Olivia

"First question. What do you like to do in your free time?"

I tap my finger on my chin. "That depends."

Charlie raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'that depends'?"

I sit forward and splay my hands on the table. "Well, what's it like outside? If it's nice out I'll go out and find little flowers to collect and press. If it's not nice out then I'll stay inside and draw or paint."

As I'm saying all of this Charlie speed writes to get it all done. "You press flowers?"

I nod. "It's actually really nice. I love doing it when I'm in new places and then I can look for ones I've never seen or have never collected before and put them into my book. It sits there in the book and when I go back it reminds me of that place and the memories I made there."

"So do you like traveling to different places?"

I sit back and think about that one. Do I? "I'm not sure. I like going to different places and exploring. But if we're talking about traveling to different places I'm not a fan of long car or plane rides."

Charlie nods. "Those are the worst parts. I hate when I'm in an airplane and we land. It's so bumpy."

I nod. "Do you travel a lot?"

Charlie shakes his head. "Not really. The only memory I have of traveling is when I was little and me and my parents went down to Florida."

I smile. "That sounds sweet."

He nods and smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

I take a glance around the bakery. No one is in here but the two of us. Nick left the minute I arrived. He said he had a group project to work on. Seeing him leave made me a little sad. We haven't had any time together. Which, I know I shouldn't be hoping for, but I can't help it.

"Next question. What's your favorite color?"

My attention snaps back to him. "What does that have to do with me finding a job?"

Charlie shrugs. "I have no idea. But it's one of the questions on here." He guestrues down at the paper in front of him.

I don't have to think about that. "My favorite color would have to be blue."

"Why's that?" His pen hovers over the paper, waiting for my answer.

I blush. I can't tell him the true reason it's my favorite color. That would be too personal and make my crush more obvious. I shrug. "I don't really have a reason. It just is."

He raises an eyebrow but writes it down anyways. "If you say so."

"How many questions are there anyways?" I lean forward trying to get a glimpse of the papers.

Charlie blocks them with his arm and smirks. "Hey. That's my job."

I roll my eyes. "Well I don't want to be here all night answering the questions. I do have school work to do."

"I know. You think I don't?"

I slump back into my chair and cross my arms. "That's not what I meant."

He shakes his head and runs a hand through his brown hair. "Sorry."

I nod. "Alright. So what's the next question?"

"What would you have to say is your biggest fear?"

"Like, common fears or ones that are specific for each person?"

Charlie's eyes dance as he looks down at the paper before he shrugs. "I'm not sure. I don't think it really matters?"

I shrug. "If you say so. My fear would have to be spiders."

He laughs. "Spiders? That's every girl's fear!"

I cross my arms. "It isn't! It's a legitimate fear! Have you seen how they walk? And the amount of legs they have?" I shiver just thinking about them.

He rolls his eyes. "Fine." He jots that done. "What's your deeper fear then?"

"Oh."

He raises an eyebrow.

"I hadn't expected you to actually ask." I avoid making eye contact with him by looking down at the table instead.

"Why not?" He leans back in his seat.

I shrug. "Felt too deep of a question for this?"

"Do you not want to answer then?"

Do I? I'm not even sure what my deep fear would be. It would probably have something to do with a dead end career and not being happy. "Let's skip it," I say. I shift in my chair that suddenly feels rock hard.

Charlie nods. "If that's what you want." He flips through his different papers before settling on one. "Are you a dog person or cat person?"

"Dog."

"Why?"

"Because dogs will want to do more with you. They look to go out and go for a run."

"So you're the active type then?"

I nod. "I can be, depending on my mood that day."

"Does a lot of stuff depend on your mood?"

I nod. "Is it not the same for you?"

He shrugs. "I've never actually thought about it."

"Well, have you ever had a list of things you need to get done and you just wake up in a grumpy mood?"

He nods.

"Do you end up getting those things done?"

"It takes a while, but yes."

"Now think about if you had been in a good mood. You'd have gotten them done a lot faster."

He sits there and stares at me. "Oh. I guess you're right."

I nod as a smug smile slides onto my face. I look down at my phone and notice time has hit four fifty. I stand up and stretch. "I gotta start my close."

He nods and starts to push his papers back into an orderly fashion. "Yeah of course. I'll get out of your hair."

"Thank you for everything," I tell him. I start going around and put the chairs on tables.

"You're welcome. Thanks for answering the questions. Could I actually leave more of the quiz ones for you to do? And then you can just do them on your own time and get them back to me?"

"Sure. That actually might get us through this a little faster."

"That's what I was thinking."

"You can just put them on the counter." I tilt my head towards the front till.

Charlie nods. He slides his folders into his backpack before picking up the few papers he left out. Then he walks over to the front till and drops them on it. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod as I put the last chair up. "Yep. Is there a date you need the quizzes filled out by?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. Just need them before we start hunting. So, It's more up to you when you want to start."

"Sounds good. See you later."

He waves before heading out the shop door. I walk over to it and lock it behind him. Then I walk over to the front and pick the papers up. I know I want to start looking sooner rather than later. The faster I can find a future career for me to do, the sooner I can get mom off my back and get Sasha her dream job.

I sigh and flip through the papers. Charlie was right, they really are like personality quizzes. Which animal stands out to you the most? Which would you choose between these three items? Which is your best quality?

God. I'm going to hate doing these so much.

But I need to do them. I need to find my career. Not just for Sasha, or to prove my mom wrong. But also so that when anyone asks what are you going to do after high school? I'll actually have an answer.

But I'm also doing this for myself. I know if I stay here I'll be unhappy. And I know if I go and find any other job just to make it by, I won't be happy.

I can't live like that.

I don't understand how anyone can live like that. It seems horrible and stressful. I'd rather work a job I love and be barely getting by then work a job I hate and be barely getting by. I know some people say a job is a job. Be grateful you'd be making money at all. But how can someone live a good life working a job they hate?

That's one thing that makes my mom somewhat barebly. She loves her job. No matter how stressed she makes it she's always found with a fond smile when talking or thinking about work. Even when she's working she's super nice and friendly and upbeat.

That's how I want to be when working. I want to be stressed and still be happy because I love my job. That's why I need this job hunting to be successful. I need to get out of here. I need to go somewhere that I'll love.

I need this for me.