Life's Chain
one
Jessica hummed quietly to herself as she set down the chairs and wiped the tables to prepare for the early morning rush. The Corner Café had become quite a little hotspot for all the busy university students passing to and from their classes, being only a five minutes walk out of the canvas it was a convenient little pit stop. A student herself, Jessica saw just how nice a place it was, away from all the commotion of the active university.
Jessica had no classes on Wednesday which gave her a great opportunity to earn some extra cash. Though the pay wasn't great, Jessica was grateful for such a pleasant and convenient job. Vanessa Cartman, the old woman who owned the café was a dear friend of Jessica's mother and was more than happy to give Jessica a job.
Jessica looked at her watch and sighed. Five minutes till open and Damian hadn’t turn up yet. How was she supposed to handle the busy rush on her own?
Damian was only 16 and recently dropped out of school. As far as Jessica could tell he had nothing going for him in his life and was in serious need of an attitude change.
"Bastard," she muttered to herself, unlocking the door.
Within minutes the first customer of the morning came through the door.
"Hi there, what can I get you?" Jessica smiled pleasantly.
The morning went fairly fast and Jessica was able to manage on her own, but having another person made it so much more convenient.
She began to relax when the customers began dieing down.
"Morning Jessica," greeted a short, blonde woman.
"Hey there, Leah," she greeted the familiar woman. "What can I get for you today?"
Jessica knew Leah as a regular customer of The Corner Café. She was a primary school music teacher at Highlands Primary School and was trying to make it big as a singer and song writer.
That's all Jessica knew about Leah, they were only familiar with each other through the café, no more than acquaintances.
"Just the usual thanks Jessie."
"Sure." She started making Leah's skinny latte.
Leah had a good heart, Jessica could tell. She was always polite and careful about everything she said. Leah cared dearly about the kids she taught and her music, whenever she talked about them her eyes would light up in excitement.
"So, I got myself an audition next Sunday." Leah stated, her soft eyes glowing smugly.
"That's excellent, where at?"
"Have you heard of the Tidal Fight?"
"Yes, my nephew loves them. They're an indie band aren't they?"
"Yep, and at their gigs they give opportunities for aspiring artists to play as a side show."
"Oh! How exciting!" Jessica exclaimed. "So what do you have to do?"
"I know, I know! I just have to go to the arts centre on Sunday and play for them, and hopefully they'll like me enough to pick me."
"I do hope you get it."
The poor woman hadn't had much luck in the past and this could really be her big break.
"So do I, but Ian really didn't seem to like the idea. But he'll come around, he only wants what's best for me."
What's best for him, more like. Jessica thought to herself.
Ian was Leah's boyfriend, she had brought him to the café once before. He was very blunt and showed no interest in anyone but himself. He hadn't made any effort to even acknowledge Jessica after being introduced and hurried Leah out of the café after receiving their drinks.
"Of course he does." Jessica smiled. It wasn't her place to state her objections towards Leah's boyfriend.
"Hey, just think when you make it 'big,' I'll be able to tell everyone that I made Leah Ayley coffee every morning."
She laughed.
"Morning Jezzie," Jessica turned to the young man.
It was Damian.
He waltzed his lanky frame past Jessica.
"You're late."
"Only by a couple of hours,"
Jessica rolled her eyes at his comment.
"How many times is this going to happen?"
He shrugged.
"It's the trains, they never run on time."
"By two hours? Don’t make excuses, just go change the bins." She shook her head in disapproval.
Leah chuckled lightly.
"Looks like you'll have a lot on your hands, I better leave you to it."
"Good luck with the audition on Sunday."
"Thanks, good luck with Damian"
She grinned.
Jessica would have Damian cleaning and changing bins all morning.
Jessica had no classes on Wednesday which gave her a great opportunity to earn some extra cash. Though the pay wasn't great, Jessica was grateful for such a pleasant and convenient job. Vanessa Cartman, the old woman who owned the café was a dear friend of Jessica's mother and was more than happy to give Jessica a job.
Jessica looked at her watch and sighed. Five minutes till open and Damian hadn’t turn up yet. How was she supposed to handle the busy rush on her own?
Damian was only 16 and recently dropped out of school. As far as Jessica could tell he had nothing going for him in his life and was in serious need of an attitude change.
"Bastard," she muttered to herself, unlocking the door.
Within minutes the first customer of the morning came through the door.
"Hi there, what can I get you?" Jessica smiled pleasantly.
The morning went fairly fast and Jessica was able to manage on her own, but having another person made it so much more convenient.
She began to relax when the customers began dieing down.
"Morning Jessica," greeted a short, blonde woman.
"Hey there, Leah," she greeted the familiar woman. "What can I get for you today?"
Jessica knew Leah as a regular customer of The Corner Café. She was a primary school music teacher at Highlands Primary School and was trying to make it big as a singer and song writer.
That's all Jessica knew about Leah, they were only familiar with each other through the café, no more than acquaintances.
"Just the usual thanks Jessie."
"Sure." She started making Leah's skinny latte.
Leah had a good heart, Jessica could tell. She was always polite and careful about everything she said. Leah cared dearly about the kids she taught and her music, whenever she talked about them her eyes would light up in excitement.
"So, I got myself an audition next Sunday." Leah stated, her soft eyes glowing smugly.
"That's excellent, where at?"
"Have you heard of the Tidal Fight?"
"Yes, my nephew loves them. They're an indie band aren't they?"
"Yep, and at their gigs they give opportunities for aspiring artists to play as a side show."
"Oh! How exciting!" Jessica exclaimed. "So what do you have to do?"
"I know, I know! I just have to go to the arts centre on Sunday and play for them, and hopefully they'll like me enough to pick me."
"I do hope you get it."
The poor woman hadn't had much luck in the past and this could really be her big break.
"So do I, but Ian really didn't seem to like the idea. But he'll come around, he only wants what's best for me."
What's best for him, more like. Jessica thought to herself.
Ian was Leah's boyfriend, she had brought him to the café once before. He was very blunt and showed no interest in anyone but himself. He hadn't made any effort to even acknowledge Jessica after being introduced and hurried Leah out of the café after receiving their drinks.
"Of course he does." Jessica smiled. It wasn't her place to state her objections towards Leah's boyfriend.
"Hey, just think when you make it 'big,' I'll be able to tell everyone that I made Leah Ayley coffee every morning."
She laughed.
"Morning Jezzie," Jessica turned to the young man.
It was Damian.
He waltzed his lanky frame past Jessica.
"You're late."
"Only by a couple of hours,"
Jessica rolled her eyes at his comment.
"How many times is this going to happen?"
He shrugged.
"It's the trains, they never run on time."
"By two hours? Don’t make excuses, just go change the bins." She shook her head in disapproval.
Leah chuckled lightly.
"Looks like you'll have a lot on your hands, I better leave you to it."
"Good luck with the audition on Sunday."
"Thanks, good luck with Damian"
She grinned.
Jessica would have Damian cleaning and changing bins all morning.