Whatever She's Getting

The Beginning

This diner is not always jam-packed. I love it. I love how intimate it is. Strange, isn't it? For a place like this to feel like that?

Well, if I tell you how we met, then maybe you'd agree with me.

I moved into town one day because I wanted to start a new life. I wanted to get away from all the madness in my old home, move into a cozy apartment, and of course, get a job that I would enjoy that could actually pay my bills.

I'm into fashion design, and this town was meant for small-time designers. I didn't know if I could make it at all, but I always knew there was no harm in trying.

So, I took a leap of faith and just went for it.

Then on another day, I stopped by this certain diner for breakfast. It was just a few blocks from my place, so I figured why not.

It was a cozy place with friendly people. Family-run, most likely. They also had amazing food, coffee, and I came there almost every day.

The people over there already knew who I was at some point that they made sure a specific table was reserved for me. Usually at the far corner by the window so I could have a great view and some peace while I worked.

The usual, just a table for one.

***

"Hey, Ellie! Ordering the usual?" said Daisy, the waitress and the daughter of the diner's owner.

"I think I'll have the breakfast usual." I replied.

"Breakfast usual for lunch?" Daisy laughed. 

I shrugged and said, "Maybe I like breakfast."

"Yeah, enough to eat two breakfast meals in a day."

We both laughed.

"Working overtime on your designs, huh?" she said.

"Nothing new about that." I said. "I'm hoping my designs would get noticed. There's an event in the next few weeks just here in town and I figured I should shoot my shot."

"Really? That's great!" she chimed. "I've already seen some of your designs and I like them!"

I looked at her dead in the eye. "You're just not saying that because I'm a regular customer, aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Would I wear ridiculous clothes?"

Her style wasn't off. I've seen her out of her uniform after work (trust me, it's not what you think), and she really did know how to style herself.

"I guess you're right." I told her.

"All right then, I'll be right back." She smiled and then stormed off.

A huge designer was coming to town two weeks from now for a design contest with the theme Wildlife Glam.

It was a very interesting concept, I thought, and I liked it. It was crazy enough to give me a whole lot of ideas that were out of this world.

It was also a perfect time of the day to be working on it at the diner since there weren't a lot of people around.

I was continuously sketching, erasing, and sketching, then coloring when the door of the diner opened and I couldn't help but notice the wisp of chestnut locks draping over a green, floral, button-down dress that walked over to a small table at the opposite corner from where my table was.

The girl was greeted by the family who ran the place and I couldn't help but notice.

After a while, Daisy came back with my order with a smile on her face while she glanced at the girl in the green dress.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Oh, that's another one of our regulars." She said.

"Huh." I responded. "And I'm guessing your brother Charlie has a crush on her?" I mentioned after seeing Charlie take the girl's order in a somehow flirtatious manner—the way he spoke and smiled towards her.

"Definitely. We all laugh about it sometimes." Daisy said as she giggled. "He's delirious!"

I laughed, too. "He looks ridiculous."

"Right!" She shook her head. "He's definitely not Adeline's type."

"Adeline?"

"Oh, that's the lady's name." She explained.

"Adeline." I repeated, somehow in a whisper.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing. Thanks for this!" I told her, gesturing for the meal.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just  here to serve it. You'll have to pay for it of course."

We both laughed.

"I don't mind." I smiled.

When Daisy left my table, I found myself glancing back at Adeline and I couldn't stop thinking about her.