The Stringer

Chapter Two

      As my friends, of course Jason, Danielle, and Jessica ended up asking how the interview had gone. I told them I felt like it had gone well. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I felt like I would get the job.

      Without another thought, I called up my parents who were miraculously still together even after having an empty nest. "Tanya?" my mother answered, sounding surprised. "How are you?"

         "I'm fine, how are you?" I asked in return.

          "I'm good. What's going on? You don't usually call." That statement sent a surge of guilt through me.

          "I interviewed for a new job. I thought you and dad would want to hear that. It's creative design... I'm probably jinxing it by talking about it but I just wanted to tell you."

         "That's good to hear." Her comment sounded a little strained. I could almost hear what she actually wanted to say. 'You'd have a higher chance of getting that job if you had gone to college and gotten a degree.'

         Surprisingly, though, she didn't say anything like that. "Does it pay well?"

         "$45 an hour. It's pretty good if you ask me. The hours vary though, since I'd be working closely with the other people of the station. The stringers and news cast work later sometimes."

         "I hope you get the job. Do you want me to put your father on the phone?"

         "Sure." Why not? I cleared off the counter while I waited.

         "Hey kiddo," my dad greeted with that typical dad voice. I laughed.

         "I'm an adult now," I announced with triumph, like he didn't already know.

         "It's a dad thing, I know you're all grown up." He sighed dramatically.  "I heard you interviewed for a new job."

         "Yea. It was a little nerve racking but I managed."

          "Something you really want?" he inquired in a more serious tone.

          "Of course. It's art related so obviously I'll like it," I added lightly. "I gotta go do some grocery shopping, I'll talk to you later."

          "Bye, take care. Good luck with getting that job." I thanked him and bade both my parents goodbye.

  
             After grocery shopping, I decided to watch a movie. It was Mirrors, a movie my dad had once but lent it to me for the time being. It wasn't until then that I finally didn't feel the tension of the day.

          I fixed myself a bowl of popcorn and got comfortable on the couch with baggy clothes. The only thing that would make it better would be having my friends by my side.

        Occasionally, I'd zone out but I didn't miss much. Plus, I had already seen it once before but that was a while ago. The next time I glanced at the clock, the movie was over and it was almost 8. I debated whether or not to go to bed.

        Heck, I'll stay up and watch some tv. I found a channel playing some reruns of The Walking Dead season 2 so I watched that to fill the void. After 3 episodes, I decided to call it a night, hoping in the morning I would get a good call from KWLA.

            The next morning, I nearly fell out of bed. I was light headed but couldn't quite figure out why. Before anything else, I got a drink of water, guessing it would be that. I turned on my phone anxiously, hoping that I wouldn't have missed the call.