Stronger than the storm

Monotony

Piper

If I should describe my life I'd use only one adjective: "monotony".

I'm thirty and I've been living in London since I was a child. I live in Leyton, an unpopular neighbourhood but quiet.

I spend my days at work, so I don't have much time for myself.

"What kind of job do you do?" you'd ask me.

I'm a waitress. Or... at least on the contract it's clearly written that I am one of those, but I do different duties. My work consists in cleaning tables, cooking, taking orders and sometimes also cashier activities.

I live for my job, and even it leads me to give up to the precious time that I'd have for myself I can say that I wouldn't change it for anything else in the world.

My family lives in Florida, and I've been living completely alone. My father has been working as an electric worker while my mother works as a teacher. She gave me the unconditional love for literature and for the classic authors.

When I read a book, I try to capture every shadow, keeping in mind the personal history of the authors, their life and what they really wanted to say.

Unfortunately, I couldn't go on with my studies after the diploma because my parents didn't have the money to do that, so I chose to work.

And here I am, in this restaurant while I'm cleaning tables listening "Perfect" of Ed Sheeran.

Ah, the other important thing about myself is that I love music: I couldn't live without it.

"Piper, take off those headphones and listen to me", literally yells my boss, forcing me to pause the music.

I stare at him waiting that that shitty mouth begins to move.

"You can leave earlier today. I need to do some stuff.", announces looking at my hands.

"Oh, that's good news", I think to myself.

I nod with my head and keep going cleaning tables with an old and wet rag.

Jack, my boss, is a decent guy. I've never seen him fighting with the staff or even with his wife. He's very quiet every day, except when suddenly in the restaurant appears one of those customers that doesn't want to pay.

"You can't go away from here if you don't' pay.", he said one night arguing with a customer.

"But... I've already paid-", replied the other.

Then a quarrel started and I saw all of that show sitting in a corner.

At the end the poor guy, after different efforts of persuasion, had to pay for it, otherwise he surely would have been at the hospital with parts of the body completely broken.

Jack was not a bad guy, but he worked so much as his workers, and he hated when someone didn't want to pay.

I

I finish cleaning the tables and take off my coat.

"What are you going to do now?", asks me Samantha peeking through the kitchen.

"I think that I'll go for a walk.", I reply to her smiling.

"Yes, maybe you can go and do shopping. That coat fits you very bad.", exclaims winking at me.

Here we are, you surely understand what kind of girl Samantha is.

Well, she is .... she is ... I need more time to find the adjective that perfectly fits with what she is.

"Pain in the ass!". I say looking at her.

"I love you too, darling", says her from the other side of the room.

Samantha and me have a very special relationship.

She's been one of the first persons that I met when I came here for the first time, the first one I made a connection with.

We've been through a lot together.

Samantha's father is a cop that has never recognized her as his child. She's grown up with her mother who needed to do two jobs per day to sustain the family. Once sixteen-years-old, she decided to leave the school and start working. Then we met: she's the younger sister that I've never had.

There was a period in which she told me that she had the desire to leave, to give up with the job and looking out for something else, but I persuaded her, I advised her not to, because at least in that shit the salary was guaranteed.

She accepted my advice, and still today we're thick as thieves.

I put on my jacket and run out greeting cheerfully.

The impact of the cold air freezes my face.

"It's really cold today.", I think.

I start walking. I want to go downtown but I don't want to take the subway.

So, shortly after I find myself in the crowded tourist streets of London, Piccadilly Circus and streets nearby.

I hardly breathe.

"These cigarettes will ruin my life.", I say.

I go into some shop to get out immediately afterwards. I have very difficult tastes and nothing seems to convince me.

I keep walking when all of a sudden I hear the phone vibrate in my bag.

Finding something in my bag on the first try is really a mirage, but today fate seems to be on my side.

"Hello?", I reply immediately after.

"Hello? We are contacting you from London Metropolitan University." Says the voice.

"Good. ... good day", I say trying to remember.

"I hope you still remember your application for a scholarship at this faculty.", She continues.

I remain silent for a few seconds trying to make up my mind.

I had submitted the registration form three months earlier. I knew I had no hope, in London there were university students with requirements perfectly compatible with those scholarships, and therefore with more chances of obtaining them. So what did I have to do with it?

"Yes, I remember. I thought it wasn't even considered.", I say.

"But it has been taken into consideration, and we would like to see you tomorrow morning, if possible. You should sign some forms and then you can start dating right away.", Replies the voice.

I was over the moon: was I going to study English literature? Could I finally achieve my dream?

"Thank you. I'll be there tomorrow.", I exclaim enthusiastically.

"See you tomorrow then.", Confirms the voice closing shortly after the call.

I start hopping from one side of the sidewalk to the other, noticing a few moments later that I accidentally bumped into a woman making her drop everything she has on the ground.

"Sorry, I'm sorry.", I try to excuse myself extremely embarrassed.

"I hope you have a good reason at least to jump and bump people.", says her with an upset voice.

I help her picking up things from the ground, I laugh but I try to restrain myself.

I look at her face for a moment, and only then do I realize that I have a goddess in front of me, and not just any woman.

He has long, raven hair, two blue eyes and extraterrestrial features.

"I... I...", I try to speak but words are blocked in my throat.

"It doesn't matter.", says her picking up the last book fallen, smiling at me.

I have no time left to understand anything anymore. I get up too, but she's already gone.

I go back to walk like a normal person, so I'll avoid further accidents.

I'm so happy.