Wrong House

26: Oaklynn

        I love working. I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. But this past week has been hell, working at the cafe is a reminder of why I never worked in a restaurant. The one time I did it didn't end very well, the whole place was toxic and the managers didn't know their head from their ass. This cafe is slightly like that. The managers and other employees think that you owe them something, and the customers think that they deserve to shit on you for working in a cafe.

        "Oaklynn, you're scheduled for tomorrow night as well. One of the other girls called to say she won't be here cause she wants to go to the hockey game." The assistant manager tells me, and I have to refrain from rolling my eyes. I don't even know this manager's name because since I've he hasn't made any type of effort to leave the office. "Give me some sort of acknowledgment." He snaps.

        I debate on quitting right now, but I'm not the type of person to quit as soon as I've started. I hold on to hope that work spaces get better, but it never happens. "I already have tomorrow off to see the game. I've had it off since the schedule came out, so I made plans. I'm not comfortable with canceling my plans to let someone else see the thing I want too." I say calmly. Maybe it's a little rude, but Ivy, Levi, and I had planned to go to this week's game since last game, and I'll be damned if I'll let some puck bunny get off because she wants a jersey or some dick.

        The manager eyes me, wanting to say something, but thinks long before he opens his mouth. "Well I just gave her the okay, so someone needs to cover her shift and you're the only person who has off."

        "With all due respect, I haven't had a day off since I started working here, and I deserve one. I go to class from seven until three thirty, I work from four in the afternoon until closing, then I turn around and go home just to do more work. I get you don't care, but I am not going to let someone take my day off." I keep my tone regulated.

        His eyes fill with rage, "This is non negotiable. If you fail to accept, or accept and don't show up then you will be fired."

        I keep snarky comments to myself for now, but when I leave the review it won't be very nice. I don't plan on showing up tomorrow. I don't have to work, but I'm choosing to so I can have extra money. "Got it." I say, sweetly. The manager rolls his eyes, walking back to the office. I already know that I am not being professional, but I don't have it in me to care. I've been keeping myself busy to keep my mind busy, and that has been exhausting so when Ivy told me we are going to the game.

        Two hours into my shift, the bell above the door finally dinges, and my spine straightens ready to tend to the customer. "Hi, welcome to El Cafe. What can I get started for you?" I ask, having yet to meet the person's eyes. When I do, I let out a soft gasp, "Holland." I whisper, and his eyes fill with emotion.

        His eyes search my face for something, then finally speaks, "Hi Oak. Can you take a break? I want to talk."

        I wait a minute thinking about what my answer should be. I know that talking to him isn't a good idea, but Kane told me that he feels really bad about what happened, and all the guys have been trying to convince me to talk to him. "I'm off tomorrow, we can meet up after the game to talk." I finally answer, and he smiles with a nod.

        "Perfect. Do you want to meet somewhere? We can go to the park or something." He suggests, and I nod. "Okay, we can meet up after the game. You are going right?" I give him a curt nod, and he smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

        Holland flashes me a smile. The same smile that had me falling for him in the first place. The same smile he gave my mom and Rebel when he met him. The same damn smile that he gives me as he cleans me up after sex. I return the smile, "I'll see you then."