Chapter Text
I woke up how I usually do, hanging off of the side of my bed with incredibly messy hair from tossing & turning in the night. The alarm tone is always the same, some 90's song I like, as I always have to be zapped back to 1950 while at work. While there's usually good variety with the music played, it's still a little maddening. As I trudge on over to the kitchen to make myself a quick breakfast of cereal and milk, I get a notification on my phone from the work related group chat. My manager tells us all that the district manager is coming tomorrow, which thank God I'm not there for. Those visits are always a pain in the neck. You have to have your uniform pressed & cleaned, and you follow the manager and DM's ridiculous rules all day long. Nah, I was just in for a normal shift, where at the worst? Customers would ask ridiculous questions.
Sure, our diner was 1950's themed, but you still had to pay modern prices. You had to, so the staff could afford to keep the establishment's lights on, as well as their own at home. But you'd always have at least one person asking about the menu & why our food is "so expensive." The food we had was quintessential to the time period: Breakfast all day long, coffee, root beer floats, Meatloaf, Salisbury steak, Club sandwiches, Grilled cheese (with or without tomato soup), Hot dogs, Burgers & fries, Banana splits & all kinds of pie with ice cream. I usually would skip out on any of those, with the exception of the tomato soup or the fries. Both of those items were seasoned & prepared quite well by our chefs.
Living where I do is quite expensive, though, so a side gig is almost required if you want to make rent. So, I decided to go along with a prospect that my friend had told me about. It made quick, easy, plentiful money: Being a "Sugar Baby." My friend, Cassie, told me that if I rode out on my looks alone, I'd probably make a decent fortune. She was fairly honest, so hearing that she thought I was attractive enough to get away with that? That sort of felt nice. Cassie wasn't an ugly girl herself by any means, but she often found herself comparing me to her. Not sure why, as I have an unsightly gap in my teeth & I'm almost "too skinny." Yes, there's a such thing. It's to a point where guys and girls are less attracted to you & more or less just worried about you. Not my fault that my mom's side of the family blessed me with such a high metabolism.
On the way to work, I also grab an energy drink from the nearby convenience store. The clerk behind the desk is usually such a nice man, and this time is no exception. Elio (the man) greets me with a smile & he actually comes up to help me find the specific one I like: A mix of berry flavors. I pay, leave & keep heading to work. Thankfully, I have a shorter shift today (10-5), so I don't have to deal with too many people. The thing that stings more though? We're in the middle of the worst pandemics of a modern era. COVID-19. But there are still people who come and eat here, so we have to swallow our pride for whatever tips we get. The people who come in here go into one of two categories:
The forgetful. The ones who mildly panic because they just legitimately forgot their mask in the car and go grab it real quick. Then there's the other: The ones who say that we're infringing upon their rights on American citizens. The latter group of people always made me roll my eyes in the back of my skull. Once I clock in, I see that I'm on Hostess duty for today, which is pure Hell if I end up dealing with too many of the anti-masker folk. Whenever I'm not helping people to their tables, I'm helping clean tables and such. So from about 10 am to 1 pm, I'm cleaning & occasionally helping customers. It's usually slower in the mornings, as our breakfast isn't all that good compared to the IHop about 5 minutes away from us. However, it's the lunch rush that gets me.
After 4 pm, I'm basically just hovering around the Host's stand & doing what I need to before I leave: Cleaning, getting more menus & counting the till for the next person to take over for me. I started my day with $250 & ended it with $750. About $500 more, but that was over a 6 hour time frame. Fairly slow day compared to the weekends. I grab my stuff from the back & clock out at about 5:05 pm after seating one last group of people, that of course complained about the need to wear masks in the restaurant. Once I'm clocked out, I don't think about turning around to clean the last table. Instead, i just keep walking home.
Of course, the money I make is hardly enough to keep up with rent, so I needed something on the side to help me out. With the "Sugar Baby" recommendation from Cassie, that became easier and easier. I slowly increased my rates over time, and now they're at about $500 per date. It seemed like nothing to these rich men & women, and they almost seemed eager to pay that much lower, compared to whoever else they could find (no shit, I saw one girl charge $1,200 per date and she wasn't even offering sex). I showered after getting home & got in my cutest dress. Short, black and sequins. I would get escorted to these dates by the rich folks in a nice limousine and shown to the venues. Tonight was no exception, as I was driven to the nicer steak restaurant in town. The dates are simple enough, though one of them wanted to pay me more to engage in sex with him. I refused for the time being, as I needed to be as careful as I could.
