I have no reason to be posting this other than I'm bored. I've got a lot of this written already and I'm hoping to have it finished soon. I hope you like it. Carol and Daryl are both mid twenties. Nothing specific about the ages other than what you'll see as I update.
"Welcome to Tastee Freeze. What can I get you today?" Carol chirped.
Her smile was fake. Her overly bright voice was and she hated the smell of grease that was sinking into her skin. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't having a miserable day. Everyone coming and going was rude today. The heat from the kitchen behind her was searing into her skin and the overly hot heat outside was making her dread when her shift was over. Even then she'd get no rest or release from the heat. There was no release from this hell.
"I'll take an extra large order of deep fried oreos with chicken strips and fries. Make both those large and a diet coke." The woman smiled at her. She had barbecue sauce already on her chin. "I'm on a diet you see."
Carol smiled at her and it was just as forced as before. "That'll be eighteen seventy three ma'am."
The woman slid the change to her while watching Carol closely. She was frowning at her. A lot of people did that. People were rude. A lot of people were worse than that and a lot had opinions they thought they could give you without you ever asking for it. Carol was also used to that. It was amazing what you got use to when you were almost to the point of begging for table scraps.
"Maybe you should eat more." The lady laughed. "Here I am trying to cut back on eating, mind you I have by half, and you're starving yourself. You look like a skeleton."
Carol's smile became brittle and she just managed to tell the woman that she looks like her diet isn't working so well. She isn't exactly a malicious person but she knows better than anyone that she looks like a skeleton. How dare this woman think to make a comment like that! Like she knew Carol's situation. How rude was it to say something like that. For all this woman knew Carol could have something wrong with her that kept her from gaining weight. Maybe she just couldn't really afford to eat the way she needed? It was a struggle enough to pay for the laundry mat without worrying about if she missed a meal or few! That eighteen dollar order of oreos would have went a long way for Carol but it looked like it was going to be one of many snacks this woman had today. She didn't know what hunger was or going without. Of course this imbecile of a woman likely didn't think like that because everything was black or white in her world. Carol lived in the shades of grey.
The woman walked off after giving her sage advice. Good. Carol clenched her jaw and looked to clock wanting to clock out now. It was exhausting being on her feet from four in the morning to five in the evening. She couldn't exactly refuse to work though. She knew her boss would have understood if she needed shorter shifts. Travis was a very understanding man but Carol needed the money. Not just for stupid frivolous things; nothing so simple. She barely made it day to day, hour to hour, and it was just getting worse. She'd worked for two weeks straight without a break and was pulling doubles when she could.
"Welcome to Tastee Freeze." Carol smiled at the next woman. The door dinged and she briefly looked over knowing that it was close to most people lunch times. Here came the rush. "What can I get you today?"
Carol diligently takes the order all the while the place gets louder. Ding. Ding. Ding. People are coming in left and right. They have happy smiling faces, children, and their significant other with them. All look so happy that it makes her ache for something she knows she won't have. It isn't in her cards. No her cards were full of rude and condescending people.
Carol looks up as the group thins while the door dings and lets out a breath just seeing two men. Her breathing slightly falters looking at one of them. He has sunglasses on and his hair is windswept. The other is slightly older than him but there is a resemblance there. Father maybe?
"Hello." the older smiles at her. It's the warmest smile she's ever seen in her life.
Carol's smile is genuine. "Welcome to Tastee Freeze, what can I get you?"
"I'll take a number three." He smiles at her and then turns to the man just behind him.
Carol follows his eyes and waits. It's clear there together. "Are your orders together?"
"No." The man that hasn't order says simply.
The other man pursed his lips at him but she could see him fighting a smile. "Are you ever going to let me pay for your food?"
The sunglasses man, "No." No malice just a statement and she can tell this is ongoing argument.
His voice is cool and passive. It grates her nerves and maybe it's the hunger from not eating yesterday or today but it bothers her. He's doesn't even smile at the genuine offer from someone to pay for him to eat. Instead he declines without even a no thank you and Carol just wants to cry. She can't remember the last time she had someone be nice to her like that. Her parents maybe? That don't seem right though either.
Carol finished ringing the first man up quickly. She looks to the clock and sees she has a few minutes till her own break. The sooner she gets out of here and gets a handle on fast unraveling emotions the better. She's so relieved she misses what he says. Carol flushes violently and looks at him. He pulls his sunglasses off the same time as his brow arches.
"I'm sorry I missed what you said." Carol falters. His look is completely neutral. "Can you repeat that?"
"I asked for the number eight..."
Carol nods quickly and rings it up. He is still standing there and she pauses. The first man has already walked away after getting his food. Sunglasses is alone and Carol grits her teeth. She has a minute before break and she needs it.
