Once Upon a Stream ● dreamwastaken

chapter 5

I stared at her, mid-text.

"I have an interview!" she screamed, earning more than a few looks from other customers. "The manager of this adorable little bed and breakfast found my application after she had to fire her assistant manager. Isn't that great?"

"Wonderful?"

Brook leaned in close, lifting one hand to cover the side of her face. "Apparently, the girl was doing drugs in the kitchen freezer."

"Why do you know that?" My nose scrunched in disgust.

She shrugged. "The manager told me. I guess I'm trustworthy."

"Or she's really annoyed by it."

Brook threw me a proud smirk. "Either way, I'm a shoe in."

After lunch, I dropped Brook off at home, changed, then rushed to work for my three o'clock shift.

My manager was waiting by the back door when I burst into the diner with two minutes to spare.

"Late," he chided, glancing at an imaginary watch on his arm.

"Two minutes!" I laughed, slipping past him to clock into the computer in the office.

"I'll get you one of these days," he huffed.

"Not today, Ronnie." I showed him the punch slip, proving that I was, in fact, early.

"Go bus the tables." Ronnie ruffled my hair, chuckling as he shook his head.

I shoved his hand away to gather my hair into a ponytail. "Aye, aye, Captain!"

When I ventured into the lobby with a spray bottle and a handful of rags, I was met with eager, and loud, squealing.

"Lani!" My co-worker, Melody, threw her arms around me, sending the spray clambering to the floor.

"Hi, Mel," I choked out, gasping when she finally released me.

"Where have you been?" she pouted, flicking her braid over her shoulder. "I haven't seen you in days!"

"Studying." I bent down to pick up the bottle. "Exams are soon, so I've been working a lot of mid-shifts instead of nights."

Melody stuck her tongue out. "Boo, you bore. Nights are where it's at!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yet you're working a mid?"

"I have a date tonight." She grinned. "Boys over night shift always."

Melody followed me around the lobby as I cleaned tables, rambling about her latest guy and everything I'd missed on nights the past week.

"I swear, it was like Anna wanted to get clapped," Melody grunted after finishing her story about the least liked girl in the crew. "Even I wanted to punch her!"

I balled up the dirty rags and tucked them into the front pocket of my apron, then turned to lift an eyebrow at her. "Mel, you want to punch everyone."

She shrugged. "Everyone gets on my nerves. Except you! So, stop leaving me alone."

I smiled at her, leading her back into the kitchen. "Once exams are over, I'll be all yours."

Melody narrowed her eyes at me. "Better be! I need my rant buddy."

"Everyone's your rant buddy when you're upset," I snorted, tossing the towels into a bucket.

"False! You're the one I want to complain to. And gossip with."

I laughed at her last words. "Thanks?"