Beyond the Ordinary

Chapter 14

A/N - Axel^^ 

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KATE 

I typed in the address of my new job into my GPS and began the fifteen-minute walk. My father had offered to drive me, but I knew it was because he felt bad about this morning and not because he actually wanted to, so I politely declined his offer.

I reached the store about ten minutes earlier than I was due to arrive, so I just decided to sit on a chair inside and watch an episode of Victorious on my phone.

"Hey," a voice said beside me. "You're here early."

I looked up. It was Axel.

I removed my headphones and popped them back into their case. "Yeah?" I said though it came out sounding like a question.

"I'm on my break for a while, so I can train you now," Axel stated, though it didn't seem like there was any chance for me to say no.

"Okay," I replied and followed him into the back room.

The room was pitch black and I watched with amusement as Axel stumbled around in the dark, looking for the light switch. "Found it," he finally said and the room erupted in light.

My eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change while I waited for Axel to find a few things for me to practice waitressing with.

He pulled up a large grey table on wheels and handed me a black tray. "This is what the waitresses use," he explained, referring to the tray.

"Really? I thought this was a bathtub," I responded sarcastically.

Axel raised an eyebrow at my sarcasm. "You have to take this job seriously, and if you don't, you know where the door is," he declared harshly.

I'd found my suspicions about him were correct. He could be strict when it was necessary. Now I finally understood why Penny had such high respect for him.

He began handing me plastic wine glasses, which I placed onto the tray carefully as if they were glass.

"Are you clumsy?" Axel asked.

I shook my head no.

"Good. 'Cause this would not be the job for you if you were." At this remark, he smirked.

Was he just trying to be funny? I asked myself.

I smiled at him, keeping each plastic glass on the tray easily as I spoke, "You have to take this job seriously, and if you don't, you know where the door is," I said, mocking his voice.

Axel then did something that surprised me. He laughed. It only lasted a second or two, but I silently wished that he'd do it again.

As he handed me more glasses, and I placed them onto the tray, he began asking me questions. However, I found it difficult to tell if he was testing my ability in talking and balancing the glasses, or if he was just trying to make conversation.

"So, do you play any sports?" Axel asked.

"Yeah, I play soccer," I answered.

I remembered the first time my mother had asked me to try out for the soccer team. I was in fifth grade and I'd only just quit basketball.

"Why don't you try out for the soccer team?" She'd asked.

I didn't know it then, but that was going to be the best decision I'd ever made.

"Hello? Kate?" Axel asked, waving a hand in front of my face.

I got so startled that I almost dropped all the glasses, but thankfully, my instincts kicked in and I managed to settle them all back down again.

"I asked you a question, Kate," Axel said, sounding amused.

"Sorry, what was it?" I asked.

"Aren't you going to ask me anything?" Axel asked, still amused.

He's definitely making conversation, I thought.

"Sure, um, do you play any sports?" I asked, repeating his same question as before.

He laughed again. "Yeah, I play soccer too."

I smiled. "Are you any good?"

Axel shrugged. "I was MVP last year in JV but I switched to varsity this year."

"Oh, that's cool."

"What about you?" He asked, gesturing for me to start walking with the tray of plastic glasses.

I began walking, watching the glasses carefully while still looking in front of me. "Well, I just moved here, so I haven't signed up for the soccer team yet. But, I was on the varsity team at my old school."

He looked surprised. "Oh, really? What grade?"

"Ninth."

"Ah, were you any good?" He asked.

"Not really, I just did it for fun."

Axel and I continued asking each other questions and I found myself warming up to his company.

At the end of my training, he said, "You know, we should make this a game. Like at work, in case if we're ever bored or something."

I smiled. "Yeah, that'd be cool."