Chapter 8
The Girl from McDonalds

Enter Giella 'Gia' Reese(her new family's last name)

Gia knows she's different but she doesn't know she's adopted, but she's the late Amy Peters-Hoffmann's daughter about eighteen, beautiful, yet best described as a promiscuous, pot-stirring, flirty, and Degrassi's big-time party girl. She was the Lucy Fernandez in latchkey, and she was quite the schemer. She was adopted by a rich family as a toddler, she fits into their 'perfect' outer core and has no idea about her extracurriculars in life or the full of it.

She's cocky, pretty intimidating not to mention, very troubled. She's as boy-crazy as they come. She's not some innocent girl, she knows her stuff and is wise beyond her years. She's what Kat thinks she is, personified, the perfect foil. Kat is still so naive but Gia is very worldly. Gia is more than willing once they hit it off and start spending time together placing Kat under her wing now that they find they have a lot in common.

She dresses to accentuate her curves and body, she isn't skinny mini but she's developed a body that could rival anyone in school, she doesn't have self-esteem and somewhat keeps her ooey gooey center a secret and buried deep down, and people talk about her and everything else, she's no stranger to trouble or the rumor mill. She rarely gets in trouble, even if she does bad things, somehow she evades trouble but trouble seems to find her in other ways, with her vices, she only once got caught smoking with Chad Hodges and his friend Brad Sloane in the woods outside of school while skipping class and she also tends to skip in the ladies room aka her office. It was quite a scandal because she was in an alleged relationship with them. It fizzled out when Chad's parents sent him to the military academy after that. It was his last strike with his family.

Not everyone knows, to the majority of the students and staff, she's a model student aside from a few minor infractions that would warrant strict rules and boundaries. She knew she was pretty and cute and used it to her advantage.

To say she's popular, trendy, and is an understatement of the century. She makes the storied Paige Michaelchuk's reign as queen bee look like amateur hour. She's student council president, so she works closely with Paul but isn't in his inner circle, she's not phony, she can be as real as they come, but she also knows how to play games, and she loves to revel in her popularity and influence.

She throws wild parties when her parents are out of town, in fact, the ill-fated party she was in attended but didn't know about what happened, and never really met Kat officially in person until they both started working together. She attends school at Degrassi Community but isn't in the artsy baddie circle or the same crowds or has many similar people as friends.

Gia is alot like the following characters Callie Adams-Foster from The Fosters, Betty Rizzo from Grease, Kaitlin Cooper from The OC, a combination of Alex Nunez, Bianca Desousa from Degrassi in personality, and Gia from Full House hence her name.

I'd say she's closest to Kaitlin, except she didn't go to exclusive boarding schools, but her dad is a successful businessman for a local car dealership, trying to knock Joey out of the competition. Her dad openly mocks Joey and tries to report him for tit-for-tat sorts of things.

Together after the first day, they both partake in cigarettes between breaks like a fiend and always offer it, until she finally caves. Initially, Kat is motivated to be good and to get back into her parent's good so she doesn't have to work there. She enlists Gia's help for keeping her 'crazy ville' antics such as sneaking out and stuff, to make it less obvious if anything. She gives her some of her sage wisdom, her parents don't know much or care to know, unlike Kat's parents.

She at first is kind of 'tough' but fair, she has seniority over her so she kind of bosses her at first but Kat won't let her talk to her any way she wants. Gia has a penchant for collecting boys-like charms and likes dating older guys, sometimes meeting them in risky or unsafe environments, and once had a crush on, and dated Paul Sheilds Kat's bf before they met and began dating.

She's supposedly broken his heart after a summer romance, but apparently, Paul's cranky widowed dad already wasn't a fan of her and her loud personality. They broke up for several reasons, she's a grade above Kat, a senior while Kat's a junior.

