After receiving the text I quickly made an excuse and left the house. I needed to make money, god knows how much but I knew it wasn't just going to be a few hundred. I had been wandering around the new town for about an hour now and now found myself sitting in a small food place; they sold burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken basically everything that was bliss in the world. As I sat picking at the pizza in front of me I saw the, what I presume is the manager, walk over and put a 'Help Wanted' sing in the window.
Today must be my lucky day.
Neglecting my slice of pizza I ran over and grabbed the sign before the guy even had a chance to do a full 180 spin, "Hello sir my name's Cameron Morgan and I was wondering if I could apply for the job?" I didn't have my CV on me so this was extremely unprofessional but I could easily give him it tomorrow.
The salt and pepper haired man turned around facing me and arched a brow, "I've never seen you around here before, you new?" His voice was pretty rough as raspy and due to the small smell of smoke emitting from him I'm guessing he was found of a cigarette or two.
Putting on my sweetest face I smiled at him, "Yes sir I just moved here to live with my dad from New York about a week ago. I realise this is probably really unprofessional given I have no CV or anything like that but I do have experience working in a restaurant. In New York I used to be a waitress at a diner and also did some waitressing at events and openings."
The manager glanced at me, sizing me up before giving me a brief nod. "Right I'll give you a go, be here tomorrow at 10AM sharp and we can begin brief training before the lunch rush. If you can't handle that you're out, but if you can I'll need your last employer's details for a reference."
Smiling giddily at him I grabbed his hand to shake, "Thank you so much, I promise I won't let you down!" The manager shook my hand and gave me a small smile before retrieving the sign from the window and got back to work. From then on I grabbed my pizza slice and finished it off before heading back home.
The next morning I woke up and got a quick shower, yesterday I noticed the workers all had on special polo shirts so knowing I wouldn't be getting one of those unless I passed all of the tests I just slipped on some black skinny jeans and a black long sleeved top. I could just put on the apron for today and then hopefully will get the shirt when I am hopefully hired.
As I went downstairs I was shocked to see my dad sitting at the breakfast table doing something on his laptop surrounded by what looked like official documents. "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be at work?"
His head rose and he smiled softly at me as I grabbed a mug and began to pour my coffee, "I decided to work from home today, no distractions and people running in and out my office asking for favours. I'm pretty behind." He was trying to joke but I didn't really have it in me to laugh along with him, especially not with the text still looming over my head. Sensing the awkward silence was about to makes to mark my dad spoke up again, "What have you got planned for today, I was thinking we could grab lunch together? Sandra said you loved pasta."
I had to try really hard not to roll my eyes- he really was desperate. "Sorry I can't today I have a job trail."
As I sat down at the opposite end of the table I noticed the look on confusion on my dad's face, "A job? You don't need one of those; if you need money for anything just ask me."
"It's a shame that wasn't the case for all those years you left mum and me struggling to pay the rent." I snapped back and I saw him physically flinch at the sharpness of my tone. "Anyway there is nothing wrong with wanting a bit on independence, I like having a job it makes me know that I'll have something to fall back on if everything goes wrong."
Also when you have bastards demanding payment.
Matthew had seemingly recovered from my jab as he rubbed his chin, "I respect that but I don't want you feeling like you need to have one, if you begin to fall behind in school don't feel bad if you have to quit. There's nothing wrong with that." I noticed he ignored my last comment.
"I used to juggle two jobs and school no bother, so I think I will be fine. I've got to go so I'll see you later." Before waiting for a response I grabbed a cereal bar and went up to me room to grab my things before leaving.
It was two hours into my training and I was getting the hang of it, the system was pretty much the same as the diner I worked at in New York and the till was pretty simple to understand. The manager, who I now know as Steve, has instructed a girl who is probably about two or three years older than me called Alexa to show me the ropes.
A group of teenagers who looked around my age walked in and Alexa gave me a slight nod telling to me to and serve them, once they were all seated I walked over to them. "Hello welcome to Donna's Diner can I get you anything to drink?" I smiled politely at them.
Individually they all gave me their orders and just as I was about to go and make the drinks a tall blonde boy with tanned skin stopped me, "Sorry sweetheart but I don't think I caught you're name."
He smiled at me, flashing me his white teeth and running his pale blue eyes across me in a way that was maybe meant to make me melt into the palm of his hand. By the smirks on the two other guys faces they certainly seemed to think that would be the affect. "Cammie. Now I'll just go make your drinks and then I'll be back to take your food orders sweetheart." Smiling sweetly at him as his eyes bulged for a second before a smirk fell back onto his lips.
As I prepared the drinks Alexa came up behind me, "You'll regret that one when school starts," I gave her a glance, "That's the popular crowd." I chuckled at the way she rolled her eyes at the word popular and gave me small jazz hands. "And the blonde surfer dude you just shot down is Josh Abrahams, Roseville's most loved golden boy. His father is the mayor and because of that everyone wants to be his friend.
