Quarter Life Crisis

So the hot guy working behind the counter actually was the manager. How did I know? Well, for one thing, he talked about hiring me without consenting anyone else, and for a second thing-
“My name is Vic, I’m the manager,” he said, making it more than obvious. “If you come around through the door over there, we can work something out.”
“Um, okay,” I mumbled, kind of shocked with how quickly this hiring thing was going. I had had other jobs before- where were the interviews, the applications? I was under the impression that those standards were just that- standards.
I went through the door he was referring to and met him in the back where he was standing. Behind the counter was an open kitchen area where they prepared and stored everything.Vic barked something at a lady washing her hands to go and watch the register while he took me to the back room. He crossed the kitchen and led me through another door which opened to a back, narrow hallway. I followed him down said hallway and into a small room.
Inside this room was an empty desk, two chairs and a sparsely filled bookcase.
He sat down in one of the chairs and motioned for me to take a seat in the one across from him. I sat down anxiously, wondering if this was supposed to be an interview. I wasn’t prepared for an interview and there was definitely no way I was dressed for one.
“So, Kellin,” he started, “You’re over eighteen right?”
“Um, I’m 21,” I told him, slightly offended that he didn’t think I looked like I was eighteen.
“Just checking,” he muttered, turning in his chair to pull a thick binder off of the sad-looking bookcase. There was a tear on the front of it, and it was full of hand-written forms and papers. It was really weird, and I immediately questioned whether or not I should have asked for the job. Why was that guy so set on quitting anyway?
“So…” I said, awkwardly trying to fill the silence when he didn’t say anything.
“Oh, sorry, I was just making a note. Um, there are tax forms for you to fill out, but I ran out of them, so I’ll have to get you another one next time you come in,” he said. “If you can work until ten today, I can train you and all that fun stuff.”
“Is that legal?” I asked.
“Is what legal?”
There was another awkward pause.
“I don’t know, I hope not,” he said. “Do you want to work here or not?”
“Yeah, I do,” I lied. I didn’t really, but it was the first job offer I received and I figured that if I just stuck it out for a while, it would kill time while I waited for something better.
“Well then, Kellin Quinn, I suggest you keep your questions to yourself,” he said, icily. I sighed and sat back in my chair. This was slightly ridiculous. This place was becoming super sketchy and the manager didn’t look like he was much older than I was- he didn’t act like it, either.
He talked to me a bit about pay rate and about operational things they did- like how to clock in and out, closing procedures, and opening procedures.
“Any questions?” he asked, suddenly looking straight at me with his powerful eyes. I mean, not powerful, but gorgeous and overwhelming and-
“So pretty,” I whispered, without meaning to.
“What was that?” he asked. I just about died of embarrassment.
“N-nothing. I don’t have any questions,” I said, thanking God that I wasn’t the type of person than blushed easily. If I was, I would have been so screwed.
He studied me a moment, then dramatically slammed his binder shut. I jumped slightly at the unexpected noise, causing him to smirk. It made me a little uncomfortable.
“What?” he chuckled. “Why so jumpy, Kellin?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly, then realized that it made no sense. I was suddenly very aware of the fact that Vic was now my manager, and that having relationships in the workplace was generally unacceptable. Then I realized I didn’t know anything about Vic, and that he could quite possibly be homophobic.
Vic laughed again and shook his head, “You better not be hitting on me. That’s not very appropriate.”
I was shocked that I was being so transparent. I sort of panicked, because I didn’t know what to do or how to respond. So, I jumped to the first thing that came to mind when I felt like I was in trouble- deny everything.
“What the- no, that’s gay, man,” I said, chuckling miserably at the irony. But the thing was, I was so good at making things worse for myself that once I started lying about something, I didn’t even skimp on fabricating the details. “I have a girlfriend, you know. Her name is Zoe and we live together, so you know it’s pretty serious.”
“Is that so?” he said, shrugging. Luckily, before I could dig myself even deeper to the hole I was in, he ended the conversation by standing up and walking out of the room.
“Um,” I said, wondering why he had just left me there.
“What are you doing?” he said, reappearing in the doorway. “Follow me, dumbass, I’m going to train you.”
“Oh,” I mumbled, and scrambled after him and into the kitchen. He briefly went over his kitchen rules- I had to wash my hands every time I entered, and every time I started on a new sandwich. He wasn’t particular about many things, but he was very particular about germs. Apparently.
After he showed me that, he went over the extensive menu they had- five entire sandwiches (Incredibly ridiculous, I know) and how to make them. Then I was shown how to work their bottom-of-the-line register and how I should be greeting the ten customers we received per day. It wasn’t too much work, to be honest. It was only tiring because I was there for what seemed like forever.
“Well that took forever,” was the first thing Zoe said to me when I got home.
“I got a job,” I mumbled, dropping myself off on the couch.
“Really? Where?”
“At this sub shop down the street,” I shrugged. I still wasn’t even sure what I was getting myself into.
“What sub shop?” she asked, suddenly. “Don’t tell me it’s-“
“It’s called ‘Sub Shop’,” I shrugged, unimpressed with the creativity of whoever originally opened the shop.
“God dammit, Kellin,” she muttered. “That’s the worst possible-“
“Why?” I asked, defensively. I guess I didn’t think about the fact that Zoe might have known a thing or two about the restaurant.
“I went to high school with the manager- he’s a psychopath,” she said.
“Vic?” I asked. Sure, he was a little odd, but I never would have categorized him as psychopathic.
“That’s the one,” she sighed. “He’s always had these weird anger issues- one time he got suspended for threatening a teacher.”
“Do you know why?” I asked, slightly taken aback.
“No … okay, I didn’t actually know him- know him … I just knew of him,” she admitted.
“So you don’t know anything else about him?” I asked. She shrugged, then suddenly clapped her hands together excitedly when she remembered something.
“Oh!” she gasped. “He’s gay- or at least bi … something like that, but he’s definitely not straight,” she said. “But don’t go getting ideas.”
“You’re joking!” I gasped. “I had no idea … okay, you’ll hate me for this, but I totally panicked and told him you were my girlfriend.”
She gaped at me.
“Why would you do that!” she shrieked. “How did that even come up in conversation!”
“I don’t know- come on, you know how I get around hot guys,” I whined.
“Yeah, you turn into an awkward, blubbering pile of- wait what,” she gasped. “You think Vic is hot?”
“Have you seen him?” I replied- thought that looks like that should have been obvious to anyone.
“Yeah … like a year or two ago,” she shrugged. “I only know he worked at the sub shop because one of my friends mentioned it to me. She did not mention him magically becoming attractive though.”
“Well, he is … and I have probably blown my chances with him,” I muttered under my breath. But this was how relationships typically went for me – they didn’t.
“How?” she asked, sitting down. “Not that you should get involved anyway … “
“Oh hush, you don’t even actually know him,” I mumbled.
“And neither do you.”
“Touché … but yeah, I’ve already lied to him, so if I suddenly go ‘lol jk, I’m actually gay’ then it’s gonna make me look bad,” I whined.
“Well, that’s your own fault, bud,” she sighed.

Notes