C4 Eclare Café

--Cara--

With my sister’s and the principal’s warning still ringing in my head, the next day, I made my way uptown to finally start looking for a job. Even though my education is sponsored by a wealthy and kind person (Atasha apparently owns one of the biggest and most exclusive wedding boutiques not just in the city but in the whole country), I want to earn my own money as well. I don’t want to bother my aunt for little things that I should be capable of buying for myself.

It would be perfect if I’d be able to get a job in a café or bakery. I want to go to school smelling like pastries or coffee since I want to take a morning shift. There are a lot of expensive looking café’s and bakeries yet none of them have signs saying they are looking for workers. I guess I have to go inside to ask myself.

The very first café I went into is packed. There are people waiting to be seated at the café’s foyer, and from what I can from where I’m standing, the inside of the café is full. No wonder there’s a line of people waiting. One of the haggard-looking server approached me. “I’m sorry, we can’t accommodate you, waiting time is at least two hours for breakfast.”

“Oh! I’m actually looking for a job…” The man’s eyes sparkled a little. “You want a job? Do you have experience?” I stood a little straighter, putting confidence in my voice. “I do! I used to work in a café before I moved here.”

“Very well, come follow me, your training period starts now. If you do well I might just hire you.” The man practically dragged me into the locker room and gave me a button up blouse with the café’s logo and name, and an apron to tie around my waist. I was outside the changing room when the man looked at my chest. Remove your accessories and put it in your locker. That’s part of the dress code here. I hastily removed my C-pendant necklace and put it in the pocket of my sweater.

It’s a busy day at the café after that.

I barely had time to message my aunt saying that I got a job. After changing clothes, I went straight to work. I cleaned tables, took and delivered orders; I also helped stocking up the kitchen for supplies. Eclaire Café is very popular, especially their croissants filled with chocolate that they serve only during breakfast hours. No wonder the place is packed in the morning. The café was short on staff that morning because one of the servers didn't show up, and never bothered to inform them. Hence the reason with my very quick hiring process.

According the Luis (the guy who hired me, he’s actually the manager, not just a server) the café is open weekdays during mornings (6 A.M. to 10 A.M.) for breakfast and during late afternoon until evening (4 P.M. to 9 P.M.). For the weekend, same morning schedule but open the whole day until seven in the evening instead. The café is apparently a pet project of some wealthy widow who was so bored of her life she wanted to busy herself, hence the café. It was just a bonus that the café got ultra-popular. “So, you’ve done a very good job this morning. I would like to hire you permanently.” Luis said as we sat inside his office at the back of the café. “Do you want to work in the mornings or afternoon?”

“I would love to take a morning shift, but I’m still at school so…” I shrugged. I really wanted to take the morning shift, but with the travel time I have to take to get to school, it would be difficult. “You go to East or West?” Luis asked, his expression closing. It felt like my answer will either hire me or not.

“Um, the East Side. At Iustus.” Luis’ perked up, seems like he liked that answer. “Well, how about this. Classes at Iustus starts at eight-thirty until four-thirty; you can do work from 5:30 A.M. to 7 A.M., coming from Central Neutral, it would take you less than an hour, an hour max if there’s traffic to reach the school.”

Luis handed me a piece of paper, where my rates and bonuses are listed down. “You can then take the early evening shift after school, say six until closing, if you want more hours? What do you think?” Seeing the rates, $10 per hour plus 5% of the total amount of the service charge will be given to me made me nod my head. “That works for me!”

“You start tomorrow then, if that’s alright?” I nodded my assent.