This is a short story I have written for my Creative Writing in Digital Spaces class. Please enjoy!
Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or maybe her dread of going through the motions of the entire day until night fall, but so far her day was dragging along at a horrendously slow pace. Then again, maybe it was the fact that she was working. It was the summer of her senior year in high school and it seemed all she did was work. Seven o‘clock in the morning, to three o’clock in the afternoon, all day, every day. Well, seven to three if she was lucky, most of the time it ended up being about four or five before she got off work. She barely had any time to paint. It was a surprise to her that half of her watchers on deviantArt hadn’t un-watched her yet. She had only put up one piece this month and--
“Maria!”
Maria jumped and spun around. The floor manager poked her head into the freezer. “What’s taking so long with that shake mix?”
“Sorry,” Maria gasped, “I had a hard time getting the box open!” This was not a lie. She did have trouble with it… just before she got distracted and started staring into space.
Donna just looked at her for a moment, and then she said; “Well, hurry up. This lady is getting antsy.” And then she darted back outside in her usual hurrying manor.
Maria sighed and lifted the bag of shake mix in her arms, cradling it against her chest as she fought her way through the crowded kitchen to the front lobby. Normally the job of replenishing the ice-cream machine would have been a cinch for the crew member lucky enough to get the job. However, Maria’s height turned the cinch into a challenge. Her height, that of a munchkin, forced her to stand on her toes to be able to see over the top of the ice-cream machine. Sighing, she popped the lid off the bag, reading herself to slap it over the empty maw of the mixer. Just as she was about to rise up on her tippy-toes, a hand grabbed her shoulder and dragged her backward none to gently.
“Shi-!” she gasped, grabbing the bag by its opening so its contents didn’t splatter the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her assailant raised an incredulous brow at her. “Let me do that.” He took the bag from her and spilled its contents effortlessly into the mixer.
“Thank you very much, but I had everything under control, Max.”
She and max had been friends for years at school and now at work. In the summer of their junior year she had needed a job and he had set her up with an interview at the burger place he worked at, Jimmy’s. Donna had taken one look at her and the next day she was in uniform. She had been here for a year now, and for the most part she loved it. Max had a way of making work at Jimmy’s fun, where it normally would have been hell, and in all honesty she didn’t think she would love her job as much as she did if not for him. Now, he grinned at her wolfishly.
“That’s really funny, because it looked like you were struggling to even see what you were doing.” He bridged his flat hand under his eyes, mocking her shortness.
Maria simply rolled her eyes and dropped a basket of fries into a grease vat.
“Yes, well not everyone can be freakishly tall like you.”
Max measured his height with a hand, feigning an injured look.
“I’m not that tall. Stork tall, maybe, but I’m not even close to freakishly tall.”
Maria shook her head dismissively. “Whatever you say dude.”
Max laughed lightly. “That is what I say!”
She returned to her post, bagging drive-thru combos, trying to ignore the irritated stares from the middle-aged woman waiting for the ice-cream mix to solidify. It wasn’t her fault Jimmy’s had old equipment. She was the counter people’s problem now.
Maria glanced around, and not seeing any managers on the floor sneaked a quick peek at her phone. No new deviantArt messages. She couldn’t help a small pout that creased her forehead. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to respond if there had been, but still.
“Waiting for a text from your beaux?” Max batted his eyelashes at her, sliding a sandwich onto a plastic tray. She snorted.
“I wish. You know I don’t have a beaux.” Not yet any way. She felt a hopeful flutter in her belly, but quickly put her thoughts elsewhere. She needed to focus on work. Donna had come bustling up to the front, looking like she was ready to pull her hair out. Maria planned on avoiding her disapproval at all costs. She sighed again and glanced at the clock. Only thirty more minutes and she was out of here. She bagged rather quickly; drive-thru was running smoothly as ever, which appeased Donna, and for that she was glad.
She made her way to register two at three o’clock, ready to clock out, when two school busses pulled into the parking lot. She shared a look with Max, who seemed like he was enjoying her despair, and then glanced at her phone longingly. No new messages. She dragged herself back to her post as the never ending line of football players piled into the restaurant.
So much for getting off on time.
*****
Bloop doop!
