Hope

Kristel sat at Zack's kitchen table, filling out applications, after a second day of job hunting. "Shit," she sighed, putting the pencil down.

"What's the matter?" Zack looked up from his phone.

"How are they supposed to get a hold of me for an interview?" Kristel asked, her head in her hands as she massaged her temple. Zack thought for a moment, before getting up. "Where are you going?" Kristel panicked for a second.

"I'll be right back," Zack ran out to his garage, and jumped in his car, before driving away.

"Okay," Kristel sighed, as she turned back to the application. Filling out what she could, until Zack came back. After a few minutes, Kristel heard the doorbell go off. She hesitated for a second, wondering if she should answer it. She finally decided to at least look out the peephole in the door. "Hi, Val," Kristel opened the door, upon recognizing the person.

"Hey Kristel!" Val gave her a hug. "Where's Zack?"

Kristel shrugged, "He jumped in his car and drove off about twenty minutes ago."

"Did he say where he was going?" Val asked, eyebrow raised. Kristel shook her head no, as Val shrugged her shoulders. "What're you up to?"

"Filling out some job applications," Kristel walked over to the table then, held one up for Val to look at.

Val took the application, and began to study it, before looking back at Kristel, "Is there anything you haven't done before?!"

Kristel gave a small laugh, "Everything I've done has basically dealt with lifting or customer service. There's so many more jobs out there than those."

"I know, but seriously," Val looked in wonder at Kristel. "All of these..."

Kristel shrugged, "I didn't have much else going on at the time."

"You don't have their locations filled out," Val looked at Kristels' previous work experience, noticing the blank spots.

"I don't exactly have their addresses memorized," Kristel admitted, her cheeks reddening.

"I can help you look them up," Val offered, pulling out her phone, making Kristel panic slightly.

"T-that's okay," Kristel pulled her application out of Val's hands. "I need a break anyways."

The girls looked towards the garage door as Zack walked in. "Did I miss something?" he asked, while walking towards them.

"Not much," Kristel shrugged, curiously looking at his hand. "Where'd you go?"

"Got something for you," Zack beamed, making Kristel groan.

"No, stop buying stuff for me," she whined, as Val laughed.

"You're fine," Zack laughed, as he forced a box into Kristels' hands.

Kristel looked in her hands to see an iPhone box, making her gasp, then look up at Zack, her eyes wide, "Why did you buy me this?" she nearly shrieked, then realized what she had said. "I mean, it's nice, thank you, but this is too expensive! Weren't there any cheaper phones? I would've been fine with a flip phone."

"Kristel, it's okay," Zack laughed, trying to calm her down. "I wanted to, and now you don't have to worry about how people will get a hold of you."

"Here," Val sat down at the kitchen table. "I'll be your first number." Kristel gave Val a small smile, then sat down at the table. Letting the two help her set the phone up and showing her how it worked.



After a couple weeks of job hunting Kristel had finally gotten a couple interview requests. Val had been kind enough to offer Kristel a ride to and from her last interview for the day. "How'd it go?" Val asked, as Kristel appeared through a door. Kristel shrugged, not wanting to talk about the interview. "Let's get you back to Zack's house," Val suggested.

Kristel sat in Val's car on the way back to what she was starting to consider a home, against her better judgement. A deep pit was beginning to form in her stomach, she could feel tears on the verge of escaping her eyes. Her horrible life was beginning to hit a new low.

Val pulled into Zacks driveway, looking towards Kristel worriedly. Kristel gave Val a small smile trying to ease her concern, but knew it wouldn't do any good. After letting herself into Zacks house, she noticed that the guys were all in the living room.

"How was the job interview?" one of the guys asked.

Kristel couldn't help it, she started sobbing running out of the room, leaving everyone speechless.

"She hasn't been having good luck at the interviews I take it?" Brian asked, breaking the silence.

Val and Zack shook their heads no. "I'm starting to get worried about her," Zack looked towards Kristel's room concerned. "She's starting to get depressed. She used to love taking Amber outside and playing with her in the sun, and now she'll barely leave the house."

"You should go do something with her," Val suggested, bringing Zacks attention to her. "Take her to a movie or something, get her mind off her horrible interviews."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Matt agreed. "She's always in wonder at the different places we take her to. It's like she's never seen anything like it before. Heck, I bet she'd be happy with the park."

The conversation paused, as Kristel's door opened, and she appeared in the living room with Amber in her arms, her face tear-stained. "How're you doing?" Val asked softly.

Kristel sniffled, "I'm sorry for running out, it's just." Kristel's voice started breaking again, making her stop and recompose herself. She laughed a little thinking about her situation, "I'm not very good at interviews. I've never had to do them to get a job before. I've always had on-the-job interviews, and they've always worked out."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Zack soothed. "It's not like it's your fault." Kristel gave him a small smile, appreciating his words. "Hey, what about this," Zack continued. "Let me take you out to eat, and we'll see a movie."

"But-" Kristel started before, getting cut off.

"No, buts. It's my treat." Zack smiled at Kristel, as she nodded.

"Hey Kristel," Val said attempting to get Kristel's attention. "Let's go to the mall, and find some nice outfits."

"Wouldn't something I have here do?" Kristel asked, not wanting to go shopping.

"No!" Val stated, grabbing Kristel's arm, making her follow her. "We're getting you a new outfit for tonight,"

Kristel sighed, muttering "fine". She grabbed Amber's things, and followed Val out the door and into the car.

After Kristel and Val left with Amber, Zack got up and stretched, "Guess I better get ready too,"

"Where you going to take her?" Brian asked, glancing up at Zack.

"Haven't decided yet," Zack admitted, shrugging.

"Well, you got a few hours to decide," Brian smirked. "Val invited Michelle to go shopping with them."

"Poor Kristel," Zack laughed, as he left the room.