Afterburn: Mallory
I arrived at Stella Cucina at 10:15AM, exactly fifteen minutes before my shift started. My uniform was perfect. My hair was coiled so tightly at the nape of my neck that I could feel the tension in my forehead. I was standing in the back hallway, tucked in the corner by the dry storage shelves while I waited for Geri to finish a phone call in the office so I could grab the keys to the patio. I was invisible there, just a shadow among the boxes of Italian dressing. Then the back door bell rang. I froze as Eli opened it and Tiffany’s voice cut through the silence. “Oh, my God, Callie, I’m literally so exhausted.” Her voice was sharp and high-pitched, echoing off the walls. “Like, I don’t even know if I can carry a tray today. My legs are like jelly.” I could feel my pulse spiking. “So
- Writer
