Fitting In

Chapter 15 - A Job

I thought the weekend was going to be my chance to relax. I was wrong.

As soon as I opened Hatties text I realized this whole friend thing was a 7 day a week ordeal. As much as I mentally complained, I was honestly a little giddy. Especially after reading the text.

We should do girls night tonight. My mom and brother are going out of town, so we can have the whole house to ourselves. You guys free?

Yep, can't wait. I texted back after getting the okay from my mom. A few minutes later Macey also responded.

Sure! I can bring the snacks.

I can pick up some two-liters of pop on my way as well. I added.

Sounds great guys! Hattie texted.

I turned my phone off and smiled. I had already finished all of my homework last night (if I don't get it done Friday night then I end up forgetting until Monday morning), so I had the entire morning free. I decided to look up job listings. With soccer it might be hard to find a good job, but it's worth a look.

After updating my resume and applying to positions it was lunchtime. I was halfway through my bowl of mac and cheese when one of the places called me back.

"Is this Taylor?"

"Yes, it is."

"Hi, Taylor, we heard you were interested in one of our permanent positions. Unfortunately, we no longer have a position available. We are however in need of someone to help deep clean the place. We hired a professional, but they canceled on us. It would only be a one time thing, but we're willing to pay 20 dollars an hour."

"I don't have any supplies, and I have practice after school," I warned.

"No problem. We don't want you cleaning until after we close at 6:30, and we have all the cleaning stuff your going to need. We're also trying to see if we can get another student to join you, but it might just be you. Are you interested."

"Yes, I'd love the job. When do I start?"

"Is Monday okay?"

"Yeah, what's the address?"

I grabbed a pen and scribbled the place down. When I finally got off the phone I looked over at my mom.

"You got a job?" She said peeling an orange.

"Not exactly, they just need a deep cleaner for a few days."

I grabbed an orange slice from my mom.

"Thief," she accused, "She gets one job and now she thinks she can just take whatever she wants."

I slowly popped the slice into my mouth, pretending to savor it.

"Man, that was one good orange."

"I'm sure it was," she mumbled.

I just skipped out the door pretending not to hear.

Later that day Macey called me.

"Hey," I answered.

"What are you going to tell Hattie?"

"What do you mean? The snake thing?"

"Yes, the snake thing. She has been obsessed with figuring out who did it."

"Do you think I should tell her?"

"Do you want to tell her?"

"Not really. I don't really want it getting out that it was me. I kinda regret it a little."

"Girl, don't. Tyler deserves much worse. It was a great prank and a good idea. Honestly the whole thing was genius."

"Thanks, I guess."

"And also, I wouldn't tell Hattie. She can be a bit of a blabbermouth at times. Don't get me wrong I love her, and she's one of my best friends, but she will let it slip."

"So what do I do? She's going to want our help figuring out who it is."

"We just go along with it. It's the only thing we can do."

There was a pause. Then Macey hesitantly asked, "Hey Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"So there's this guy right."

"Oh? Who?"

"He's just some kid I'm tutoring for math. He's really smart, like genius smart. He knows all about history and science and how things work. He's also really cool, and I might, maybe, just maybe, like him?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, Math just isn't his thing, but he really is smart. He also plays Baseball with Brandon in the Spring. Brandon actually set up the tutoring sessions. What do I do?"

I have no experience with boys. Nobody would date me before, and the only guy here who had asked me out was Tyler. And I rejected him. But, sometimes you don't need experience to give advice. I've seen enough movies and read enough books. Hopefully I can help. Fake it till you make it right?

"Well, you have the first step down."

"The first step?"

"Find a reason to spend time with them and some mutual ground. You have the tutor sessions and you have a topic for conversation. Even if it is just Math, it's a good start."

"Okay. What else should I do?"

"My advice? Get to know him, and let him get to know you. Be yourself around him, and make sure you two go well together. After you guys get to know each other for a while, show interest."

"Show interest?"

"If he thinks your just friends, then he's less likely to see you as a possible girlfriend. You have to get him thinking about you as an option. Theoretically he develops feelings and then says yes when you ask him out."

"Theoretically?"

"Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You just have to be yourself, and if he doesn't like you enough, then it wasn't ment to be. At least then you can move on."

"I don't want to move on," Macey grumbled.

"Knowing you Macey, he's gonna fall head over heels. You'll have him wrapped around your finger in no time."

"Thanks Taylor."

"Anytime"

"Also would you mind...not saying anything to Hattie? I just want to make sure...before...you know..."

"Of course. I'm asking you to keep me breaking into another student's locker and putting a snake inside a secret, I think I can keep my mouth shut about your crush."

"Yeah, I want to tell her, you know? But last time..."

"Last time?"

"I used to have a crush on Brandon. I told Hattie and she ended up asking him out for me, without asking me first. He said no, and it was really awkward for a while. She means well, but I just don't want the same thing to happen again."

"Yeah, I get it."

Me and Macey talked on that call for a good hour. We let the conversation flow wherever it happened to lead. We were both really excited for the sleepover, but finally she had to go.