The Break-In

Chapter 7- Margaret's Hideout

***(Sara's POV)***

"I cannot believe people actually want to do any of these jobs. Look at this one!" I point to the job listing in the bottom left of his computer screen that reads Window Washer Wanted! Great pay and you'll always get the satisfaction of knowing your town's windows are squeaky clean!

"They are not all that bad, I mean just look at this one!" Cory points to an advertisement a few links above the window one. Love organization? Join our stock team today!

"How is that any better?" I gave Cory a playful disapproving look.

"It seems like a pretty easy job, you seem like the organizational type." After seeing that my inquisitive stare hasn't changed he follows with, "at least you could be if you wanted to get easy money in your pockets."

"I guess that's true. We can bookmark that one in case we don't find anything better." I keep scrolling through the listings until bright, forest green letters light up the screen. Relaxing Oasis awaits your help! "Wait, click on that one."

"The Oasis one? Alrighty then." He opens up the link and it sends us to a full page of the job description and a detailed explanation of the workplace's environment and what they are all about. "It says they are looking for full-time and part time employees for a bunch of different kinds of jobs."

Looking through all of these photos of this place is so mesmerizing. It's this tiny little garden shop hidden near the town park about a mile away. There's a cafe attached and it's owned by this little old woman named Margaret Nelson. There's even an entire paragraph she wrote about her life story and why she started the business. "I want to apply."

"Really? Of all places, you like Margaret's Hideout?" Cory looks at me like I really did start a fire this time.

"Why not? Seems like a really fun and easy job, and there's something about the owner that just kinda... I don't know." I get lost in the computer screen just kind of looking at the website, when Cory brings me back to the conversation.

"Do you have any qualifications for any job at this place?" He scrolls through the list of job openings listed and most of them seem self explanatory.

"I should be fine for most of them, they all seem like busy work more than anything. I think if I apply in person I could just say that I'll take whatever job she thinks would fit me best." Realizing I just said I would do this in person, I started mentally putting an outfit together.

As if he could read my mind, Cory chimes in with, "What are you even going to wear to a place like this?"

I stare at him in disbelief.

"What? Is something wrong?" He's looking at me with this deep questioning look.

I snap out of it and just decide to ignore the weird feeling in my chest. "I think we need to go back to the store, if that's okay with you? I don't think I bought a single piece of clothing that would even remotely work for this type of job."

"That works for me, what store did you have in mind?" He opens up google maps and prepares to type.

"I'm not used to shopping very often, so I don't even know what's out there. We could just go to a Goodwill since I could find decent clothes that I'm not too worried about ruining." He instantly starts typing in Goodwill.

"There's a Goodwill not too far from here. Although, why are you worried about ruining your clothes at a job interview?" He looks at me as if he has a joke prepared no matter my response.

"I don't know. It's a garden shop along with a coffee shop, so if this also winds up being clothes I wear on the job, I could accidentally get dirt or coffee on them."

"You do know you have to get the job first, right? Which also includes figuring out what job you'd even be doing." He has this know-it-all smirk on his face, like he's waiting for me to fight back.

"Shut up, just help me print my resume so all we have to do is go shopping so I can get this job as soon as humanly possible." I get up to grab a glass of water to ignore any further questions.

"You just want to escape me and my presence as soon as you can, huh?" I can hear him get off the couch and follow me to the kitchen.

"That is not true. I would like to start making money as soon as I can." I'm standing at the sink filling my cup of water, just staring out the window. I can sense that he's almost standing at my side, and I turn to look in his direction.

He's less than a foot away from me when he says, "Are you sure that money is your only urgency?" He takes a small step towards me. "I meant what I said. I want to help you, however long that takes." His hand rests on the edge of the counter, just barely touching mine.

"I don't want to put you out. I can't be a burden on everyone I bring into my life, especially not you." I finally look up at him, and he's staring right at me. Analyzing every single eye movement and breath.

"Is that really it? Is that the real reason or is there more to the story? Can you not stand me? Are you running from something?" One of his eyebrows slowly starts to raise with that last question.

"I-" I take a deep breath. As I exhale I can feel his pinky finger brush against mine on the counter. "I just don't wa-" and before I can even finish my sentence, the doorbell rings.