Merry Christmas everyone!
So, while this is my Christmas update and a very special gift to you all, it does not actually reflect anything Christmas-y. :( I truly apologize for slowing down with updates recently; I've just been in a depression and it's been hard to get my head in the game. In fact, I haven't really updated anything at all in a while, BUT I plan to change that! Stick with me, peeps, because (I'm hoping) we're back in business!
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Chapter Twelve: Olive Branches and Dates
May came to the decision that working at the bakery was really her only decent option at this point, especially since she probably wouldn't be able to find work elsewhere and definitely wouldn't get the opportunity to make ten dollars an hour. She wasn't the happiest camper about it, but Maxie had basically told her that she wouldn't have to do anything shady if she didn't want to—and she didn't want to—so other than knowing there was more going on at her workplace than met the eye, there wasn't any real reason not to work there anymore.
She woke up to a Wednesday morning that was dark gray and dour, as though the sky was throwing a temper tantrum. It wasn't raining just yet, but it surely would start to at some point during the day. This in mind, May made sure that she dressed appropriately for the weather—long gray camisole underneath a thick and woolly navy blue cardigan for extra warmth, her most comfortable pair of blue jeans, and rain boots. Her umbrella was probably her favorite part of the ensemble, although it didn't match: it had cute little baby chicks on it with a light orange background. It was large and a little gaudy, but May loved it nonetheless.
Slinging her messenger bag, full of textbooks and completed homework, over her should and tucking the umbrella under her arm, she set out for the day. She wasn't particularly hungry that morning so she wasn't eating anything at home, but with the five hundred dollars that she had deposited into her bank account just as the bank was closing the night before, she was certain she could afford the extra expense. It obviously couldn't become a habit, but the weather was affecting her mood already and making her feel a bit lazy. She could handle one five-dollar breakfast.
On her way to the bus stop, May decided that she should just get the likely to be awkward phone call over with and pulled out her cell phone from its exterior pocket in her messenger bag. She had plugged Maxie's number into it after leaving the bakery the day before, just because she knew she would lose that strip of paper with his number on it in the mess of her homework faster than she could blink if she didn't.
Taking a deep breath and clutching her umbrella a little too tightly in her nervousness, she dialed the number and waited for it to ring.
It rang once, twice, and… "Hello, May."
May flinched. "H-how did you know it was me?" she asked incredulously. The immediate image of him doing a background check on her or doing some weird sort of stalker-esque research made her even more nervous about the exchange.
"I happen to know my geography quite well," Maxie replied smugly. "623 is a Phoenix area code and Littleroot falls under its jurisdiction. As you are the only person from Arizona who would be contacting me, it was simply deductive abilities from there."
Still a little freaked out—although what he said made perfect sense and she already knew he was something of a brainiac—May nodded to herself. "Impressive," she said, a little grudgingly. She cleared her throat before continuing. "I think it's in my best interests to stay at the bakery, so I accept your offer." She tried to sound as confident as possible, but she couldn't help that her voice wavered just a bit. Somehow, Maxie was even more intimidating than Archie was, even when she first met him and was frightened by his size and physique.
"Very good," Maxie replied approvingly. "Then I will expect you to report in at four o'clock sharp. You won't need to work during the bakery hours as much as afterhours."
May stiffened and almost tripped over her own feet. "You said I wouldn't have to do anything that…I didn't want to," she said softly. It was a bad idea to go blurting out in public just exactly what she didn't want to do, but she knew that Maxie would know what she was talking about.
"Rest assured, May, that you will not be involved in any of the unsavory activities going on behind the scenes at the bakery. However, your work is much more useful at the end of the day, when the bakery has closed, than while it is operating." The way he spoke was mildly comforting, and May was pretty sure that he was going to extra lengths to make himself sound less cold.
"Okay," she replied. He wasn't going to make her do anything illegal and Archie wasn't going to let him hurt her, so she was safe. On top of that, she was making a killer wage. It would be best to let go of her nervousness and try to get comfortable at the job again, since it was going to last for at least the rest of the school year. "Then I'll be there at four. Thanks."
