The fight for Love

Chapter 1: Love can be a prank

James looked at his calendar as he marked a huge black X over the date, December 31th, 2019. He looks at the piece of paper covered in x's and is excited to finally throw this gift calendar in the garbage. He goes across the room and grabs his comb and starts to orderly fix his messy, curly, brown hair. He looks outside and sees's the snow slowly falling to the ground. Of course, it snows on the last day of the year  James thought as he walked to grab his black cotton coat and walked to the door. New Year's Eve was just a casual Friday for James. Nothing could brighten his 20-year-old demeanor as he slowly walks out of his house and to his car. Time to work as usual James thought as he slowly started his car and pulls out of his driveway. The once evergreen trees now pale and grey branchy stems. The roads covered in soft and squishy snow James car slowly makes its way down the street, struggling to catch traction with its rear wheels. The roads are empty as everyone is enjoying time with their family... unlike James who can never say no to work. The more money he has the better shot he has to get out of this pathetic place called home. 

The stoplight turned green and James can finally turn into his work. The business aspect? No. The law firm down by the basketball center? No. Generic job for a lowlife? Of course, "Welcome to Mcdonalds how may I take your order?" James says in his forced smile introduction to an obese family wanting their daily intake of harsh and dangerous foods like the Big Mac. Every day is the same thing but with different people, "I ASKED FOR A LARGE AND YOU GAVE ME A MEDIUM!" "I SWEAR YOU SECRETLY HATE ME DO YOU??? I CAN SEE YOUR THOUGHTS.. OH GOD YOU HATE ME!" "Um Hello, sir, my friend in the back thinks your pretty..." wait. WHAT!? Now that's not what usually goes through everybody's head when they see me they think pothead or a juvenile delinquent not pretty! James looks at the corner stall of the establishment and sees a group of girls just laughing their asses off. Like... they can not believe I actually looked at them. He quickly turned back to the girl that walked up and said "Ha, Ha, you can run back now and tell them I don't care" The girls eyes slowly started to ignite but she said "Whatever," and walked back to the group of girls, still laughing at the extent their breaths could hold. There is always that one moment every time I work here is there? James thought as the day slowly went by unlike the customers.

"James... Can I have a word with you?" James manager Randy said as James was about to clock out and take his paycheck. "Of course boss," "You've been working here for 4 years now. Most people that start working here come at about your age when you started. However, unlike you they leave after they graduate high school... why is that a different story for you?"

"Well, I guess I just don't have a reason to quit, I guess.." James said as he thought what this was leading to...

"Then, what reasons did they quit that you didn't then?" Randy says in a questionably yet in a note takingly way.

"See, most teenagers when they get a job like here they think of it as a temporary job and they just leave at the fastest breath they can when there is a different opportunity. However, I don't have those different opportunities. I am ok with where I am right now." James says knowing that all he just said was horseshit.

"Hmmm, I guess that is an honest, yet sad way to describe why you'd want to work at this hell hole for 4 years!" Randy says as he starts laughing. "Ok, ok, go home now James. I don't want you to be stuck here forever."

James quietly walks out then runs to his car. He only has 30 minutes till the end of this horrendous year. James starts his car and starts driving to the Dollar Tree across the street to buy supplies. Of course, at this time of night the store is dead, no one is there except for the 2-3 workers that slavishly fill the place just to be emptied the next day. James walks in and the worker looks at him and then ducks quickly behind the counter. She looked somewhat familiar. Like he had just seen her earlier that day. However, he thinks nothing of it and walks over to the end of the year party gifts. He grabs three hats and then walks to the girl cowering under the register. She takes a look at him and slowly starts to stand up "You!"

"What do you mean you.." the girl nervously says as she grabs one hat and scans it

"You're that girl sitting with that group that said someone had a crush on me!" James exclaimed.

"ummmm,,,, Yeah...." She said very shyly and her face goes red.

"Can you tell your friends that it's not funny to prank employees."

"P-P-PRANK!?" She said with an exaggerated tone.

"Yes, Prank, as in fooling someone into believing something that is bullshit."

"Ok Smartass, if you would have payed attention for more than five seconds than you wouldn't have tooken that gesture that way!" She said in a very fierce and Demanding tone as she slams the second party hat through the scanners and crushes it in the process.

"Oh, I'm so sorrrry, ummm, Lisa?" James said as he tried to read her nametag.

"Oh my god, why do I even think you were cute?" "Oh god, did I say that out loud?" Lisa regretting says. 

"Wait, you were the one that thought I was pretty, ME?" James genuinely says with a pinch of happiness.

"Of course that part slipped out, the only part that I didn't want to tell you after what you said at that damn MCDONALDS!" Lisa said with a fury of rage. She grabs the last hat and doesn't even scan it but just crumples it up and throws it in the bag.

"Well, I thought it was just an elusive prank your friends were playing on me! So I didn't want to take the bait and just told your friend to Fuck off." James says in a calming yet aggravated voice.

"When has anyone at a Mcdonald's pranked a cashier saying they are cute?" 

"It happens once a week. But, they are all shitty little 15-year-olds that just want to cause mayhem in their beautiful world they have. Now if your friends weren't laughing their asses off maybe I would have believed her. but no."  Lisa's face frowns and she looks at the counter. "Your total will be $2.15." I reach in my pocket and give her a $5 "Here keep the change, this moment we just had was probably the highlight of the day." James runs out and goes to his car with his two mangled hats and his single surviving hat. James looks at his clock and he has 5 minutes till midnight! He slams his key into the ignition and storms off to his home. If I make it in time I can still do it James thought as he started accelerating faster on the highway.