She isn't jealous of Kat, but rather interested in what kind of girl Paul dated after her. At first, they weren't getting along, but Gia trains her not just in how to be with her parents, an angel in front of them, and whatever she wants on the outside she's doing it all wrong she laments, follows my lead. Kat wishes her parents weren't that strict, but deep down Gia feels disconnected from her parents.

They're not warm-hearted and they often toss money to her, unsure how to break the obvious news they have no blood relation but they make sure to provide for her. She throws wild ragers they seldom find out about bc they travel often for work. She got the job for some petty cash to collect money just to have.

She occasionally wonders if she is adopted, she has no memories of Amy her biological mother, or the life she led. When she was adopted Amy was already dead, she was a toddler, and they didn't waste any time putting her back in, they took her in and gave her everything an advantage, she's spoiled but has a big heart once people get to know her. So what eventually happens is a cautionary tale.

-x-x-x-x-

Craig was driving his daughter, Kat into school the day before Christmas break was to commence on his way to work. He'd likely stop back at McDonalds for lunch, he can't get enough of a little junk food pink me up. He's still relatively thin and usually gets himself a diet Coke over a regular Coke and keeps it a smaller size. After the argument with Manny, Kat ended up missing the bus this morning and needed a ride anyway.

After she snuck out and everything happened the way it did, she's lucky she wasn't walking to school, but from where they lived it was too wet outside from a fresh coating from the night before, but it put Craig in the proverbial dog house. Since she was ready and on time, he decided he was going to treat her to coffee, just to level with her, and more importantly, he decided to have a big talk with Kat to find a punishment that fit the crime, this time of stealing from mom's purse and Manny wasn't happy that he was 'rewarding' her for being insubordinate. He didn't talk to his wife though about what his plans were with Kat.

He just said he'll talk to her. Manny knows all too well that talking doesn't work, yelling doesn't work so she doesn't have high hopes going off what doesn't work. She doesn't want him to give in to her outlandish demands, she's a child and believes she shouldn't be disrespectful. Sometimes she thinks her life would be much easier for them had Katrina was never born, but she'd never say it out loud. That would cross a line she'd never be able to erase.

She recalls Emma having the same feelings around the age of twelve with her mom and her when Manny turned up pregnant and did her tests with Spike and Emma. Emma followed along with her pregnancy from away, three-hour phone calls and stuff.

They kissed goodbye of course like they always do, and they went on their way, but she was bothered that Craig wasn't taking this as she would like him to. She's not so much supported in her endeavors as she supports him in his. He seems to be the laid-back good guy jokester parent, whereas Manny has to be the bad cop, and she hates it.

Needless to say, It's been a strain on their relationship, Kat talking out of turn and being generally out of line is the norm these days, and he wants to start the year differently. She fights them typically on everything, but he knows something is wrong and he's determined to help, or at least offer compassion and a listening ear.

Lately, he'd been noticing some cash missing from his wallet, and she was apparently according to Manny her latest is stealing cash and cigarettes from her purse, so he decided to have her apply for an old-fashioned job like Joey did when he was a teenager. Granted this was after he and Manny got pregnant, so instead of buying him a sports car from Jeremiah Motors, he got him an SUV for him and Manny to use after they took driver's education and got their permits and licenses. He kept them on insurance. This year Craig's been even taking shifts at Joey's, he works three jobs to support himself and his family, but Joey brings home quite a bit from the carlot.

As for Kat, while she's not pregnant she needs structure, and Craig and Joey both think that she's ready and is old enough to work part-time. A job fit for a Sweet Sixteen is always a staple, McDonald's because everywhere else wants older teenagers, out of high school, with flexible schedules, who can drive and such, but this is the gig that doesn't need all the preliminary prerequisites.

When he pulled up, Kat remarked in a sing-song voice "Can you imagine me, sixteen years old saying, 'Hi, can I get a happy meal?'"

"We are not here to eat necessarily, don't want you to be too late for school." Craig looked behind him to park and he pulled into a spot pretty close to the door. "Keep it under $10." He gave her the money.

