Read Fighting a New World :: Chapter 5 FANW

Callum's POV

I was getting ready to strangle someone at this point.

I had been working at this coffee shop for a little over a week and I've already heard a lot of purely idiotic complaints, but this one takes the cake.

I had just got done putting a drink out for someone named Caroline. I didn't take the order, I was just the one making it so I didn't even bat an eye when someone came up and took the order but not even a second later, the person was talking to me.

"This isn't what I ordered," the woman said calmly as she put the drink back on the counter.

"What did you order," I asked as I looked down at the receipt for the order I just put out.

"I just ordered drip coffee." I force out a friendly chuckle.

"Then that's defiantly not what you ordered," I joked as I took the cup. "Just making sure, you're Caroline?"

"No, my order was for Kristy." I frown at that.

"Okay well this isn't what you ordered because this isn't your order." To my surprise my voice actually came out calm, even when I spotted the lipstick stain on the lip. Now I was going to have to remake it.

The woman scoffed at my answer as she reached over the counter and went to take the drink out of my hands.

"Well just give me that one. I already drank some of it anyway." I move my hand just as she was about to wrap her hand around the lid.

"Yea, I can't do that unless you go back and pay for it so give me just a few more minutes and I'll have your order out," I said as I turned back around, leaving the spoiled drink by the sink so I could deal with that after I finish these other orders.

"But that drink is just going to be wasted now," the woman said as she followed me from the other side of the counter as I started remaking Caroline's order. "Why can't I just have it?"

"Because it's against our policy. I can't let you have it unless you pay for it," I huffed out as I imagine myself talking to Ryder as I try to keep myself calm.

I actually had no idea if it was against our policy or not but at that point I didn't really care. It sounded about right and I didn't think anyone would argue with it so I figured it would be good enough.

Lucky for my sanity, the woman only gave a scoff as she moved away from the counter just as I finished the remake.

"Order for Caroline," I say louder this time. I catch myself watching the drink in case Kristy decided to come back until I get done with her actual order.

"Here you go Kristy," I say with a cherry voice now that I have had a few minutes to calm down.

"You know, I wasn't going to do this but this really just ruined my whole day. I want to talk to your manager." I don't even bat an eye as I wave Tanner over.

I figured this was probably going to happen but I still wasn't overly happy about it.

"Is there a problem over here," Tanner asked with his customer service voice and a smile.

"There is actually. This young man wouldn't let me have a drink that I wanted." Tanner hummed as he looked over to me.

"So what happened?"

"She drank an order that wasn't hers, then gave it back, then wanted to have the drink back, and when I told her it was against our policy unless she paid for it I ruined her whole day."

"Does that sound about right to you," Tanner asked nicely but his expression said he was already bored with this conversation.

"Well yes but that's just wasted product. It's already money down the drain, why should I have to pay for it if you won't use it?"

"Because then we could end up making the wasted money. Technically our policy is if you drink an order that wasn't yours you have to pay for it anyway," Tanner said but I could tell he was lying about that. "But since Callum here is new, he must have just messed up that part. I'd be more than happy to go ahead and charge the coffee to your card so you can have it."

"I can't believe you have policies like this. What kind of business are you running here if you aren't willing to make the customer happy at any cost?"

"A profitable one," Tanner said blankly. I had to hide my chuckle with a cough. "I can make an acceptation for you just for today and let you walk away without the coffee or the charge but that's all I can do for you."

"Well I hope you know that you just lost my business," Kristy said with a scoff as she picked up her order and walk out of the shop without another word.

"Against our policy, huh," Tanner asked with a small smile as he went back to wiping down the bar.

"I was honestly just trying to get her to shut up."

"I don't blame you but that actually is our policy for future reference." I only hum as I check the clock.

"How do I still have 30 minutes left," I groan out as I looked around for something to clean.

"Because that's how schedules work," Tanner joked. "You can chill for a few minutes though."

"I already took my break though."

"I know that Callum, I'm the one who told you to take it. But we don't have any orders right now and everything is mostly clean. I'm a big fan of acting your wage. You are paid bare minimum so you work the bare minimum."

"I don't think that's the kind of thing managers are supposed to say," I say but I lean against the wall anyway.

"Yea probably not so if you see Colby coming, do me a favor and pretend to be doing something. Other than that I honestly don't care. If there's no work to be done, I'm not going to make you find something."

"How did you get to be a manager with a work ethic like that?"

"I honestly don't know. I think it just accidently happened and when Colby saw how excited I was about the raise he felt too bad to fix it."

That actually made a lot of sense.

But none of that really mattered. All I cared about was the fact that he was being a lot more tolerable today.

Hopefully he'll stay this way.

Liam's POV

"How's the job doing," Andrew asked as he sat on his living room couch. I sat in front of him in a rather comfy recliner as I force my eyes away from the new folder with my name on it.

"It's literally terrible and I hate everything about it," I say honestly, making his eyes go wide a bit.

"Okay, what's so bad about it?"

"The other employees are terrible because no one does their job and when a manager asks why the job isn't done, they blame it on me. The customers won't stop yelling at me for no reason. And the hours are horrible but the mangers won't let me change it. I end up leaving almost as soon as Callum gets home and some times I don't come back until after Jax comes home and by then we are all pretty much ready for bed. I feel like I barely see anyone but Ryder."

Andrew frowns as he wrote my words down.

"Do you want me to help look for another job or do you want to try to hold out until college starts and see if it gets any better or worse."

"I want to find a new job but I don't want to feel like a quitter. I mean, it's only been a little over a week. I haven't even gotten my first check."

"That doesn't mean they can treat you like this," Andrew said seriously. "If they aren't helping you mentally, there is no use in staying there. I can help you find another job and you can be working it before the week is over. You just have to say the word."

I think it over for a second.

I didn't like this job at all but it actually paid pretty good money and I didn't want to learn how to do a new job already.

"I want to stay until college starts. If it hasn't worked out by then, I want a different one." Andrew nods.

"That's a month then. If it doesn't work out by the end of next month, we'll find something new. How is the rest of the move coming at least?"

"We already have everything put away so at least that's good. Jax seems to like his job. Callum is still adjusting but I think he will like it eventually. I'm sure you already know about Ryder."

"I'm not asking about everyone else," he says with a gentle smile. "How are you doing with the change? I know you normally don't like it al that much." I shrug.

"I mean, it's not great but I can handle it."

"Handling and processing are different and you know it." I huffed at that.

"I think I'm getting paranoid," I admit after a few minutes, making his eyes go wide a bit. I keep thinking I see someone behind me when I'm at work or just walking home but when I actually turn to see the person, they aren't actually there."

"Paranoia can be a symptoms of stress and anxiety," he says as if I don't already know that. "Are you still taking your meds?"

"No, I decided I wasn't going to take them in this very high stress time," I say sarcastically, making him frown.

"Being sarcastic isn't going to help anyone," Andrew mumbled with a small pout.

"No but it makes me feel better."

"Back to the paranoia, I wouldn't stress too much about it. Like I'm sure you know, it's normal. For now though, I want you to try and find a stress reliever."

"Does Callum count?"

"No, I meant more like yoga or running."

"I hate both of those things though."

"Maybe try doing them with Carter. It could help the both of you a lot and having a work out buddy helps you stay committed and motivated."

Like I would be able to keep up with Carter when it comes to anything athletic.

"I'll try but I'm not sure how well it will work."

"Tryig and failing is better than not trying at all."

"That sounds like a Yoda quote."

"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen the movies."

"I don't see how we've been together for two years and you haven't seen those movies yet."

"I'll watch them eventually."

"You've been saying that for a year and a half."