Tonight's date was at a steakhouse where the plates were about $50 each, at the lower end. I sat across from an older guy by the name of Mitchell, wearing a white shirt, blazer & a tie. His hair appeared to be slicked back with cheaper pomade, and his cologne reeked of the whole fragrance aisle. I had to dumb myself down considerably, despite me knowing almost everything this guy was talking about.
"So, I made an investment for the company & we made a whole lot of money! Because it was successful, so that means that the company has more money to distribute for their employees!"
"Wow! That sounds so cool! I only make tips, if I'm waitressing that day, that is. Soooo... What do you do for your company again?" I ask, cutting into my steak.
The guys love hearing themselves talk, to hype themselves up. Mitchell is talking and talking, hardly listening to any input I have to offer. Whatever, I'm used to this. After doing it for almost a year, you get used to the clientele just using you as a young, dumb, pretty springboard for their thoughts. It makes me feel all sorts of sorry for myself, until I remember that I chose this, instead of just getting a second job somewhere better. Well, thinking about COVID again, where else could I have worked without the danger of being laid-off? I just wasn't too stupid with managing time, getting 3 dates a week, with three different older guys. $500 after every date put me at about $1,500 for the week. Or about $6,000 for the month.
Rent, where I live, was about $1,600. My internet bill being $95, and my two therapy sessions a month totaling $180. Groceries, medicine & other amenities totaled to about $300 a month. About $2,175 for everything. I was usually left with about $3,825 from the "Sugar Baby" gig, plus whatever money I made from getting tips. On average? That was about $50-$100 per night. Working for at least 4 days a week? An extra $200-$400 a week.
$4,025 - $4,225. Did I need all that extra money? No, but it's always nice to have a cushion for this sort of life. I would take about half the money I made for the month & put it into a Savings account, the other half going directly to me. At this point, my rent is on a credit card & that's about the only thing I use it for. The bill is usually paid on time, and this month only proved the point. Autopay is a virtue, because I'd completely forget to pay for it myself. ADHD is a fabulous condition to have, if you just want to forget about half to 75% of what you tell yourself you need to do, or you blank out on what others tell you.
From the Sugar Baby gig alone? I would've made about $25,350 (when the year mark came). Half of that was put away safely. The other was spent on groceries & other essentials to keep me afloat. I would also buy little trinkets to decorate my apartment to how I saw fit. If you were curious: All the other walls are painted a nice tan color, but my room is actually a nice sky blue. Fairy lights are strewn about to make it look like a night sky after turning off the main lights. There were also fake vines with leaves attached to them. The room had a cozy and chill vibe to it, and I loved coming home to it every night after a long day of either waitressing or hosting. After the date that infamously dragged on for too long because the rich boy didn't get his sides he wanted & complained, I went home. I saw the money go in my account that same night. I could never explain what I felt like was missing, I just knew the money & things I could get with it never really did it for me. The answer would be obvious, if this were some lame Lifetime movie. But it's not. This is reality & feelings are overly complicated beings I'd rather not explore.
Harrison's POV:
Waking up and having to deal with people's lousy ideas for company budgeting was a hell of its own making. Especially considering people didn't really know what they were doing. They sort of just handed all matters of financial documents my way & sought to it. As I'm crunching more and more numbers, I realize that the company is basically in hot water. Because they managed to weasel their way through somehow fudging numbers. So, I have to redo the spreadsheets all over again. The tech never gave me problems for whatever reason, though I don't actually firmly believe that the problem is me. I just keep running the numbers, fixing things & approving them to be sent over to the Financial department.
Making about as much as I do every year ($75,000), I eventually saved up enough & earned enough good credit to get myself a house. In this place, I pretty much live on my own. The place isn't a total pigsty, but it's comfortable. After a long day of sitting in the office & crunching numbers, I just like to hop in the shower & make myself a quick dinner after. I've never been the fancy type, so anything that's even remotely edible will suffice. On occasion, I'll make myself a recipe that I overhear one of the other office workers talk about because it sounds delicious. Some steak dishes here & there, different ways to prepare chicken, and I've even made a rack of ribs (over the weekend, of course). Tonight was just a decent sandwich & some chips on the side, along with whatever I found entertaining enough on TV in between surfing channels.
The next day, I decided to be a little different. It was an easy Saturday afternoon, so I decided I wanted to go to a restaurant in town that I kept hearing about. It's a nice little 50's themed diner. Despite the theming, it's still necessary to wear your masks, as per the pandemic mandate. I'm not going to argue, as I'm in no real position to do so. I grab my mask from my counter & walk to the diner, as it's only about a five minute walk. Sure, IHop's food can be alright, but I've been there enough that some of the staff knows me by name. That in itself sounds somewhat humiliating.
