I glance around the room. I recognize the one girl that had come up to me and Elijah earlier this week, sitting next to two other girls. I don't know any of their names but at least I recognize her. There's another girl near the front that I share chemistry with. I think her name is Maddie, but I'm not sure. After looking around the room, I realize the only people I actually know the name of are Demian and Ms. Sumner. Maybe I really do need to put more effort into meeting people.
I spend the rest of the class barely focused on what Ms. Sumner is discussing, my mind waving in and out of memories from going to school with Kai. Every class, every after school event, every game we'd go to, he seemed to know everyone. I really can't be social without him. I knew many people in Friedberg, but I'd only really say Kai and Seamus were my friends. Here, I've only gotten close enough to Elijah to consider him to be somewhat a friend. Even then, we don't know each other well. I feel a pang of loneliness at that realization.
My thoughts continue like that for the rest of the day, and by the time I'm heading home for the evening I'm really missing my friends and life back in Friedberg. I enter our new house, and it feels even bigger and emptier than it had before. I wish I had someone I could call to come over, like I used to do when Mom was on business trips. But, nobody I know lives nearby. I decide that I'll go job hunting this week, so at least I won't have as much time to think about things like being alone and missing my past.
I only have period one on Fridays, so I made my way to a slightly busier part of the city to see what places were looking to hire. I'd need something part-time that fit with my college courses, and that wasn't too interactive. After wandering the city for a few hours, I'd only managed to find three promising options. Two did on-the-spot interviews and would call me if I was hired, and one requires emailing in a resume so I plan to do that when I get home. I decide to take a slightly different route home, and find myself driving through a section of the city that's clearly a bit older. The street I'm on has a few scattered shops, many clearly family-owned. I spy a large fold-out sign with 'Hiring' written in bold print, set up in front of a small shop with a hanging wooden sign. Books N Stuff. Intrigued, I park and go in. The door has a tiny bell that rings when I enter, and a guy around my age looks up from the counter, gives a small wave, and goes back to whatever he was doing. I peruse the shop and feel at ease. There's soft music playing, something classical with a lot of violin and piano, and while there are other people looking around it's quiet and peaceful.
I make my way back to the counter and swallow. "I see that you're hiring here," I mumble softly, pointing to the sign out front.
The guy looks up at me from a comic book, brushes his dyed black hair away from his face, and gives a cheeky grin. "Well, I'm not but Esther is." He hops down from his stool and beckons me, walking quickly towards the back of the shop.
I'm led into a small room where a woman is sitting at a round table, sipping tea and organizing boxes of books. She looks up and gives us a scrutinizing look. "Adam, who is this?" She asks, glancing at me.
"He saw your sign, Missus."
"Ah," she says, standing up and extending her hand to shake mine. "I'm Esther. My husband and I own this shop. We're looking for part-time help currently."
"I'm Adrian," I say quietly, shaking her hand.
Esther doesn't beat around the bush, immediately going into job details and what they're looking for in a new hire. I went over my availability, answered a handful of questions, and was brought out to do a test run with Adam. Everything moved very quickly, with Adam showing me where various supplies were, showing me the proper way to shelve new books, where to put signs and how to set up the seating areas. Next thing I know, it's 5 o'clock and I'm being given an envelope of money for my under-the-table training today, and Esther sternly telling me not to be late on Sunday for my first shift.
I decide to stop by and see Nanna before heading home, wanting to tell her the good news.
"I'm so proud of you, honey!" Nanna pulled me into a big hug, rubbing my back. "You're becoming so independent again."
I wasn't sure about that, but I suppose this was a step in that direction. I smiled at her.
"Have you told your mother yet?"
"Not yet."
Nanna's eyes gleam with delight. "Let's do that face call with her! Come on, Adrian, pull it up on that smartphone of yours."
I laugh lightly, sending Mom a call request. She answers after two rings, her face filling my screen. I turn the phone so both me and Nanna are visible.
"Amanda Rose, look at our boy all grown up," Nanna gushed, poking at my cheek.
"What happened, baby? Did you get a bo-"
"I got a job, Mom," I interject quickly.
"Congratulations, baby!" Mom beams at me, and I feel myself smiling back, my face heating up slightly.
I go over the details of the job and what my hours are expected to be.
"Make sure you're not overworking yourself," Mom scolds, still smiling. "School is your priority right now."
Nanna makes an agreeable humming sound and I promise the both of them that I'll focus on my studies and not push myself too hard.
The call was brief, but it was nice to feel praised by the two most important people in my life. I give Nanna a kiss before leaving, promising to come by after my first shift to tell her all about it.
Comments (7)
See all