Chapter 14：First Day

***

Asahd's POV:

Five the next morning, I was already up and warming some water for my tea and bath. My eyes were so swollen because I wasn't used to waking up that early.

"Fuck, I look terrible." I'd muttered in front of the little mirror in the toilets, "Guess I can say goodbye to my beauty sleep, as from today."

-

After a hot cup of tea that made me feel less sleepy, I put some warm water in a bucket and took a quick bath. Then I got dressed warmly because there were cold winds in New York recently, probably announcing autumn that would soon be around the corner.

I grabbed the schoolbag Djafar had bought me and put my uniform and wallet in. Then I grabbed my earphones, phone and glasses, before leaving the apartment. I wore the glasses to cover the heavy sleep bags under my eyes.

As I walked down the hall, I met a neighbor whom I ignored completely. I wasn't going to start socialising with these people either, was I? Tsk! And apparently she didn't plan on greeting me either, from the way she looked at me. She gave me the same stare many other people had recently. People who didn't like others because of their race or so. I didn't care. I wasn't going to be the least affected by nonsense because I wasn't there for them.

She was unlocking her door and stared nonstop at me, like I was some criminal. Feeling amused rather than insulted, I took my shades off and stopped in my tracks. I gave the woman an even uglier stare.

"What?! You think I'm a terrorist?" I asked out loud and she literally jumped, entering her apartment immediately.

"Stupid." I chuckled and put the glasses back on. Then I went to the elevator and got in.

**

Writer's POV:

At a few minutes past six, Asahd had found his way into the subway station.

'All the germs. Oh my. I'm so, so low! I've been reduced to taking the subway! A metro train!'

The thoughts disgusted him as he reluctantly slid his way, along with many others, into the train that early morning.

He was quick to find a seat. There was no way he wanted to stand.

-

At a point, it stopped and picked more passengers. Amongst, Brittany, one of the girls that worked in the same place Asahd did. She spotted him on his phone and approached him without him noticing.

"Hey." she said, touching his shoulder and he looked up. Surprised to see her, he smiled a little and took his earphones off.

"Hello." he said.

"I see you're early for your first day of work. Good start. You're gonna get the boss's favors if you keep up."

"I just hope to keep this one job." Asahd replied. "I need it more than you think."

"We all really need our jobs." the girl mused "And you don't look like you're desperate for a job."

"What do you mean?"

"You look like a soft kid. You know, a rich kid." she laughed.

"Yeah right. With these pathetic clothes?" Asahd scoffed, a sting in his chest as he remembered his wardrobe back in Zagreh.

"These clothes? Pathetic? They look new. And you definitely didn't get them from a thrift shop."

"If you say so." he went on manipulating his phone.

Brittany stared at him. Of course she found him cute. Asahd left that effect on most girls he came across. In Zagreh or elsewhere, it was same.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

"Morocco." he continued to manipulate his phone.

"Cool."

They were silent for a while but she spoke again:

"So, you're not gonna give me your seat?" she joked and Asahd looked at her, very amused.

"Nope, I'm good. I'm pretty sure I don't look like a gentleman." he replied casually, surprising the girl with his undisturbed nature.

"Aha! Wow." she mused, clapping a little, "I feel like we're all gonna enjoy you working with us, Asahd. You are so annoying. But in a funny way."

she added with a laugh and then walked away, going to find a seat at the other end.

Amused, Asahd put his earphones back on and continued to listen to his music.

'Rushed in early to find a seat and you think I'm gonna be all gentleman and give it to you! Tsk!'

The thought made him chuckle.

***

Asahd and Brittany got to the restaurant at seven thirty. Perfect timing. The assistant manager had just opened the restaurant. And just like themselves, many other colleagues of themselves had just arrived.

"Where do we change?" Asahd asked Brittany.

"Unfortunately, we all change in the same locker room at the back. Chicks and guys. Let's go."

He followed her to the little locker room at the back of the restaurant. There they met the others changing, undisturbed. All they had to do was wear their t-shirts and aprons. Asahd was surprised to see that the girls were removing their shirts and blouses, undisturbed that they were exposing their bras. Guess it was already natural for them. Oh, Asahd wasn't bothered the least. Like any other guy in their crew, it was a little show before and after work.

"Who's that guy?" one of the boy's asked, taking his shirt off.

"The new guy." Jenna replied "Good morning, Asahd. I see you're on time. Cool."

"Good morning, everyone." Asahd greeted and the others replied.

"Welcome, dude. I'm Stephan."

"I'm Derrick."

And on and on the presentations went. Asahd was glad they welcomed him in a rather cool manner.

"Chose a locker." Shanon told him.

"Thank you." 

Asahd put his bag in a locker and took his jacket off. Then his T-shirt.

"Where are you from, bro?" Jason asked.

"I'm Moroccan." Asahd replied.

"Man, that's cool."

The guys started little conversations with him while the girls grouped up in their tiny corner to gossip a little. Especially when Asahd took his singlet off.

"He looks like some caramel candy man." Shanon whispered to her friends and colleagues, making them giggle in agreement.

"Yeah, he's very cute."

"That body, though. He definitely works out. I'm happy the new guy's a hottie. Maybe I have a chance." Chrissy mused.

"Yeah, right. Keep hoping." Brittany roled her eyes in amusement.

"Brittany's right. Instead, I probably have a chance of hooking up with him." Jenna mused and the others laughed.

"None of you have a chance, compared to me." Shanon added.

"Good morning in there." they heard the assistant manager's voice on the other side of the door. "We'll open soon and so get your butts out and clean the tables."

"Yes sir!"

They tied their aprons and left the locker room.

Asahd's POV:

I grabbed a cloth and did like the others. I cleaned the tables, chairs, counter, windows and everything else.

The cooks had arrived and we could hear them begin to cook and bake things up in the kitchen. Apparently that restaurant also made little bakeries and coffee in the mornings and only in the mornings, for those who loved having breakfast there. After eleven, no more breakfast meals but just the usual fries, nuggets, burgers, hotdogs, pizzas, etc. They had almost every snack on their menu. Cool.

"Stephan, tell the new guy what to do." the manager himself had said when he'd arrived the restaurant. Stephan did just that.

"Here's your notepad and pen." he gave them to me "You write the orders down and the numbers of the tables from which you got the orders. You then get them to Jenna and Elsa who are gonna be behind the counter. They'll get the orders to the cooks and call you over when they're ready. It's usually very busy here. Especially from one in the afternoon till evening. Gotta stay focused."

"Alright. I can do it."

"Alright, buddy. Let's get to work."

That day was going to be a very busy one.