chapter 1

["when talk" /* when think*]

Kate was pulling her long, black hair into a bun. It was 7 in the morning and she was getting ready to leave for work. She had a modest apartment, but it was fine, even though not that big.

She receives a message from her friend asking if she would like to go shopping with her that day. With her toothbrush between her teeth, she picks up the phone, and answers no, because she probably had to work overtime at the cafe again, having already missed two days because of illness.

'okay, anyway I'll come to you tonight, let's have a sleepover!' Kate smiles at the message. How did she find a friend like that?

In the meantime, her eye falls on the time, now it was only half an hour to eight, but the problem with her was that she had to take the bus, and it would pass in five minutes.

She quickly exits out of the small bathroom, immediately entering her room. She puts on her shoes, and she takes the black bag, making sure she has forgotten nothing. With this, she exits the apartment, jots down the stairs. Luckily, the bus stop is a few meters away, but the bus is already there, so she runs with all her strength, making sign the driver wait for her. She takes it with a whisker. The bus is full, so she has to stand up.

Arrived at the stop closest to the cafe. She gets off, releasing a sigh, knowing that even today she would not lose her job. She enters, and a colleague approaches.

"Where the hell were you? My shift just ended. I can finally leave. Next time try to be a little early."

And with this, she turns away and enters the staff room. Kate does not seem bothered by now and accustomed to this treatment, even if she did not find the reason.

*I arrived early. It is you who wants to leave first.*

She also enters the room to change into that yellow uniform, because of the name of the cafe. She goes out immediately to take orders, at the sign of the manager, who was behind the counter.

Her shift ends at 7 pm, but at 1 pm she had a 1-hour lunch break. Too simple if there were two.

The moment comes calmly, she rarely realizes the time that passes, in fact, she many times had also forgotten to eat.

But not today. She couldn't even explain why herself.

When the lunch break arrives, she takes her bag and runs out of the café, trying to make the most of this hour.

She walks into a 24H store and hopes to find one of her favourite meals of hers. Carrots, of course. She loved their taste so sweet and bitter at the same time.

After paying, she goes to the nearby park, sits on a bench, and she has to enjoy that little time of peace.

*I hope soon to have enough money to afford something better as a job. Unless he comes back and screws everything up again.*

When she gets back to work, there is trouble.

One of her colleagues seems to have angered one customer, and now they were all on edge. The manager gestured for Kate to come over.

"Why are you only back now?" he asks in a tone that was not saying anything well.

"your shift has already begun, while she should have already left."

Kate refrains from rolling her eyes in front of everyone, but she is gritting her teeth and her hands to let off some steam.

*I already know how it will end. I bet you'll blame the whole situation on me. But why can I never have a moment of peace?*

Just as she had predicted, the man pours all of the blame on her, telling her to pay the damages with her own money. While the other woman looks at her with a frown, satisfied with how the situation has ended in her favour.

After profusely apologizing to the client, despite the fact that he was still looking down at her, she breathes a sigh of relief. On the other hand, how is it that they say? The customer is always right.

But she doesn't have time to relax when the manager yells at her again.

"What are you waiting for? Divine grace? Well, I'm sorry, but it doesn't exist, try to move instead. Afterwards, I want you to clean the dishes too, and that you need as a lesson. Ah and be clear, the cost of the damages will be deducted from your pay, which by the way is this weekend right? "

He says nastily, as she walks away to her personal office, with the woman following her who in the meantime was watching everything, satisfied.

When they are finally gone, she involuntarily sticks her tongue out.

*Who do you think you are? Ah I know, my boss, as well as the one trying to ruin my life.*

She thinks with a grimace on her face.

"Hey, waitress! We've been waiting for ten minutes to order, if you might move otherwise we'd have to write a bad review."

And here the call, and the fear of having more troubles, brings her back to reality. So after settling down a little, goes back to work, not forgetting to smile.

"I'll be right there!" she screams dazzlingly.

The day ends, now it is 10 pm, and it is the last one still in the room, having to finish what the dear manager had asked her to do.

A colleague enters the kitchen.

"Hey, you're still here ... Do you want a hand?" she asks her, drawing her attention.

"No, thanks, you can go, by now I'm almost done."

"Okay then, do you close after?"

"yes, of course, do not worry," she replies with a smile.

Returning her smile, she hops off.

While Kate is still nailed there. After finishing, and making sure she hasn't forgotten anything, she locks the cafè.

She turns around, her back to the café, and stretches her arms and legs after the tiring day.