Just One Life

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CHAPTER 1

" Hey Check, this coffee isn't going to make it self."
" Hey, i'm doing the best I can. Plus, I'm only 13 and have never made coffee before."
My name is not really Check by the way. Joe found me playing hockey and I slammed a guy into the boards so hard I broke the glass. He talked to me after and asked me what seemed like a million questions then finally he asked me why I didn't go home. I told him I don't have parents and that this is where I eat, sleep, and breathe. Even though I didn't like Hockey so much I had a stick which made me eligible to play. I guess he felt bad for me and took me in. That was 2 years ago, and now I'm here at Old Coffee For Now, the worst coffee shop ever. My real name is Chresteno, but Check was easier to say and remember. We... I mean, Joe just opened this new coffee shop which has the weirdest name ever and until I find another name that is worse than his I will keep badgering him to change the name. If we... I mean, if he goes out of business it won't be my fault. The reason I keep saying "We" is, Well, I don't have a family and joe is like a father to me. The bakery is not mine, or even a little bit mine I just work there and live there. Its not all bad because I get paid, it's not much but, without it I won't get anywhere in life.
"I don't care, now get to work!"
"We just started yesterday and you're already being a terrible boss, Plus if I make terrible coffee then this dump will go out of business." I hollered in a demanding voice back.
He stopped, giving me this awful, blank stare down as if he was trying to use laser vision and melt me to a puddle, then he said "Then don't make it terrible" giving me the most unbearable look with a horrible grin that looks like he was going to kill me.
I was so terrified I did what he told me to do no matter how horrible the job was, for the next hour until we... I mean Joe got his first customer. It was a girl with brown hair and light brown eyes. She walked in and made the biggest white smile I had ever seen. I'm not so sure she liked the place or she was doing that so she would impress us so she could have a better chance of getting a job. Whatever it was she was the prettiest girl I have ever seen but, then again I haven't seen very many girls and when I did see them I didn't make a decent impression on them, me being homeless and all that junk.
"Hi... i'll have a black coffee, extra whip cream." she said in the most thoughtful voice ever. Joe scurried to the back as fast as he could. "Oh and i'll have a blueberry muffin also." She said elegantly.
"Check!!!! Get the muffin!!" Joe yelled as if he was being chased down by a mad animal and a muffin is the only thing that would calm it down.
"Sorry about that. You are his first customer... ever. He just wants everything to be perfect." I said
"Well there is no such thing as perfect, thats for sure." She said. "Hey, what does he pay you?" The girl asked waiting for a response.
"Not much, just 1 dollar a day, and buy the way if the muffins are terrible don't say I didn't warn you." I said with a joker look on my face.
"Okay, i've been warned." She said sarcastically. "I get good vibes from you, you know what i mean."
She said that in a nice way, kind of like she was flirting with me. I didn't know what to do so I just went with it.
I wasn't sure what to do and I didn't want to do one of those movie where you stare deeply into each others eyes and kiss in the most dramatic way. I ruined that as fast as I could but, not like in that really weird and rude way... just... lightly. "So... here's your muffin." I said giving her the muffin soon regretting that amazing moment. I've never looked straight into someones eyes before and not have them run away screaming. Then I realized "what if she didn't like the muffin" I said in my head. I got worried... really worried.

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Chapter 2

I was so scared I thought my head was going to exploded. "If she didn't like the muffin she might not come back," I thought. This worried me. I've never loved or even liked a girl before. This was my only chance to save her from eating that terrible muffin but, that chance was soon ruined by Joe ,who came back at the worst time, ever.
" Here is your black coffee, extra whip cream. Would you like anything else?" Joe asked... but, in a sarcastic way. Like he didn't want her to buy anything else... and just... leave.
"No I think that will due." She said elegantly.
She had a bite of the muffin. My heart sank. She had a long sip of the coffee. My heart sank a little more. She had another nibble of the muffin. My heart went to my knees. She finished the coffee in one, big, long "gulp". My heart sank to my toes as she looked up with a white, frothy mouth covered in whip cream. Then, she finished the muffin but, this time my heart didn't sink. I felt fine and she looked like she just had the best cup of coffee, and best blueberry muffin ever.
"WOW! This is unbelievable! This coffee is better than my Mom's coffee and the muffin... oh the muffin... is the best muffin I have ever had. Hey, since you are here, do you have any job openings. I don't care about the money. I just want to work here. You could have people for all around town... no state... no country... no... the world." She exclaimed enthusiastically. Then, she waited for a response.
"Will you work the muffins...?"
"Yes."
"...and get paid $2.50 a day...?"
"Of course."
Joe scanned her carefully. I could tell that she was feeling insecure she looked weird. Like she was getting ready to defend herself if Joe charged at her.
"...will you work holidays...?"
"Depends if my family is going somewhere on that holiday. If not yes. Oh and I have school from 9:45 to 2:15." She said worriedly, hoping she could still have the job.
"Okay so you will work the muffins for $2.50 a day. Get here at 6:45 then, leave for school at 9:15 and then work after school from 2:30 to 7:45. All the days I'm not here the shop is closed but, that day instead of selling you restock the shelves and coffee. Deal?" Joe asked demandingly.
She thought for a moment then finally said... "Deal. Oh and by the way my name is Jillian but, you could call me Jill for short."
"Okay, Jill you start tomorrow."