Complementary

twenty four

suck it and see - arctic monkeys

zayn

It has been approximately one week since I nearly beat Liam Payne to a pulp on the floor of the convenience store I work at - or, used to work at. I can thank myself for the pathetic fact that I am still unemployed.

Still, I feel as if both Liam and Carlie are to blame for this. If I hadn't bumped to them in line buying condoms, then I really would not have had any reason to punch the guy in the face a few times. I would still be getting a steady pay, only having to choose between dinner on the table or weed occasionally. Now, I have been drawing and painting a lot more only to sell my art just so I can eat. I seem to have realized that weed actually does come second in the real world.

I have also come to realize that the pattern Carlie and I had fallen into really, truly is broken. I had expected her to show up at my place begging for forgiveness with sad, blue eyes by now, but she has yet to do so. Half of me thinks it is because she does not want to seem predictable (the stubborn side of her), where the other half of me believes that she genuinely does not want to see me again. I do not really understand why she wouldn't want to see me again, especially since I was nothing but good to her. Maybe she is just content with Liam now.

Sighing, I shake my head, as if I am trying to shake off these thoughts. I need to. My mind has been eating me alive lately. I should worry about other things, like school and finding a real job.

I stand up and run my fingers through my hair, deciding I will do just that. I have to venture out into the city eventually, so now is as good of a time as any.

I slip on my shoes and grab my keys, shrugging on my jacket as well. Thanksgiving is a few days away, meaning the weather has gotten much colder. I definitely cannot say I like it.

I head out of the building and toward the direction of my truck. Louis had driven me - again - to McGovern's to pick it up the day after I got excessively drunk at the bar there. He has yet to call me since, so I am beginning to wonder what Carlie has told him, if she has told him anything at all.

I start up the car and press play on the stereo, not paying much attention to the sound that fills the silence around me until I am pulling out onto the main road. It is then that I realize the first Strokes album is playing. What a sick joke.

I laugh bitterly and shut the music off, deciding silence is just fine at the moment.

Somehow, I end up in the parking lot of the coffee shop that I went to with Carlie that day we also went to the park. It seems empty and I figure I might as well start with my job hunting here.

The scent of coffee and pastries engulfs me as soon as I enter the small place. It looks the same, not that I had expected it to change much anyway. For some reason, though, I find myself hoping Carlie would be here. After a quick glance around the room, it is clear that she is not.

I nearly roll my eyes at my own actions and approach the counter where a girl about my age is working the register. She looks at me expectantly, confidence clear in the way she holds my gaze. I avert my eyes briefly, then look back at her.

"What would you like today?" She speaks up, tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Uh," I stutter, growing anxious. "Nothing, actually. I was just wondering if you guys were, um, hiring."

The girl smiles at me, the expression lingering for moment before she says, "We could use some help around here, I'm sure."

A sigh of relief escapes my lips. "Great. Thank you."

"No problem," she assures me. "Just let me go get the manager. I'm Ella, by the way."

"Ella," I say stupidly. "Nice to meet you. I'm, uh, Zayn Malik."

Ella smiles again before turning on her heel and disappearing into a back room. I stand awkwardly at the register for a few moments before she returns with a middle aged man in trail. He is tall and burly which surprises me. He does not really strike me as someone who would work in a tiny coffee shop.

"You're Zayn?" He speaks up, eyeing me.

"Yes." I nod slightly.

He extends his hand out for me to shake. "I'm Alan, nice to meet you. Do you have any prior working experience?"

"Um," I stutter, realizing that I will not be filling out an application. Alan will just be interrogating me instead. "Yeah. I used to work over at Gino's convenience store for about a year."

"And why are you no longer employed there?" He asks, humor evident in his eyes.

"I, uh, quit. I needed a change of scenery." I lie through my teeth.

"Okay. Are you a student?"

"Yeah. I'm photography student." I reply.

He raises his eyebrows. "Cool. You're hired."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yep. Ella here will tell you everything you need to know. I'll see you tomorrow, kid." Alan dismisses me, going back into the room behind the counter.

I let my eyes flicker back over to the blonde in front of me who already seems to be looking in my direction. She grins, then says, "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks." I mutter awkwardly.

"Alright, here's an apron. Yes, I'm sorry, you do need to wear it. It's really not that bad. It's a part of the uniform, which is just all black clothing under the said apron. Alan is pretty laid back so if you ever have a problem with your hours just let him know. You'll be working part time, correct?"

"Um, I guess so."

"Okay, cool. Me too. We'll probably have some shifts together, and all you'll really be doing is making coffee drinks and working the register." Ella says. "Do you have any questions?"

I briefly think about the fact that I have a horrible coffee-making curse, and now I will be working in a coffee shop. I think the real reason why I ended up in here was because of Carlie, not because of my non-existent love for making coffee drinks.

"Um, no. No questions. Sorry." I manage to finally answer her, noticing her nose scrunch up as she laughs.

I have to admit, Ella is rather pretty, though she looks the exact opposite of Carlie. She has light hair and dark eyes, and she actually appears friendly, too.

"Alright," she says. "See you tomorrow, Zayn."

I nod curtly before turning and leaving, wondering why the hell I just got a job there if I can't even make a cup of coffee to save my life.

-

just a bit of a filler with a new character