A Thousand Storms

02 trouble

Time seemed to move faster in New York, and before I knew it, tomorrow had become today. I was at the restaurant, donning my new uniform, hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"So," Rhia started. "Can you please tell me how your skin is so freaking clear? Because I've watched like a billion stupid ass YouTube videos and—"

I frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching me waitressing basics?"

She blinked. "Well, you can walk, you can talk and you can add up numbers faster than a calculator. I'm pretty sure you're already better than me. Now, quit being stingy and share!"

I laughed. "Just get enough sleep and don't eat too much oily food, I guess."

"Ugh," she groaned. "I'm never going to have nice skin. I never sleep before twelve. And have you seen the amount of oil my mum puts in her curry? I can't live without that shit."

"I've never really had a proper curry before." I wondered out loud.

Rhia's surprise was audible. "What? You're so coming to my place tomorrow."

I was about to say yes, but then... "Sorry," I said, genuinely sad, "I can't."

"Why not? Wait... Don't tell me you're a Trump supporter, because if so, you're fired."

I laughed. "No. No, I'm not. It's just that... I kinda destroyed this asshole's motorcycle by reversing straight into it. And he asked me to meet him at Charley's auto repair this Saturday."

Rhia frowned. "Firstly, why would you drive around in your own car in New York? And secondly, Charley's is trouble."

"I realized," I said, referring to the first half of her sentence, then, "Why is it trouble?"

"It just is, okay?" She took my phone from my hands.

"What's your password?"

I just stared at her.

"C'mon," she whined, "you got any porn on here?"

"What?" I exclaimed. "No!"

"Then tell me your password!"

"Fine," I huffed, "314159265359."

Rhia made to start and then stopped, staring at me like I'd just grown another head.

"Why the hell is your password as long as the unemployment line?"

I chuckled, shrugging. "For fun. It's pi without the decimal sign."

She stared at me. "You're on some crazy Einstein crack."

I laughed, taking my phone back and typing it in for her.

She gave me a perplexed look and typed in something on it, giving the device back.

"There," she said, "my number. If you really did jack up this guy's cycle, you're going to have to go there on Saturday. But if you have any problem at all—anything—just call me. I'm on my phone half the time anyway."

I smiled. Rhia had a big heart... I'd only just met her but I felt as though I'd known her for years.

"Thank you," I said.

"You're going to Columbia this semester?" She looked at me. It was more of a statement than a question.

I nodded, surprised. "How'd you know?"

"They'd be stupid not to accept you."

"You're nice."

She shook her head. "It's my job to be nice."