Damien ✔️

First Day

Mia was the last person to finish her breakfast the next morning, she was still mulling over her new position at the bakery in town. She played with the remaining milk in her bowl, a pout placed on her lips as she began to grow anxious at the prospect of interacting with people.

Socializing.

It was a routinely task for many, but to Mia, it was a foreign act. She knew that she wasn't very good at making friends, the lack of sleepovers and late-night phone calls was proof enough. She didn't consider herself socially inept, per say, yet she couldn't help but admit that she had a mere case of social anxiety.

When Mia finished watching the milk drip from her spoon, she got up and collected 2 more empty plates while making her way to the kitchen.

It was Mia's job every morning to clean up after the children when they finished eating breakfast. It was a logical decision, as she was the oldest child in the house and subsequently, the only one that was trusted to not break the delicate china. She made several trips to the dining room as she collected the dirtied dishes and finally finished washing up close to an hour later. Letting out a tired huff, Mia dragged herself upstairs and collapsed onto her bed, her daily chores reminding her why she hated mornings.

Her thoughts took over once again and her heart plummeted when her new position as a "baker" came to mind. Mia chewed her lip in angst, her fingers trembling as tears glossed over her eyes, threatening to spill over. She repeated a mantra to herself quietly in hushed whispers.

"Stop it Mia, you're a big girl. You can do this."

Her words of motivation seemed to work, as the tears that wet her eyes dried out and the lump in her throat disappeared with it. After taking a few deep breaths, she found her way to Andra's office at the end of the hall opposite to her room and she knocked twice before hearing the invitation to come in.

"How are you doing Mia?", Andra questioned.

She saw Mia's discomfort instantly; it helped that the child was an open book when it came to her emotions.

"I'm okay", Mia replied. Her words sounded foreign on her tongue, as if it knew that what she said wasn't true.

Andra looked at Mia with guilt ridden eyes. She started to second guess her decision of throwing Mia to the sharks, although it was meant to simulate ripping off a Band-Aid. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind once she reminded herself that this was for Mia's benefit and although the method was unsettling, it was necessary. She decided to ease some stress by relieving her of a task she assigned previously.

"You don't have to worry about getting clothes for Sam anymore. I've got that handled."

Mia nodded, a weightlifting off her shoulders, although an additional one remained.

"I-I," Mia cleared her throat before continuing. "I just wanted to know when I would be starting...when my first day would be"

Andra replied carefully, maintaining eye contact with the skittish girl to gauge her reaction.

"I told her you would be good to start today at 3"

Mia's eyes widened, her bottom lip finding its way to her teeth once again as anxiety latched onto her nerves. She replied in a whisper, her response almost lost in her breath.

"Okay."

Mia looked down as she spoke, and tears surfaced at the news. She turned and walked out of the room, this time not being able to contain herself as the salty fluid dropped to the floor in her wake.

~

Damien rolled around in bed, still wrapped up in the sheets, despite it approaching one o'clock. He couldn't find it in himself to get up, knowing that his usual routine of negotiating payments and contracts with dealers awaited him. Eventually he got out of bed, standing to his full height of 6'3 as he stretched his muscled body. Damien made his way to his closet and threw on a white long sleeve with ripped black jeans, completing his look with timberlands. He brushed his fingers through his hair messily and pushed the sleeves up to his elbows, not bothering to glance in the mirror before exiting his bedroom.