Angela's Point Of View;
Working at a pizza restaurant is hard enough. And now they want me to actually serve the guests in their personal rooms. I don't even like serving them in the actual restaurant part. But I accepted that because that was what they told me I would be doing for this summer job. But now they expect me to be walking about this entire hotel delivering pizzas. Well, I can't complain since they already took the risk of hiring a twelve- year old.

I didn't directly tell them that I was fifteen but I had hoped they would assume even though I didn't look it. I didn't like deceiving anyone but if I told them my real age who knows if they would have hired me anyway. Technically it isn't a real job and I'm kind of an extra hand. I think they probably chose me cause they wanted an errand girl. Their reason didn't really matter because I need the money. It will give me a reason to leave the house so I won't feel like I wasted my summer. And maybe I will be able to buy something I want for a change.

It's not like there are a lot of opportunities for me anyway and I like it here. It's a beachfront hotel and my family could never afford a vacation here. Working here is the best I can do to see the beach for the summer. Unlike last year and the year before that and the year before that.... Ugh!

I pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the pizza I carried. I approached the hotel receptionist who was talking on the phone. I was not used to conversing with people outside of my immediate family. I started to feel very nervous. The manager informed me that this is the first time the restaurant is delivering food directly to the guest rooms. So I would have to get a pass from the front desk. Then he would call the room to confirm.

My lips kind of quivered and my voice naturally sounded lower as I try to speak to the man, "U-Um hi excuse me, I-I have a pizza delivery from Raymondos for the Hensons. They didn't give a room number and said to leave it here. But we have a new delivery feature as you may have heard, s-so can you tell me the room number please?"

The man obviously was too busy on the phone to hear me and I'm already very soft-spoken. It would be best for me to wait. As I was going to do that a familiar voice from behind answered me.  "That's for me, thanks. How much?"

Even though the voice surprised me I still turned in the direction it was coming from. "$6 for the 3 extra large with extra toppings," I muttered a soft and quick reply looking down at my feet.

"3 what?" He responded with a tone of confusion. I would now have to repeat myself and slow down. I took a deep breath and said it again but my voice crack in the process. I hate it when that happens. 

He answered so at least I knew he heard me, "OK here you go, wait Angela is that you?"

Oh no! He still recognized me, I could deny it but that will make me look even more ridiculous. So I had to give a truthful answer even though I would rather not have to answer at all. "Um yeah, it's me and you're William from school right?"

I looked up after saying that to see that he nodded and gave a slight smile. William had tanned dark skin that was the same complexion as mine. The difference was he had a glow to his. His eyes were light brown and radiated a mixture of confidence and joy that I could only imagine. He was slightly taller than me by a half inch. I could tell he was in vacation mode with his white framed sunglasses that was hung on his multicolored shirt. I didn't have to smile back because of the facemask I was wearing. It wouldn't have mattered if I did anyway. I couldn't think of anything really to say to him.

"Yeah, I almost didn't recognize you with that face mask on." He then kind of awkwardly replied.

I didn't want to continue a conversation with him but I didn't know how to end it. "Well, you weren't supposed to and covid is still a thing that's why I wear it. How'd you know it was me?" I said as I handed him the Pizza.

I kind of hoped he would get bored of talking to me and give a halfhearted answer then leave. He barely spoke to me in school so there would be no reason to act like we were old friends catching up. I looked back down to my feet but I could still feel his staring down at me since he is taller. 

"I knew because of your hair, it's been that way since your first day of school in elementary. You know the cases around here have dropped below 100 so maybe you should consider a vacation to relax. Later" I didn't dare look up when he replied but I couldn't respond back either cause it didn't deserve an answer. 

He probably didn't care if I did either as he had already walked away. With my both hands now free, I adjusted my black-framed prescription glasses over my dark brown eyes. It has a tendency to go to the very bridge of my nose when my head went down and rose again.

It was easy enough for him to say. My family couldn't afford anything fun before covid and they definitely can't now. I should really wear a hoodie to cover my curly hair. It was already passed shoulder length. Making it even more difficult to hide is its thickness and I have no idea how to maintain it myself. But it's worth the effort because I don't want any more students to recognize me.

Since I'm a minor and it's summer I work from 12 pm to 5 pm. I delivered to personal rooms and around the pool sides all day. The hotel was huge so I had to use the elevator a number of times to get to the rooms. There were a lot of families with children vacationing here. Unfortunately, some of the younger unsupervised kids played by pushing the elevator buttons on floors they had no intention of coming out on. That annoyed me but what could I do except get off and use the stairs when I was close enough.

