"Then the brave hero raised her staff. Her body beaten and on the verge of collapse, yet she did not let this overcome her. Thinking of her friends and family, she vowed to protect them. She opened her mouth, ready to cast her strongest spells."
As my fingers tapped against my pink keyboard, lost in the zone of my imagination, a sudden interruption shattered my flow. My cell phone, lying on the desk beside my computer, blasted the latest song from one of my favorite boy bands.
A groan of frustration escaped my lips as I paused and redirected my attention away from the scene I was typing.
"I was so close!" I yelled to no one as I picked up my phone, and of course, it was my mother calling me.
"Hello, mother~!"
I greeted my mother with a voice full of sarcasm, only to be bombarded with a thousand questions. Although my mother was a sweet and fierce woman of faith, she could sometimes be a worrywart. It had barely been a month, and already this felt like her hundredth, or was it more, time calling me.
"Why didn't you answer your phone the first time I called?"
I heard her ask me in her upset voice when I should be the one upset. Finally, I reached the conclusion of my story after a four-month writer's block, only for her to call at the worst possible time ever!
"I probably had my earphones on."
I admit it. The first time she called, I was probably lost in thought and not paying attention.
"Pay attention to your surroundings! You're on your own now, so you need to be more aware of what is happening around you! What if a thief was sneaking into your apartment or something? This is why I said you weren't ready to move out on your own yet!"
Again, I love my mother, and I knew her words, while aggravating, came from a place of love.
Besides, it had only been a year since Dad died, and all of us were still recovering from his loss. My parents weren't the best couple when I was growing up—they separated when I was ten. Despite their problems, they managed to co-parent my brother and me, providing us with shelter and love.
My family had its flaws, but at the end of the day, we deeply cared for each other.
"Nino! Go down to that wretched place your sister has holed herself up in and bring her back home!" I heard my mother yell at my older brother in the background.
So yeah, my mother could be controlling, blunt, and very demanding, but like I said, we loved each other.
"Mom! I've told you before, I'm not moving back! I've been working on this story for three years for this huge web novel competition. If I win or get noticed, it could change my life. I love you, but I really need to focus on finishing this story. Love you! Chat later~!"
I quickly hung up the phone before she could say another word. She would probably be mad at me and call later to give me a long scolding, but I will deal with that later. Right now, my story needs my attention. Right as my fingers touched my keyboard again, the alarm on my phone went off.
Work Alarm:
2:30 pm
I glared at my phone again, wanting to hurl it across the room. I wanted to scream in frustration as I tried to calm myself down. I gazed at my computer. Just a few more sentences, and I'd be finished—however, duty called. I grudgingly stepped away from my work desk.
"Better get ready to step into my hellhole called a job," I grumbled under my breath as I left to take a shower first.
I gave myself a good scrub and, once dried, put on my favorite vanilla-scented lotion. I randomly grabbed a pair of dark jean shorts and a pink hoodie with a cute character design on the front from my closet. I then put on socks and tennis shoes and grabbed my favorite mini backpack.
I loved cute items from clothes, dolls, and even plushies, especially the 'kawaii' style popular in Rain City. My favorite Glam Kitty character, Moon-Dream Kitty, was plastered on the front of my hoodie. I was set to leave my tiny but comfy apartment when I remembered to grab my earbuds from the table.
As I left the apartment building, I rushed to the bus stop and caught the bus that would take me to my job. After a fifteen-minute ride, I arrived at my job, located on the not-so-busy streets of Haze Town.
The streets were dull as usual, with people bustling about, cars driving around, and two imposing buildings towering over the busy scene. Nestled between an old bookstore and an antique shop stood the small diner where I had been working for the last three months.
Standing outside the worn building, I noticed the fading neon red sign casting a soft glow on the yellow paint, which was now chipping away. The glass windows appeared dirty and could use a good scrub.
Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepared myself for the day ahead, gripping the handles of the doors before making my way inside.
When entering the diner, bright red booths lined the left side of the room, while wooden tables and chairs occupied the rest. It appeared that only a few people were dining today. I headed to the back, stashed my bag in my locker, and punched in my time card.
After that, I walked over to the cash register. Over on the right, I spotted two of my female co-workers. As usual, the shorter one was chatting away while leaning against the counter.
"I'm telling you, Summer, that cute firefighter guy who came in earlier was totally hitting on me~! The dimple-smiling cutie even gave me his number!"
Kimberly happily held up a piece of a piece with numbers written on it. Since I started working with Kimberly, which wasn't long ago, she has been the type never to shy away from boasting.
Her dark blonde hair was styled into a sleek ponytail, and she had big blue eyes. I have often witnessed her flirting with many of our male customers while still on the clock, who showered her with compliments, which only boosted her already inflated ego.
"Of course, he was hitting on you! But did you see his friend? All those muscles and that sexy face? I felt his eyes on me when I 'accidentally' bent down right in front of him to pick up my writing pad," said the other girl, with air quotes and a flirty smirk.
The girl sitting down on the job, like always, was Summer. She was another pretty face that reminded people of a beach model and was famous around here for her looks, but her most attractive traits that caught guys' attention were her slim waist and big boobs, which she always put on display.
Summer always ensured her apron wasn't blocking the view of the 'girls' that the guys drooled over, and of course, they would give her extra tips. I didn't hate her game; her attitude was the problem.
So, how did I feel towards these two co-workers of mine?
I honestly couldn't stand these two b*tches.