"Why are you saying it like that, Dad? You know the big breakfast and iced coffee is a little under 10 bucks."

He then unbuckled his seatbelt and sighed, "Listen, Kat, honey, it's been a difficult time for all of us lately. We want you to be able to get what you want, whatever it is you want. So Mom and I think it'd be a good idea if you got a little part-time job, work a little. Learn the value of things, and of course work off, what you stole from Mom, you don't owe us, but like good can come of it, It can be good for your resume for college, or university, whatever you wanna do. This isn't a punishment, it just puts things in perspective."

"Sure, Dad, but here? You guys never listen to me. I love McDonald's, I don't want to hate it now that I'd be working here. You can't be serious. I just can't work here."

"Why not?"

"Um, it is a McDonald's, c'mon Dad. I want a good job. You know I don't look particularly good in polyester, it's social suicide, and I asked Mom last summer if I could apply at Garage, the store I love in the mall for clothes, and you guys said no and the mall is closer than here."

"Jobs aren't meant to be fun, they're just to get you some extra pocket money. It's not going to be bad."

"Did you work at McDonald's?" She asked him point blank.

"No, but I helped out at Joey's garage and then I had to grow up quick, to put it simply. I doubt you'd want to work with Grandpa Joey.

"I would rather work with him." She grumbled shaking her head and looking out the passenger window.

"Kat c'mon, look at me." She did what she was told without hesitation but was crestfallen, "Just because you apply, doesn't mean they'll take you on, just apply you might surprise yourself. I heard you get some things to eat free or discounted. Maybe you can get me a discount on their coffee when I come in, huh?"

She sighed realizing that was he's trying to instill some semblance of wisdom in her, he wasn't angry, or in a bad mood so she took it as a win, "What if I get fired, they fire me and I fail? What if I accidentally burn down the entire establishment by accident? What if I get angry and say something stupid or cruel like I always do?"

"Well you'll have enemies, but it's important, I kind of inadvertently spoiled you by not making you do a thing as a kid. It's a long story but I didn't want you to have the childhood I had, I just want the best for you, and to know there's value in honest living, and making money on your own, and the value of hard work is important. Before you were born, I worked part-time when I was your age. Over the summer I would find myself cleaning my neighbor's pool, or raking leaves in the fall to get out of the house, it's not so bad. You were a toddler when I started my first full-time gig. I'll be honest, I don't think you appreciate the sacrifices your mother and I make every day for you. Not that you owe us or anything I just make sure you don't want for anything. I love you, kiddo, just apply. What is the worst that happens."

"well I know they are probably gonna hire me, they'd hire anyone with a pulse due to high turnover rates."

"So there's a positive, it's not so bad. I can visit you anytime because we can carpool if our schedules match. Would you do it for me?"

Kat begrudgingly and wordlessly agreed with a grimace and they hopped out of Craig's Range Rover from her passenger side. He shut the doors and they walked into McDonald's. It was still early enough to have a nice breakfast, she was dressed okay enough to ask for an application, and a pen when they ordered breakfast she filled it out while she ate her big breakfast with hot cakes bacon, and an iced coffee, and brought her biscuit and hashbrown to school for lunch. Craig got just a large, black coffee with two raw sugars and an Egg McMuffin to eat and drink and he took her to school after breakfast. "Good luck, kiddo." He told her as he dropped her off in front of the school. "We'll talk later, I'll make sure your phone is on you so you can hear if you got the job or interview. See you tonight. Dinner is at 6, please make it home in time, mom's making chicken parm and baked ziti with some brussell sprouts, your favorite."

-x-x-x-

She was rummaging at her locker at the end of the day and heard a vibration from her cellphone, Paul probably had art club after school, and she was set to train with a girl by the name of Gia.

