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Today is my first day at my part time job. First day in this city even. I may have had to lie a little to get it, but I need the money! I only lied about my experience and name. And well they are desperate for help that they didn’t do a proper background check. I exit my car after parking it in the parking lot of the diner. I am desperate enough for a decent pay check that I would risk using false info. I have a little sister at home, who needs food. I am the only one who will buy them and well I need enough money to be able to take her with me away from our dad. I shake my head leaving all my thoughts behind as I walk up the the entrance of the diner. I take a deep breath before opening the door. The diner is in bad shape and looking around I can see why they are desperate for more help. There is no order to anything and every booth is filled up with people. As I walk towards the kitchen I hear someone yelling at a boy my age. ‘I don’t accept you being late again Drake. You may be my husbands son, and he might not be as stricter with you, but you aren’t my son! I am you boss and you have to do as I say!’ The woman yells at the boy who’s name is Drake. I slowly knock on the door and say ‘Sorry to interrupt but I am Em. I start today!’ The woman looks at me then smile ‘Oh you aren’t interrupting anything. Nothing going on here dear. Thank you soo much for coming, you see we need all the help we can get, and seeing that you have experience in both working the kitchen and being a waiter, we could really use you!’ The Woman’s attitudes is completely changed and towards me she is like sweet mother ish thing. I nod at what she is saying as she continues ‘Today you will be working with Drake here. He is my son, and he knows his way around both the front and the kitchen so Drake please teach Emma everything she needs to know! Oh and by the way my name is Jane’ Jane walks out of the diner leaving Drake in charge of the whole thing. He looks at me an says ‘aren’t you a little young to have as much experience as my step mom said?’ I look at him nervous not really knowing what to answer as he is right, so I fumble with my words ‘I.. I.. have worked a lot in the kitchen.. and have been in one since I was two!’ It is true a kitchen I know my way around as my mother would always make it a priority for me to help her out and learn how to cook. Drake just nods and says ‘Well I will be judging you today as I teach you. I hope you learn fast cause I don’t have time!’ I looks at me and rolls his eyes. He seems uninterested and a little mean. He is what I would clarify as your typical bad boy. Why he works here is beyond me. He is quite handsome though I must give him that! Drake shows me the front of the diner and tells me how things are run. I take a mental note of every word. I do learn quick so it shouldn’t be a problem. As we approve a booth with girls sitting and gossiping I notice they all stop to oogle Drake when he asks for their order. One of them says ‘Your number would be all I need!’ To which Drake smirks and writes his number on a napkin before saying ‘I am off in an hour and could show you some fun?’. I turn around as I do know what to be part of that thing, and I can see others needing their orders to be taken so I figure I could just do it. I have done it before, but not for as long as I said on my application. I do just fine for my first few orders and someone else is in the kitchen cooking, so I don’t have to worry about that today. After an hour Drake comes to me and says ‘Em I am going out for an hour. You are on you own with the guest. I hope you can handle it and if Jane shows up do cover for me’. He didn’t even look at me when he told me that. He was too focussed on the girl next to him. He is so not going out. He is going to just take that girl to his car or something and when she has satisfied him he will probably leave her on the side of the road and never call her again. At least that’s what I am betting. I end up just rolling my eyes at Drake and head to take care of the costumers. I do my job well, even though Drake never showed up again. Well not until now that it’s past closing time. I couldn’t just leave the diner open, so even though my shift ended 20 minutes ago I am still here. ‘Well well you didn’t burn anything down, nothing is broken and no money missing, I am surprised you did okay!’ I roll my eyes and say ‘Not like you were to much help. Hope you got satisfied with your needs and don’t worry Jane didn’t show up!’ Drake smirks and then says ‘I can show you a good time too if it’s because you are jealous?’ I once again roll my eyes and start walking to the front door. I check the time, damn I am about to be late for the last bus home, which means I will have to walk.. that is going f**k up my sleep before school tomorrow. I turn and say a goodnight to Drake before heading down the road. He doesn’t even acknowledge me at all. Everything is closed by now and it is dark outside. If I’d been able to leave like 5 minutes earlier I would have been able to take the bus and be home in 20, now I have to walk for an hour and it is already 11 at night. I hate having to walk when it is this dark and quite, but getting a car is not an option. Every amount that I will make from this job goes straight to food or savings for me and my baby sister. I have to get her out of this life! The walk is long and cold but I manage to get to our neighbours house within 55 minutes. I knock on the door as our elderly neighbour opens. ‘Did she do good?’ I ask our neighbour as I enter her house. She babysits Sofia while I am at work. I can’t leave her home as you never know how dad is going to react or if he is even going to be home. The same goes for his new wife. So all I am left with is our elderly neighbour, but she is sweet and loves Sofia as her own little granddaughter. We haven’t been living her for long, but she already knows what is going on at home. Well she heard one time dad hit and yelled at me. She even called the cops, but dad is a great liar so that never works. Since that night she allows me and Sofia to sleep at her house and she takes care of Sofia whenever I need a helping hand. ‘She was an angle unlike you dad and that wife of his. They have been fighting all night, so I think you should just spend that night here. They would notice anyway right?’ I nod at what she is saying and tell her goodnight. I go up to the guest bedroom where Sofia is sound asleep and lay down next to her. Only five more months of this and then I will have enough money to at least buy my own apartment for us. We may not be able to move away, but at least it can just be her and I. Living safely again! I set my alarm for tomorrow, as I have to get Sofia to Kindergarten and myself off to school. I soon fall into a deep sleep.