Stay Junlin | h.jl✓

•TWO•

I walked past the shop window which was opposite my workplace, McCain Food joint. School that afternoon was very tough, I also had a couple of essays to complete. I wish I could have stopped time, but this was reality, I had to find a way to be the best at every activity I was doing without super powers. I pushed the door to McCain food joint open while trying hard not to lose my grip of the books I held across my chest, I had borrowed them from the library.

I got myself in and the smell of fries and chicken filled the atmosphere and I quickly made my way to the kitchen past the customers and other waiters and waitresses.
I quickly put my bag and books in my locker then reached for my uniform, a blue golf shirt with the McCain logo on it and a black skirt that hugged my waist and flowed the rest of the way down. I came out fixing my McCain flat cap and immediately got to work. It was a busy day, there were many customers and the queue for orders got longer and longer. Soon many more people started squeezing in the food joint.

Okay, the food joint was popular but even that kind of attendance was shocking. I wondered if there was a new special on the menu that I was told nothing about.

"Stop fooling around Medrin!", the manager called, "just serve the people! Take the order and serve the people!", he yelled. I quickly got back to my senses and pushed against the crowd with difficulty, I made it to the first table, I realised the first table was the center of attention.

I looked at the occupant of the seat, he seemed undisturbed by the people around him calling, screaming and dying to get his attention, he looked at his phone the entire time ignoring them.

He pressed the screen frantically then let out a deep sigh, "I can't sign anything, I'm too hungry...won't you let me eat", he said, obviously upset and a bit angry. He rolled his eyes then searched through the crowd and finally rested them on me. I felt a slight tingle. His black shining eyes scrutinized me and then he smiled and nodded, "awesome! The waitress!", he stated as if I were a super hero there to save his life. I nodded then squeezed past a few more people holding out my notepad to take his order.

He looked at the menu carefully going through it, he tapped the corners of his lips then looked up gleefully, "number 7", he said. I nodded and took down the number and squeezed past more people who had surrounded the table.

I arrived in the kitchen and called out to the chef, "one number 7!". The chef was quick and experienced, he popped some fries in the paper bag then quickly took the sweet smelling spiced chicken from the oven with a spatula. He then took two halves of buns and began to stack the lettuce, tomato, ham and cheese, after the process was complete he rang the bell.

I took the soda from the fridge and put it in the tray and quickly walked to the young man’s table. It was hard to spot it since people had completely surrounded it, "excuse me-excuse me", I said as I squeezed past them, this was surely uncomfortable. As I was close, someone pushed me and the next thing I knew, the tray was empty. I looked in front of me, to find him covered in fries, lettuce, cheese, tomato and chicken grease, worse still, the soda had spilled all over his shirt.

He looked very annoyed though I could tell he was trying to hide it. "I'm so sorry sir! Sorry!", I apologised as I tried to get closer to give him a napkin to clean himself up. "I'll just bring another number.....".

"No, don't bother, I'm out of here". He placed dollar notes on the table and stood. He dusted the food off his jacket and cleared his throat going past the people. I felt bad for him, what was he? Some kind of celebrity? I watched him make his way out through the door to the parking lot.

"That's Junlin", a voice from behind me said. I turned around, it was my workmate and acquaintance Nicole. I got along with her because she was cheerful and nice. She knew about what happened between me and my parents and how I was treated by my roommates back at the apartment, I trusted her with many secrets. She smiled and continued, "He’s a musician, well he's part of a Chinese band that consists of seven members, they're called Teens In Times".

I chuckled, "oh, well you know I don't know much C-pop musicians", I shrugged.

Nicole chuckled, "yes, but I bet you like their music".

"Why do you say so?".

"Well because their genre is cool, their music is really lively and great".

"He seems a bit quiet".

"Well I don't know much about his personality, but I do know that he's one of the vocalists in the band".

As I was about to reply, Nicole quickly grabbed her tray and walked away from me as if we were not having a conversation. I looked behind myself, the manager had been glaring at us, but ofcourse, we were busy talking while customers were waiting to be served. I quickly grabbed my tray and grinned at the manager hoping for mercy.