Opposites Attract

Chapter 21~Order Up!

~Judy's POV~

"DNKY? No. Targoat? No. Trader Doe's? Oh wait! Ugh, no again..."

"Just keep looking, you'll find one."

I eye Nick slouching next to me on the couch. "Maybe this process will be a little more faster if you did some searching yourself, instead of watching TV?!"

"Simmer down, I've filled out a couple forms myself earlier... Fat chance, though. It's much harder for someone like me to find a job."

I look at him confused.

"Cause I'm a fox?" He added after seeing my face, with more edge to his tone.

"Oh..." I felt stupid suddenly, for not understanding and needing him to fill out the blanks for me.

"Although looking back..." Nick said. "My conning days did bring in a lot of income..."

"We are NOT going to turn into criminals!"

"We already ARE criminals!"

My eye twitches as the clicking turns more aggressive. Right now I'm looking online for a job on my laptop, eyes glued to the screen in desperation. From the past three hours, twenty or more tabs are opened already, as the result from searching and researching website after website. This is not what I invisioned my life in Zootopia to be like...

I must admit, the online job hunting serves a great distraction from the grief I'm going through after yesterday... It still hurts. Especially waking up this morning without my alarm. At first I panicked, thinking I was late, only to realise I'm not going to work today anymore. that reality check hits you like a truck... I changed my mind. I'm not at rock bottom. That would be better. Because at least when you hit rock bottom, there's no where else to go but up. No. Not in our circumstances. Instead, we're what I'm calling a dead end.

I'm glad that I have Nick, I am. But coming here, to this city, was so I can live out my dream of being in the police force. And now that I don't have that anymore...I can't help but feel out of place here. Like a lost piece. What's my purpose supposed to be now? My one, life long dream; I can't just let go of it...can I?

I was almost ready to call it a day when suddenly a recruitment notification pops up on my screen.

"Oh my gosh, I finally found somewhere that's hiring!"

"What did I tell ya?" Nick replied. "Where's the place and what's your position?"

My ears drop flat when I find out and a flood of distress swamps over me. I stare at my screen in horror. "No...no...NO...NO!!"

"Well that's a reaction. Lavatory cleaner? Pimple popper?"

"Worse." I groan. "A waitress..."

"That's not bad!"

"...at Jenny's Carrot Café."

Nick's ears drop too. "No, anything but there! I'd rather live in poverty!"

I swallow and take a deep breath. "I... I have to. It's the only place I can find. We have no choice... I'm a bunny anyways, so I pretty much fit most of the requirements already."

Before I could change my mind and re-gather my standards, I grabbed my keys and left the apartment. The bus journey towards town was filled with dread. Not even my travelling playlist could boost my mood. Please let the pay be worth it.

~.~.~

Walking inside was a humiliation in itself. My cheeks burned red and my frown deepened as I approached the counter. I can't believe what I'm about to ask. Of course, of all bunnies, Joseph was the only worker available at this moment.