A Nightmare's Fate

Stood Me Up

Chapter Nine: Stood Me Up

 Trust me; Raven . . . everything is going to be all right. The words echo inside my head that whenever I try and think of something else, they pop right back up. I can't deal with the amount of stress anymore. First Kenton's death, my father's dying, and then my mother wants me to be her maid of honor for her wedding. Stress and frustration is rising in my pulse so badly I'll need to seek medical attention. Well . . . not that badly.

            It's been a few days since my drunken mistake with James—but I hope to clear my record soon, so that on my other dates, no one knows who I am.

I arrive at Appleseed’s and open the doors. I'm sober for this date, which is good, but I hope I don't make a seen. Warmth and music by Leanne Rimes’s I Need You greet me.

            The host at the front of the restaurant welcomes me with a smile. "Hello, welcome to Appleseed’s; how many?" she asks while pushing a lock of her brunette hair in the back of her ear.

            "Hello, um . . . two please," I announce as she nods her head once while taking out two menus and escorting me to my table, which is a small two-seater booth.

            "Your waitress will be with you in a moment,” she says and leaves.

            I look at the menu every now and then while gazing back towards the door as I wait for my date . . . that I don't know his name . . . or what he looks like . . . but no one comes through the doors.

            After about five minutes the waitress comes up to me. She's chubby and short, with black, curly hair and with blonde streaks on the sides. She has a round stomach, the size of a giant pillow, though it doesn't look really fluffy and soft. And she has bright, hazel eyes. "Hello, my name is Sabrina; I'll be your server for the night. Can I start you off with anything to drink?" She wears a smile and holds a notepad and pen, ready to write my order.

            "Sure . . . I'll . . . take . . . a long island ice tea." I grin at Sabrina as she leaves.

            I listen to the music, realizing that the song isn't on anymore. Now the song is changed to It's a Heartache by Bonnie Tyler. I follow the lyrics and feel for the song—not that Kenton and I ever broke up, but did I lose him. I lost him to a tragedy.

            "It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache, love him until your arms break, then he lets you down . . ."

            I just wish I didn't need to be here, waiting for another guy that'll turn out like Skylar and James.

            I check my phone every once in a while, in hopes he calls or texts me, since he knows my phone number. Which I don't understand . . . if the guy gets the number, he can turn out to be some weird person or even crazy. It doesn't make sense. Periwinkle and Jessie couldn't have forced me to go elsewhere for the senseless dating service? Online maybe or a real one, like that five minute or sixty second dates? No, they wanted to be difficult and go somewhere that doesn't like to make sense.

            For ten minutes, there are no texts or calls, there's nobody coming in and sitting in front of me.

            Sabrina comes back with my drink and sets it down a little bit close to the edge. "Where's your fellow?" she questions, looking at the empty seat and back at me.

            "I don't know . . . I guess he's stuck in traffic," I say, taking a sip.

            "That's New York for ya. So are you ready to order?" she says.