Lexi sat in bed texting Celia aimlessly about the day’s events—Sven, the theater, Dillon, Roger, and Warren. She still couldn’t believe the reaction she’d gotten from him. The scene continued to play itself over and over in her head. Sure he’d gotten upset before, but that time was different. That time he’d actually scared her. He looked at her as though she’d betrayed him, and she wasn’t entirely sure how.
Just as she finished a response to Celia regarding what she would wear to an interview, a text came through on her phone from new number. She opened the text, assuming it to be the exchange student she’d met earlier. She was surprised, however, to see it wasn’t from the blond, but instead from the other boy she’d met that day.
Hi this is Dillon from the theater. You and Sven got the jobs if you still want them.
Lexi sat straight up and as she read the message again. Of course! I can’t wait! She scanned over her response slowly, proofreading it before deleting it and starting over. Sure. Sounds good. Much better. Less desperate.
Alright cool. Can you come by Wednesday afternoon so I can show you around and teach you what you need before opening night?
She soon found herself grinning much more than necessary for the message as she read his response. No problem. I’ll see you then. She sent the message before she could think to change it and fell back on the bed with the grin still splayed across her face. I have a job. She thought, not helping to stop the thought following. And I get to work with him…
The rest of the night went on with messages between her and her friends discussing how lucky she was and what to where and how to act. She’d never felt so much like a girl in her life. She was excited and nervous and happy and scared all at the same time. Suddenly a cold chill ran down her back when she thought to herself. What do I tell Warren?
For some reason she knew it wasn’t going to end well.
Which is why she didn’t tell him.
Tuesday came and went with nothing more than girlish conversations between friends and an exchange of numbers between Lexi and Sven. She also got to know a lot more about her new German friend.
Sven was from a large family in Germany, and they were apparently very wealthy. He always had money on him but they’d decided that in the states he should learn to make it on his own a bit, beyond living with his foreign exchange family, the Harmons, a nice woman and man that didn’t look old enough to have kids older than Sven, but apparently both of their sons were in college somewhere. Sven showed Lexi plenty of pictures of his exchange family and his real family from his phone and explained each and every member including his three sisters, older brother, mother and father.
Sven was equally as excited for the new job, but most likely not for the same reason that Lexi was. Nevertheless, Wednesday afternoon the two hitched a ride from Celia to the mall and walked to the theater on the far side from the entrance. As they walked in the lobby doors they found that candy was stocked, posters had been placed, and the place had been shined and dusted to a new sparkle.
“Hey guys!” The two jumped in surprise as the realize Dillon had come in the front door behind them. “I went out and grabbed a pizza to eat while you fill out the new worker paper stuff. Roger’s in his office in the back so we can slack off just a little bit.” The grin he gave them was just as Lexi had remembered it, the kind that warmed her all over. She couldn’t help but wonder how that grin looked to someone else, or if it sent the same warm shiver through their bones.
“So follow me back to the lounge and you two can get that filled out. In the mean time I’m going to get us some drinks. If you have any questions feel free to ask.”
