Love Or War

Chapter One: Simple Life

Able

Here I am again trying to look for another job. You would think living in a big city like LA would make it easy to find a job.

All my life I have been trying to do what my parents expected me to do. Get good grades, never miss school, always study. They wanted me to be a lawyer, but once it was time to graduate I finally wanted to do something for myself.

I wanted to be a cook and not just any cook, I want to be a top chef at a restaurant where everyone will know my name and eat the food I make.

So, once I graduated I told my parents that I didn't want to be a lawyer, instead, I wanted to go to culinary school. And of course, they didn't even want to hear it.

They told me if I'm living under their roof that I need to do what they say, I tried to reason with them and make them understand that this was my dream, but it didn’t work. Instead, they decided it was best if I didn’t live with them anymore since I want to be a “grown-up and make my own decisions”, I should bear the consequences.

And so I did. I collected all the money I had saved over the years and applied to a top culinary school. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough money and I could only afford 3 years worth instead of the whole 4 years. So I had to press pause on my dream for the moment.

Now I'm trying to look for a job so I can find a place to stay since I can't live on campus anymore. And hopefully, I can save up to finally go back to school and complete the 4 years.

Being a chef has always been my dream ever since I could walk. I would always help my grandmother out in the kitchen, she taught me everything I needed to know.

She had all of her secret recipes in a little notebook. She shared a few with me but she told me once I become a great chef she would give me her book to use and we would have the entire world taste our food.

Then my grandmother died when I was 16 and my whole world collapsed. I lost my best friend. Everything changed. My parents' behaviour, and the way they treated me.

That's when they told me I needed to study hard so I could be a big-time lawyer just like them.

But that was their dream. I never wanted that for me. My parents were hardly ever around during my childhood because they were always busy with work.

I need to find a job as soon as I can so I can complete my dream and show the world my grandmother's food, and prove to my parents that I’m capable and I did it all on my own.

As I walk down the busy streets of LA I see a big crowd gathered around a building. I give way to my curiosity and make my way through the crowd. That’s when I see a beautiful black building with fairy lights strung up the entrance, and in bright big letters the name ‘Moon Rising’.

The name sounded familiar and I'm trying to think of where I have heard of this before. But I couldn't put my finger on it.

I look to my left and notice a girl around my age bouncing up and down like she just won the lottery, she looks approachable enough I think to myself,

“Hey, excuse me, my name is Able. I was wondering if you know what this place is? Seems like everyone is going crazy about it”. She stops bouncing up and down and her mouth drops practically to the floor.

And she says, “Wait, you have never heard of Moon Rising before? They have thousands of chains across the world! It is one of the best places to work at. You can meet all sorts of celebrities and serve amazing fancy food!”. “Oh by the way my name is Cherry and you're looking at my dream place to work!'' I can tell she really wants this job.

“Wait, did you say they are hiring? For what positions?” I can tell she and I are going to get along just fine.

“They're hiring for every position at the moment. They just opened this one up! Are you considering getting a job here?”

Suddenly I had an idea, maybe I can apply to become a chef here! Even if it means I'm just stuck doing the dishes, I can work my way up!.

“Actually now that you ask I think I would like to apply here, when do they open?”

As soon as those words left my mouth, the whole crowd pushed us against the wall, people tripping over other people, people fighting each other to be the first ones in.

“Here, take my hand!” Cherry says with her hand reaching out trying to find mine.

As I grabbed her hand, Cherry pushed everything and everyone in sight. Man, this girl has some guts, I tell myself. Finally, we were able to slip through the doors with only a few people ahead of us.

“Man, I can finally breathe! That was crazy. I didn't think getting a job here was so damn important to everyone!” I say wiping off the sweat from my face.

“Yeah of course, if you get a job here then that means you're going to go places! Success is right around the corner when you work here and the only direction left to go is up!”

We made our way to the booths. there were 3 bulky men seated, they looked scary. If I wasn't desperate to get a job I might have run away at the sight of them.

“Name and position” one of the men spoke without making eye contact.

“Cherry Oaks, waitress,” she said in a proud voice.

“Wait, Cherry, you don't want to be a chef?” I ask in disbelief.

“Oh! Heck no, I can't cook to save my life, but I sure as hell can multi-task and put on a pretty face.” She showed me her glamour face and I slightly giggled.

*ahem* I looked down and one of the men was looking at us like we were children. “Please take the number Ms Oaks and go stand in the corner, that will be all.” The men spoke with authority. “Name and position please.” he looked down and asked again.

“Oh! uhh sorry, my name is Able Summers, and I would like to apply for the chef position.” I tried to be a little confident but I couldn't help being nervous, it felt like my life depended on this job, the men were so serious.

“Ms Summers, are you aware that you need to have a culinary degree for the position you are requesting?” He looks up at me seeming unamused.

“Yes well I only have one more year left to complete but I assure-”

“thank you that will be all please step aside and leave so other people behind you can come forward.” he cut me off.

Man, I have to at least have some sort of job or I'm going to end up living in my car longer than I already am.

“Wait, can I please change my position request. Can I please be, uhhh, a waitress?” I had absolutely no idea how to be a waitress but I'm going to learn one way or another.

“Do you have any experience?” the man asks, gees he really doesn't want me to work here.

“Actually yes. As a matter of fact, I do. So please hand me a number so I may step away” I lied through my teeth, if I don’t learn quickly I’m going to end up getting fired within seconds and I’ll lose my chance at this job.

The man gave me a puzzling look, then his eyes went back down to his paperwork. “Very well, please take a number and step aside”. Then he looked over my shoulder and yelled “NEXT”.

Well, at least I have a job. It may not have been the one I wanted but I'm sure I can save enough money and finish school. And I’ll be ready to apply for the chef position!