PRECIPICE [h.s.]

Chapter One

☼☼☼

You have so many relationships in this life

Only one or two will last

You go through all the pain and strife

Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast

☼☼☼

May 29th 1997

Jaime's P.O.V.

Walking into Lon's, my work, my safe place, I pretended like all the cars in the parking lot weren't customers waiting for us to open. As excited as I was for the cash flow I could do without a rush of customers the moment we opened the door.

Lon's is nothing special. At least not to the average eye. It tends to have more of an older crowd during the off season, playing mostly classic rock out of the jukebox. Oh and Springsteen. It doesn't matter what music you listen to, no New Jerseyan is safe from The Boss. And as much as some people will try to deny it, we all become teenagers again, ready to take on "The Man" the second "Born To Run" comes on. Even if you don't like the music, if you hear it in public you can't help but smile to yourself and think, "that's the boss."

The walls are covered with posters of classic rock bands. There are three old pool tables in the back that I was going to have to yell at horny couples to stop making out on. Something about warm weather and alcohol makes people forget all their morals. At least that's what I've observed the past few years.

I head straight for the bar, knowing that we're going to be packed in a few minutes. I don't even know if I would make it through if Monica hadn't let me sleep in this morning. She knew I'd need it.

Besides, the summer employees start today. Nothing says welcome back like opening a bar at 10am. I don't mind most of them, and some of them have been working here every summer since I first moved here. The problem is when they get to go home, focus on school and their lives, they forget some of the most basic restaurant rules and skills. Memorial Day Weekend is the worst of it because they are trying to find their groove again, it's like watching new born baby giraffes walk. And don't get me started on the new hires. Luckily, that's next week's problem. Monica knows better than to start people this weekend.

I take a deep breath, trying not to get lost in my own negativity and remember why I love this place so much. When I first got to Spoon Lake with nothing but one small suitcase full of random clothes that I don't even remember folding properly, these are the people who took me in.

I walked into Lon's, and sat in the booth in the back corner. I got a lot of weird looks being in a restaurant like this, innocence all over my face, and an overstuffed backpack under the table. I ordered a cheeseburger with fries. When my food arrived a woman with giant hair and crazy blue eyeshadow sat down across from me. She looked to be in her early forties, maybe late thirties.

"What's your name sweetheart?" she asked me.

"Jaime." I replied quickly. I really didn't want to talk to anyone, but I had practiced that one. I was trying to lay as low as possible. I didn't need anyone sending me back to my parents.

"Got a last name Jaime?"

Panic. My stomach dropped to my shoes but I tried to stay as calm as possible.

"Does it matter?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as if to challenge her, hoping she would just leave me alone. No one bothers with a bratty kid, especially one that isn't their own.