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“C-congratulations?” Anna looked at the thing I was holding in her face.
“I have a driver’s permit now.”
“I can see that.”
“Are your parents around?” I asked.
“No… they’re out right now.” She frowned.
“I noticed you have a car.”
She sighed. “You’re still using me for my car…”
I pulled the car back. “Is that a no then?”
“No… I mean yes… I mean… where do you want to go?” Anna asked, blushing slightly.
“I want to go apply for a job,” I responded sheepishly.
It had been a few days since I had gotten my driver’s license, but that didn’t mean I was allowed to drive anywhere. Other than my trips to and from school, I hadn’t been able to go anywhere. I realized that this was exactly why I didn’t want to get a license in the first place. Just because I was right didn’t mean I wasn’t still excited about my license though. Once I got a job, I’d be able to save up and get a car, and that’s when I’d obtain true freedom. Rather, I’d be able to be more useful to my family, help my sisters out, and take some pressure off mom.
It was strange how my priorities had seemingly started to change. I had always felt out of place in my family, but now I wanted nothing more than to have a place with them. I cleared my throat and gave Anna my best smile. Until I had a job, I couldn’t justify access to the car, so it was a catch-22. I had to get a job to be able to use the car, but I needed the car to find a job. That’s where Anna came in. I could have asked London or my girlfriends to help, but I didn’t want to hear them complaining about it. London would say I didn’t need a job and should focus on my academics, which were admittedly still doing poorly. Samantha had enough problems with the divorce, and when it came to Abby, it was probably better if she didn’t know where I worked.
“A job?” Anna cocked her head.
“Please…” I asked, reaching out and touching her shoulder. “I really need it.”
“I will!” She spoke slightly too fast, and then cleared her throat. “I mean, I can help you get a job. I-in fact… you could try working where I work.”
“You have a job?”
She sighed. “You don’t have to say that like it’s a surprise. What do you think I’m always up to?”
“Sorry.” I smiled. “I think it’s cool you’re working.”
At the very least, neither Samantha nor Abigail had a job. If they knew I was thinking poorly of them for that, they probably would have raced out and gotten jobs the very next day.
“C-cool.” Her cheeks turned pink. “Right… um… well, let’s go.”
“Where do you work through?”
“Ah! That, it’s just a restaurant. The pay isn’t good, but the tips make up for it. You’d probably do better with tips than me.”
“R-really…”
She nodded. “You want to try?”
“Why not?” I chuckled as I stepped aside so she could leave her house. “Ah, can I drive?”
“Drive!” Her eyes widened, and she looked from her car to me and back. “I-I guess…”
She handed the keys to me like she was giving up her spleen. That didn’t mean I didn’t snatch them and get into the driver’s side. This was the same car that had hit me and brought me into this world. Why couldn’t I take it for a spin on my own? I turned on the car and headed off, only to realize I still didn’t know exactly where I was going. Anna seemed to realize that, although she hadn’t opened her mouth. She subtly started to direct me in the correct direction, and I spared her any embarrassed looks as we took the scenic route to reach the place.
It wasn’t a national chain restaurant, but something a bit more local. I hoped that would mean it’d be easier to get a job. I walked in with Anna next to me. She started looking a bit shy as we walked in. A guy was standing at the reception desk. When he saw Anna, he immediately waved.
“Hey, Anna. Aren’t you off today?” He asked, and when he saw me a grin formed on his face. “Oh, did you bring your boyfriend?”
“He’s not… I mean… is Danny in?”
“Danny?” The man put his finger on his cheek, which I think was him trying to look cute, and failed miserably on a guy. “Yeah, she’s in the back.”
“I’m going to see if she’s hiring.” Anna declared.
“Him!” The guy suddenly jerked up. “A-are you really sure?”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s just… you know how she is with… the male staff.” He suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable speaking.
Anna frowned. “Is there something wrong?”
The guy looked away. “No, not… not really. It’s just… Danny has said some things…”
“Isn’t she just joking?” Anna asked, a generally clueless look on her face.
“You wouldn’t understand. You’re not a boy.” He shot her a glare before turning to me. “You might want to get a job somewhere else.”
“Um… I heard I could make good money here?” I wasn’t sure how else to respond.
He blinked. “Yeah… I guess the tips are good, but only if you’re comfortable with this pussy fest.”
“Pussy fest?”
The guy leaned closer. “This place is notorious for having fat, old women who treat the waiters like meat. Danny doesn’t do anything about it. She even says we should stuff our underwear because the guests like them big…”
“It’s not that bad!” Anna declared in a horrified voice. “You just don’t want new guys competing for your tips.”
“You go to an all-girls school. You’re used to being surrounded by gross women. You don’t know what it’s like for boys.” He sniffed, turning to deal with a customer that came up with the bill, who just happened to be an old woman.
Anna grabbed my hand and then pulled me away, heading to the back of the restaurant. “It’s not like that! I wouldn’t bring you to a place… Although, Danny does say the men are really catty and always complaining about them. Ah… maybe I shouldn’t have brought you here.”
