desertion

54

The bell above the door chimed softly as I stepped into the pizzeria, the familiar scent of garlic and baking dough enveloping me like a warm embrace. But today, the warmth felt distant, overshadowed by the weight of exhaustion that clung to me like a thick fog. It had been a few weeks since my first day, and every shift had felt like a marathon.

As I made my way to the counter, I could already sense the tension in the air. The lunch rush was in full swing, and the sounds of laughter and chatter were drowned out by the clattering of dishes and the hiss of the pizza oven. I forced a smile as I greeted a few regulars, but my heart wasn't in it. "Hey, welcome back." I said, though my voice lacked its usual enthusiasm.

The first few customers were polite enough, but as the day wore on, the mood shifted. Rude comments and impatient demands began to pile on me, each one chipping away at my already fragile composure. By the time a particularly obnoxious customer approached the counter, I felt a familiar heat rising within me.

"What do you mean you're out of pepperoni?! This is a pizza place!" the man shouted, his voice dripping with entitlement. "You call this service?"

My hands tightened around the counter, my knuckles turning white as I struggled to maintain my composure. "Sir, we're doing our best. We can offer you a different topping or-"

"Not interested! Just get me a manager!" He snapped, his face scrunched in distain.

In that moment, everything came crashing down. The exhaustion, the rudeness, the frustration-it all boiled over. "You know what?" I said, my voice rising. "Why don't you just leave? If you can't be respectful, you don't deserve to be here!"

The words hung in the air, a stunned silence following her outburst. The man's mouth fell open in disbelief, and for a moment, I felt a rush of satisfaction at finally standing up for myself. But as he stormed out, I realized the gravity of what I had just done. My heart raced, the adrenaline of my anger quickly turning into regret.

Miles, who had been manning the pizza oven, caught the tail end of the confrontation. He walked over to me, concern etched on his face. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked softly, his eyes searching mine.

"I'm just tired, Miles." I replied, shrugging him off. "I just want to go home."

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I turned away, not wanting to delve into my feelings. I had to push through the shift, and I didn't want anyone to see just how worn down I felt.

As the hours dragged on, I focused on my tasks, but the weight of the earlier scene lingered in my mind. I tried to shake off my frustration, but the energy in the pizzeria felt heavy, and it was hard to find ease amid the chaos.

*********

Eventually, Delilah came over with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Lydia! You look like you could use a little fun." She said, her eyes sparkling. "How about we close up a while listening to Bruno Mars?" She asked as she knew that was our closing music, all of us always sung our hearts out when his music came on.

I hesitated for a moment, but a spark of excitement began to flicker within me. Maybe a little distraction was just what she needed. "Fine, but only if you promise to turn it up loud!" I replied with a small laugh.

Delilah laughed and grabbed her phone, blasting "Uptown Funk" through the small speaker. The upbeat tempo filled the air, and as the music pulsed through us, I felt my spirit began to lift. I danced along with Delilah, a smile breaking through my earlier fatigue.

"Don't believe me, just watch!" We sang, dancing around the pizzeria as we cleaned up, the laughter returning to my face.

**********

Miles watched from across the restaurant, a small smile creeping onto his face as he observed Lydia's transformation. The light in her eyes was slowly returning, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for her resilience. She was magnetic, even in her exhaustion, and he found himself drawn to her infectious laughter.

When their eyes met, Lydia felt a flutter in her chest-a spark of connection that warmed her from the inside out. She returned his smile, her heart lifting a little more, and continued to dance around the pizzeria with Delilah.

As they finished the last of the cleaning, the atmosphere in the restaurant was light and vibrant. The stress of the day faded away, replaced by a sense of camaraderie that filled the space. Lydia felt more herself than she had all day, the music washing away the remnants of her earlier frustration.

"Alright, guys! Time for the grand finale!" Delilah exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose as the chorus of "24K Magic" began to play. Lydia joined in, twirling around the counter, her laughter echoing off the walls. They sang and danced, letting the music guide them, the stress of their shift melting away.

"Lydia! Delilah!" Miles called out, stepping closer with a teasing grin. "Are you two going to take the stage at the next karaoke night or what?"

"Absolutely!" Delilah shot back, winking at him jokingly. "We'll bring this house down."

I laughed as my cheeks flushed with laughter and warmth as I caught Miles's gaze again. "As long as you promise to join us!" I said playfully, placing a small kiss on his cheek before walking into the kitchen.

"Me? Sing?" He laughed, holding his hands up in mock horror. "I'll stick to the pizza making, thank you very much."

With that, me and Delilah burst into another round of laughter, their voices harmonizing as they danced around the empty tables. The pizzeria, usually bustling with customers, now felt like our own private stage, and for the first time that day, I truly felt free.

As we finished up our cleaning, I couldn't shake the feeling of joy that had come. I had come in earlier feeling defeated, but the combination of good music, laughter, and the camaraderie with my friends had transformed my mood completely.

"Okay, we can't leave the place a total mess," Delilah said, glancing around the pizzeria with a satisfied nod. "Let's make sure everything is in order before we clock out."

"Right, boss," I replied, playfully saluting her. We quickly finished tidying up, and the atmosphere remained light and fun as we worked side by side.

One we wrapped up, I glanced at the clock. "We made it. Shift is finally over." I said, stretching my arms above my head.

"See? We survived. And we did it with style!" Delilah chimed in, beaming with pride as we all walked outside and locked the pizzeria doors.

"See you guys later." I said before walking to my car and getting into the drivers seat.