The Middle Seat

It's Your Fault

"So over here are the kid rides, " I tell Elliot pointing to the entrance to 'Kid Adventures', "This is where you will be working.

I see Elliot's eyes widen and he turns to look at me, "Do I have to work in there? Why can't I work on the big rides?"

I laugh at him and reply, "What? Is Elliot too bad to work on the kiddie rides?" He rolls his eyes and looks at all the kids dragging their parents everywhere. "Besides, all the newbies start working here first. Then they go onto the food areas, then you get to be a ticket master," he looks pretty upset from the jobs he is going to be doing. Does he really want to work on the big rides that bad? "Then you get to work on the thriller roller coasters, it really only takes about two weeks to get there. After that you can go wherever you like!"

"Are you going to work here?" He said looking hopeful. I really did not like working in the kids land. But I was the only person he knew here so I felt sorry for him. Plus, I need to teach him how to work everything.

"Yeah sure I need to teach you everything anywa-" I was cut off by Phoenix and Myla running towards me and shouting,

"Arizona! Ray wants you right now and he says its an emergency!" They finally catch up to me and put their hands on their knees obviously out of breath.

I groan and look up at Elliot. "Sorry but I have to go, Myla can you stay with Elliot and teach him everything he needs to know?"

"Of course! Working in the Kid Land is really fun,  as long as you like little kids!" Myla said enthusiastically.

"Great..." Elliot replied obviously not liking kids. Myla didn't catch on to his sarcasm and grabbed his hand pulling him into the most annoying place in the park. I laughed and turned around expecting to see Phoenix standing there but he isn't anywhere to be seen. I shrug it off and head over to Ray's office.

Once I get there I knock on his door, not knowing what to expect.

"Come in!" I hear Ray yell from inside. I open the door and right when he sees me, he grins. "Arizona! I have something really important tell you and I know you'll love to hear it! Please sit." He points to the chair in front of his desk signaling for me to sit.

"What's up? Phoenix and Myla told me it was an emergency." I tell him.

"Well, not exactly an emergency, but its good news! I nodded so he can continue. "I fired Haley today." My eyes widened and my jaw dropped when he said those words.

Haley worked at the park longer than all the workers so Ray kept her in charge and let me just say, she is a bitch. She bosses everyone around and does nothing all day long. No one liked her, not even Ray. But he never fired her because she stayed here so long and he felt sorry for her.

I took in the words he just told me and stuttered, "W-What?"

He nodded and replied, "As you know, she is very rude to all the employees and she left her stand on the Black Widow with no one to start the ride! So, I let her go, and she wasn't very thrilled about it." He nodded towards the corner of his office, I turned and saw a broken chair lying on the floor.

So that's where it went. I thought to myself.

"But that isn't all, since she is gone, I'm promoting you to head employee." He smiled.

My head snapped up and I bet I was grinning like a fool. "No way!" I screamed.

"Yes, you deserve it, don't disappoint me." He said in a stern voice.

"I won't I promise!" I exclaimed, bouncing out of my chair and jumping up and down. I couldn't believe it!

"Okay, now go work, I have some business to take care of." He said looking down at his work.

"Alright thanks again!" I squealed and ran out the door to find Phoenix.

He was about to go in the boys employee bathroom when I tackled him. "Oww.." He turned and looked up at me.

"That's for this morning, but guess what?!" I asked him.

"What?" He said rubbing his shoulder. 

"I'm head employee! Ray finally fired Haley!" His eyes widened and he starting shaking me uncontrollably.

"No way! Wait until everyone hears about this!" And with that, he ran off.

I chuckled and went back to work the rest of the day. I couldn't believe I was head worker, I was so happy. Maybe mom will be proud of me if I tell her.

After closing time everyone congratulated me and we went our separate ways. I forgot to ask Myla how it went with Elliot, I can ask her tomorrow. Phoenix dropped me off at my house before asking, "Hey, are you sure you don't want to stay the night at my house?"

Phoenix knew how bad my mother was and he always offered me to stay at his house. I love that he cares about me but I've been staying at his house for the past week now. I should stay home. With my mom. Even though she hates me, I still loved her, she is my mom.

"No its fine, plus I want to tell mom that I  got promoted, everything will be fine, don't worry." He nodded as I got out of his car and headed towards the door. I unlocked it and walked in with a grin on my face.

"Mom! I want to talk to you, where are you?" I yelled.

"In here!" I heard her voice come from the office. I walked in and saw her just hanging up the phone with probably a client. "What do you want?"

"I have good news! Haley got fired today and-" I started.

"Haley got fired? That's your good news?!" My mom semi-yelled. Haley was her friends daughter, and she liked her a lot. Sometimes even more that me.

"What? No mom, I got promoted to head employee!" I said with a grin.

"So you took her spot?! How do you think she feels?! What kind of animal are you?!" She exclaimed.

This is not how I planned for everything to turn out. She got up from her seat and started towards me. I knew awhile ago not to dodge her hits, that would just make it worse.

"She is probably crying right now because YOU took her position and got her fired! Its your fault!" She yelled as her palm met my face. I backed up and it hit the wall. I knew she hit me good when I felt blood oozing out of my nose. I was on the floor now in pain and I knew what was coming next.

She kicked me right in the stomach with her black heels on. "Its your fault! Again!" She repeatedly started kicking me in all areas. "Its- kick- always- kick- your- kick- fault!" The last one was the hardest kick and it hit me right on the back of my head. I was crying in pain and I couldn't say anything to her. I managed to look up at her and speak,

"I thought you would be proud.." I mumbled.

"Proud? You thought I would be proud?!" She yelled, causing my head to hurt even more. "You made a innocent girl lose her job and you think I would be proud?! Get out of my house! Now!"

I did as she said and crawled towards the front door holding on to my stomach. I got up and ran outside at first not knowing where I was going. I ran all the way to the park and went to the usual spot I go to whenever I'm like this.

All I did was cry and cry until I couldn't cry anymore. I wasn't expecting this night to turn out like this. I wanted to make my mother proud. I can never do that anymore, ever since the accident.

I heard someones footsteps coming closer to me. I shot my head up and saw a dark shadow leaning over me. I knew it was Phoenix, I just wondered how he knew I was here. I quickly got up and saw that it wasn't Phoenix, but Elliot.

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Hi! Sorry for the short chapter, next one will be longer! Bye!

~Sarah (Buttermilk)