"Good. I look forward to seeing you." And then the phone clicked and the connection was cut.
May shut off her phone screen and slipped the device back into its allotted compartment in her bag. There, that was done. She then went down her mental checklist.
Her job was secure and possibly better than ever.
Her homework for Monday and Tuesday was completed, thanks to the extra time off last night.
She was going to be on-time for school.
As for what hadn't been done yet…
She still owed the cafeteria a visit or else she was going to get hungry at a most inopportune time in the middle of algebra.
It was probably a good time to assess her bank account and allot money for rent, which was due in a week.
She was still waiting for Archie to text her with a time and day for their date, since she had followed through on her part of the bargain.
Then May realized that she hadn't informed Archie that she had kept her side of the deal, so as she boarded the subway she pulled out her phone yet again. Archie seemed more fond of texting than of phone calls—and also she didn't want to talk about an impending date in public—so she opened her screen and began to type.
To: Archie
From: May
Message Body: I'm still working at the bakery, so I followed through on my end. Now it's your turn. ;)
She didn't expect a reply right away. However, after she sent the message, she ended up rereading it and then she realized just how flirty she had been. A little embarrassed and wishing that she could have at least not put the winky-face, May's face burned red and she slouched in her seat.
By the time she exited the subway at her stop, it had begun to drizzle. Opening her umbrella, she stepped out into the rainy day and prepared to focus on school.
Throughout the day, the rain had become a steady downpour. Her umbrella had become her best friend as she walked down the road, avoiding puddles when she could, towards the bakery.
Just as she was opening the door—it was a little before four, so they hadn't locked the doors yet—Cassie was going out the other way. They bumped into each other, both letting out a surprised yelp, and then Cassie began to laugh.
"Hey, what're you doing here so late?" she asked. "It's closing time."
"Uh…" Maxie had made it clear that it probably wasn't going to be the best idea to tell Cassie and Tim about the raise for the newbie, so she quickly had to improvise. "Oh, I wasn't working today," she lied. "I just left something here yesterday and had to pick it up."
Cassie frowned and May wasn't so sure the other girl believed her, but soon the frown faded and the brunette shrugged. "Oh, alright. Well, I was just heading out." May noticed that Cassie was wearing her usual Red Sox jersey and jeans combo instead of the gaudy red uniform. "Tim's closing. I'll see you around, okay?"
May smiled. "Definitely."
Tim didn't pay her much notice as May slipped into the break room to change. She wasn't sure if she still needed to wear the uniform if she wasn't going to be seen by customers, but Maxie always seemed to wear red so she decided she was better off safe than sorry.
Shortly after she had changed, she walked down the hallway and knocked on Maxie's door. He beckoned her inside and she entered, exhaling all her nerves in one breath and telling herself to be confident. Everything was going to work out and she just needed to trust Archie and Maxie as much as she could.
May found that Maxie was extremely efficient and was indeed looking for her perfectionism to shine when she worked for him as his assistant. He set her about filing receipts, booking appointments—she hadn't realized so much went into making the bakery run—doing simple math to come up with net profit for the day, and other menial tasks that she was sure were only a bother to him.
After she settled in and was working at a set but speedy pace and Maxie was busy typing away something on his computer, he surprisingly started a conversation.
"So, May, what are you majoring in at Harvard?" he asked casually as he clicked the mouse and the printer in the corner began to start up. May glanced up at him, then down at her work, and decided that he was probably offering an olive branch to repair the relationship between himself and his new assistant.
"I'm studying marine biology," she replied, flipping through the file cabinet and rearranging a few of the folders that weren't in alphabetical order. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to minor in environmental sciences, too, because my goal is to help stop the pollution of the ocean."
Maxie hummed noncommittally. "And what inspired you to make this noble effort?" He was typing again.