Upon hearing the robotic sound that announces an Instant Message on deviantArt, Maria nearly killed herself trying to get to her computer. She dropped the fluffy towel she was using to dry her hair and ran towards the foot of her bed where her old Apple laptop rested. In her excitement she tried to jump over her round chair and failed miserably, clipping the top of the chair with her knee, knocking it over and sending herself reeling forward. She fell sprawling on her bed, causing her laptop to bounce up and off the bed and rushing toward the hardwood floor.
Maria squeaked and scrambled after it, catching it just before the screen cracked the floor. Groaning with relief, she wiggled her way right-side-up and sat cross legged, balancing the laptop on her knee. She pressed her hand over her heart to try and stop its pounding as she read the deviant message. Her face fell. It wasn’t from him.
Hyobean~
Pretty stuff! Keep up the good work!
Shrugging off her initial disappointment, Maria responded to the message graciously. As an artist, it’s always nice to know your work is being appreciated. She flopped back onto the bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. He has never taken this long to start a conversation. She itched to type out her own message, but she didn’t want to feel like she was bugging him. He must be busy. Or talking to another painter with a cuter ID pic…
Just as her thoughts were about to take a depressing turn, the bloop doop sounded again. She sat bolt upright, balancing her laptop as it rocked precariously at her sudden movement. A silly grin split her face. It was him!
Sunwalker226
Hello! How are you this lovely evening?
Her fingers flew across the keyboard.
~Maria_Jones87
It could have been a better day I suppose, though I shouldn’t complain. How was your day?
Sunwalker226
My day was busy. I wasn’t able to get to my computer as much as I would have liked, though it was not a bad day. Please tell me about yours; I don’t mind if you complain. I like it when you talk.
Maria smiled widely. He likes it when she talks?
~Maria_Jones87
Weeeeell, I was kept overtime at work, again, because we had to feed two busses full of high school football players. Postgame.
Sunwalker226
Nothing like the smell of pubescent athletes after they’ve been beating each other senseless for an hour in 80 degree heat! ;]
~Maria_Jones87
Hahahaha, close! But it was about 90 degrees in my neighborhood.
Sunwalker226
Even better! Hey, I saw your newest painting in my watches. Very Nice! :]
They continued to talk for hours and hours. Maria hadn’t even noticed she had fallen asleep till the next morning, when the sun was glaring in her eyes. She jumped up and scrambled for her clock. It was seven thirty-two. She was going to be late for work!
“Maria!”
Maria jumped and spun around. The floor manager poked her head into the freezer. “What’s taking so long with that shake mix?”
“Sorry,” Maria gasped, “I had a hard time getting the box open!” This was not a lie. She did have trouble with it… just before she got distracted and started staring into space.
Donna just looked at her for a moment, and then she said; “Well, hurry up. This lady is getting antsy.” And then she darted back outside in her usual hurrying manor.
Maria sighed and lifted the bag of shake mix in her arms, cradling it against her chest as she fought her way through the crowded kitchen to the front lobby. Normally the job of replenishing the ice-cream machine would have been a cinch for the crew member lucky enough to get the job. However, Maria’s height turned the cinch into a challenge. Her height, that of a munchkin, forced her to stand on her toes to be able to see over the top of the ice-cream machine. Sighing, she popped the lid off the bag, reading herself to slap it over the empty maw of the mixer. Just as she was about to rise up on her tippy-toes, a hand grabbed her shoulder and dragged her backward none to gently.
“Shi-!” she gasped, grabbing the bag by its opening so its contents didn’t splatter the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her assailant raised an incredulous brow at her. “Let me do that.” He took the bag from her and spilled its contents effortlessly into the mixer.
“Thank you very much, but I had everything under control, Max.”
She and max had been friends for years at school and now at work. In the summer of their junior year she had needed a job and he had set her up with an interview at the burger place he worked at, Jimmy’s. Donna had taken one look at her and the next day she was in uniform. She had been here for a year now, and for the most part she loved it. Max had a way of making work at Jimmy’s fun, where it normally would have been hell, and in all honesty she didn’t think she would love her job as much as she did if not for him. Now, he grinned at her wolfishly.
“That’s really funny, because it looked like you were struggling to even see what you were doing.” He bridged his flat hand under his eyes, mocking her shortness.
