Chapter 162 Strength

• The new girl’s long black hair was tied back in a high pony tail and she wore our uniform of black pants and a white t-shirt. Her posture was straight, but her shoulders were tense as she walked. She stared at her phone in her hand and her perfectly manicured fingers flew over the screen angrily. When she looked up, gray eyes locked on mine. All signs of hostility I spotted a few seconds ago was nowhere in sight.
• I’ve never seen this girl before in my life, but there was something familiar about her. I felt drawn to her and that made me irritable. Two years ago, I started working here with Gabe. I have not once in my life been late. Gabe had always been popular with people. This job fit him like a glove, or a second skin. His kindness, joking manor, and bubbly personality made him the perfect barista. It was hard not to like him. I don’t have any of the qualities that Gabe has and I’m definitely not fun.
• It wasn’t easy, but I have since perfected the smile and the customer service voice with Gabe’s help. I now know how to look sweet and sound like, well, a people person. While I have come to like some of my customers, I don’t care for the majority of them. Deep down I feel like a fraud, like a wolf wearing sheep’s clothing. While I am the perfect customer service representative for Big Foot Java, this person isn’t a customer.