Platonic My Ass - hizzie

ONE. the new employee

HOPE'S POV

I spin around aimlessly on the swivel chair, bored out of my mind and watching the ceiling close in on me as the dizziness registers.

It was days away from Christmas, the flock of families had already hit our store (Walmart) and raided every shelf, stocked up on food and blankets to keep every homeless shelter cozy, though that wasn't the case. People were greedy, inconsiderate and just wanting to put smiles on only their family and friends face.

Today was the 20 day of the festive month, 5 days from Christmas, 12 days from the New Year, and just 7 hours remaining in this day before my shift ends and I can finally call it a job well done. I have had enough of snotty Karen's thinking the slogan of a customer is always right actually being something we as employees stand for.

I was only working to help a family friend out who was struggling to find workers willing to fit his schedule. He used to be colleagues with my dad. Dorian Williams is his name.

Some days the job felt a lot more like prison than anything. But it had come to grow on me. And the pay was decent, especially for a 21 year old girl, still living under her parents roof and trying to make due independently without the assistance of others.

I had my best friend with me, it helped manage and pass time. The manager (Dorian) had left for Christmas vacation with his wife Emma and their kids, so I was left acting as the temporary manager. Boring, it was exhausting being in charge. No one liked to follow commands.

Someone tapping on my till broke me out of my thoughts and I lift my head to greet my best friend with a lopsided grin. "MG, what trouble have you stirred now?"

His body stiffens, a deer in the headlights, he opens his mouth to plead his case. "Okay, before you assign me to toilet duty, just know that I had every right to push Kaleb into the stack of toilet paper." He rambles, already wincing for the incoming scolding but frankly, I was tired and 7 hours away from my release of this place.

I purse my lips and contemplate taking action. What would my manager do? Write MG up for engaging in physical violence against another co-worker, and shift him to scrubbing toilets for a week. Now, what would I do? Pat my best friend on the back and egg him on.

"Did he provoke you?"

MG nods. "In my defense, he was asking for it."

I giggle and after a second, he joins in. "Hey," I snap my fingers and his grin drops. "Just because we're longtime besties does not mean I will let you walk all over me." MG's faces morphs into an expression of terror and my laughter continues, gaze shifting over to the two woman that rush into the store.

"So that's me for toilet duty?" He shudders at the thought of harsh labor on hands and knees scrubbing toilets and scrapping wet paper towels off the roof. Little kids had the obsession with doing so. I know, it's gross.

"No, it's not. I'm just messing with you. Give me five minutes while I serve these customers and I'll lend you a hand cleaning up." I say, pushing his head gently to the side with a playful smile.

MG flips me off as he walks backward, obviously not minding his step and calls out. "I forgot to mention, Jed was caught hooking up with some customers in the breakout room." My eyes widen.

"Hold up, customers? As in plural?"

MG shrugs, brushing aside our hormonal friend's antics like his sex addiction was nothing out of the ordinary. "A 'straight but not so straight' couple, I think. Jade caught them in the act, chased them out with a butcher's knife." He now yells across the store, ducking into the nearest aisle when an old woman stares at him in mild disgust.