Horizon Lines

~2~

Saraya Rainer nearly slumped with relief as she walked into the employees break room, her head pounding from a vicious headache. After hours of waitressing in a noisy restaurant with her feet killing her, she was more than happy to be relieved of her job from her eight hour shift.

It was summer break, so she was working more hours at the Martinez Bros Burritos. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the throbbing in her head. She hated this job with a passion unlike any other job she'd had. She'd worked at amusement parks before getting this job. She liked working at them, but when they closed for the fall and winter season, she had to find work elsewhere. Her father was the friend of the owner of this crappy establishment and pulled a few strings so she could get this job.

Saraya had refused to work there at first, her pride hurt that her father would hand her a job when she wanted to earn it and she couldn't stand his friend, but she did need the money. She was saving up enough money so she could move out of her state and move somewhere--anywhere else--so she could be free to live life how she wanted.

She found her locker among the wall of small, square lockers that hung on the left concrete wall in the break room and fished out her purse and hoodie. Despite it being summer, nights could still get extremely cold and she was the type of person to get cold easily. She pulled her maroon hoodie over her head and yanked her hair out of the messy bun she'd piled on top of her head. She let her long, wavy black hair with streaks of blue shake loose, falling around her face in a glossy sheet.

Her hair was the only feature she liked about herself. She loved her hair even more now that she added the blue highlights, something else her father got onto about. She'd partly gotten the highlights to piss him off.

She walked out of the small, cold break room and past the kitchens. A waiter carrying a tray of tacos walked out of the swinging double doors. As the doors swished open, Saraya caught parts of a conversation from the manager, Martin, complaining about how a waitress called in sick last second and they needed someone to cover her shift.

Saraya wasted no time getting out of there. Knowing her luck, Martin would catch her walking out and get her to cover the waitress's shift. There was no way she could work anymore tonight, even if she were to be paid extra, without either throttling someone or chucking someone across the room. She could only take working in a loud, hot restaurant with rude customers and screeching toddlers for only so long.

Saraya exited the restaurant and made a beeline for her car in the employees parking lot. She threw her purse in the passenger seat and was about to get in her car when she heard loud music and laughter coming towards her. She looked up to watch a white Mercedes driving in her direction, the sun roof down as two girls stood up, hooting and laughing.

Saraya recognized the people in the car and immediately grew irritated by their presence. Crossing her arms over her chest, she waited as the Mercedes pulled up next to her.

"Hey, Say-Ray," Lindsey Roderick, a fellow shapeshifter from the Thornberry Clan, called out to her, her long brown hair flowing in the wind.

"Hello, Lindsey," Saraya said dryly, eyeing the shapeshifters in the car with visible hostility. Lindsey, Christy, Hailey, Katie and Bobbie always set out to make her life a living hell. Saraya learned how to stick up for herself and wouldn't let the mean girls get to her, but it was still aggravating and she wondered why these girls didn't have anything better to do than to body shame her and torment her.

Lindsey eyed her. "You look a lot bigger than the last time we talked. Did you eat all of that restaurant's burritos again?"

Lindsey and her flunkies burst out laughing like she told the funniest jokes in the world.