My shift today couldn't get any longer. I was exhausted after hours on end of serving food over and over again, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. It was the same thing every day from Monday to Friday. Once I find a real job for a 21 year old, basically all of my problems will be gone.
"Can I get more napkins over here!" Some old lady yelled.
"Yeah okayyyy!" I groaned.
My 15 minute break had been cut short by some old lady who spilled her coffee. Everywhere. I hurriedly grabbed dozens of paper towels and ran to whichever table this woman was at.
"Hey do you mind getting us extra ketchup?" A younger girl said as I passed her table.
"Um, sure," I said dryly.
7:00, one more hour of this hell of a shift. After cleaning the mess, I went back to the kitchen to get the girl more ketchup, and right before my eyes, a man had gotten up from his table, kneeled down on one knee, and pulled out a ring.
...
Well not for me, but it was sweet to watch. A little too sweet. I'm 21 and single. No boyfriend, no girlfriend, no love life at all. I hadn't been dating anyone since I started working here last year.
I couldn't help but feel a little jealous of that young woman who started jumping up and down yelling yes and how much she's in love with him. They kiss of course and the whole diner starts fangirling and clapping. I feel so single this Friday night.
"Umm, Miss?" The same little girl taps me on my shoulder.
"Yeah I'll get your ketchup, sorry about that," I snap out of my trance.
"I meant to ask for more napkins as well... I kinda spilled my orange juice," she said embarrassingly.
And just when my shift couldn't get any longer.
- Time skip: after the shift -
8:00 pm. At last. Cleaning up the tables and grabbing my bag, I started making my way out the door and locked the place shortly after. The parking lot was long and empty, and as I come closer to my car, I find a man with goggles and a red striped shirt already in my car.
"Wait! Wait wait wait wait, what the hell are you doing in my car?!" I start knocking on the glass of the car window. Not gonna lie, he was cute, but if he got out of my car, he would've been cuter.
"Apologies sweetheart, I'll be borrowing this thing for who knows how long, but I'll get right back to you!" He winks, cigarette lit in his mouth, driving off into the night.
"Wait up! Hey how am I supposed to get home?!!" I yell and start running after the car, but he's going way too fast for me to catch up. My night had gotten even worse, and I couldn't do anything about it.
I sulk my way back to the restaurant and sit on the curb, pulling out my phone. I call the only person I could possibly count on at the moment.
"Piper? Hellooo??" I say hopelessly. I know she's not gonna pick up, she's probably-
"Hey Y/N!!! Whatcha need?" she says happily. I hear music in the background, obviously her band playing without her. She's the lead guitarist of her band, busy practicing right now.
"If you're not too occupied with your practice tonight, could you come pick me up from my work? Some hottie took my car. He said he'd return it, but who knows when. And even though he was hot, I'm not cool with him just stealing my car after a super tiring and annoying day of hell," I progressively got louder until I was screaming at Piper over the phone.
"Woah calm down, of course I can come pick you up.. It's just..." She starts getting quieter.
"Piper pleaaseee," I beg.
"Okay okay okay, I'll be there in a few. But how about your car? When he returns it, you'll already be home sleeping. You would have to get your car from the diner tomorrow, which means I would have to give you a ride. Annddd you know I can't do that because I have to be at my playing venue by 8 too," she says. "But because I'm such a good friend, I'll drive over there to keep you company."
"Thanks so much, but you don't have to, that would be useless. I'll wait for him myself, even if I have to wait all night." I sigh and hang up. I want my car back.
The stars were already out. Laying down on the sidewalk, I look up and admire the view. I feel myself tear up a little. My day had gone so bad, and now this? 30 minutes pass and I'm still laying on the ground checking notifications and reading the news. Another 30 minutes pass and it's a little passed 9:00 pm.
In the distance, I hear a car, hopefully my car. Wide awake now, I stand up, still texting Piper.
"Ayyy, you're still here!" The strange man says a little too cheerily and pulls up beside where I'm standing on the sidewalk.
"Where else would I possibly be?" I give him a look as he steps out of the car. He raises his goggles up to the top of his head, and smiles.
"You're a tough one, I like that," he replies, tossing my keys to me. "But next time, don't leave those in the car, it makes it so much easier to steal."
"And you're a cute one, if you would have asked me for a ride, or just didn't steal my car after my terribly tiring day, I would have asked for your number or something," I frown, and catch the keys.
"Well, you could have just asked me in the first place lady," he grabs the phone out of my hands and puts his number in. "Text me sometime, yeah?" He starts to walk away.
"Hey wait! How are you gonna get where you're going without a car?" I say walking after him.
"I'll figure it out," he replies, back still turned to me. I know he's smirking though.
"Unless you reaally wanna help me out, give me a ride."
Who does this guy think he is? He steals my car for an hour, gives me his number, and now he's practically asking for a ride? I take one last look at him, squinting.
"Okay whatever, but you owe me one," I say rolling my eyes, and getting into the car.
"Aww you're so sweet," his smirk only grows and he basically runs to the car, seated at the passenger seat.
"Where are you going anyway?" I ask turning on the car.
"Well, I'm in a gang, and I was staying in an apartment with my friend Mello... But he probably wouldn't mind losing me for a night. If anything, he would be happy for the break from me," he suggests.
"A gang? Did you do illegal stuff with my car?" I give him that look for the second time tonight.
"Well I may or may not have used it as a getaway car after Mello had shot a dude in a rival gang-- Police weren't involved though. Nobody called them, and they weren't monitoring the area, so nobody would have gotten your car plate. The only person who saw your car was Mello, and I trust he won't be a snitch. After all, I practically saved him," he replies.
"Whatever, good to know, I assume you're gonna sleep over tonight?" I ask as I turn into my apartment complex.
"If you insist nice lady," he smiles and steps out of the car.
