𝒘𝒊𝒏| 𝐣𝐨𝐚𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱

6

"𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀, 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀. 𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁. 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀."- 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝘆.

the sun beamed on me as i stirred in my sleep. i heard a sudden sound and got up. it was only eleven 
but i had to be at work by twelve. i sat on my bed wanting to go back to sleep, i really hated working in the mornings, afternoon shifts are always better for me.

i begrudgingly walked to my bathroom to take a shower. i needed a nice refreshing shower to get me going on with my day. i undressed and turned the knob on my shower door, i ran my hands under the water to check if the water was warming up.

when it was warm enough i stepped into the shower. i put my head under the water letting it wash away everything that had happened the night before.  i really wanted to call in but i couldn't afford that right now. i scrubbed my body and got out of the shower.

i was so drained i didn't even have the energy to do my skincare. crying yourself to sleep is a full time job. i put on my uniform and walked out of my apartment door. one thing that sucks about being a broke exchange student is i don't have a car.

i may not like portugal but it has taught me about the luxury of a car. i'd never fully admit that to someone. i waved down a taxi. as soon as i got to the cafe laughter was all around me. i couldn't help but be jealous of other people's happiness.

i envied them, whatever happiness i had in my life never seemed to last. it was like a tide, it came right up to the the point where it touches your ankles but then it quickly washed out. i smiled at everyone, having good manners was a thing that i was very good at.

i was waitressing today which i didn't mind. it was way easier than being the cashier. i did very well with money but i'm not the best at it. i knew that this was gonna be a long day. an old couple sat down at a table. as i walked over to take there orders they smiled, a warm greeting smile as if they were your grandparents.

i noted down there orders and sent it to the back. i began cleaning tables and storing away dishes that needed to be cleaned. the old couple had bought two banana muffins, a coffee, and an orange juice. i walked over to the couple giving them their order.

i turned away to go clean the table that a more than likely jet lag person had left. my boss walked through the doors of the cafe and mouthed "we need to talk." the old woman with the old man looked at me and gave me a nod of good luck.

we walked to the back as my palms were sweaty. i felt like crying, i knew that the inevitable would happen. i would be fired and i wouldn't have a job. getting fired would mean that i would have to take out a hefty loan. i didn't have the mental strength to take that right now.

"𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀." she gave me a solemn smile. considering i was already fired and i would never work here again i decided to speak up, "𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲?"