If it's the Gia she thinks it's one of the most popular girls in school period. Knowing her reputation Kat inferred it was a punishment from her parents like her circumstance. In reality, Gia is kind and sweet and just wants to make some money, but at school, she an enigma and obsessed with attention and popularity, but her friends are kind of a mess. Adriana went to rehab twice over the summer for drugging mostly pill-popping, Amanda brought full water bottles of straight vodka into class and passed out. Since then no one can bring their bag to the bathroom due to a fear that someone is drugging in the ladies' or men's rooms, and there's a monitor outside lastly no one can bring water bottles unless they're provided by the school or the student has a note. Despite her troubled 'era', she jokes about calling it like a Taylor Swift era, or even a messy Britney Spears era, one of her favorite artists but that was a messy time in pop culture, she would never pull that brazen of a move, to bring alcohol or drugs into school she knew she'd be sent away for something like that. She never dared to be that dumb. Plus principal Simpson was caught throwing the book at her and she's had her fair share of being on his bad side at school, and doted on outside of school by him and his wife Spike, Emma's parents, and longtime family friends of her grandfather.

She noticed alot of things in her misery, such as the fact both her mom and dad were pretty quiet in discussing their childhoods regarding their personal experiences. Manny and Emma often reminisce about memories they have, her dad by contrast keeps quiet and has a short talk rapport about his, which isn't happy. Sometimes when he is mum even if asked about something, he shuts down. It's not for a lack of trying sometimes when Spinner and Jimmy, especially Marco who was her ninth-grade history teacher when Perino was on sabbatical, the only guy besides Sean he's close to is Uncle Marco. She finds it odd that Craig has no living relatives, A stormy personality emerged in Albert in his youth, also had no relationship with his parents and other siblings, when he graduated from school to become a surgeon he turned his back and isolated himself because of his unpredictable moods as well, people distanced themselves from him too. Growing up at least Craig had Julia's parents and Joey is still in contact with him, they'd never speak to anyone about Albert in their presence but they were angry with how he treated their daughter. Perhaps he didn't have good memories, from limited conversations.

With Craig, her father while Joey and Snake loved talking about the good old early days of their glory days, Craig doesn't ever talk about his childhood, probably because he has a lot of grief associated with it but is pretty open to talk about his teenage years, early times with friends and Manny and his relationship. He does love her, but she's been feeling neglected and underappreciated and he hasn't a clue what to do about it.

Kat doesn't even know, really know the effect or assumed effect of the tragic passing of Albert, his biological father who abused him and his mother, to the point where she fled to Toronto, Joey, and went on to marry him and give birth to her soul sister, Angela she affectionately calls Ang.

Angela is like a guardian angel to her because when she's around she had and has someone to talk to, and despite their gap of a few years she's like a big sister and they practically grew up together. She took Kat under her wing, sadly there's been a disconnect since that party with the Chandler boy. They too have tons of good memories.

As far as family and family friends, Marco has been somewhat settled down with a boyfriend for the past two years, he has a long-term relationship attachment style, and this new guy he is with is very cool and super sweet.

She finds Marco is the happiest, believably the happiest she'd ever known him to be. A few years ago he got seriously depressed because he missed who he once was, his friendship with Ellie had kind of fallen apart because she had been so deep down the downward spiral of alcoholism, and prioritized drinking over their friendship.

He had to let her go for her to hit her bottom and motivate her to get better. He misses her every day. He still gets sad because Marco used to take Ellie before she moved in with Sean, to his own family Thanksgiving extravaganzas at the DelRossi's. She kept flaking on him when he needed her but later would see her tagged by scores of guys when she and Sean were taking breaks, more and more often, even if he and Ellie had plans, and pretty much gave him bullshit excuses. Then she'd see him tagged on Facerange in Hastygram with random guys and party people.

What solidified the estrangement was, when he and Dylan broke up officially the last time, he had asked her to come over to his place for a Saved by the Bell marathon and she flaked out. Since then it's been bad between them, they once went days seeing each other, and he was always there for her when things were down for her, but she didn't return the favor and he feels some kind of way.

