffee to her plate.
"Tracy should be here in twenty minutes or so and once she's on the line you can go early, Lexi," she said. "Don't you worry about punching out too soon. The mayor left his usual tip for the waitstaff, and you'll get a cut of that. I know you have class, and I don't usually ask you to come in this early."
I nodded and smiled. There was no need to tell Nancy that it was overly generous to give a cut of a waitstaff tip to a fry cook like me. I was grateful when Tracy showed up a few minutes later, early as ever.
I traded places with Tracy once she was in uniform and changed out of my apron, blue skirt, and blouse into my third outfit of the day. I hung the uniform up and shoved my smelly running outfit aside in my backpack to fish out a pair of jeans and a white shirt that had a few splatters of paint from painting theater sets.
I ran out the back door where my bike was parked and rode back up two blocks to campus. It was usually quiet in May after all the students had left at the end of the semester but there were a few signs of life on campus.
Several athletes ran around the track. Professors' cars were in the parking lots while their owners sat in their offices. Students taking summer courses hurried to class.
I parked my bike outside the Fine Arts building that theater shared with all the music people. I could see a few of my colleagues getting out of their cars. Dr. Tunstelle was already here. Her blue Fiat was parked right out front.
I rushed into the building and straight to Dr. Tunstelle's office. The older professor was at her desk pouring over a pile of paperwork.
"Good morning, Lexi," she said. "Are you sleeping?"
