Never Saw This Coming

Jobs.

Maddy

I think agreeing to go on a spring break trip with friends was a terrible idea. Novalee said that Cgc's parents were paying for the condo we were staying at, but we'd have to pay anything else. Which means going out to eat, drinking, and all that other shit you do on spring break. After my parents decided to drop me financially, I decided that I needed to get a job. I wasn't very fond of the idea, but I still have to go to school for a couple of more semesters, meaning I have to pay for fucking classes somehow.

I applied for a couple of stores at the mall, avoiding any kinds of food places. I would prefer to go absolutely broke than work at my local McDonald's. Also being a waitress wasn't something I was fond of in high school so I avoided that too. I have a couple of interviews to attend throughout the week so hopefully at least one of them goes well enough.

"Wait, I can't believe they'd do that." I finally told Novalee about my parent's decision to cut me off. I don't hide the fact that they absolutely despise me to anyone. Making fun of my own shitty at-home life is something I find comfort in. Maybe it's because I think it'll make it suck less and sometimes laughing about it actually does. Sometimes it does the opposite and just makes me resent that part of my life even more.

My parents not giving a shit about me growing up made it difficult for me to form relationships with other people as I grew older. I never really knew the why. Why was I so distant from people? Why did I never like opening up to anyone who wasn't myself? And why do I absolutely despise people who I don't even give an opportunity to get to know? I guess as I got older I finally figured it out. It's the way I was raised. I never felt any sort of emotion from my parents. Love. The word still sounds so foreign to me.

I know there are a lot of people in my life who actually do care about and love me, but after being raised the same way for 18 years, I'd say I'm not completely open to the idea of showing the same emotion to them. It's a process, I think. I'll get there, eventually.

"Because they're shitty and they hate me," I tell her truthfully. They've never actually admitted to it out loud but what other reason do they have for treating their only daughter like hot garbage? I couldn't tell you. "I'm sorry, Mads. I'll get a job with you if you want! Maybe we'll end up getting the same shifts," she says, cheerfully. I smile at her excitement but shake my head once. "Thank you, but no. You're gonna have to quit after a while to go work on your show anyway, so what's the point? Plus, you don't need the job like I do. I'm already going to be miserable, I don't want you to ride that same boat," I say.

"I won't be miserable if it means I get to keep my girl company while she's miserable. It'll be fun!" She waggles her thick brows at me. I tilt my head like saying no. She holds a smile on her face that never seems to disappear no matter the situation. I wish I could be like her in that way but my resting bitch face always wins that battle. "Fine," I say "I'll tell you which job I get and then you can apply too." I don't want her to apply now and then get a job that I don't end up getting. Like she said, if I'm going to be miserable, I rather it be with her by my side.

She claps and leans in for a hug, shaking and squeezing the life out of me for a couple of seconds. "I can't believe you're willing to spend your free time working a job you don't have to then spend that time with your boyfriend," I tell her when she pulls away. "Uhm, I'm with Christian like every single day. He'll be fine without me for a couple of hours throughout the day," she assures me. She's right. Ever since they've started dating, they've been attached at the hip.

"He's gonna hate me when he finds out I made you get a job with me though," I tell her. "You didn't make me do anything, I made this decision," she smiles. I return it, "Fine, I'll tell him to come for you instead of me." She chuckles. "He would never, so we'll both be let off the hook." She winks and sticks her pinky finger out for me. I smile and loop mine around hers. "I hope you're right," I say.