Sketched

<4>

ALISON'S POV

I was anticipating this weekend. The whole catering thing meant more money and I was getting my paycheque.

Slowly, I watched as the numbers of my watched counted their way up to seven.

‘Come on, come on’ I urged them onwards with the sheer willpower of my mind. My watched beeped, signalling the end of my fourth week. Four weeks. That still amazed me.

How in the hell had I not been fired yet? Though, I was proud to say that I had mastered the art of balancing up to five dishes on my arms and trays and I had only broken one of the computers used for ordering the food this week.

I must say though, being around the food has started to lose its appeal. When I first came here, I was finding it excruciatingly difficult to contain myself around the food.

“Yessss!” I squealed, startling a nearby customer. “Paycheque!" I sang as I skipped to Mister Marks’ office, composing myself briefly before knocking politely.

“Enter,” he called. I stepped inside, beaming.

“Ah, Alison! I believe I owe you a paycheque!” he exclaimed, pulling open a drawer from his metal desk and taking out an envelope. “You’ve worked hard this week, Alison and I hope to see you at half seven on the dot tomorrow to set up!” He handed me the envelope, winking. He then pulled a black box with ‘Take Me Home' printed on the front and handed it to me.

Confused, I slowly lifted the lid off, revealing a small plain black dress with ‘Nando‘s’ printed across the left breast pocket. Sitting on top of it was a plain black and orange phantom mask. My dress, or should I say uniform, for the masquerade tomorrow.

Tucking the box under my arm, I grinned at him and practically kang-kanged out of Nando’s, delighted with earning my first paycheque, to have my own money for college. It was quite liberating to hold my own hard-earned cash in hand.

Chelsea was waiting outside patiently, on her phone. She wore a black pencil skirt, black ankle boots and a silver loose top. Chelsea always dolled herself up when going out in public. I was a disgrace beside her, dressed in my black skinnies and my black Nando’s polo shirt.

“Hey,” I called out, waving my envelope in the air, “I got my first paycheque!”

She grinned at me. “Good, now we can go shopping!”

I frowned. “No, college my dear, college,”

“I hate that bloody college,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes and stepped away from the wall she was leaning on, making her way to the exit out to the car park.

“Come on Chels, you know that I’ve wanted this forever,” I laughed.

“You’re moving to England, you’ll be million miles away!”

“Now that’s a massive exaggeration.” I rolled my eyes, “And hey, you can afford to circumnavigate the world forty times over! I think you can afford one small trip to England.”

She pouted, as she unlocked her car.

“And it’s not like you’ll be alone! You’ll have Harvey!” I reasoned, “And I’m sure he’ll keep you great company.” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

She smirked, smacking my knee. “Filthy mind, filthy girl.” She scolded.

“Hey!” I protested, “You and I both know that I am as innocent as the day I was born!”