Chapter 3

[Amanda]

“Thank you! Please come again!” the cashier hollered with a grin as I paid and walked out of the cafe. I was grateful to that waitress for her small kindness. I was feeling much better now that my stomach was fuelled by caffeine and filled by a bagel. I had job hunting to do anyway. Ironically, I was a big nerd in school, a good student throughout but then Dominic happened and my life which I had planned so carefully went for a toss.

Without a college degree, I had no way to get a decent job in any well-established office. Anyhow, I needed a job and I would find it.

~~~

So...I discovered two things. First, I highly underestimated the need for menial jobs and second, I shouldn’t have talked back to Mr. Martin and should have begged him to not fire me instead which I wouldn’t be able to do. I am too proud for my own good. Letting out a tired sigh, I switched on the lights and closed my apartment door. I wearily plonked on the worn-out couch. Walking and hunting for a job the whole day without any luck. Two years of a steady job had made me forget how painstaking it was to get a decent job. 

Why did I think that not swallowing down my pride and going back with my parents was not a good idea? A contemplation later I decided it was indeed not a good idea. To listen to taunts and not defend myself would be more painful than this. 

‘Tomorrow is another day’, that's what Scarlett O’Hara had said. I trudged to the kitchenette. After perusing a little through the two small cupboards, I settled for a cup of instant noodles. With a cup of steaming noodles, I crawled into my bed and settled against the headboard.

Should I search for jobs online? Wouldn’t it be much easier? I mean there wasn’t anyone hiring anyone in my vicinity. I clicked my tongue, irritated and annoyed at my own stupidity. Should have thought about this before. Would have saved me a lot of energy. But then again, I did not go to work with the thought of getting fired in my mind.  

I put the cup on the bed and got out of the bed to look for my phone. I rarely use it these days. Thankfully I did not have friends - my landlady did not count and my ex-best friends were out of the question. I wasn’t tech-savvy either so this saved me a few dimes. Call me a miser but I can’t help it.

I had thankfully recharged my phone a few days ago to call in sick. I plopped back on my bed and started my virtual hunt. After looking for prospective jobs and screenshotting the interesting ones, I typed  - jobs in cafes. 

My eyes boggled when I recognised one of the names - The Coffee Beans! It’s the cafe I had been to just this morning! How did I not notice any ‘Hiring’ sign? 

Talk about being lucky stars! Mine seemed to be shining today. I would run to the place albeit a little far away from my place but c’mon, I would not detest working there. With that thought in my mind, I went to sleep.