It wasn't too bad since I could at least see the beach from the windows on some of the higher floors while making deliveries. Most people were too busy to think of talking to me or care that I had a face mask on. It's like I had the ability to hide in plain sight. This is the only reason I actually decided to get a job as the time was perfect for someone like me to face people. And the best part was that it at least paid something.

I saw William throughout the day with his family and friends who he had gotten the pizza for. They were either by the pool or the dining area. Honestly, I felt a bit jealous. I wish I could be as carefree and have friends as he is. But I knew I wasn't cut out for that life. I wouldn't know what to do with friends anyway.

When my shift ended, I got to leave with a pizza. Guess that's one of the perks of being employed here. At least I could use the leftover food mom cooked for me tomorrow. I have to ration the food I eat cause I know things are really tight financially. On my way home I took a detour into the park as I ate the pizza on the way. I was really hungry cause I didn't have lunch and couldn't wait to get home.

The park had a beautiful garden-like setting that made me feel better. The further you went in the fewer people were around. The hedges were symmetrical and the green bed-like grass was low. I could tell I was uptown where things were really kept up to mark. If only around my home could look as well kept as this. But maybe the fact that my yard at home is a mess draws attention away from the house itself. Now that was a sight to behold. It looked like the leaning tower of Pisa but not as fancy or sturdy. It could probably fall on our heads at any given moment. Not that I'd mind since it would at least end the shame I felt in living in it. Maybe I would feel better if the neighborhood itself were all in the same position. But the fact that most of our neighbors had well-kept houses but ours were an eye sore. At least it blends in with the condition of the yard.

I made my way near to the riverside where I found a place to sit on the grass watching the few people walking by.

I focused my attention on 3 girls passing by laughing as they crossed the bridge. The same feeling I had watching William and his friends came back. So as I shifted my focus to watch the scenery again until I had finally finished all of my pizza. The sky at that time had already begun to slowly become darker. I didn't have my cellphone with me since I forgot it at home. So my parents couldn't call me even if they are wondering where I am. That is if they could take a break from arguing to notice.

It gets a lot harder for me to see at night so I knew it was time to get up off the grass to go across the bridge which will lead me to the main road faster. Halfway across the bridge, I stopped to look at my reflection thinking about starting high school next year. The school grades may change but my life has remained the same. Who knows if it will all get better or just continue going downhill from here? Whoever said 'a life that stays the same is a boring life' really knew what they were talking about.

I sighed loudly at that thought while closing my eyes. But then I heard fast footsteps that caused me to turn my head to face the direction it was coming from. I saw the frame of a man dressed in a large brown overcoat running toward me. Since my vision isn't the best at night I couldn't measure the distance between us until he came closer.

By that time it was too late since he passed too close knocking me over the bridge rails. I gripped his coat yet somehow he managed to slip his arms out of it. There was nothing stopping me from falling over now. I landed in the water and started to panic because I couldn't swim. The face mask that I was wearing came off as I splashed around. Then I went under the water about 3 times in the struggle. When I came up the fourth time a life preserver was thrown to me. I held on to it to stay afloat as I coughed up water.

As I recovered trying to catch my breath I realized that it was daylight. How is that possible? It was nighttime just a few seconds ago. Then I noticed a boat was not far from me with a boy who I never saw in my life waving his arms dramatically to get my attention. Even though to me, he was blurry from the distance I knew I didn't know him.

I could see in color very well and his hair was colored a bright purple. He looked about my age but had a much lighter complexion than me. I have never known or even met anyone who had their hair like that. He was also wearing a green shirt with a dark blue jacket and an almost off-purple jeans. He was pulling the rope tied to the life preserver that I assumed he had thrown to me.

"HEY! At least kick your feet to help me out in pulling you in! Come on! You know, Uncle wouldn't like it if he knew you're swimming with his overcoat!" He shouted loud enough for me to hear him as he pulled while I held on to the life preserver. I tried to do as he said and I was grateful for the save but I was still confused. Who was he?

I got in the huge boat soaking wet but I was in a better condition to talk to him now. I was in a sitting position when I got in the boat. "So your uncle was the one who pushed me over the bridge?" I asked.

His left eyebrow raised at my question before it returned to its place. It was then I noticed his eyebrows matched his hair color as well. He wouldn't blend in with a crowd easily. The color of his eyes was light green just like his shirt. That made them stand out to someone even with my poor vision. They radiated the same confidence as William's did, but there was something different. Exactly what that was, I didn't know. But now was not the time to ponder on that.

"What? No, he's been sea life watching for the past hour. Which is another way of saying he's sleeping. And we're out in the ocean, there are no bridges out here."

I looked around and I discovered that he was right. All I saw was the open ocean that surrounded me. How did I get here? What happened to the bridge?