Fix Me

Chapter 5.

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I rolled over and sleepily covered my face as I groaned. The medicine hadn't helped yet, there was no way Max would let me work. To top it off, my face was pounding and it hurt to move - even just my fingers because my mother and Gerald had a fight last night and I became their anger outlet - punching bag for a few hours.

I sat up slowly and listened for a sound, any sound. Usually, I would hear Gerald and my mother groaning about a party or whatever as they just got home before they passed out.

This morning, however, I heard nothing. I got out of bed slowly and hissed as I stretched before I stumbled out of my room and quietly made my way down the hall.

I stopped in front of my mother and Gerald's room, the door was wide open. I looked into it to see my mother lying across the bad, she looked like a mess and was half hanging off the bed so I walked in and pushed her into her bed gently so she was lying properly before pulling her blanket over her but I stopped as I saw her clutching a page. I looked down and realised there was a box beside the bed.

Pulling the page from her hand gently, I knelt down to put it into the box since that was full of pages but I stopped as my eyes fell on a picture of a baby. I picked it up and knew it wasn't me. My parents had hated me from the moment they realised I was happening, they assured me of that. I looked at the page in my other hand and raised my eyebrows as I ran my eyes over the words.

Adoption papers?

I shut my mouth swallowing and trying hard not to cough and wake my mother.

I lifted my eyes to my mother and looked back at the papers in my hands. This boy, it said, was born seven years before me, that would have made my mother fifteen when she had him... My mom and dad had - apparently - been together since they were fourteen. Did that mean I had a brother? Or maybe a half brother?

I stared at the paper shocked. Name... Maybe I could find his name?

I was about to go look through the other pages in the box but I heard the front door slam shut. I quickly shoved all the papers into the box, shut it and shoved it beneath my mom's bed before I scrambled to my feet and made a dash for the door but I froze when Gerald stepped in front of me in the doorway. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"What are you doing in here?"

"I-I just thought - I-I covered my mom," I stuttered motioning to the bed.

He looked over at her before frowning at me as our eyes met again. He smirked.

"You have a little something under your eye, Hannah." He said. I lifted my hand to my eye and winced remembering it was swollen, "Where's my breakfast?" He asked.

"I-I was just - I'm going to make it n-now," I said quickly.

He looked at me and I stood hoping that he wasn't going to hit me again. Relief washed over me as he nodded and shoved by me.

"And get me some aspirin." He muttered as he fell onto the bed beside my mother.

I nodded and left to the kitchen to make his breakfast and put some ice on my face.

-----

"Really, Hannah? What do I have to do to get you to stay at home?" Max joked as I walked out of the bathroom wearing Kristy's makeup and my purple blazer.

After I had given Gerald his breakfast, he had passed out beside my mom and I had decided to make an escape to work because I felt better.

"Kill me?" I smiled.

"That can be arranged." He mumbled looking thoughtful, "Would you rather I used a gun or knife?" I laughed and he chuckled. "Oh, yeah, my friend said he'd like to meet you. He'll be here around six, is that alright?" He asked.

"I'll still be working," I said. I was supposed to stop working at four, but I usually worked extra time for more money, besides it's not like I had anywhere else to go.

He frowned at me. "No, Hannah, you won't." He said. "Now get to work, customers at table three." He nodded behind me looking through the one-way mirror that separated the diner from our locker room. Three was one of my tables.

I nodded as I grabbed my notebook and a pen from the stack before I walked out into the diner and up to the table without looking up because I was too busy opening my notepad and finding a page I hadn't written on.

"Good morning, welcome to Maxi's. I'm -"

"Hannah." My eyes shot up as the customer cut me off.

My jaw almost dropped as my eyes met Mr Creed's. He looked surprised to see me. How had he even known it was me? He had never seen my face!

"Uhm... H-hello, Mr Creed..." My voice clearly sounded surprised. How did he know?!

He chuckled. "I could recognise that voice anywhere, Hannah." Had I asked out loud? Oh... "We're not in school, call me Lyle." He said, "Oh, honey, this is one of my students." My eyes shifted to the woman beside him.

She had long, curly light brown hair and bright green eyes. I looked at her curls frowning to myself a little. I could never get my hair to curl. It had always been straight, even when I curled it, five minutes maximum and it would be straight again, even if I put spray on it. I loved that my hair was black though, it fell a few inches below my shoulders. She was beautiful. She smiled at me.

"The quiet one?" She asked.

"Yup." Wait, he talked about all of us out of school?

"Nice to meet you, Hannah. I'm Natalie." She said.

"Hi..." I smiled back.

"I love your eyes." She said. I felt myself blush and was thankful the makeup hid my face. "They look just like Lyle's." She smiled at him.

I felt a slight pang of jealousy at how much love she looked at him with, how in love they looked... I brushed it away very quickly and gave an awkward smile at her compliment.

"Um - t-thanks." They laughed. "Um... So... What can I get you?" I asked.

"You work here?" Mr Creed looked around before looking back at me. I nodded. "Why?" He asked.

"Honey, you can't her ask that." Natalie said giving Mr Creed a disapproving frown, "I'd like waffles, with chocolate sauce and a milkshake... Which milkshake tastes best here?" She looked at me.

"The chocolate." I said, "It'll send your taste buds to heaven." I added. It was true, I couldn't lie.

They laughed.

"I'd love a large one then, please." I was beginning to like Natalie, she seemed nice.

Mr Creed chuckled looking at the menu on the table. "Uh, a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich please, and some orange juice." He said.

"Coming up." I smiled and went over to the kitchen.

I handed Justin, one of the chefs, the note before I jumped when someone grabbed my hand.

