The Test of Time - 1
Alex struggles with an average day, to find that she is given an opportunity to escape. She is, however, completely unaware that her life is about to change forever.
It seemed to have been the longest week of her life. Alex drummed her fingers on the table, her chin planted in between her hands, staring hard at her cell phone willing it to ring. She had sent a text to Chad more than two hours ago, and still had not gotten a reply. Instead, all she seemed to have was a heavy heart, and a weeks worth of jitters that seemed to have been wasted.
As her fingers made a soft drumming noise against the hardwood of her boss's hardwood kitchen table, Alex mentally went over the last week of her so-called life. She had met Chad at her local cell phone company. Completely unaware of what would happen.
It had been a Thursday, and Alex had gone to work with the strange feeling of not actually wanting to be there. Sure that's the case with most people, but believe it or not, Alex loved her job. Seriously loved it. In fact, Alex literally lived and breathed her work, and rarely did anything else.
That particular day, however, Alex was unmotivated, and seriously tired of everything that pertained to her job. As she pulled into the parking lot of the gas station she managed, she rubbed her eyes in fatigue and frustration. The half-hour drive had seemed rough, unlike the normal carefree moments she spent listening to her iPod as she cruised down the rural roads in solitude. This time, all she wanted to do was turn the truck around and head back to her messy apartment, back to the waiting arms of her pillow and comforter.
Switching off the iPod and killing the truck with a turn of the key, Alex climbed out and locked the door. She dragged her feet as she crossed the parking lot. It was actually good weather. Even for the cold October air that they had been experiencing, this day was sunny and warm. Alex sighed, wishing she had been able to have the day off to enjoy the weather.
Inside the store, a line of people stood at the register, waiting for their turn to purchase their items and leave. Even they didn't want to be here today, and Alex wondered if it was coincidence.
"Good morning, darling," Trudy, Alex's boss, called from behind the counter. Trudy was from England, and though she was the Director of the store, she was also Alex's best friend and roommate. Though well into her years, Trudy related to Alex as if they were the same age. Having left and abusive marriage from which she acquired three children, and since fighting court and custody battles, Trudy was the epitome of the woman Alex hoped to become.
"Hey, Trudy," Alex mumbled as she made her way behind the counter and into the back room to deposit her bag. She glanced at the clock over the desk against the far wall. She still had half an hour before she needed to clock on, and she took this opportunity to sit in the chair and relax. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing the waves of sleepiness to wash over her.
"Oh get up girl!" Trudy's prominent voice boomed over the dreams that had begun to creep at the corners of Alex's mind. Alex snapped her eyes open and met Trudy's gaze with a glare.
"I don't wanna be here today," she whined. "I'm tired and exhausted and-and, well just plain tired."
"I know," Trudy answered, rummaging through a stack of papers on her desk. Alex made a mental note to clean them up and put them away into their designated folders and files. That was her job. She was Organize Girl. She didn't mind either.
"Well," Trudy continued, "how would you like to run some errands for me?"
Alex scowled. "What kind of errands?"
"Well, Vanessa messed up the Dairy Order, and because of that we are literally out of milk, so I need you to run to Janice's, Treg's and Lorraine's stores to pick some up. Do you have the Geo or the Ford today?"
"Ford," Alex replied, using no emotion.
"Good, because there's a lot." She handed Alex a small piece of paper. "I need four crates from Janice, six from Treg, and four crates of Whole Milk from Lorraine."
Alex suppressed a giggle at Trudy's tone when she said Lorraine's name. Trudy had an intense animosity towards Lorraine. She was their boss's golden girl, and after all the brown nosing and butt kissing Trudy did for him, she just couldn't understand why. Lorraine was mean and cruel. Trudy didn't see past her charade at all.
"And then," Trudy continued without skipping a beat, "I need you to ship this toner back to Head Office. While you're at the UPS store, please pick up some stamps for the store. I need five."
"Why don't I just get a book?" Alex interrupted, which of course went unnoticed by Trudy.
"How much are those?" she asked.
Alex shrugged. "How much are stamps?"
"Forty-seven cents."
"Ok, multiply that by fifteen and there's your answer."
Trudy nodded. "Ok then, let's go with that. Also, here is some money to get myself a book of stamps as well. After you've done all that, I need you to go to Walmart and pick up some printer paper, get a box, and some staples. We're almost out at the registers."
Alex's mind worked in overload as she made mental notes to do everything. "Wouldn't it make more sense to do all of that and then get the milk? We don't want it to get hot in the back of my truck."
"Good point."
Alex chuckled. Trudy was a smart woman, but sometimes she needed a little guidance. Alex figured, since she was the best friend and Trudy's golden girl, that was definitely her job.
She jumped up from the chair, still lacking energy, but feeling more alive than she had a few moments ago. She always looked forward to the opportunity to do things for Trudy, but today, Trudy was giving her an escape from the horrors of work. Thank God it was Alex's Friday.
Alex went to one of the registers, and after clocking on, took some money out of the till for the purchases she was about to make. Then, grabbing her bag and her keys, she made her way out of the store with a bounce in her step.
