Second Chances, Bad Habits

After I’d unpacked as much of my stuff as I had energy for, I decided to have an early night. Especially seen as I be job hunting tomorrow, I may be 18, but I’m apparently too old for high school, which was perfectly fine with me.
Heading over to my suitcase under my window, I started pulling out my ‘PJs’, which was just a large t-shirt and some girl boxers. Looking up I saw the guy from before who had sort of saved me. He was only in a towel. I couldn’t help but stare. Oh my gawd Deli, you’re a perv. You’re perving on some poor guy, in his bedroom, while he’s getting changed. Wait…..getting changed?
“AHHHHH!!” I screamed, slapping my hands over my eyes as I realised he was naked. Hoping he didn’t see me I quickly dropped to the floor. Ok it was one thing to think a guy was cute, but to stare at a stranger through their bedroom window, when they’re naked, it down right gross!
“What’s all the screaming?” My mum said, bursting into the room. Helpful mother, really.
“Erm…..nothing…..erm…..there was a spider…..never mind.” I blurted and stumbled, quickly grabbing my PJs again and heading to my en-suite.
Leaning against the bathroom door, I hadn’t realised how badly I was heavy breathing. Well I wanted to know who the guy was; turns out he’s my neighbour. The saying be careful what you wish for, you just might get it, comes to mind.
This was either going to be really bad, or turn into something good. I haven’t decided which yet.

*****************

I’d been wandering around L.A. for the best part of the day. Luckily without one glimpse of my ‘naked neighbour’. I couldn’t find anyone who was willing to hire me. Ha! Take that mum! She claimed everyone would want to hire just because of my ‘British’ accent. What she didn’t think of was that if you didn’t sound like you were from London, which I’m not, they don’t believe you’re British. In fact, I’m unlucky enough to have been blessed with a mild Yorkshire accent, which even people from London don’t like to listen to. Apparently we sound common.
Heading the street I saw a shop called Hot Topic. Which funnily enough had a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window. Last chance, might as well give it a shot. Besides, it looks like my ‘kind’ of place. Stupid stereotypes.
Stepping in through the door, I walked up to the counter where a tall lanky, around my age, guy was sat. Looking incredibly bored.
“Excuse me? Erm….I was just wanting to know about the ‘Help Wanted’ sign?” I asked nervously. He didn’t even look up. How rude. Then I realised the earphones, and annoying buzzing noise that was coming from them. Leaning over the desk, I yanked the earphones out.
“Yo! Bud! Get your act together, and make yourself useful and tell about the job requirements, k?” Sounds rude, but hey, at least it worked. He began describing the job of a full-time sales assistant.
“Oook….so how do I get hired?” I asked, talking to him like the idiot he was.
“You just did. Welcome to Hot Topic, Miss?” An oldish woman said from behind me.
“Erm…Silvings, Deli Silvings.” I stuttered out as I recovered from jumping out of my skin.
“Well, Deli, if you can get him to actually do anything but ignore you, you must be pretty good. I’ll take my chances, so don’t let me down. You start in an hour. I’ll show you your locker.” She was pretty tall, but still, if she was hiring me I didn’t want to piss her off on the first day. I quickly rushed after her, and followed her into one of the back rooms.
“This is your locker, and this is your ‘uniform’,” She said handing me some clothes, that I could have sworn I’d seen on the racks outside.
“But this isn’t a uniform.” I pointed out, looking slightly confused.
“Not exactly, no. But if customers see how good our clothes look on a person, then they’ll be more inclined to buy them. And in your case hunny, they’re gonna wanna buy a load.” She said chuckling to herself.
“What’s that suppose to mean? Wait…I don’t even know your name yet.” I said getting slightly annoyed at her.
“Ah dear, I’m Ruth. And what I mean is you could pass off as a model if you tried hard enough. Now hurry up and get ready. You’re helping me out stock out in 5 minutes. Bathroom’s over there.” Ruth said pointing to a door at the back of the room.

*************

Shuffling out of the door that lead back into the main store, I walked over to Ruth. I didn’t mind the ‘uniform’, but honestly, couldn’t I have picked something myself? She was making me wear a trashy Escape The Fate top. Don’t get me wrong, I love that band, but this t-shirt, wasn’t what I loved. The rest was just black skinnies, and a studded belt. Luckily I was still allowed to wear my purple hi-tops and my jewellery. Which was mostly Hello Kitty stuff and the odd random thing that I’d bought.
“Here. You start over there, just put them on, but make sure they’re in size order. Smallest to biggest.” Ruth explained, shoving 3 large boxes towards me.
Well this is going to be a fun day. Shoving the boxes all the way over to where Ruth pointed, I began opening the boxes and hanging things on the racks.
I’d made my way through to the last box, when a voice at the counter made me stop in my tracks. It was him. Oh gawd, I’ve gotta hide before he sees me.