Chilly (Jordan Sweeto)

Well, you treat me just like another stranger.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. It was messy thrown back in a ponytail today, as it had to be for work. My dark purple hair was messily cut, my bangs a little too long, and the back a little too short. I worked at a movie theatre/ restaurant called Studio Movie Grill. Basically, it was a restaurant/bar inside a movie theatre, so you could have dinner whilr you watched your movie. It wasn't very entertaining, but my co-worker, Phoenix, and my boss, Harley, weren't half bad. Harley was a pretty laid back boss, coming in and making jokes with Phoenix, our other coworker, Strider (pretty sure it's not his real name, but that's what everyone calls him), and I. And Phoenix is a pretty bright person to be around. She's smart, really smart, and nothing goes over her head. I suppose she would qualify as my best friend, but she doesn't really do labels like friends or relationship partners. Her fiery red hair is usually tied back and under her hat, but today, it was messily thrown into two shoulder length braids. We were a tightly packed little group, Strider being our support and our rock, Harley being our weirdly chill leader, Phoenix being the brains in our group, and me being the artsy one. I could draw fairly well, at least, the group seemed to think so. I simply drew or painted when I felt like it, nothing more to it.

I despised that we were hiring, I despised the idea of someone new coming into the group, I despised the thought of the change that this person would have. It was really difficult when Rox left. He had left for college, moving out all the way to Philadelphia for art school. I envied him, but I would never want to leave Texas. But since he had left, we had had that dreaded sign on the window, indicating that we would welcome someone new eventually. As horrible as it sounds, I'm scared this new person will make the group... different. Maybe they'd be the star, or the artsy one, perhaps I would get shoved out altogether, replaced without another thought. I dreaded the thought. I didn't want the group to change. I wanted it to stay the same, Harley and Phoenix cracking jokes while Strider and I smirked, indicating that the girls' jokes were good, or shaking our heads when they made terrible puns and cackled about it. I still wanted to go get coffee on Friday night, to celebrate the weekend, each of us taking turns to pay. I didn't want anyone butting in, messing up our routine. Ah, but alas, as I stand at the register, thinking, in walks in a boy. He looked about nineteen, long brown hair, gazing around curiously as he walked up to the counter. I barely looked at him as I muttered boredly:

"Can I help you?" He didn't seem to notice my unethusiasm, as he excited said:

"I'm here for the job?" I perked up slightly, feeling my stomach drop. This boy was going to be the one, The Homewrecker? I nodded stiffly, barely giving the boy another glance before heading into the door behind the counter.

"Harley," I called out.

"There's a kid here for the job!" Immediately, the black-haired girl perked up, following me out of the door where the boy was waiting. She gave him a giddy expression.

"Hi! I'm Harley, the manager! This here is Noodle, over there is Strider, and Phoenix should be around. You're Jordan, the one I spoke to on the phone?" This 'Jordan' nodded, grinning widely.

"Yep! That's me! It's nice to meet you all!" He shook Harley and Strider's hands, and held out his hand for me to shake, but I simply stared blankly at him. He awkwardly withdrew his hand, but my cold reaction didn't seem to effect his happy mood. Harley explained that his new uniform, our black button ups with the theatre's logo on the front, and our black hats, were manditory when working, and that she had already sorted out a pair for him in the break room. She seemed overly joyous that this boy was coming to wreck their group. Or perhaps she just didn't realize it yet. Or didn't care. The thought was horrifying to me. How could she not care? I bet Phoenix will.

---

"What do you mean 'He seems cool'?!" I practically exploded at the fiery haired girl in front of me. Phoenix sighed.

"I mean exactly what I said, Noodle. He seems like a nice kid. He was polite, full of jokes and joy, and seemed to get along fine. Why are you so determined to not like him?" I wrinkled my nose. Apparently, she didn't understand. I sighed impatiently.

"Nevermind then. I'll talk to you later." She nodded, waving as I walked off, heading for the "special" room in the theatre to collect my thoughts. It was really just a small door in the wall that had lead to a closet, but when Strider had found it, we had all been very excited about our new "secret" room. I sat there for a while, still fuming about this Jordan. Who did he think he was, marching in all happy, not a single sign of nervousness? I sighed, angrily running my fingers through my bangs. It was infuriating. I would not let this boy replace me.

/Sup. I got the muse for this a while ago, and since I'm supposed to be asleep, thought I'd start it now. By the way, I'm gonna turn the chapters into a game. If you can guess the song, then I'll give you a shoutout in the next chapter. Good luck! -Your favorite sewer rat. (long story.)