𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃

TWENTY-THREE.

Javoria and K-Ci stood across from each other outside of Popeyes, engaging in an awkward staring contest.

"Why you ain't tell me you was a Jodeci stan?"

"Wha—I—who's Jodeci?" Javoria tried to play it off.

K-Ci sucked his teeth. "Don't start actin' stupid, Vori!"

"How do you even know who that is?"

"Funny story," K-Ci chuckled.

"Well tell me later," she grabbed his arm, leading him inside the eatery. "My shift starts soon and so does your interview."

She started going elsewhere but K-Ci grasped her attention. "Where you going?"

"Imma clock in then tell my manager you're here so y'all can get started."

"You not gon' stay with me? I need you for support."

"Boy, you'll be fine," Javoria playfully rolled her eyes before heading to the back.

K-Ci took an open spot in a booth and scrolled through Tiktok to pass the time. Around two-to-three minutes later is when the Popeyes manager, Violet, came and sat across from him with a paper and a pen.

"How you doin'?" She greeted with a kind smile. "Javoria told me you were looking for a job?"

"Yeah, I am," K-Ci placed his phone on the table face down.

"What made you wanna apply here?"

"It was the first place that came to mind when I left my other job, and y'all fry y'all chicken real good. KFC needs to catch up."

Violet laughed lightly with a head nod. "You said you left your other job? Where did you work previously and why did you leave?"

K-Ci's eyes darted around as he tried to think of a lie. "I worked for UPS and they started laying people off because management was changing things around, so I left before they had a chance to fire me."

"Have you ever worked in the food industry?"

"No."

"How old are you?"

"I should be in my early fifties."

Violet slowly looked up from the sheet of paper in confusion.

K-Ci noticed this and quickly made the realization. "Oh! You not talkin' bout—you mean—I'm twenty-one. Wait," he did some mental math. "Yeah, twenty-one. Imma be twenty-two in September though. Virgo shit."

Violet continued to give him a blank stare as he covered his mouth. "My bad! I meant, Virgo type beat."

"Alright...how would you deal with an angry customer?"

"Depends," K-Ci shrugged. "I'll ignore them for the most part. As long as they don't disrespect me, then I won't have to leap over the counter and handle 'em."

"What's your availability?"

"Pretty much any time. Actually—I lied. I'm not doing night shifts, nor am I coming to work in the rain or the snow. And I don't wanna work on Saturdays," K-Ci picked up his phone to respond to a message from the boys in their groupchat.