Mountain Crest

Chapter I [The Part-Time Job]

Maisie stood in front of the mirror in her small apartment.

"Hello. I saw you had an opening for a barkeep position. I have some experience and would like to apply."

After finishing the sentence, she let the silence simmer and mustered herself up in the mirror.

Behind herself she noticed the unpacked moving boxes. At least she made her bed. Actually, at least she got out of it.

Her hair hasn't been washed since she got here a week ago. It's relatively long and auburn in color. The shirt she's wearing is the same one she was wearing two days ago, which isn't really that much of a crime, is it?

Should she dye her hair? Maybe try out something new? Her hair is pulled out of it's usual updo, framing her broad face. Maisie presses her chin down, widening the double chin. Then she looks up and smiles.

It looks a little awkward.

Okay, fuck it.

Maisie turns around and throws herself back on the bed. The bed frame creaks under her weight as the young woman groans into her pillow. She turns and moves to stare motionless at the ceiling.

Another day of staying in bed, watching nature documentaries and eating junk food. What speaks against it, really? She prepaid the rent for the apartment for an entire year. She can do whatever she wants.

Snuggling into the pillow, a comfortable calm overcomes her, which she enjoys fully until it's interrupted by a sudden sound.

Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time" starts blasting from the phone next to her, and her head snaps up so quickly it's almost dizzying.

She grabs the mobile device and accepts the call, and a voice creaks through soon after.

"Maisie?"

Shit.

"Hi, Dad."

"How are you, birdy?"

Maisie takes a deep breath and moves to sit on the bed. The light coming through the closed blinds offer little, and the room is dark and stuffy. She can see several unwashed bowls in the sink, and the trash can next to the fridge is almost flowing over. Two empty pizza cartons are taking up space on the kitchen worktop.

"Good. Good, I'm great. How are you?"

Carelessly, she nudges a bra on the ground a little towards her laundry basket.

"Did you talk to Mr Fredrick about the barkeeping position yet?"

Well, that's not what she asked. She grabs the blanket in her free hand just to have something to do there.

"Yes, I got the job."

The lie slips from her lips and she finds herself feeling a little bad. However, the feeling currently is not as bad as the one she'd be feeling if she would confess that her plan today was just to lay in bed and binge watch some doctor drama.

"That's great, birdy."

His voice is as monotone as ever, and she nods to herself in the mirror. Success.

"Your mother keeps talking my ear off on you getting a job. You know you can't pretend to be taking a sabbatical forever, yes?"

She sees herself cringe in the mirror.

"Nanine will realise soon enough that you can only take a sabbatical after finishing the study. And even then, she didn't like the idea in the first place. You-"

"I know, Dad. I'll figure it out. I've got the barkeeping job, and- Well, I'll figure it out."

The silence that lasts after leaves a very bitter taste in her mouth. She doubts he fully believes her, which stings in its own right.