Maria simply rolled her eyes and dropped a basket of fries into a grease vat.
“Yes, well not everyone can be freakishly tall like you.”
Max measured his height with a hand, feigning an injured look.
“I’m not that tall. Stork tall, maybe, but I’m not even close to freakishly tall.”
Maria shook her head dismissively. “Whatever you say dude.”
Max laughed lightly. “That is what I say!”
She returned to her post, bagging drive-thru combos, trying to ignore the irritated stares from the middle-aged woman waiting for the ice-cream mix to solidify. It wasn’t her fault Jimmy’s had old equipment. She was the counter people’s problem now.
Maria glanced around, and not seeing any managers on the floor sneaked a quick peek at her phone. No new deviantArt messages. She couldn’t help a small pout that creased her forehead. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to respond if there had been, but still.
“Waiting for a text from your beaux?” Max batted his eyelashes at her, sliding a sandwich onto a plastic tray. She snorted.
“I wish. You know I don’t have a beaux.” Not yet any way. She felt a hopeful flutter in her belly, but quickly put her thoughts elsewhere. She needed to focus on work. Donna had come bustling up to the front, looking like she was ready to pull her hair out. Maria planned on avoiding her disapproval at all costs. She sighed again and glanced at the clock. Only thirty more minutes and she was out of here. She bagged rather quickly; drive-thru was running smoothly as ever, which appeased Donna, and for that she was glad.
She made her way to register two at three o’clock, ready to clock out, when two school busses pulled into the parking lot. She shared a look with Max, who seemed like he was enjoying her despair, and then glanced at her phone longingly. No new messages. She dragged herself back to her post as the never ending line of football players piled into the restaurant.
So much for getting off on time.
*****
Bloop doop!
Upon hearing the robotic sound that announces an Instant Message on deviantArt, Maria nearly killed herself trying to get to her computer. She dropped the fluffy towel she was using to dry her hair and ran towards the foot of her bed where her old Apple laptop rested. In her excitement she tried to jump over her round chair and failed miserably, clipping the top of the chair with her knee, knocking it over and sending herself reeling forward. She fell sprawling on her bed, causing her laptop to bounce up and off the bed and rushing toward the hardwood floor.
Maria squeaked and scrambled after it, catching it just before the screen cracked the floor. Groaning with relief, she wiggled her way right-side-up and sat cross legged, balancing the laptop on her knee. She pressed her hand over her heart to try and stop its pounding as she read the deviant message. Her face fell. It wasn’t from him.
Hyobean~
Pretty stuff! Keep up the good work!
Shrugging off her initial disappointment, Maria responded to the message graciously. As an artist, it’s always nice to know your work is being appreciated. She flopped back onto the bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. He has never taken this long to start a conversation. She itched to type out her own message, but she didn’t want to feel like she was bugging him. He must be busy. Or talking to another painter with a cuter ID pic…
Just as her thoughts were about to take a depressing turn, the bloop doop sounded again. She sat bolt upright, balancing her laptop as it rocked precariously at her sudden movement. A silly grin split her face. It was him!
Sunwalker226
Hello! How are you this lovely evening?
Her fingers flew across the keyboard.
~Maria_Jones87
It could have been a better day I suppose, though I shouldn’t complain. How was your day?
Sunwalker226
My day was busy. I wasn’t able to get to my computer as much as I would have liked, though it was not a bad day. Please tell me about yours; I don’t mind if you complain. I like it when you talk.
Maria smiled widely. He likes it when she talks?
~Maria_Jones87
Weeeeell, I was kept overtime at work, again, because we had to feed two busses full of high school football players. Postgame.
Sunwalker226
Nothing like the smell of pubescent athletes after they’ve been beating each other senseless for an hour in 80 degree heat! ;]
~Maria_Jones87
Hahahaha, close! But it was about 90 degrees in my neighborhood.
Sunwalker226
Even better! Hey, I saw your newest painting in my watches. Very Nice! :]
They continued to talk for hours and hours. Maria hadn’t even noticed she had fallen asleep till the next morning, when the sun was glaring in her eyes. She jumped up and scrambled for her clock. It was seven thirty-two. She was going to be late for work!