Keith

I worked for two days straight at the diner with Kyle this weekend, I never had so much fun in years. All of that fun is over when we return to school and learned that all of our teachers conspire to give us a mountain of school work. "Hey Keithan, it's literally hell week and the last thing you need is to be depressed." Kyle tells me as he pat my shoulders, I slapped my face with both hands just to wake myself up. Kyle roll his eyes and Dylan chuckled at me.

The day go slowly as our school work stock up some more with more classes up ahead. I almost drop on my table because, I dunno how to manage all if these work in front of me. "Stop being so miserable, you're making Dylan and I depressed!" Kyle scolds me as he hit my shoulder. "All of this work are due on Friday so we can work together. Dylan is it okay if we work on these at your place?" He asked Dylan. "Sure, cool. I'll tell Dar, are you staying the night?" He asked back. "Kyle and I can grab our things before going to your place so we can stay the night and be ready for school tomorrow." I suggested and Kyle nodded. "So it's settled then." Kyle announced. "We'll meet you there at six and, tell Darius not to cook I'm the one who will do it, we need awakening food all night." He instructed Dylan and he nodded at Kyle. We head out of school to our place to get our things and we drive to Dylan's as fast as we can.

It's now the second day that we're working through the mountain of schoolwork that we're having and, I can see the pile going down. "Oh I remember, one of our works in literature must be transferred to a parchment paper by means of a fountain pen." I saw Kyle look into his wallet looking depressed, probably because he doesn't have enough money for the supplies. I felt guilty and stupid to bring such topic in the middle of this crisis that we are facing. Dylan gave me a look meaning he understands the situation and gave me a nod. "Well it's our lucky day, Darius is into this shit so I guess he can lend us some parchment papers, he won't let us touch his fountain pen though, that I'm sure." Then Dylan look at me and I get what he meant, it's my turn to save the day. "Well, my family has a collection of fountain pens that we can borrow but, I don't think we have ink for them." I followed and I can see Kyle relax a bit. "Thanks guys, now we only need ink. Oh my dad has extra bottles of ink in the drawer of his desk, we can use those!" He excitedly informed us making Dylan and I smiled at him.

This is now the third day of us working our asses off. Kyle and I headed to our place to get our pens and we go to his place next to grab the ink. When we get to Dylan's, Darius is already handling him the paper. "Great, you're here. Remember do not waste my papers, try to write lightly and a little bit fast to avoid ruining it, okay?" The three of us nodded at him like he's our master and of course we thanked him for his help. We decided to let Kyle go first because among the three of us he has the best penmanship. He focused while he transferred his literary work into the paper and it turned out perfect. Dylan went next after Kyle and his work turned out great as well. When it's my turn it started out fine but, in the middle of writing my hand shake and it was now all messed up. Darius look at me rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'll give you another one but, you need to kiss me on the cheek." Darius said and I froze from where I'm sitting. "Cute, I'm just kidding here you go." He handed me another piece. "However, if you mess up again, you'll have to make out with me before getting a new one." His smile turned sinister and he winked at me. I gave a help me look to my friends, Dylan just shrugged me off and Kyle just look away. Crap, so I guess I'm on my own so, better not mess this up or I'm dead. I carefully worked on mg paper and make sure that, there will be no mistake. A few more words and I was done! "Whoo, I did it!" I screamed on top of my lungs when I look at Dylan and Kyle they are both trying to hold their laughs. "Jerks." Was all it take to make them burst out of laughter. The light atmosphere slowly faded as we continue to dwell on other works that we haven't even started yet.

The day came, it's now Friday and crashing in Dylan's place and, being sleepless for four days was worth it. We managed to finish everything and submitted everything, all we have to do now is to wait for it to be rated. Well I'm kinda feel lighter also having a happy mood because, there are less tasks that we need to tackle here at school. "You look so happy." Kyle said to me. "It's good but, you can't relax just yet, Hell week two is coming you know." He finished, he's right. I can't fully relax just yet, it's almost winter break and we all know that exams week is coming and we only have a few days to review. "We only have four days to study, I'll tell Pablo that you'll have a weekend off." Kyle told me. Shoot I forgot that I have work now well, I can manage I guess? "No, I can multi task Kyle, I will take my shift this weekend we can study in slow hours." I told him. "Shit, what's happening?" Dylan asked us. "We hang out at my work and, he ended up working there. My boss, really like him cause he's reply good with customers." Kyle explained to him. "Oh, wow I wish I could work too, do you have another opening?" Dylan asked, I just look at him and Kyle frowned. "I'll ask Pablo." He said. "Maybe, Pablo can accept my offer so, he will be able to take Dylan in as well." I suggested. "Then how about weekdays then? Pablo can't handle the diner alone now that Elijah is going to college." He's right, no one will help Pablo during the weekdays when business get busy. "Well, how about we conduct a hiring during the weekends. It's almost winter break like we can cover during the break and try to find help while we're at it." I said, Kyle smiled. "Well, I guess we have to think more positive from now on, let's ask Pablo tomorrow. Dyl, are you coming with us?" Kyle asked and Dylan's smile grew wide. "Heck, yeah! It will be fun." And with that we just walk around without thinking of any of our problems next week.

Saturday, Kyle and I get up early so that we will have a lot of time talking to Pablo after opening. We arrived at the diner earlier than expected and we knocked on the back door so we can speak to Pablo, it took a while but, the door finally opened. Dylan will be here tomorrow because, something came up and he won't make it today. "Why are you boys so early? We won't open for at least an hour or so." He said. "Hi Pablo, we just want to talk about some things, important things." Kyle said and Pablo nodded. He gestured us to come inside and sat at his coffee table. "So what's up boys?" He asked us. "Pablo, I think you need to do the expansion." Kyle hold his hand. "Ay! You know I can't, Elijah's going to college even Keith invest I won't have enough money to hire more people." He said and his frustration is very evident. "Don't worry about it Pablo, I'll cover it. We can become partners fifty fifty what do you say?" I offered him. "I just can't take all that money mijo it will look like I'm taking advantage of you." He said. "I'm a businessman Pablo stop treating me as a child and treat me like an investor from now on. I've been doing this for three years now and I won't invest money if I know that I won't get it back and more." I argued. "But, Keith how long will it take for the preparations?" He asked. "Give us this week, don't worry about anything, even Elijah I got it. Think of it as a part of my investment, I'll contact my team today and they will start this Monday and we will be ready during winter break. During the break we will post need help on both printed and digital ads." I explained to him, Pablo look tearing up while he hold mine and Kyle's hand. "Thank you, both of you, I accept." He said and both of us smiled. "You don't have to thank me though I did nothing." Kyle said. "Ay! Don't say such things mijo you were helping me for too long." Kyle chuckled and, Pablo and I followed after. We begun working for hours and hours until we closed the diner. Before Kyle and I leave Pablo gave us both tight hugs before he let us go for us to rest because, we still have a long day of work tomorrow.

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Photo of Keith on top.