May found an 'H' between 'O' and 'P' and quickly put it where it was meant to go. "I've always loved the ocean. My parents used to take me on vacation to whatever beach I wanted when I was little and so it's always been close to my heart. But one time we went to the beach up near Alaska and it was closed off because there had been an oil spill and there were lots of dying sea animals on the shore. I was probably eight or nine and it was really traumatizing, so ever since then I've wanted to stop that kind of thing from happening."
"Interesting," he said, his eyes fixed on the computer but still sounding committed to the conversation. "As they say, 'Il vaut mieux faire que dire,' however."
May's brow furrowed as she flipped through a folder that was direly out of order. "What does that mean? I know a little French, but I'm nowhere near fluent. I'm assuming it is French, though, right?"
"Good girl. Yes, it's French, and it means 'Doing is better than saying.' You say you're going to school for it, but you've been dedicated to helping the ocean since you were young. Have you done anything between now and then to prove your commitment?"
May immediately knew that he was testing her yet again. He seemed to be into that kind of thing for some reason. Getting a gauage one's genuineness and fortitude seemed to be important to Maxie.
"Well, yes, but not as much as I'd like," she answered honestly. "Littleroot isn't really anywhere near an ocean, so my abilities to do good have been limited, but when I was ten, my school had a science fair and I did a project about how to test the salinity of water around the world. Nothing fancy or anything, but I got an award because at the same time I did a fundraiser with the project and donated all the proceeds to an oceanic wildlife organization." May laughed a little and closed the file cabinet, picking up the files that needed to be re-categorized by Maxie, since that wasn't in her job description. "It's surprising how easy it is to get adults to donate to a little kid's cause."
Maxie glanced at the files she placed on his desk and nodded before taking one and leafing through it. "Hmm, yes. It sounds as if you truly know what your goals are and that is admirable."
May blushed lightly at the tone of approval in his voice. "Thanks."
"That will be all for today," he said. "There's more work to do, but schoolwork always comes first."
"Oh…alright," May said. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about seven, so she had worked a total of three hours, and she had made just about the same amount of money as if she had worked four hours. Yes, ten dollars an hour was a good rate. "Then…I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
"No," Maxie said, snapping the folder shut. "Come in on Saturday. You will be working the full eight hours in the front, as there will be too many questions asked if you don't show up for normal hours." He smiled wryly. "You'll be earning two dollars more than both Cassandra and Timothy for the same work, so I expect you to work your hardest."
May nodded resolutely. "Of course."
"Very well. I will see you then." She was about to exit when Maxie stopped her. "Oh, and before I forget…" He pulled out a shiny silver key from one of the desk drawers. "Since you will be working hours later than when we are typically open, it would be prudent for me to give you a key so you may let yourself in."
May panicked a little inside at the major responsibility being handed to her, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright."
"Don't lose it," Maxie warned. "That key could be very valuable to those who know what to look for."
She didn't even want to think of the possibilities. Quickly attaching the key to the keychain that had her house and mailbox keys, she nodded yet again before waving. "Thank you. See you Saturday."
Maxie nodded and then May left the store.
She finally received a text from Archie as she was taking a seat on the subway. Excitedly, she swiped open her phone and read his text.
To: May
From: Archie
Message Body: Fine, fine. I'll pick you up at seven on Friday. Cool?
Friday was only two days from then, but it immediately felt like forever. She knew she couldn't stay out too late because she would have to be at work at nine in the morning the next day, but seven was early enough.
To: Archie
From: May
Message Body: That's great. See you then. :)
May thoroughly basked in the joy of an impending date for the rest of the night; not even College Algebra homework could dim her shine.
Yay for Maxie/May! And YUP, the Archie/May date is happening next chapter!