"I wasn't done." He says. That same cool voice and she feels something in her snap.
Carol flushes violently and pushes keys to make another order; probably to violently. He is watching her with almost what looks like amusement. It would have been if her temper didn't burst through. Something about his completely passive look is grating on her. That woman words from earlier are still haunting her much like this man's ice blue eyes. She wishes he'd put the damned sunglasses on because she knows something that stings. A man like this would never look twice at her because she is trash. It wouldn't be the first time she'd heard it. Her own parents didn't want nothing to do with her and the woman from earlier even reminded her of her place. A stupid little fast food worker who looked terrible. This man was gorgeous in every sense of the word. He'd been getting looks since stepping in her and he was so use to it he hadn't even noticed!
She was supposed to be on break instead of waiting on this man. "By all means…go on." Carol sneered before she could stop herself.
His eyes widened and Carol stared hard at him. "You know what cancel my order." He states simply.
She hears that he isn't mad in his voice but can clearly see she is distressed. None of this matters though in the moment. His voice was almost gentle but Carol was to annoyed to notice. Any other time she'd likely be happy that he was ignoring her rude behavior. Instead it just pisses her off because it's so obvious she's having a bad day that he isn't even being rude back. Of course he's nice! Nice and beautiful!
Carol panics slightly because a cancel order will alert Travis in his office that there is an issue. She doesn't need that! She's already gotten in trouble twice for her temper with rude customers. This man wasn't even rude. He just had the audacity to have pretty eyes and want more than just a damned number eight.
"No no." Carol waved hastily. "What was it you wanted?" She tried to smile.
He shook his head and pushed the cup she'd set out for him back to her. "Cancel it."
He turns to walk away but Carol's already made the drink that went with it. Damn sweet tea, just like a true southern gentleman. Carol grit her teeth because she can hear the back office door open when she strikes the keys to cancel the order. Carol looks over and catches Penny looking at her. Carol grit her teeth at the busty blondes smooth look.
Carol stares at the man as Penny calls to him. "Wait!" He looks over his shoulder at his name. His brow is up and Carol glares at Penny. "Did you want your usual?"
He slowly nodded and Penny smeared a winning smile over her painted lips. Carol felt her hand tighten around his CANCELED drink. How dare them! It was like everyone was trying sabotage her. She felt tears prickle her eyes and that was unexceptionable. Exhaling hard his eyes shot to her but he'd already pulled his sunglasses down, his head jerk gave him away.
"It's on the house for her rude behavior." Penny purred.
Sunglasses says nothing and Carol turns to Penny. Penny just glared at her while batting her eyes at Sunglasses. Carol tried to slide him the drink but Penny pushed it back. Sunglasses started to reach for it and Carol felt anger tear through her. He canceled on her at her register and now Penny was making it worse.
"I wasn't being rude." Carol grit out. Sunglasses snorted and Carol whipped around to stare at him. His lips are quirked. Is he laughing at her? "Something to say?" She was all in now.
"Of course not." He chuckled.
Carol grabbed the drink feeling her emotions wash over her violently. Just as quick she slung it at him. It splashed over his chest and face. The sound of the cup hitting the ground was loud in her ears. Carol's jaw fell open and she immediately panicked because what the hell was she thinking? She needed this job! He's looking down at his chest and wiping at his face. He's said nothing and maybe that's the worst thing. No outburst nothing. Carol swipes at her eyes and finally he's looking up.
"What the fuck!" he muttered.
Penny's there trying to give him napkins but he's staring at her so hard that Carol is sure his look would melt hell. Carol can't help but laugh and her head falls back. Of course today just had to get worse? The week had been getting worse and worse so of course on Friday it'd escalate! That was her luck after all.
"Are you fucking crazy?" He snarls suddenly his voice losing that passive cool quality that grated on her nerves. His accent is thick and deep.
"What's going on?" He other man is calling at the sound of his friends raised voice.
Carol stares at him defiantly. She doesn't know what it is about him that is causing her to lose her head but she really wishes it'd stop.
"I am not crazy." Carol hisses.
His words stung as bad as if he'd called her anorexic like that bitch earlier.
"Then quit acting like it!" He barks.
Carol raises her hand and flips him off. "Hope your order is to your satisfaction."
"CAROL!" Penny shrieks.
Carol turns seeing it's time to clock out and does just that. She passes Travis as she goes on her break. He smiles at her and Carol feels her chest twinge because Travis didn't deserve her assaulting customers. He was such a good man. She doesn't hear anything from the front. She is staring up at the ceiling in the break room when she hears the ding of the door followed the roar of a bike. That was the same roar she'd heard accompany both of the men when they'd gotten there. He'd left maybe? Carol could hope.