On every job, you know that person that drives you insane? It's like they have a map of where all your buttons are and they mash the shit out of them every chance they get. You think about what you're going to do the next time they even look at you a certain way. You find yourself mumbling under your breath every day after they've done something annoying. You always wished there was some way to teach them a lesson. Make them feel what you felt!
That's what Arian dealt with every shift at Hot and Tempting Chicken. All he wanted to do was graduate with a degree in restaurant management and work his way through the business to gain enough knowledge to open his own food establishment one day.
Karina couldn't have made it that simple. She told Arian about how she had no parents growing up—a mother that passed shortly after she was born and a father with a pharmacy in his body. She was a foster child before being adopted at age nine, which was fifteen years ago, but she still knew the difference between right and wrong. While Arian had sympathy for her situation, it was running out as she began to use that against him.
This day at HAT Chicken was like any other at lunchtime in the city's financial district. Raging, empty stomachs, no Karina in sight, and Arian with smoke spewing from his ears and nostrils was the norm!
All six fryers were bubbling, the cooks were dodging each other, and the servers were racing trays of fried, baked, broiled, and grilled chicken and sodas sloshing in glasses to the tables.
Arian was at the registers covering for Karina again with one caramel iris pinned on that front door. His face and arms were moist from the fryers and the ovens but it could have been from how hot he was inside from Karina's truancy—again! He had to loosen his top button and tie to let the steam out.
He was usually filled with joy and playful. He had gleaming teeth and eyes to match, fit for a mouthwash commercial, but also had a spark named Karina that set off a blaze inside.
Arian knew his caring demeanor opened the door for others to take advantage of him but he had grown a backbone that had reached adulthood. Though it was against his laidback, collected nature, Karina was the one person that had pushed him over the cliff's edge.
Arian spoke to the next customer in line. "Welcome to HAT Chicken! What can I do for you?"
"Yes, I'd like to order a number eight with a large fry and a Fairy lime soda." The mid-thirties man in a business suit said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet, which looked to be like a quarter-pounder.
"Crispy honey chipotle chicken strips, a large fry, and a regular Fairy drink. That will be $7.50..." Arian said as she locked onto an ass in black dress pants standing outside of a car by the curb.
That ass belonged to Karina who was bent over running her mouth to someone inside. She seemed not to be at all concerned about the fact it was a half hour past the start of her shift.
Even as Arian took the customer's cash and gave him change, he kept that door in his sights.
He snapped his head around towards the kitchen. "Hey, Marie! Can you take the register for a little bit, please?"
She was a little pouty—she didn't care much for being out front but Arian would let them go early if he was pleased with their performance or let them take free food for their families so it made it easier to accept.
Arian made his way down the line of cashiers evaluating his employees' work while he waited like a lion for his target to walk by.
While observing one of his cashiers from over her shoulder, Arian heard a ding sound. He jumped with anticipation and looked at the front door! That bell was from the serving window behind him not the front door with Karina passing through it as he'd hoped! He grumbled to himself as he turned around and grabbed the tray with the order of grilled chicken thighs and mashed potatoes for the customer before him.
He pushed the food towards him. "Thank you and have a great day!"
He was forcing himself to smile but he was ready to let Karina have it!
And there in Karina walked with her ear pressed to the cell phone on her shoulder as she took her time walking through the "Employees Only" sign on the door leading into the kitchen. Arian chased after her like she stole a million dollars from him. In a sense, she would be costing him money if he lost his position if management came to believe he couldn't correct her habits.
Karina tossed her handbag, which must have cost an entire paycheck, on the break room counter in the rear corner of the kitchen. Her mouth was still blabbing about something to her friend concerning the previous night's episode of
The Triangle of Love
.
Arian stormed past the food prep counter towards her. He noticed the other employees' eyes shift towards the break room with snarls in their voices. It didn't appear Karina had endeared herself to her fellow coworkers.
Most people didn't see her as much more than an hourglass with breasts that could hardly fit her blouse, which had a few buttons loose at the top and for some reason that blouse stopped at her pierced belly button. Obviously, not dress-code compliant.
None of this escaped Arian's notice. Not even that cute little mole to the left of her lip or her petite frame. He always had a physical attraction towards her but it never went beyond that. Too risky given his career goals but Arian would be her tissue to dry her eyes and Karina would always make him cackle with her stupid jokes.
Karina went down Dropout Road to sell her music albums although she probably should have taken singing lessons first and realized she was the only one that believed she was ready to go platinum. Her adopted family tried to get her to go to college instead but she did her own thing and failed with misery. They didn't see anything wrong with her going on her own but her timing sucked!
Karina ended up back with her adopted family after living with a music producer that filled her ears with empty promises and the occasional meaningless "I love you." She may have been disgusted being back at home but Arian was not going to let her disrespect go without being addressed. She should have learned how to behave by now!
Arian marched over, ripped Karina's phone from her hand mid-blabber, and it beeped as he pressed the "End Call" button. As expected, she snapped.
"Can't you see I was talking? Rude..."
"Rude what? Go ahead and say it!" Arian said as he slammed her phone on the counter to rattle her nerves. She looked shaken for a split-second but snapped back to form.
Karina began to put her black curly hair into a ponytail. "Asshole, okay, asshole!"
Arian pressed his finger towards her with emphasis while trying to lower his tone. "I've put up with your shit long enough! I'm sorry about your home life but it's time to move on. Dream another dream or find another way to make it happen. If you care about your job, you should come to work on time and leave all your drama outside! Now, get to work!"
Karina was about to put her nametag on and stopped. "I don't like how you talk to me now either!"
Arian folded his arms and leaned back on his foot. "You're not going to like what happens tonight if you try me one more time today."
"Oh, really? And what are you going to do? Fire me? I'm not scared of that!"
"Whatever. I
know
you don't want me to fire you because you're paying rent to your adoptive mom and you don't have anywhere else to go. I may or may not fire you but I will do something else to show you my displeasure."
"Yeah, yeah," she said as she went towards the door but he touched her arm and she stopped walking.