"Hannah!" I stared at Kristy surprised. Where had she come from? "There's a party close to my house tonight, please come." She said.

I had only been to her house twice. She had just started university and her parents were paying for an apartment close to the lake which was just a short walk away from her school.

"Kristy -" I began.

"You never go anywhere, Hannah, come on. Quit being a mole." She said.

"Yeah, stop hiding behind your hoodie." I looked up as Kristy's boyfriend, Xander, walked into the kitchen.

He was Max's nephew so he did what he wanted.

"Shut up." I mumbled to him. He rolled his eyes chuckling.

"Please, Hannah? I'll drive you there and I'll drive you home. I promise." She said.

"I can't," I said.

"Please? You'll be home before ten." I gave her a flat look and she sighed as she rolled her eyes, "Fine, before twelve." She groaned.

I bit my lip staring at her uncertainly. "I can't Kristy. I have things to do. Besides, I don't have anything to wea -" I was saying.

"I'll give you a make-over!" She cut me off. "And don't lie! You have nothing to do, Mole!"

I looked at Xander for help and he just raised his hands.

"I ain' in it." He shook his head and walked away. I frowned. That jerk.

"Please? Please? Please?" I frowned at Kristy.

"Fine." I gave up knowing that she wasn't going to. "And stop calling me 'Mole'." I glared at her. She screamed happily and I rolled my eyes as I took the tray from Justin and he looked at me questioningly. "She's having one of her crazy moments, I try not to acknowledge it, attention makes it worse," I explained earning a punch on my arm from her. I cried out almost dropping the tray but Justin quickly caught it and Kristy covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry!" She said.

"It's fine." I rubbed my arm as I smiled, she hadn't hit that hard but she had touched a spot that already hurt.

"That wasn't even that hard," Justin said handing me the tray. "You must be pretty soft." He added.

I nodded deciding to use his excuse before I left to take the tray to Mr Creed... Lyle and Natalie.

"Thank you." They said in unison as I put their plates down. I nodded giving them a smile.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"What's that?" I quickly pulled my hand back and pulled my blazer sleeve over my wrist seeing that Mr Creed was staring at my wrist, the sleeve had slid up when I reached out to put Natalie's food down.

"Nothing. Well, call if you need anything." I nodded and left quickly.

The day ran by pretty fast after that, Mr Creed reluctantly left, though he looked like he was itching to ask about my wrist again. They gave me a pretty big tip, I even asked Natalie if it was a mistake, she said no and told me she'd see me around. I served a bunch of people before Max grabbed my shoulders gently just as I was about to go to my next table.

"Enough, it's an hour past your ending time. Also, my friend just walked in." He pulled the notepad from my hand.

"Oh," I said.

"Come on." He steered me towards a table in the front of the diner and we both sat down across a guy that looked pretty much Max's age.

"Max." The man smiled.

"Trey, this is the girl I told you about, Hannah."

I shook the man's hand as Max introduced us and then went on to listen to whatever he had to say. I'd work behind the bar for six nights a week. It sounded fine, considering that the club usually closed at three, I'd be able to get some sleep before school and also before I went to work.

"So, you in?" They both looked at me.

I knew my mom and Gerald wouldn't have a problem as long as it meant more money for them.

I nodded, "Yes."

"Alright, I'll call y -" Trey began.

"Oh, I don't have a phone." I interrupted him.

"No phone? Seriously?" I nodded as both men looked at me weirdly, "Fine, come by the club tomorrow at five and we'll set everything up." I nodded at Trey, he had already told me where the place was.

"Great. I think Kristy said she's waiting for you outside." Max said.

"Oh, right. Thank you." I got up, shook Trey's hand and went to the locker room.

I changed into my hoodie but left the hood off and went to meet Kristy in the parking lot.

"Want me to drive you home first?" She asked as she started the car.

"No, that's fine," I replied.

She nodded and drove towards her house. I felt a little nervous about her dressing me up and that intensified when we got to her apartment and she was jumping with excitement.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," I mumbled as she rampaged through her wardrobe, to my dismay, we were the same size. Feet and everything.

"Here -" she shoved a short black dress into my arms. A dress?

"I'm not wearing this!" I said. There was no way. One, because I didn't like dresses and two, I had way too many bruises. She groaned.

"Pease? You could wear it with these -" she held up a pair of dark pantyhose. I stared at them before looking at her, she looked so hopeful so I sighed. "Great!" She took my silence as a yes and shoved those into my arms.

I groaned as she continued her rampage through her closet, there were even clothes on the floor.

"I'm doing my own makeup," I stated.

"As long as your lips are red." She said.

"What? N -" I was cut off by her shoving red boots and a jacket into my arms.

"Get dressed!" She yelled.

I glared at her but walked into her bathroom. I sighed as I pulled off my hoodie and looked at my bruised and scared arms in the mirror. I quickly changed into the clothing she had given me before my eyes returned to the reflection in front of me. I looked fine... Well, really nice... I frowned down at the boots as I put them on, they were heeled boots and they were very red. I was probably going to fall in them before the end of the night...

I looked through Kristy's makeup and re-did my face before putting on the red lipstick like she had told me to. I smiled. It actually looked nice.

Once finished, I walked out of the bathroom and Kristy squealed. She had changed into a short gold dress and changed her makeup as well. Her curly blond hair hung loosely around her shoulders. She smiled widely as she grabbed my ars gently.

"No -" I began but she shoved me into a chair.

"I'm curling your hair, shut up, you don't have a say in this." I glared at her in the mirror and she smirked back at me. I just shook my head as she began messing with my hair.

This was going to be a long night...

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