“No, it’s fine!” I quickly cut in, feeling half like laughing. “I’m not as… um… fragile as some guys. As long as the money is good, I don’t mind.”
“Oh, okay.” Anna nodded, then guided me into the kitchen.
There were several women in hairnets cooking there. One woman with several tattoos on her arms shouted when she saw us.
“Hey! Anna! Who’s the cute boy?”
“What are you saying? A friend. A friend! I’m taking him to get a job.”
“Hehe… nice.” She winked at me and then kissed me. “We’ll take good care of you here.”
Anna looked at me like she was about to cry. Her declaration that it wasn’t bad was based on her extremely one-sided point of view. It took having a boy next to her before she started to get a rude awakening.
I laughed lightly. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
Anna swallowed hard, nodded, and then continued into the back room. There, a middle-aged woman was sitting at the desk, typing on a computer.
“Not right now. I’m working on some reports.” The woman snapped without looking up.
“Oh… sorry, will you be available later?” Anna asked worriedly.
The woman finally looked up when she heard Anna’s voice, and then blinked. “Anna? What are you doing here? I don’t have you scheduled for this shift.”
“R-right! I know.” She tried to bolster her confidence. “I just wanted to see if you were hiring new waiters.”
“Waiters?” She crossed her arms and frowned before I poked my head in and waved slightly.
Her expression immediately turned dubious. “A boyfriend?”
“He’s not… he’s a friend. Danny, I wanted to see if you could give him a chance.”
“A chance?” She repeated doubtfully. “Alright, boy, do you have any waiter experience?”
“I don’t!” I answered honestly.
Anna winced, but Danny leaned forward. “Any job before?”
“None.”
She let out a sigh. “Is there any reason I should hire you?”
“Um… I’m attractive?”
I had never really seen myself as particularly attractive, although my current success told me I was probably good enough looking. From that, I’d just go for it. Anna nearly spat, although she wasn’t even drinking anything.
“What?” Danny blinked.
“Oh! And, if you need me to stuff my crotch, that’s fine with me.” I added. “I mean, I’ll pretty much stuff anything.”
“Noah!” Anna cried out.
“Alright…” she leaned back. “You think you’re being funny? How about this one? A woman is being arrested by a male cop. He says, ‘Anything you say can and will be used against you.’ She bends over and says, ‘penis.’”
“Danny?” Anna spun around.
I scratch my chin. “Not bad. Alright. What do women have in common with screen doors? The more you bang them, the looser they get.”
“What’s the difference between a husband and a lover? About fifty pounds!”
“What’s the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman? Snowballs.”
Danny let out a laugh, and I joined her. Anna stared at the pair of us like we were insane.
“Alright… alright… I’ll give you a job.”
“You will?” Anna nearly shouted.
“Don’t act so surprised!” I shot back angrily.
Danny laughed again. “Look, I need a boy on weekends who won’t blush. I have a lot of lifelong customers who come in. They like to tell lewd jokes. If they like you, the tips are good. How’s that sound?”
“That sounds good to me.” I smiled.
“I already regret bringing him here.” Anna sighed.
“Come on… we should go celebrate.” I grabbed onto her, causing Anna to blush slightly.
Danny gave me a packet to fill out and the rest of the information, and then Anna and I got up to leave. Just as I reached the doorway, Danny lifted her hand.
“Oh, by the way. These girls like butts. You don’t need to stuff your underwear, but tight pants might not be badly received.”
“U-understood!”
“Please stop filling his head with weird things.” Anna was nearly pushing me out the door.
With Anna being forceful, we left the restaurant quickly before I could even get a proper tour of the place. I’d have plenty of time on the weekend to do so though. I had a job, and it sounded like the pay was pretty good.
“Noah, you don’t need to force yourself.” Anna declared. “If you don’t want the job, don’t take it. I guess I’m a little blind to a guy’s needs and wants. I didn’t realize it’d be that bad.”
“It’s really fine.” I shrugged. “You’re worrying too much.”
“I just… I don’t want you getting hurt.” Anna responded, looking slightly stubborn.
“I’m not,” I responded comfortingly, putting my hand down on her leg. “And I’m really happy you helped me get my first job.”
“I-it’s nothing.” She stiffened slightly, looking nervous as I looked down at her. “Wh-what do you want to do now?”
“I said I think we should celebrate,” I answered. “Why don’t we go do that?”
“Celebrate? Like… you want to get ice cream.”
I bit my lip and shook my head. “No, I wasn’t thinking ice cream.”
She turned to me, looking genuinely confused. “What do you have in mind- ahhh…”
My hand slowly moved up her leg and to her inner thigh. “I was thinking it’s a good time we go park somewhere, and I show you all of my appreciation.”
“A-a-appreciation…” She had started stuttering.
I nodded. “You’ve done so much for me, I was thinking it’s about time I do something for you, don’t you agree?”
She looked at me, her mouth slightly slack-jawed. “God, yes.”