As for his new boyfriend, his name is Randy.

He works as a chef downtown in a fancy restaurant as his day job, but cooking and experimenting in the kitchen at home is his passion, and he shows his love through his creations. He makes fire food, every time her Dad takes her to Marco's, if he takes her, sometimes he brings leftovers but his new beau is constantly making great appetizers and knows how to cater. He got his start as a line cook for a catering company in his young teens and early adulthood. He's a nice guy too, and her uncle Marco deserves lots of love. She's looking forward to Marco and Randy's dishes at the upcoming holiday tree trim her parents throw. It's to be Auntie Em's first tree trim in a long time.

The past few years have been one of her favorites in a long line of mishaps and ill-fated relationships.

Marco was previously so unlucky in love, that he once before meeting Randy, sadly reached out to Dylan, drunk texting last holiday season, who'd since moved on to Sweden with a fellow hockey player. Marco, poor Marco was crushed because Dylan was one of his longest relationships, earliest relationship, and was so instrumental in coming out. Even though he claims and says that he moved on, he's still in love with him, their song was Mariah Carey's 'Always Be My Baby'.

She'd be lying if she said she liked Dylan, even as a kid he was always uncomfortable around children such as herself, tried to be hip, overcompensated for his strengths, and came off as having a big ego.

Well, that's what Kat thinks from what she knows about the situation, she'd been shielded from a lot of things throughout her childhood but she knows Marco deserves better and she hopes Randy would be it. In a long string of romances, Randy is good for him... Sometimes she thinks, they, the adults in her life such as her parents, think she's just a kid, but she's been through lots too, if they'd bother to ask, as Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff say, parents just don't understand.

When she arrived at McDonalds she saw Gia at the counter reading a magazine. It wasn't the rush for dinner, being that it was only 2:30 pm and people had already had lunch. She always got there a little early, punctual. She didn't look up from the page she was reading but still acknowledged in a flat tone, "Hi, I came early so I can get some reading in. I'll introduce myself in a minute just take a seat on that stool over there. You must be Kat. I saw you here with your dad earlier when I was getting coffee and stuff, checking the schedule. He's a fox."

Embarrassed, she nonchalantly shrugged, she felt kind of weird Gia oglingling her dad, "Eh, apparently he was very popular with the ladies in high school."

"The storied Craig Manning, he could've been a huge rockstar, but he's a local guy now, huh? I mean he's music faculty now in school, but in his younger days in his heyday, all the girls liked him, according to my mom and all her friends back then wanted to date him. You know, I used to vibe to some Downtown Sasquatch, when I raided her CD changer, but give me a minute I'll start training you in about ten minutes, you're a little earlier than I expected. Punctuality is important."

She answered promptly closing her magazine and stuffing into her large messenger school bag. She went into the back office and grabbed a pencil and some paperwork had to fill out with her information. She set it down at the table in the dining area Kat was at, "Just fill this out for now, it's pretty self-explanatory, mid-day shift had a few callouts. This guy I'd been talking to you on Hastygram is coming to see me when it gets dead around 7 or 8 pm, give or take. So I'll need some coverage there, I can say it gets a bit hectic on Fridays. Let me know if you have questions on the back of the second page for your availability and a signature. The rest of these are yours to keep, just read through the manual, the highlighted parts are most important.

Kat knew less about her dad than she did her mom. She was unsure what to do about it, but right now things are generally strained. She realized Gia, her trainer wasn't even in the room. She finished filling out the paperwork for employment, and then left it on the table in the manila folder and went to find her, she was coming in as she ventured into the back of the house and she was shocked, "Oh, Katrina. You scared me, almost gave me a heart attack." She smelt of cigarettes and then she asked her, "If you wanted to come to the back, all you had to do was ask. You smoke, right?"

