Constant

Chapter 6

Staring at my ceiling, I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew I had to get up at some point and follow Mom to the community for another day of work. My fingers were still aching from all the precision work of the day before. At exactly seven thirty, Mom knocked on the door, forcing me out of bed. Seeing as we hadn't been grocery shopping, I had to satisfy my breakfast needs with an apple and half a glass of orange juice. Mom promised we would go shopping on our way home – with what money? We were completely broke. I had overheard Mom declining an extra shift at SaveTown, which could only mean one thing.... We were moving again.

Unwillingly, I got into the car and let Mom drive me to the community. I stared out of the window, feeling gray even though the sun was shining, and the weather was fine. I dragged my feet to the production room, toward my station, and almost missed the smiling girl waiting for me there.

"I'm Hanna!" the girl said excitedly. "You must be Maya." The girl appeared to be my age, with shoulder-length blonde hair, thin bangs, peering hazel eyes and a friendly smile. She wore gray slacks and a white button-up shirt. Proper. Unlike my black sweatpants and hoodie.

"Yeah, hi," I said, a bit hesitated.

"We're working together today," she explained. "My parents think I need to take some responsibility, but it's nice having something to do, though, right?" Her smile never wavered.

"I guess," I replied. "I'm here because I accidentally broke some of my mom's products."

"Oh," she said, her smile falling momentarily. "You're not here willingly."

"I wouldn't say that, exactly. I just... I have to repay what I broke."

Her eyes shifted between me and the products on the counter next to us, as if she tried solving a difficult equation. Eventually, she looked back at me, a smile in place.

"Well, I'll guess I'll have to make it fun, so you'd want to return," she said. "Do you want to label or pack?"

"I can pack," I replied. "My fingers still hurt from yesterday." We started working immediately, and I tried to come up with something to say, but small talk didn't come easily to me. I seriously needed lessons on how to talk to people. I was a mess.

"If you want, I can show you around when we're done here," she suggested after a few moments of silence. I nodded slowly.

"Sure," I said, appreciating her efforts at making conversation.

"Your last name is Crowe, right?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I think my mom brought your mom here," she continued. "Your mom met us at the fair, correct?" I nodded. "Then my mom definitely brought you here. How cool. We're like Lumenoil-sisters."

I forced a smile. "Yeah, totally."

Hannah was really trying, but I got the sense that she was just as bad as I was at making new connections. She handed me bottles and I carefully put them in boxes. The scents weren't as overwhelming as yesterday, and I wondered if I had already grown desensitized. Although, the smell would probably hit me once I got back home. The bottles clinked together in the box, and every time they did my heart skipped a beat, afraid of them breaking. What would happen if I somehow messed this up? Would they dock pay from mom, or just me?

"We make a great team," Hannah said.

I snorted. "Yeah, maybe I should make a career of it."

"You know, Lumenoil is full of opportunities." She raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"I don't think oils and incense are my thing," I replied. "I would never get the smell out of my hair." Hannah laughed.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," she said. "I think my hair is perpetually smelling like a combination of oregano and jasmine."