The First to Fall ⚢

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 • 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧

I didn't expect to hear back from that coffee shop application so quickly, but as soon as last Wednesday rolled around, I had an email asking me to join a virtual interview the same day.

Of course, I was shitting bricks just thinking about having to interview for a job, but I did everything in my power to seem as confident and competent as possible. And I guess I did a good job, considering they emailed me back the next day with a full job offer.

After I completed the hour of online training the same day, as well as finishing the Food Handlers course to acquire my certificate, I was finally ready to start working—and only after two days of applying. So now, not even a full week later, I'm waking up for my first day on the job. If only everything could be this easy.

Except now I'm starting to regret it since the only shifts I can really work are the ones before my late morning classes, which means I'll be spending the next year at Barington waking up at four o'clock in the morning every day. Hopefully the satisfaction, or at least toleration, from my mother will make it all worth it.

After spending thirty minutes making sure I don't look completely dead inside, despite only getting four hours of sleep, I quickly get to the coffee shop just ten minutes before five AM, where the door to get inside is locked.

I try peeking through the window to see if anyone is inside but my line of sight is incredibly limited. I try knocking on the door instead, where I thank a god I don't believe in when I hear footsteps approaching. But when the door opens to let me in, my smile falters as I see who's on the other side.

"Hey, new girl," she says with that charming, devilish smirk. Sasha. "Come on in."

She opens the door wider and steps to the side, allowing me to pass by her and into the comfort of the coffee shop. I expect to instantly smell the alluring aroma of fresh coffee beans and brewing espresso, but the scent is so light it's almost nonexistent. All of the lights aren't even on and the tables still look used from last night. My aesthetic barista dreams are crushed as soon as the idea of this picture perfect café exposes the reality that it's just another workplace.

"Welcome to your first day on the job," Sasha says behind me, reminding me that she's also here. I turn to look at her, still not believing that she, of all people, is my boss. And the only reason I know that is because of the big, bolded "Assistant Manager" typed right above her name on her metal name tag.

I'm not sure why I dislike her so much, especially since our only interactions thus far have literally been compliments to each other, but something about her rubs me the wrong way. The way Cara described her yesterday just gives me bad vibes and I am more than certain that I absolutely cannot trust her.

"Have we met before?" Sasha suddenly asks me, and I freeze as if she's caught me thinking about her. I consider telling her the truth but then I decide it's better to just shake my head.