labyrinth Δ harry styles

Door One: Exchange

A MILLION AND one things were all happening at once.

It was one of the busiest days of the work week, with a line out the door, the phone orders off the hook, and the delivery orders nearly having a two hour wait time.

Thick burgers flipped on the grill with a sizzling pop, and fries crisped under the scalding hot oil. The lingering odor of fried fish practically intoxicated everyone's nose and stuck onto their backs like glue.

"Behind you!" and "Hot stuff!" was the only communication between the cashiers and the cooks because one step back could either burn you, or send you tripping over the person quickly speeding to the oven to bake the raviolis.

She could argue that because she was in the heart of Boston, the restaurant was always busy, but Indira knew the difference between a Sunday and a Friday. Sunday's were agonizingly slow, but Friday's were the days she dreaded the most. It's been nearly three years since she was cashier, but somehow she still managed to screw orders up, whether that was forgetting to tell the kitchen to toast the sub roll, or to cook the burgers extra extra well done upon the customer's request.

Indira took a good long breath after handling the last customer in the line, then thanking him as he left a crinkled green dollar in the tip jar.

She jolted in her spot before she could lean against the counter because her coworker, Juniper, slammed the phone against the holder.

"Are people fuckin' idiots?" She inquired with a hand on her hip and a raised eyebrow.

What now? Indira thought to herself. Indira didn't even bother questioning her because she herself has had a fair share of overly complicated orders.

Indira glanced at the caller ID on the screen and snorted when she saw the name. She was glad she didn't take that phone order this time because she was sure she would absolutely lose her last sliver of sanity.

"What did she say?" Indira asked with a sly smirk.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you she asked if meat comes on a meat lovers pizza," Juniper rolled her eyes again. She ran her hands through her short bobbed hair, then stuck a clip into it to get it away from her diamond face.

"Oh I believe it," Indira said after sharply exhaling from her nose.

As much as she hated the rush of Fridays, she favored how much quicker time flew by. Even though this job was Indira's only source of income, she's never taken it as serious as she probably should have. She often found herself gossiping a lot with Juniper just to pass the time, which—to her—was way better than taking orders from ignorant customers who didn't know the difference between a chicken cutlet, and a chicken parm.

"Indira, is order number 74 here?" Luca, her coworker asked, simply inquiring if the customer was in-store or not because apparently he had already called the number out three times.

"Not sure," she answered him. Luca, in her eyes, was beautiful, with bright blue eyes, fine dirty blonde hair, and plump lips like no other. Indira wasn't good at being subtle, so she couldn't help but gape at him like he was a model. He is a model, her subconscious adds.

"I think they might have stepped out," she added. "I'll just put it on top of the oven." After Luca handed her the items, she bit the inside of her lip and did exactly what she just told him.

Juniper waited until Luca was out of earshot before she confronted her.

"Are you two going to date or what?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Juneeee!" Indira emphasized while staring at her wide eyed, thinking that Luca might have overheard.

"Don't June me," she said while picking up the ringing phone to take an order. Indira glared at her coworker with squinted eyes as Juniper tapped at the buttons on the screen.