"The Late Shift" - Part 1
By Ruby

Dear Diary… no, that's not right.

Hey Journal. Not that either.

Wasssssuup?! Uh, maybe not. Back to square one…

Dear Diary,

My summer did not start well. Actually, let me rephrase that, it did not come anywhere near how I wanted it to start out with. You could pack your bags, hop a spaceship, and fly forever and still not cover the space between what I really thought would happen and me now in my Maria-stuck-with-the-harsh-reality-of-life mode.

Damn, my pencil just broke. But I did find another one, or how could I still be writing now? Yeah, lame. I know Liz keeps a journal of all this stuff because, you know, spilling your guts onto an unbiased, unexpressive, and silent piece of paper is supposed to be very therapeutic. So I'm trying it out. It's not like I could go to the school counselor and do the whole lying down on the couch and "Let's express our f-e-e-l-i-n-g-s" kind of thing.

Back to the "In the beginning my summer sucked" deal. For one thing, I thought I would be with Michael. No, wait; make that the whole thing. This shopper is filing a complaint; may I get a refund? No, of course not. He's not a mere boy toy… but if he were just an item on sale I'd be dragging his sorry butt back to the store to get his program rewired.

Jerk. Where does he get the idea that he runs our entire relationship? Bicker here, bicker there, grope and make out in the eraser room, share a piece of licorice, survive death way too many times together… staring into his warm, serious brown eyes… kissing those lips… Damn those lips! Those soft, wonderful, caring lips that I *badly* need to feel right now. Ok. Stop. Deep breath--don't lose it Maria, those were the same ones that went "Hey, I finally say I love you but whoops! I may be a danger to you so buh-bye!"

He loves me? Oh, Michael… I want him back.

I know he killed somebody but, not to be too blunt, that sicko agent man deserved it. That guy's karmic payback was long overdue. Look at what Pierce did to Max! Liz told me over the phone what she saw when she kissed him and trust me--it's so absolutely not a good thing to hear while trying to light incenses, that burn patch is never getting off my bed spread.

I don't talk to him that much but it's good to know, and kind of awkward, that Michael still works at the Crashdown. How else is he going to get income? I think it would be better if I take the late shift, though. There would be only three other employees, including Liz, working and I would have an excuse to sleep through the morning for the next three months.

Yup, just for less communing with the customers and more sleep.

What, don't you believe me?

I swear that's all my reasons.

All right, all right, I'm a liar! What's wrong with me? Three sentences and the truth come spilling out. I love Michael, but I… I just don't think I can handle being next to him four days a week and know that he doesn't want to be with me. That he supposedly can't be with me. I want to be with him *but*… always that but… I force myself away from him.

Now what will karmic payback say to that?

***

"So how are you doing?" Max asked Michael later that afternoon as he drove up to the sidewalk.

"Fine," he answered, climbing into the jeep. He had phoned Max for a ride to work. "To the Crashdown, Captain Evans."

"Hey, if I'm Captain shouldn't I give the orders?" Max rolled his eyes at his friend's usual wisecrack display to avoid something. "Why? I thought you worked there at three."

"Maria couldn't handle. I changed shifts."


To Be Continued