Sandcastles | Completed

34 | know yourself

this chapter is kinda long & i should've split it up but it didn't flow right when i tried soooo. enjoy!

• • •

Elijah Baker

I pulled Zi to the side, "I appreciate the opportunity, but I can't do this."

"Nigga it's ya' first day."

"And they hurting my feelings already— Said my drink taste like battery acid. The fuck she know how battery acid taste?"

It was hard to be nice when they kept saying lil slick shit. Drink it or leave, I didn't care.

To add to that, everybody that sat at the bar was greedy as hell, continuously asking me when their food was coming like I was the chef or some.

The acid comment was the last straw.

"It get better when the customers get to know you."

"This why you was always talkin' 'bout you had a spot for me. You got a spot again, too, 'cause I won't be back."

Zi laughed, "Maria took me to yoga with her the other day. Real nice, I'ma bring you next time."

"Go put that lady out and I'll go wherever you want. Ain't no reason she should be doing me like that."

"You know what Ion get? How you can do everything that you do, but a lady saying your drink nasty hurt ya' feelings."

"'Cause Ion deserve it. She don't even know me and talking crazy."

"Channel the nice Eli I know somewhere deep inside of you." He clapped his hands, "Now, leave me alone 'fore they think I'm showing favoritism."

Seeing that he wasn't going to help with my problem, I went back to the bar and sighed when I saw the woman still hadn't gotten her food.

How long did it take to make a cheeseburger?

And why did he put me at this spot? I could've gone to the other one where the people always smile at me. Instead, he sent me to the trenches where ya' food come before the appetizers.

Finding a job wasn't a necessity, I just needed to pass the time. I was starting to realize I didn't have a life outside of doing shit for people, and that was probably a big reason why I stayed doing it.

Almost 30 and don't know what I like doing.

My chickens, yeah. But besides that, there wasn't much that I enjoyed putting my time into. Boring– if it wasn't for Zi taking me places I probably wouldn't do shit. Maybe I was his son.

Trying to smile at the lady, "I talked to the cook." I lied, "He said a few more minutes."

"It better be the best cheeseburger I've ever tasted." She grumbled.

"Can I get you another drink?"

"You can get me my food."

It took a lot for me not to tell her where the kitchen was so she could go make it herself. I chose to instead go in the kitchen, for real that time, looking at the cook girl standing by the grill, "Um.. Where the hamburger patties at?"

One of the cooks pointed, "Over there. You hungry? We not 'posed to eat onna clock so just hide in the corner where no cameras at."

"Nah– It's a lady out there who ordered one but it ain't come out yet so I was just tryna' see if y'all had to go find a cow or some."

She glanced up at a screen, swiping through it, "I don't see the order. Did you put it in?"

I stared at her for a second, glancing at her name tag, "I got a cousin named Bria."