Alex was a definite country girl. She had been raised in the southern part of the state, around nothing but farmlands and cattle, in the smallest town in the area. After four long years of driving the Geo Metro that she barely touched now, Alex had finally had enough sense to buy another vehicle. Wheels of choice? An enormous, lifted Ford F250. It was in brand new condition, with heated seats to boot, and Alex had to use the built in side steps to get into it. For such a small girl, she thought she looked damned good sitting behind the wheel. It wasn't often that she encountered a truck this size. And when she wasn't working, she ditched the white tennis shoes and put on her tan cowboy boots.
Alex wasn't the best looking girl to walk the earth, but she didn't think she was ugly by any means. Her brown hair was thin and didn't seem to have much ambition to grow. She wore it straight down or up in a ponytail, and seldom made any attempt to do anything else with it. Make-up was applied only when she managed to get out of bed early enough, and the only jewelry she wore was a provisional chain she wore around her left wrist. She couldn't remember the last time she removed it. She didn't think she was all-that pretty, but the amount of compliments she got from the boys that came into the store caused her to fight with herself about her looks.
She also noticed how many compliments she got on her eyes. They weren't big and lashy, nor were they stand-out gorgeous, but Alex considered them her best feature. They were gray, slightly blue at times, and Alex never missed a beat to use them to her advantage. One of the perks to her being single.
As she parked the truck in front of the UPS store, Alex looked around at the strip mall that surrounded the parking lot. She was surprised to see that her cell phone company had established a residence only a few stores down. Though she knew she shouldn't, Alex decided to make a quick stop in to see about getting the internet through them.
Making a quick dash into the UPS store, Alex rushed through making the delivery of the toner and was dismayed to learn they were sold out of stamps. Luckily, Alex remembered the post office was only a few blocks away, and decided to stop there.
When she was finished, Alex made her detour to the cell phone store. She walked in and waited behind a large woman, who, to Alex's dismay, was literally screaming at the two employees sitting behind the counter. She wasn't sure, but she made out that it had something to do with a fee she was being charged for missing her monthly payment.
Alex took this opportunity to browse the display of phones and accessories lining the walls. It seemed to take forever, listening to the high-pitched shrieking of this woman, but eventually she made one last final shriek and stalked out of the store. Alex watched her go with a bemused expression on her face.
"Can I help you with anything?" a voice said behind her. Alex spun around, and for a moment she was frozen in place. For there before her was a tall, handsome man, with eyes the color of the sky.
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Thanks for reading, and to those who commented on the teaser. I know that it seems I practically spelled out the whole story, but I promise I didn't. And to the comment that I should shorten the span of time, I sure will try to, however a longer period of time is almost necessary. Maybe I should write it in the time frame of two or three months. Please comment on this chapter and let me know what you think so far. Also, I am still open to any suggestions you might have regarding this story.
Thanks y'all, Lots of Love, Heather.
As her fingers made a soft drumming noise against the hardwood of her boss's hardwood kitchen table, Alex mentally went over the last week of her so-called life. She had met Chad at her local cell phone company. Completely unaware of what would happen.
It had been a Thursday, and Alex had gone to work with the strange feeling of not actually wanting to be there. Sure that's the case with most people, but believe it or not, Alex loved her job. Seriously loved it. In fact, Alex literally lived and breathed her work, and rarely did anything else.
That particular day, however, Alex was unmotivated, and seriously tired of everything that pertained to her job. As she pulled into the parking lot of the gas station she managed, she rubbed her eyes in fatigue and frustration. The half-hour drive had seemed rough, unlike the normal carefree moments she spent listening to her iPod as she cruised down the rural roads in solitude. This time, all she wanted to do was turn the truck around and head back to her messy apartment, back to the waiting arms of her pillow and comforter.
Switching off the iPod and killing the truck with a turn of the key, Alex climbed out and locked the door. She dragged her feet as she crossed the parking lot. It was actually good weather. Even for the cold October air that they had been experiencing, this day was sunny and warm. Alex sighed, wishing she had been able to have the day off to enjoy the weather.
Inside the store, a line of people stood at the register, waiting for their turn to purchase their items and leave. Even they didn't want to be here today, and Alex wondered if it was coincidence.
"Good morning, darling," Trudy, Alex's boss, called from behind the counter. Trudy was from England, and though she was the Director of the store, she was also Alex's best friend and roommate. Though well into her years, Trudy related to Alex as if they were the same age. Having left and abusive marriage from which she acquired three children, and since fighting court and custody battles, Trudy was the epitome of the woman Alex hoped to become.
"Hey, Trudy," Alex mumbled as she made her way behind the counter and into the back room to deposit her bag. She glanced at the clock over the desk against the far wall. She still had half an hour before she needed to clock on, and she took this opportunity to sit in the chair and relax. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing the waves of sleepiness to wash over her.
"Oh get up girl!" Trudy's prominent voice boomed over the dreams that had begun to creep at the corners of Alex's mind. Alex snapped her eyes open and met Trudy's gaze with a glare.
"I don't wanna be here today," she whined. "I'm tired and exhausted and-and, well just plain tired."