"Due to your little sweetheart stunt though it should have landed you a cold glare. But it apparently he liked feisty blondes because he hasn't took his eyes off you since." I glanced around the thick curls on Alexa's head and noticed that Josh was in fact checking me out.
I placed all of the drinks on a tray and listed it up, "Well it's going to take more than a smirk and roaming eyes to catch my attention so I think I'll be good." She gave off a warm laugh and lightly shoved me in the direction of the table.
As I was placing the drinks on the table Josh asked, "So where are you from? You new?"
Nodding slightly I smiled at him and saw how the group of five were all staring at me intently waiting for my answer, "New York, arrived a week ago." Just as I was about to ask for food orders a tall red head girl interrupted.
"I love New York; it's just so edgy and magical." That's certainly one way to think about it. "Are you attending Roseville High School?" She spoke quite fast and her voice was quite high pitched. By the way her hair was styled in big bouncy curls and her face was sculpted sharply her makeup really extenuating her features I had a feeling she was high up in the high school hierarchy.
Smiling politely at her I nodded, "Yeah I'm a junior. I'm presuming you all go there?"
Josh smiled at me, his eyes meeting mine in a daring gaze, "Yep, we're seniors. Maybe we could show you a thing or two."
He arched his eye brow at me and his grin widened. I could tell he was trying to tempt me, get onto my obvious fighting back nature. But I decided to challenge him, "Yeah maybe, or maybe I could show you." I made my voice lower and slowly moved my eyes to his mouth before meeting his gaze again. "Now how about food orders sweetheart."
When I said that his proud smirk fell off his face and was replaced with a frown.
The diner was pretty empty now, the lunch rush had been and gone and the next rush would be the dinner time rush which lasted from about 6 till 10 according to Alexa. Since it was only my trail day I got to finish up now, I was just waiting for Steve's verdict. I had folded up my apron and placed it on the counter top as I smoothed out my pony tail.
Steve rounded the corner and was rubbing his hands together, "Well Cammie you handled the lunch rush well, even that slimy bastard Josh." I raised my eyebrows at him, "What? He messed my daughter around and also tried it with another one of our waitresses." I laughed slightly at him as he continued, "Anyway I also contacted your references and they seemingly love you, say you're hardworking and reliable. So I guess there is only one thing left to say."
He paused and I felt myself get really nervous- I needed this job if I wanted to pay off my mum's debt. "Well come on don't just leave me hanging."
"What size shirt do you wear?" Grinning at him and thanked him and flung my around him, he laughed slightly and patted my back before stepped away. I guess we weren't on that level just yet.
I gave him my size and then he told me my first shirt would start at four tomorrow afternoon and be a seven hour shift. Grabbing my jacket and bag from the break room I thanked Steve once more and exchanged numbers with Alexa.
Just as I was rounding the corner of the diner to begin my walk home I walked into someone, before I fell I steadied myself and looked up to apologise. Instead I saw Zach, one of Grant's friends, staring down at me. "Sorry I should really look where I'm going, all I ever seem to do is embarrass myself in front of you." I laughed at the end to try and hide the nervousness and rambling. What was happening?
Zach smirked and chuckled slightly to himself, then proceeded to rake his slender fingers through his curly mop and I had to try really hard not to stare like a lost puppy. "No it's fine I was in my own little world. What you up to?"
I was shocked that he wanted to carry on a conversation with me; he leaned against the brick wall of the diner with his black denim clad shoulder. "I just finished my trail shift at Donna's; Steven gave me a permanent job which I start tomorrow."
"That's great news congrats! You don't mess around, not even here a week and you managed to get a job."
I smiled at him softly as he spoke, his accent didn't sound like the other ones from around here. It sounded more southern. I liked it. "Yeah well there is nothing wrong with wanting a bit of independence, plus I was here last night and bombarded Steve when he put the sign up so I think he just offered me the trial to shut me up."
"You were here last night, was that when you left during the film?" His tone had changed to be full of concern and his eye brows knitted together in the most adorable fashion.
Nodding I tried to think of an excuse, "Yeah, I got a text during the film from a friend back home and they wanted a catch up. So I came here to call them."
"Ah right." We fell into silence again and Zach's eyes scanned across the car park to a silver truck that was just pulling in, "Do you like alternative sort of rocky music?" I nodded at his question, "Well me and two other guys are about to go to a small gig, do you want to join us? It'll help you know more people before school and you know I wouldn't mind getting to know you more."
I felt my cheeks warm up as I blushed, "Yeah that sounds great." Smiling at me Zach began walking to the truck and I followed. As we walked he came closer so our fingers brushed against one another's and I stared at the ground to try and hide the fact I was probably redder than a tomato.
Thank you for reading. Hope you all like it so far. I've introduced Josh but he isn't really as sweet as he is in the book, I wanted him to be a bit more of a challenging character with Cammie. Don't worry though it is a Zach and Cammie romance!