It's interesting. My chest is broad like a barrel & I have strong arms. However, the gut I've acquired certainly didn't do me too many favors. There are people who definitely don't mind my body type, but I don't really see myself vying after the kinds of people who actively chase after me. When I get to the restaurant, I put myself down for a table. The host is a kind gentleman with a soft gaze, and he agrees to put me down for one. After waiting about 5 minutes, he guides me over to a decent table by a window. It has a view of the city that I've gotten used to, but it's quite nice when I'm not in said city to rush to work. Then I see... Her. The first thing that catches my eye is that this lovely lady is certainly quite nice on the eyes. Her short brown hair, olive skin with freckles adorning her nose area, and a gap-toothed smile that could melt even the coldest soul. And her voice is so adorable.
"Hey there! Welcome to Jumpin' Joey's Diner! My name is Amy & I'll be your waitress today. Can I get you something to drink to start?" She asks, voice higher pitched and perky sounding.
"It's like 1 pm and I'm still kinda waking up. So I'll just take a coffee, please. 2 creams & a little sugar" I ask politely. The smile never leaves her face, just relaxes in nature. She writes down my drink order.
"Certainly! I'll be right back with that, Sir!" Amy says, leaving my table to make my drink.
There's no way in high hell that I've fallen for this girl after just one glance, that's ridiculous. Some bad Hallmark movie shit. She comes back with my coffee shortly after, a warm smile still on her face.
"Y'know, Amy, you don't gotta smile all the time 'round me. Its the customer service instinct, but it ain't all too authentic" I say boldly. Amy's face changes almost immediately. Her smile is more practiced, reeled back in a way, and she leans against the table.
"I appreciate that" she says, sounding surprised but also relieved. "Have you had a chance to look at our menu? Personally, I like the grilled cheese & tomato soup. The soup is made really well!" She recommends.
"I'd have soup if I were sick, doll. Nah, I'll have some Salisbury steak, if you please" I insist. She chuckles, making the skin around her eyes crinkle a little. It's adorable, honestly.
"You got it. Salisbury steak!" Amy recounts, sauntering over to the register area to write down the order for the kitchen.
I see her chatting up some of the other waiters & even see her looking toward me, to then whisper to the coworkers. As the Salisbury steak comes out, I also see her with a small plate of fries and a small cup of soda. She puts everything down... Then sits down across from me. She gives me a look like I'm the most fascinating man alive right now. She tells me that in her 2 years of working at this restaurant, she's never encountered a nicer, older guy like myself before. Usually, they get pretty snippy with her & that it's only gotten worse since the pandemic. I chuckle softly.
"Probably cuz no one visits them anymore. When you see the lovely rays of sunshine they give off, you can't necessarily blame their families" I say sarcastically. A more genuine laugh erupts from Amy & it's the most contagious, sweet sounding thing I've ever heard.
"Hehe, you're funny. What's your name, Sir?" Amy asks, her hand resting on her cheek.
"Harrison Smith. Just call me Harrison, though-"
"I think I like Harry better. You mind that?" She asks, stealing a fry from the plate & twirling her hair. God, those hazel eyes are so lovely to look at. "Judging by the fact you haven't protested, I assume Harry is fine." I decide to be a little bold & flirtatious.
"Amy, with how cute you are, you could call me whatever you wanted. Maybe even just... Calling me, eh?" I ask, my eyebrow raised. She giggles softly, a cute blush dusting her cheeks.
I see her think about something for a moment, then see her taking out her pen. It's pink & sparkly, an adorable match for her, really. She scribbles down something quickly. When she finishes, she slides the little piece of paper taken from her notepad over to me. I unfold it & there's her number, with her name & a heart next to it. "For whenever you feel like calling or messaging" she assures, a more confident smile appearing. Under the dimmer lighting of the place, I notice her little dimples as well. She truly is a sweetheart. We keep making idle chit-chat for a bit, as she insists that despite it being a Saturday, there's not that many names in the Host's book up front. "That's not till like 3 pm. I've got time!"
