The Mess {Muke}

Ten

No ashes are lighter than those of incense, and few things burn out sooner. ~Walter Savage Landor

Michael's POV

I watched Luke moping up soda that had spilled. It was fairly slow, and I watched as he slowly dragged the mop across the floor. "He seems a little sluggish, huh?" I turned my head to see Samantha standing next to me. I nodded my head slowly.

"Poor thing, must be exhausted." Samantha bit down on her lip, as if there was something that made Samantha sorrowful about him. What it was, was beyond me.

"Luke's a bitter bastard." I said and did not react to what I said at all. Samantha went wide eyed at me. "He's rude, inconsiderate and hypocritical." I continued. "Whatever he got, he probably brought it on himself."

"You shouldn't say that." Samantha sighed. "You don't know him well enough to pass that judgement."

"No one has the right to act the way he does." I scoffed. "As a result, you get kids like me."

Samantha was shocked, and she had no idea what to say. She stood there through until someone called her name. She then slowly walked away as I looked through the restaurant at the sun setting on the other side.

"That was what I always liked about working front counter." I heard Ava speak beside me, she flashed a smile. "You always get to see the prettiest sunsets." Ava leaned closer to me and whispered. "I think that's why Luke requests to work the counter. You get to see the most of the world."

"Why are you even friends with him?" I asked. "I'm not trying to be mean, I really don't understand."

"Luke's a real softie once you get to know him." Ava said. "It's hard to get to know him though. Only by luck will you."

"You can't be serious." I said to Ava, I made it clear that I did not buy it.

"I'm serious." Ava smiled. "We became friends when we were really little." Ava's head turned off to the distance as if she was remembering it fondly. Although it soon dawned on me that she was looking at Luke. "We were on the playground, he bumped into me and I fell and scraped my knee. He felt so bad that he was crying, not me."

"No way." I smiled.

"Yeah I was fine, he just thought he hurt me. I was really shocked, he was just as bitter and sarcastic back then as he is now. So I was pleasantly surprised that he cared enough to cry." Ava smiled. "Ashton and his story is even better."

"What is it?" I asked as I leaned back on the counter. Ava smiled as she bit her lip.

"Okay, they were lab partners, ninth grade science." Ava seemed to be ever more giddy with every word. "Luke had accidentally spilled their project on Ashton's lab report. Which means they lost their test subject and all of their data." I had to laugh, Luke seemed to be pretty accident prone. "So Luke spent the entire night fixing it. Even though it wasn't due for another week and they probably had enough time to do it."

"Are there anymore fun stories like this?" I smiled.

"Oo, I got one!" Rosa jumped up. She walked over to us and smiled. "I was on break so I was buying food, Luke was serving me and he accidentally put in the order wrong and when I corrected him he freaked out and was so determined to make it right."

"See, he's not such a bad kid." Ava laughed. "Ask anyone who likes him, there's a reason they all do." The three of us laughed together as Luke walked back around the counter.

"What's going on?" Luke asked.

"Well, we're just talking about how soft you are." Ava snorted as she pushed on Luke who was wide eyed as his face turned red. He knew exactly what we were talking about.

"You need to shut your damn mouths." Luke replied and walked past the three of us as we all laughed. Spencer was taunting Luke as he walked by, to which he responded with his middle finger.

"Luke's not that bad," Spencer said. "Just let him warm up to you and you'll be alright in his book."

"That's why he doesn't like a lot of the people at school, they try to force their friendship on him." Ava shrugged. "I guess that's why people like him, because he's assertive. But it's almost as if no one takes him seriously either."

"But he likes everyone here." I said and then thought for a moment. "Except for me."

Ava and Rosa exchanged sad glances with one another. "Why do you care?" Rosa asked.

I had no idea, I had no answer for her. I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. Why did I care? It was not at all like he mattered to me. In fact, most days it proves I could do without him. "You're a curious one, Michael." Ava sighed and shook her head. She then smiled and continued. "I like you that way."

I knew Ava pitied me, everyone did. They never knew why they even should, they just did it institutionally.

Luke eventually returned to front counter, and wiped it down with a rag he had obtained. I guess they were called something more sophisticated, but I really did not care. In fact, no one did.

"Michael, come with me." Luke said as we walked towards the back. "Have I showed you the freezer?"

"Probably." I shrugged, Luke turned to me with confusion. "I don't really know."

Luke shook his head and I noticed a hint of a smirk on his lips as we walked inside of the refrigerator, and than the freezer. He pointed at something on the wall. "This opens the freezer and the refrigerator from the inside. So if you get locked in, you can get out."

"Has that ever happened before?" I asked. It was an answer that I did not want to know, but like always, I felt the need to hear it.

"No one's been locked in, but people have locked themselves in." Luke laughed, seeing my panic. "I doubt you'll ever find yourself trapped in here."

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana

Blah blah blahhhhhh.

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX