Having to balance a load of college work, revision, improving my piano skills to become the best of the best, looking after my dad, grieving over Liv and having a near enough full time job to help pay the bills as my dad's income only just covers three quarters and a weekly grocery shop.
It was hard to say the least, I barely have the chance to be a normal teenager and if I do have the chance I don't exactly jump for it; I need to be there for my dad. He means everything to me and to go home to him in his chair with his favourite coffee cup smashed on the ground and him not breathing anymore is my worst nightmare. I've already walked in on my best friend dead, I wouldn't be able to cope if I see my dad like that too. I want to be there when he dies and he wants me to be there, he wants his last sight on this earth to be me. It really wasn't a nice thing to have death be such a frequent topic with your father, the only parent you have.
I search the diner, checking to see if anyone needed their orders taken and there was a table just putting their menus down. I grab my notepad and pen and make my way over, plastering on a fake smile and hiding the groan at when I see who it is.
"Welcome to Lillie's, can I take your order?" I ask politely and it was really killing me.
"Yeah, I'll have a cheeseburger with a large diet coke and a side order of you." Tristan winks and I roll my eyes.
"That also comes with a bowl of your girlfriend finding out, dumping you and a very hard slap from me." I sarcastically smile at him and the rest of the boys at the table snigger.
I take the rest of their orders, feeling a certain someone's eyes on me but I try to avoid his at all costs. He was nice to me once, I don't owe him anything for that. My face wore not a single hint of a smile as I told them I would be back with their drinks and as I prepared them.
The bell above the door dings and a group of girls walk in, waving at me with large smiles and glossy lips. They looked a little too dressed up to be coming to this diner, they probably just want to look good and I'm most likely just jealous that I don't have time to look good hence why my blonde hair is just thrown up in a messy ponytail and my face is completely bare. My dad loves me when I'm like this, especially when I'm playing the piano looking like this.
I started preparing the drinks, purposefully putting ice in Brad's drink even if he asked for no ice; hey it makes up for months of the torture, don't judge me. I start filling up the rest of the glasses and placing them on a tray and I begin to walk towards their table once again but obviously someone sticks their foot out and they all go falling to the floor.
I took a deep breath and looked to my side and saw the girl who I punched for what she said to Olivia.
"Hold on, let me get you a mop so you can clean this shit up then get the fuck out."
"Lauren." My boss, Angela, warns from behind the counter, probably not wanting to lose business for me being rude to a customer.
"It was a total accident, babe."
I reach for a glass of water from the counter, being left from another customer and throw it at her face and watch her makeup run down her face.
"It was a total accident, babe." I mimic, showing her my middle finger and I could tell my boss was totally furious with me.
"Lauren McGuiness! Apologise and get her a towel right now! I am so sorry, Miss, everything is on the house." Angela begins fussing over- I don't even know her fucking name.
"So I should apologise when I defend myself and my best friend but she can get away with telling my best friend to kill herself, leading her to actually do it?"
I was angry- no that was a major understatement. I was livid and if she even uttered one more word she is going out that window. So she can trip me up causing drinks to go all over and I tell her to clean it up I get the fucking blame but when she literally killed a girl no one gave a shit? This world is an awful place and I don't blame Liv for leaving it so soon, I'm still going to kill her when I get to see her angel arse again but I don't blame her.
I was ready to pounce when she made a gesture of someone hanging themselves and when I literally did try to I was held back by a strong grip.
"Come on Lauren." A familiar voice says and I go with him, not wanting to lose my job as I do really need the money.
Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes, the flashbacks of Olivia just hanging there and how cold her body was, the nine lines on her right wrist, every single one fresh and reopened.
"Why do all the good people suffer? Why did Liv feel so low she had to kill herself? Why? That freak in there is the worst person I have ever met and she is completely fine! It isn't fair!" I rant and I just get pulled into a chest and hushed.
I was fully aware Brad, of all people, had been the one to pull me away and now is comforting me. I gave into his hug, not hugging back but just letting my body go limp in his arms.
"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden, you hate me." I question and he sighs.
"I just want to do something good, don't exactly want to go to hell." He says, an obvious lie but I don't mention it.
"You're already on the list." I inform him then my nose tries to block itself from the overpowering smell. "You've gone overboard on the aftershave."
"You smell like greasy food but you don't see me complaining."
"Because I can't see words leaving peoples mouth's."
"Why are you such a smart arse?"
"Why do you look like a pre teen?"
So there we stood, on the pavement outside the job I was most likely going to be fired from, awkwardly hugging and throwing insults at each other. It was oddly nice, then I was reminded who Brad was.
