Chapter 6: Work.
The day at work was impossibly slow. The cafe was old and all the people in it were old. Alex felt like she was dead every day that she stood there, she was dead but only on the inside.
Unlike the secluded house on the hill she shared with Piper, the cafe was situated right in the middle of the small town; crime was rampant and the people were as bitter as dried out crabapples. Tensions ran high, she just wanted all of it to burn!
Alex sighed and stuck to washing dishes. Stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke… Only 10 more hours and then maybe she'd have a stroke...
"Alex, we need you at table 3," the manager snapped irritably.
Alex grimaced; her manager was as round as world record pumpkin, but with the bitter flavor of greed and distaste just below the surface. She should be so lucky, life was just egging her on to die. If she killed herself now at least someone else would have to clean it up.
"Alex get out here right now."
Alex gritted her teeth and shoved her pot back in the soapy water. She strode quickly out to the table where a grizzled old man sat at an old and dusty table. She could smell the stench of his chewing tobacco from a mile away.
"May I take your order," she sighed.
"Well you're the prettiest waitress I've seen in a long time. What say I get some of that?"
"No thanks bud, now can I get your fucking order?"
"Maybe you treat me better and I'll show you a tip of more money than you've ever seen before. Maybe out back in minute?"
Alex sighed and walked away from the table, the gross guy grinning on behind her. Her manager stomped after her into the kitchen. She'd had enough, enough of this every fucking day.
"You need to be nicer to the customers," he snapped. "Do you think orders just fucking take themselves?"
Alex slammed a plate into the water, soap flying around her.
"Maybe you need to not send me out as an appetizer for the hell of it," she snapped.
"Well you need to change your fuckin attitude girl or you're out. I doubt many other establishments would hire someone with your… history."
"Excuse me?" Alex scowled, daggers shooting from her eyes. Her manager didn't back down.
"You need to work harder or you ain't getting nothing but a mother fucking pink slip is all I'm saying. Now get back to that table and be entertaining."
But Alex had had enough. She threw off her apron down into soapy water.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he fumed.
Alex grinned and shoved her manager backwards. He quickly tripped and tumbled over on his pudgy ass. Alex felt almost gleeful as she looked down at him.
Who had the power now?
"Are you insane?" he groveled.
"Probably, and by the way, I quit you fucking fuckwad."
Alex stormed out of the kitchen, rage running through every molecule of her body.
The guy still grinning at her.
"Oh is it time for my shift sweet heart?"
Alex didn't bother replying with words. Her leg kicked up and landed right against his crotch. He fell to the floor, doubled over in pain.
"Thanks for the tip, I hope that got you off to your satisfaction."
He continued to spasm on the floor as she walked out of the small cafe. Outside the air was blistering cold, but she didn't feel the chill.
Alex needed a hit and she needed it now.