The Struggle •Unedited•

Chapter 9

The small restaurant Liam and I were eating lunch at sucked. It had just opened up a few months ago and they still lacked experience. Out placed in front of us were two portfolios of photographers I had interviewed previously. I'm supposed to make a decision on who will be joining me on my assignment and I'm stuck between these two gentlemen.

"Liam, help me!" I whined as I jabbed a fork into the plate of under sauced pasta.

He huffed as he set his fork down and grabbed a photo that laid on a portfolio. "I already told you, dammit. Even though these two have similar, great looking photographs, this guy has more work experience. He is less likely to fuck up."

"Good point."

"Thank you."

I swirled the fork one again and took a bite of my lunch. It would've been nice if they added more Alfredo sauce.

"This pasta tastes like cardboard."

The clink of the fork hitting my plate was heard. I gave up on eating this crap. It made me lose my appetite.

"Awh c'mon, Lis. They've only been open for two months. I'm pretty sure they'll get better," Liam reasoned.

"I guess. I'm not hungry anymore, either way."

I grabbed the declined portfolio as I placed the photo that laid on it into the folder and shoved it back into my book bag, leaving the other on the table. Now all I gotta do is call the lucky photographer that landed the job. Liam dropped the photo back on top of the folder and continued to stuff his face. I reached for my cell phone in my blazer pocket.

Since we were sitting close to the entrance, every time a new customer would walk in, the door would ring an annoying little bell which would cause Liam and I to look up most of the time. This time it rang and it only caught my attention.

Unbelievable! This seriously can't be happening right now. Right in front of me stood the King of Asshole's himself in his recognizable blue jean jacket and messy brown hair. This is definitely a small fucking city.

***

This is the eighth restaurant I've come to and I pray that they're hiring. It seems like a nice place to work. It's small and the employees seem friendly. I have Niall waiting outside for me in his truck, so I gotta make this quick.

"Hi. Excuse me? Are you all hiring right now?" I ask the young teenager behind the cashier counter.

She smiles. "Hello, sir! Yes, we are actually hiring right now. Would you like an application?"

"Yes, please. That'd be great."

She grabs a thin packet from behind the counter and hands it over to me. Again, she smiles an over glossed smile. It's kinda creepy now that I look at it. Some people can be too friendly.

"Make sure you have it in by the end of this week. By then they will stop accepting applications and they will begin making the interview callbacks."

"Alright. Sounds good. Thanks. Have a good day."

"Likewise."

I look down at the application and I start to fill out the empty spaces in my head. When I look up to exit the building, I spot the person that I thought I'd never see again since yesterday and she's glaring right at me.

"You gotta be shitting me," I hiss under my breath.

Why do I keep encountering this girl? I end up walking a bit closer to her table on my way out. I try to avoid her, but a this point it seems impossible.