It is about 3:30 pm by the time I finish up at the restaurant, and now? I'm certainly glad I didn't go to IHop. In the process, I found a place with cheap but great food & met a cute girl there. Who seems to genuinely enjoy my company. Just when I thought that I was done searching for someone, this girl just appears right in my lap. Hell, Amy even assured me numerous times that she actually liked talking to me & that I was a breath of fresh air in her life right now. I made it a point to go back to the restaurant next week and talk to her again. When I mentioned her to a couple of the guys at work, though, one of them "warned" me about her. Saying that she dates older men for money, but there's no way in hell I'd believe that. She's too sweet to take advantage of someone like that. Well, at least from what I've seen thus far. Though something tells me to not discount the information entirely, so it just stays in my brain for now.
Amy's POV:
I didn't think I'd ever find a guy as sweet as Harry was in New York. Usually, the guys around here only wanted one thing from me, and were willing to pay exorbitant amounts for it. Harrison just seemed interested in the person attached to the nice body. My mind, more than the matter. Did I really want to be the one to make the first move & text him first? No, I wanted to feel courted for once in my life. So, I just kept going on about my days. Eventually, Harry returns to the diner. It was a Friday night & it was close to closing time. He was the only one to come in the restaurant and I had insisted on serving him. I see him sitting at the table & I waltz over to him. I play it cocky & confident this time, despite my nerves eating me alive from the inside.
"Hey, Harry. Back again? What, did you miss me?" I ask in a playful tone. Harry laughs, and it makes my heart stop. Hearing those dulcet tones practically humming against my eardrums makes me a little flustered.
"Ya caught me. What, I can't come by and say 'Hello'? I figured you'd like to see me again, especially after last time. And you know something? I think I'll take you up on the grilled cheese & soup you recommended last time. If it's any good, I'll be sure to let you say 'I told you so'"
Hearing Harrison talk to me like this felt natural. I didn't need to put on a performance like I did with the other people that would come here & eat. No, things felt better this way. Like I could unmask from my usual "Customer Service" smiles & tone, really just being myself (unapologetically). I walk on over to the register area & write his order down, sending it to the kitchen. I get a little bored waiting, so I decide tonfet as much of my side work done as best as I can. For tonight, it's just stacking cups and mugs for use the next day & rolling silverware. I get the first task done, then his order needed to be brought out. I bring out his food and a small glass of water, setting it all down in front of him with an expectant smile on my face.
Harrison gestures me to sit down across from him again, so I do so with no hesitation. He takes a bite of the grilled cheese first, seeming to like it. I tell him to dunk the sandwich in the tomato soup. When he does, his eyes widen. "Well shit. Ya told me so" he says, still with food in his mouth, making me chuckle. I guess him hearing me laugh makes him more cocky & likely to say whatever crosses his mind. He and I continue making chit chat for a little while, before I realize I still need to roll silverware. Though, I have an idea. I quickly clean the table & move Harry to the bar/register area. He initially asks why, but quickly gets it when I continue rolling as I should be.
"Aw, what? You wanted me to keep ya company? Well alright, but usually I get paid for my time. Y'know, being people's accountant and all" Harrison says with a subtle smirk. I laugh.
"Oh, so you make all of our money disappear?" I tease.
"Yes and no. Yes because the company I work for doesn't seem to think I fuck up numbers sometimes. And no because I ain't a casino!" Harry jokes.
Harry knows how to make me laugh by this point. Being blunt & telling silly jokes like those. Despite his dry delivery, he still makes me laugh my head off. We're already having fun with just conversation alone, and by the time I need to clock out, my brain has already checked out. I'm fully listening to Harry and whatever he has to say. It's only when my manager taps my shoulder and says I need to clock out that I remember where I am. Harry even asks if he can walk me home. I don't outright refuse, but I say that he can't follow me up to my apartment door. "Fair enough" he says, just walking with me to my apartment. For once on my walk home, I feel safe. Content. When I get to my apartment complex building, Harry gives me a pat on the back and a wink. "See you next week, Doll" he says in that warm, velvety tone.
No matter how many times I've told myself that "You're not falling for him, you just met him!" It didn't matter. Harrison had already managed to charm his way into my heart, and it made me feel amazing just to talk to him. I could feel my heart race when looking at my phone. Then, it came. A simple "Goodnight" text from him, with a little heart next to it. I swear that was all it took for me to feel like I was experiencing a crush for the very first time all over again. Even if this did feel like a cheesy rom-com trope, I didn't care. Harry made me feel something I haven't in a long while: Genuine joy. Happiness. I knew this was going to become routine now & I didn't mind that. Just waited for it to be Friday again.
Check out this adorable commission I got from Floffu about this AU! I'm so happy about it :3 (Yes, you'll see the magic tricks at some point during this story! He uses them to attempt to impress Amy)
Go comm them!
Floffu on VGen :3