Did You Get What You Deserve?

~*Melanie’s Point of view*~

“...I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

The congregation clapped and cheered, and I blinked back happy tears as Alec kissed me. We were married, finally married. As we stepped out of the church into the warm sunlight, I felt like all my dreams had come true. When we were in the limo, Alec wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him.

“I hope this isn’t going to be a problem at the other end,” he muttered, “because I’m not letting you go.”

I slid my hand in front of his eyes so he was staring at the gold band on my third finger.

“You can’t ever let me go now,” I said, “not really.”

He grinned and kissed me.

“True,” he said, “very true.”

~*Alecsandra’s Point of view*~

I sighed and turned to the page of the newspaper. James glanced up.

“Still nothing?”

“Still nothing.”

I was about to turn to the next page when an advert caught my eye.

“No, wait,” I said, “here’s something.”

James shuffled over next to me to read it.

Have you always wondered how they fit so many people into a box as small as a radio? Would you like to be one of those people? If you’re aged 15-20 and would like an internship at Magna Radio, then Magna Radio has an internship for you! You could get a chance to join Meg on Meg’s Mega Madhouse every day! Apply online or in person.

A list of emails and addresses followed. I looked up at James.

“Well, it’s an internship, so you won’t get paid, but you should give it a go!”

“You know what? I think I will.”

He picked up the phone and dialled the number in the ad.

~*James’ Point of view*~

“Hello, Magna Radio. Caleb speaking, how may I help you?”

“Hi, I saw your ad in the paper today.”

“Our ad?”

“For interns.”

“Oh, that one! Sure. What’s your name?”

“James Way.”

“Okay. How old are you, James?”

“Fifteen.”

“Cool, cool. So you’re interested in an internship then?”

“That’s right.”

“Brilliant. We’re running a bit low on interns at the moment, so I’m sure we can find a spot for you. Now, you’re aware that interns work for free?”

“Yep.”

“Good, just checking. Now, could you come in for an interview this afternoon?”

He gave me a list of things to bring, and then with a cheerful goodbye he hung up. I grinned at Alec.

“Sounds like I got myself an internship.”

“Yay!”

She checked her watch.

“Oops. I’m going to be looking for one too if I don’t get my ass to Café et d'autres merde in the next ten minutes.”

~*Alecsandra’s Point of view*~

I pulled my hair through the back of my cap and hitched a happy smile onto my face as a customer walked through the door.

“Welcome to Café et d'autres merde, how may I help you?”

Before he could speak, Jessica was leaning past me, holding out a steaming cup.

“One large latte,” she beamed, “that’s three dollars fifty.”

The man handed me the money and took the cup. As the door swung closed behind him, Jessica checked her watch.

“Whew,” she said, “new record. Jill! New record for Large Latte Man! Fifty-three seconds.”

Jill whistled and wrote it up on a large whiteboard under the column ‘Large Latte Man.’ Jessica grinned at me.

“I hold all the records. Nobody knows their preferences better than I do, and I’m the best barista in the house.”

She perched on the edge of the counter and twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

“There’s a few rules to the game, if you’re interested in playing,” she said. “First of all, time starts when they open the door. That’s when you start making the coffee, and not a moment sooner. Secondly, choose your customers carefully. Only play on the ones who always buy the same thing, because you lose points if you make the wrong drink. And-” she whipped her head around eagerly as the doorbell tinkled again. “Oh,” she muttered, “he’s an unpredictable one.”

I was already at the coffee machine, and by the time Jessica had finished asking him what he wanted, I already had his drink in hand.

“Could I have a large trim flat white?” he said.

I handed him the drink.

“Done,” I said.

Jessica stared at me.

“Woah.”

I grinned.

“Is this a celebration or a commiseration?”

“Celebration,” he said.

“Awesome!”

He kissed me and dropped a few coins down my shirt. I shrieked, and he laughed.

“See you after work.”

Then he was gone. As I extracted the coins from my bra, Jessica smiled rather disgustedly.

“Given as you know him, I think that’s cheating, but whatever.”

She turned to the whiteboard and made a new column titled ‘Large Trim Flat White Boy’, the first entry of which read ‘Alec, 1 min 10.’ As soon as she turned her back, I crossed out ‘Large Trim Flat White Boy’ and wrote ‘James.’