She nodded silently, she wanted to in a weird way be accepted by her cool, older, boss despite the rumor mill. Things couldn't be more complicated, but they'd be less complicated with a friend, and she couldn't argue there. She opened up her new pack and tossed her the pack after she took one. "I hope you don't mind they're menthol."

Kat pulled the lighter she still had from the other day she raided from her mom's purse and lit it, "Thanks."

They were outside by the dumpsters, close enough to hear if anyone were to come in. "We gotta keep our cig breaks snappy, since we're nearing the rush. So did you have any questions?"

"We do get breaks."

"Yes, Rochelle, manager, my boss is on the schedule for the night, about twenty minutes from now, it doesn't usually get crazy until dinnertime. When we get back in, we can go over that stuff."

She didn't want to mention it but she managed to after a time of small talk, "Yeah my boyfriend like thinks this could be good for me, to socialize. I've been going through somewhat of a hard time."

"You're dating Sheilds right?"

She nodded, "Yeah, it sucks he's going traveling to see family in a few days, he's great."

"He is nice." She beamed but something told Kat not to say a word more about him when it awkwardly dawned on her she and Paul had a history.

"I'm sorry, Gia," Kat mumbled avoiding eye contact as she threw down her cigarette butt and smushed it with her foot in the dirt by the cracked doorway, with Gia being the lookout. To Kat, things were a bit complex and rocky, and thought if it were Grease, she was the Rizzo to her Sandy, and that would make Paul their Danny. She wanted a friend, not someone who competed with her, she heard stories and that's enough. She just uncomfortably sighed, "I hope that doesn't make it awkward."

"Nope, not at all. We got some stuff to go over, and then we can girl talk after dinner rush."

She montaged through little tidbits and Kat handed her the folder, slowly customers strolled in and Gia teamed up with Kat to teach her the register, explain she was new, and so forth, and surely they got through the night.

"Hey, kid," A questionable, baggy-dressed, and thuggish young adult appeared much older than them. The guy came over to greet her, almost scaring her in the process. She didn't have the highest hopes for this guy, he just seemed off to her. He asked while Kat was having a cigarette from outside, in the back once again on her ten, and he questioned her about Gia's whereabouts, "Hi… I'm lookin' for my girl. She works here, her name is Gia, I figure she'd be out here."

She gestured and just admitted that she was inside the McDonald's. It was later on in the shift by now, and she remembered that a guy was coming for her later. He drove a decent car, a bestseller at Joey's lot, and even had a bumper sticker that claimed the car was purchased used from Jeremiah Motors. Rochelle had to stay home after all, their no-nonsense supervisor, because her son got sent home sick. She's a single mom and couldn't find a sitter so short notice near the holidays so she had to call out. She won't get into trouble because she called, and she got instructed on what to do if she had to miss a day or something whether she was sick or couldn't get to work.

She answered uncomfortably and somewhat fearful, he seemed sketchy, "She's inside."

She took a liking to Kat though, not in a weird way, but in a potential friend kind of way. Before that, work was boring but necessary for extra money to burn. She had an odd feeling but she just brushed it off.

He hurriedly wanted to get out of the cold and to Gia so he politely went on his way, waved, and said his goodbyes. He parted with, "Thanks, girl." He disappeared into the store.

A few moments later though, she was on her own until this guy left, she didn't even catch his name. Generally like a group project, she was too afraid to assert herself, she might have to be inconvenienced, but she wouldn't bother or dare to find herself complaining. So what if Gia wanted to hook up with this guy on the clock, she'd turn a blind eye, she liked quiet downtime anyway with her earbuds and doing odds and ends to cover for her at their job. She had about twenty minutes left in her shift, so either way, if they were sneaking around, they had to make it quick because at the end of her shift, she was out.

She didn't realize how fast they were going get to work on each other, because when she arrived back in from break and clocked back in, She returned on her break and noticed the dining room was mostly empty and quiet, so much for coverage. She called out to let her know she was back out of courtesy, "Hey, Gia! Nevermind."

