A Guide on How to Love Jules Everett

Chapter Four

The New Job

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THE SUMMER SUN gave off a heat that could kill. There was no other way to describe the searing sensation. Spring's cooling breeze slowly receded as the holidays bled on and the world made way for the summer heat. With that said, the days were only getting hotter and hotter.

As I stood under the shade of a great tree waiting for Xavier to arrive, I sucked at the popsicle I had in hand. An icy treat was the only way to keep cool, especially since our small town of Riverside Creek had no beaches to boast. All we had was a winding river that spanned on into the horizon, a watery path the richer folks of town would venture on whenever the holidays arrived. When I breathed out, my chilly breath from the frosty popsicle and the summer heat clashed, forming a cloud of smoke before swiftly blown away by the wind.

The childcare center that Jules worked at had a pay-to-enter policy. That meant that other than the staff, the members of the public would have to either pay for a one-day entrance fee or they must be a subscription pass holder. With that said, it meant that until Xavier arrived to apply for a position, I was stuck out in the blazing weather.

It didn't take long after I finished my sweet treat for a familiar car to roll into the parking lot. Xavier got out first, a pair of tinted sunglasses covering his eyes and a sneer on his lips. Harr followed shortly after, with a bright smile that contradicted his friend's frown.

"Aiko!" Harr exclaimed, waving fanatically while standing at the door of his car. "Over here!"

I pushed myself off of the trunk of the tree, chewing on the wooden popsicle stick as I made my way over.

"Only took you forever," I scoffed. On the way towards the car, I flung the wooden stick into a nearby dustbin, wiping my hands on my shorts.

"Sorry. Xavier didn't have a resume so we had to cook one up at the last minute," Harr admitted sheepishly.

"I do have a resume," Xavier grumbled in protest. He slammed the door shut behind him, using a little more force than what was necessary. Without looking back, he began to walk towards the entrance of KiddyzWorld, hands in his pockets. "It was just that you deemed it insufficient."

"What you originally had with you could barely even be considered as a resume." Harr rolled his eyes, shaking his head to express his disappointment. Then, he stood upright, flashing a brilliant smile before he hopped back into his car.

I watched, arms folded across my chest as Harr buckled in his seatbelt in a fluid practiced motion. Once he was done, he pressed a button at his side of the car, rolling the window on the passenger seat side so that he could speak to us. He leaned over the middle just a little, grinning so broadly and mischievously that I could even see the shine of his pearly white teeth.

"Good luck getting that job, Xavier. And Aiko, I'm leaving him in your hands. Make sure that the kid doesn't get into any trouble!"

That last sentence made Xavier jump a little. Annoyed, he stormed over back to the car only to reach it just as Harr rolled up the windows. Hands clenched into fists, Xavier knocked at the glass, sneering at the person that sat inside the vehicle, safe and out of reach.

From where I stood, I could see Harr laughing inside, his voice muffled by the glass but his expression glimmering as bright as day. Slowly, his lips started to move, clearly mouthing the words 'you'll scratch the glass' at Xavier. His words, however, wasn't delivered with any hint of seriousness. It was obviously just to get Xavier riled up.

In response to that, Xavier pressed the back of his left hand on the glass window, his middle finger sticking out, accompanied by an indignant glare. Inside, Harr's laughter did not stop. He continued to snigger, shaking his head as he placed his hand on the steering wheel. Before long, the car had left the parking lot, leaving us in a cloud of dust and an empty silence that followed the boisterous commotion.