A few weeks ago, team USA won gold at the Junior Goodwill Games - but it doesn't mean much when you get home. I decided to get a summer job to earn a little cash before school starts and hockey swamps my free time. Unfortunately, Averman couldn't get his old ticket booth attendant job back. So, we started job searching together. Eventually, we found a local restaurant that was in need of a couple of servers. For better or worse, they took us both on.
After the required training, tonight is our first shift. Despite knowing how hectic it can become, we're actually pretty excited considering we get to work together. Having a friend going in makes things less daunting. We've been on the clock for about an hour and it's been going surprisingly well. However, as I make my way to the next table, I quickly turn around and get out of site when I realise who the customers are.
"Averman!" I call him over. "The Ducks are here."
"They are?" His face lights up, not yet realising that they're here for chaos. "Oh, they're gonna be the worst."
"Exactly! That's why you're coming with me." If I'm going down, he's coming with me.
"Why don't we just ask Sidney to take them?" He notices their hyperness and figures out that he's on the other side of the prank.
"You know Goldberg is just gonna ask for us then the rest of them will start and we'll get dragged back over to them."
Knowing that we can't escape them and their inevitable antics, Averman and I peer around the corner, take a deep breath and begin to approach them.
"Y/N! Averman! Over here!" Charlie calls and waves us over accompanied by cheerful yet incoherent yells from the rest of the team.
"Hey, guys!" Any concern Averman had about this affecting our jobs immediately fades away.
"Hey, I know you're gonna ignore me but we are working, so please don't be the pains in the ass I know you'll be."
"Hey, why are you looking at us?" Portman questions with Fulton and Luis on either side of him.
Breaking out our notepads and pens, Averman and I take the team's orders. As you can imagine, it's complete and utter chaos. Overlapping orders are loud enough to cause noise complaints as the hungry teens are unable to wait their turns. Demanding extras and removals for individual picky eaters. After putting my foot down, we enforce a better system. I take one side, Averman takes the other. It takes way longer than it should, but we finally get everything written and double checked ready to leave.
"Hey, do we get a friend discount?" Luis calls after us as we go to take their tickets to the kitchen.
"Depends!" Is all I say as we turn the corner.
Finally escaping through the pale kitchen doors, we hand over the tickets and lean on the counter to reclaim some sanity and compose ourselves before returning to customers. In our slacking state, our manager Sidney catches us with knowledge of our guests.
"Hey, you two, are those rowdy kids out there your friends?" She already knows the answer.
"Yep." Averman answers.
"They need to calm it down or they'll get kicked out." She warns us before going back to work.
We glance at each other, take a breath and a low effort fistbump later, we once again brave the world beyond the safety of the kitchen. First order of business is to pass on Sidney's words of warning to the Ducks. They promise to be on their best behaviour - but I don't know how much I believe half of them.
With us (well, mostly me) on high alert because of the Ducks, we split up to tend to other customers. Whilst taking new orders, my mind is occupied by the antics of my friends just a few tables away. Every time I pass them, I scold them and the more responsible of the group try to save face. God, I hope they don't get us fired.
Eventually, the time arrives to serve up the multiple trays worth of food to my friends. If I drop any of it (which feels more and more likely with each step) I might just quit and save them the trouble of firing me. My anxiety is surely obvious and I approach the table at a snail's pace. Somehow I end up carrying much more than Averman.
"Here, let me help ya!" Dwayne rushes over to take some of the weight - catching everyone else's attention simultaneously.
"Thanks, Dwayne." I sigh in relief.
"You're welcome." He smiles as he hands out the plates and returns to his seat.
Somehow, the Bash Brothers are already destroying their burgers like savages. Even Kenny's appetite has gotten the better of him and turned him into a caveman.
"Y/N, where's my onion rings? You didn't bring my onion rings!" Goldberg complains. I turn to see that Averman has disappeared and left me to fend for myself.
"Quit bothering her, you can have mine!" Julie dumps her onion rings on Goldie's plate as Connie and Guy giggle beside her with their shared milkshake.
"Y/N, can you get us some more ketchup? This one's empty." Fulton speaks up. I grab a bottle from the next table over and slide it over.
"Where's the ice machine?" Jesse asks.
"Over there, next to the girls bathroom."
"Y/N?" Adam quietly gets my attention from my left.
"Yeah?" I ask, overwhelmed.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh...yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. But if I collapse, don't call and ambulance. Just leave me to die."
"Oh." He's caught off guard.
"Guys, drinks are refillable." I remind them. "Enjoy the food. And if you have any complaints, keep them to yourself." I rush away.
Feeling incredibly overwhelmed and guilty since they're my friends not some adults going nuclear, I decide to take my break and head outside for fresh air to clear my head. Averman must have noticed my absence as he joins me a couple of minutes later. I express my concerns, unsure if I can handle the stress of the job. He convinces me to give it a week and promises to try not to disappear when possible. If he stays, I can get through it.
Realising our break time is running thin, we hug out some of the stress in preparation for our return. With a deep breath and our typical jokes, we head back in. As we serve customers, we remain close to each other and keep an eye on the Ducks. Thankfully, they've quieted down as food clogs their throats. Maybe there's hope for us after all.
Even when the Ducks finished their banquet, they decided to stick around until our shifts end. It felt like a lifetime, but it's finally over. We hand over their somewhat hefty bill, expecting an argument over who would be paying. Instead, Adam just reaches into his pocket and pulls out way more than their total. Nobody our age should be able to pay that bill and have a big tip. However, I won't reject his cake-eater money this time. I hug him and thank him for the generosity before they all head out to wait for us by our roller hockey spot.
"Thanks again for the help earlier, Dwayne."
"It's no problem, cupcake. I wasn't gon' let ya struggle."
They all filter out the door before Sidney gives us her thoughts. Luckily, she understands they were both hazing and supporting us and is fine with them coming back as long a they reign it in. Despite being rightfully stressed, she feels we handled the pressure well and sees the familiar chaotic customers as a good test for busy days. The praise is definitely appreciated. I'll give it a week, but I think this is gonna work out just fine.
Last week, my dad and I took several trains to see my first hockey game. It was GB vs Italy and in glad to say we won 5-3 and were undefeated in the tournament, winning gold medals! It was an amazing experience that I'll never forget and I got to take a picture with the Stanley Cup!
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The Mighty Ducks Imagines
FanfictionI may be late to the Ducks, but its better late than never. Enjoy the imagines that keep me occupied and distracted from reality. There's a lot of Fulton stuff.