Earlier in the shift, Gia told her she could drive her as long as she had some notice, assuming they were using this sketchy boyfriend's car, no thanks. Besides, she could complain but at least she feels safe with dear old dad, even if he's mad at her right now. She heard some seductive commotion and some sounds from the back office, and Kat rolled her eyes and sat on a stool by the drive-through window waiting for a car to come and save her, and give her something to do. It must be the boyfriend. She laughed shaking her head quietly just calling out awkwardly, "I'm back."

They emerged somewhat dischevled in quiet bliss and he full-on made out with her, it was unprofessional and probably wildly unsanitary, unbelievable how brazen and ballsy Miss Gia was, but she didn't feel like she was in a position to judge. "So Kat, I'm gonna say bye to Nick, and then before you go, I got to show you how to prep for closing time."

She surely had no idea if the security cameras were rolling but she quite literally invited, and hooked up with her boyfriend she had just discovered his name was Nick just then, and they pretty much had a quickie in the back so intense that his neck had a large lovebite on it, and he was adjusting his pants as discreetly as he could. What kind of job was this? What kind of establishment is this where this is okay, she figured it's because Rochelle wasn't around to dismiss Nick. He exited the store after a kiss right in front of Kat, and their cameras, and told her, "Call you later and I'll see you around." She realized in the fluorescent lights of the dining area by the counters her neck too had a very large dark purple hickey and her long chestnut hair was tossed about like a flower in the early spring wind or tossed like a hurricane in a bun. She awkwardly gestured, "Is it that bad?"

Instead of chastising her she simply said innocently enough, "I have an extra brush in my bag if you want, I doubt your parents want to see your hair like that. Trust me, my parents get on me about that stuff with my boyfriend."

"If they're even home." She shrugged, "Don't worry, Kat about me. I can take care of myself. I can feel you judging me, but listen, he's good to me. He gives me money, he doesn't want me workin' here because he says he's is a provider and stuff. He works downtown at a nightclub, he promotes 'em. He could get us in if you want this weekend, the 21+ parties." She saw the look she didn't mean to paint on her face and exhaustedly sighed, "I swear I'm fine. When did you say you were coming back to work?"

"Maybe, and I'm not sure." She thought it'd be lame to admit she was grounded this coming weekend. She decided to sneak no matter what because who would want to miss a party like that? Her boyfriend is out of town though, which sucks but at least she has a new friend in Gia. She'd rather be out anyway and away from Emma, the famous aunt. She didn't dare mention it, knowing she's a Lucky Girlie which is the stan culture sect who practically worship Lucky. It would give her an in, but even Kat has standards in evil-doing. She wouldn't sell her out unless she rats her out, and then all bets are off.

"C'mon before you go, let me show you the schedule for the next week to see if you're on and we'll talk more then." She took her phone out of her crossbody preparing for close and leading her into the back, checking herself out on the camera, "Eh I don't think they're even gonna notice. They're so out of touch."

"Okay, we'll be quick, since my dad's about to pick me up."

"Oh look we're the same here, that's closing during the week which is" She looked at her watch, "Pretty much now. Weekends are later, midnight is when we close on those days, the one on Porter St. might be later than that, but our store dies down as you can see around 9 anyhow and we bullshit the last hour usually. Aside from the last hour, it's a pleasure workin' with you, Kat. Welcome. Let me write down my number so we can text and stuff. You're cool."

"Thanks, and same here, see you around, Gia. " She beamed feeling good that she was pretty much in. Gia wrote her number on a spare napkin, handed her a few odds and ends like an extra uniform, a lanyard for her work keys in case she had to open, a black M hat, and a few folded work shirts from the shelf where their clock is, and passed it along to Kat. She quickly instructed Kat on how to clock out and then she clocked out.

"See you bright and early on Saturday morning for the opening shift." She waved goodbye and Kat reunited with Craig outside and they peeled off. Gia switched the sign from open to closed and cleaned up before leaving herself.