A HUMONGOUS THANKS TO: Princess Mononoke 503, Kaica, Kaz, Hunter the Weavile, Beepbop, Jimjam, CroutonGod, notflowers, reshiramu, Darling Grim, EnigmaUniverse, TrueIchiro (x2), Felicity Dream, Zannatigeris, , Jay Lightning Strike, sunpilot, bambam411, pyr0technic, Swiftfire Mews, Seas and Shadows, the cerulean samurott, Guest 1, ZeroBunny (x2), Akatsupure, Alex T. Wallman, Queen JJ, MizukixTsukiyomi, JetravenEx, FireRain1999, Okeanos-heart, EndlessStorm, loli-belle, MasterShortPantsx3, 0Shadow Panther0, Pikas, LeprechaunGreen, terracannon876, j2jackson321, ishdirections, L van Am, Skyblu7, and becksterRES!
HOLY RAYQUAZA, PEOPLE! SO MANY REVIEWS! You guys say so many nice things to me...well you all are fantastic! To everyone who reviewed the last chapter, you guys rock my socks all the way to the North Pole! :D Thank you for making me feel so loved on this wonderful Christmas day. *hugs all of you*
Response time!
Princess Mononoke 503 - You're so sweet. :) Update is here!
Kaica - Glad to have you with us! I'm so happy you like the story - I've put a lot of effort into it. I hope it continues to meet your expectations!
Kaz - This is entirely unrelated, but your chosen username is the name of one of my friend's characters in our RPG game. Just wanted to let you know that you're awesome because of that! :D
Hunter the Weavile - My favorite gym in Hoenn is Flannery. She's sooooo pretty. And fire-type too!
notflowers - That is correct! Reading fanfictions is TOTALLY productive! ;) And you're very welcome. Procrastinating is one of my talents, except when it comes to Fanfiction updates, fortunately.
EnigmaUniverse- Well, spotty internet aside, you are SO kind for leaving a review anyway! You've been reviewing this story since I can't remember which chapter and I'm thankful for every single one!
TrueIchiro - Yay for accounts! After this chapter, it seems prayer circles are not needed! My favorite first-gen gym is...hmm...Oh! Sabrina for sure. She has some badass pokemon. And I LOVE ORAS. Better than I could ever have expected. I was a little hesitant with the new Mauville setup, but now I really like it. :)
TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS PET!RAYQUAZA: just you wait... ;)
Felicity Dream - coughdoIheararequestforaharemcoughcough LOL And half-naked Giovanni? WHY ARE YOU DENYING ME?!
sunpilot - The only kind of hospital that doesn't allow phones is the kind of hospital I'm wayyy too familiar with. :( I totally get the tough-weekend thing. I've had some seriously rough holidays myself. I hope you're feeling better and if you ever need any kind of support or just want to talk, FEEL FREE to PM me. (If I'm assuming correctly, and I won't know unless you PM me because I won't post something like that where everyone can read it) I've been through some shit myself and if you ever need to talk, I'm always here. :)
pyr0technic - Unfortunately, I ABHOR Archie/Maxie. I don't know why, it just doesn't sit well with me. I don't do anything yaoi, so no, this won't have any Archie/Maxie. Sorry to disappoint! :(
Seas and Shadows - Aww, why do you feel rejected? PM me and we can talk it out!
ZeroBunny - Yes, I got both reviews! Thanks so much! And thank you for the tips! :)
JetravenEx - I am indeed a female. Cisgender female all the way. If I could change something in Pokemon? I'd make it so there was a more social aspect to it. Like, you could build relationships with other characters (not necessarily romance or anything) but kind of like...hmm...like Harvest Moon, I guess. Where you can become friends with people and get cool stuff and cut scenes from becoming friends with them. I dunno. Kinda lame, maybe? :/ I don't know. It would just interesting.
EndlessStorm - Next chapter is the date! Sorry to disappoint! :(
terracannon876 - Maxie's interest in May right now is slowly building, so that's the reason it's not clear why he's into her. Don't worry though - we'll have some Maxie POV soon that clears all of that up!
becksterRES - We WILL, in fact, see Brendan again. No worries!
No question this time, I'm on holiday! Anyways, please review and show me that wonderful love! :D You guys rocks!
Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Of Healing Love