"I know," Trudy answered, rummaging through a stack of papers on her desk. Alex made a mental note to clean them up and put them away into their designated folders and files. That was her job. She was Organize Girl. She didn't mind either.
"Well," Trudy continued, "how would you like to run some errands for me?"
Alex scowled. "What kind of errands?"
"Well, Vanessa messed up the Dairy Order, and because of that we are literally out of milk, so I need you to run to Janice's, Treg's and Lorraine's stores to pick some up. Do you have the Geo or the Ford today?"
"Ford," Alex replied, using no emotion.
"Good, because there's a lot." She handed Alex a small piece of paper. "I need four crates from Janice, six from Treg, and four crates of Whole Milk from Lorraine."
Alex suppressed a giggle at Trudy's tone when she said Lorraine's name. Trudy had an intense animosity towards Lorraine. She was their boss's golden girl, and after all the brown nosing and butt kissing Trudy did for him, she just couldn't understand why. Lorraine was mean and cruel. Trudy didn't see past her charade at all.
"And then," Trudy continued without skipping a beat, "I need you to ship this toner back to Head Office. While you're at the UPS store, please pick up some stamps for the store. I need five."
"Why don't I just get a book?" Alex interrupted, which of course went unnoticed by Trudy.
"How much are those?" she asked.
Alex shrugged. "How much are stamps?"
"Forty-seven cents."
"Ok, multiply that by fifteen and there's your answer."
Trudy nodded. "Ok then, let's go with that. Also, here is some money to get myself a book of stamps as well. After you've done all that, I need you to go to Walmart and pick up some printer paper, get a box, and some staples. We're almost out at the registers."
Alex's mind worked in overload as she made mental notes to do everything. "Wouldn't it make more sense to do all of that and then get the milk? We don't want it to get hot in the back of my truck."
"Good point."
Alex chuckled. Trudy was a smart woman, but sometimes she needed a little guidance. Alex figured, since she was the best friend and Trudy's golden girl, that was definitely her job.
She jumped up from the chair, still lacking energy, but feeling more alive than she had a few moments ago. She always looked forward to the opportunity to do things for Trudy, but today, Trudy was giving her an escape from the horrors of work. Thank God it was Alex's Friday.
Alex went to one of the registers, and after clocking on, took some money out of the till for the purchases she was about to make. Then, grabbing her bag and her keys, she made her way out of the store with a bounce in her step.
Alex was a definite country girl. She had been raised in the southern part of the state, around nothing but farmlands and cattle, in the smallest town in the area. After four long years of driving the Geo Metro that she barely touched now, Alex had finally had enough sense to buy another vehicle. Wheels of choice? An enormous, lifted Ford F250. It was in brand new condition, with heated seats to boot, and Alex had to use the built in side steps to get into it. For such a small girl, she thought she looked damned good sitting behind the wheel. It wasn't often that she encountered a truck this size. And when she wasn't working, she ditched the white tennis shoes and put on her tan cowboy boots.
Alex wasn't the best looking girl to walk the earth, but she didn't think she was ugly by any means. Her brown hair was thin and didn't seem to have much ambition to grow. She wore it straight down or up in a ponytail, and seldom made any attempt to do anything else with it. Make-up was applied only when she managed to get out of bed early enough, and the only jewelry she wore was a provisional chain she wore around her left wrist. She couldn't remember the last time she removed it. She didn't think she was all-that pretty, but the amount of compliments she got from the boys that came into the store caused her to fight with herself about her looks.
She also noticed how many compliments she got on her eyes. They weren't big and lashy, nor were they stand-out gorgeous, but Alex considered them her best feature. They were gray, slightly blue at times, and Alex never missed a beat to use them to her advantage. One of the perks to her being single.
As she parked the truck in front of the UPS store, Alex looked around at the strip mall that surrounded the parking lot. She was surprised to see that her cell phone company had established a residence only a few stores down. Though she knew she shouldn't, Alex decided to make a quick stop in to see about getting the internet through them.
Making a quick dash into the UPS store, Alex rushed through making the delivery of the toner and was dismayed to learn they were sold out of stamps. Luckily, Alex remembered the post office was only a few blocks away, and decided to stop there.
When she was finished, Alex made her detour to the cell phone store. She walked in and waited behind a large woman, who, to Alex's dismay, was literally screaming at the two employees sitting behind the counter. She wasn't sure, but she made out that it had something to do with a fee she was being charged for missing her monthly payment.
Alex took this opportunity to browse the display of phones and accessories lining the walls. It seemed to take forever, listening to the high-pitched shrieking of this woman, but eventually she made one last final shriek and stalked out of the store. Alex watched her go with a bemused expression on her face.
"Can I help you with anything?" a voice said behind her. Alex spun around, and for a moment she was frozen in place. For there before her was a tall, handsome man, with eyes the color of the sky.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading, and to those who commented on the teaser. I know that it seems I practically spelled out the whole story, but I promise I didn't. And to the comment that I should shorten the span of time, I sure will try to, however a longer period of time is almost necessary. Maybe I should write it in the time frame of two or three months. Please comment on this chapter and let me know what you think so far. Also, I am still open to any suggestions you might have regarding this story.
Thanks y'all, Lots of Love, Heather.
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