Memory Documentation

chapter one | documenting new life, new changes

"Darcy!"

"Hey." My mouth was full of noodles. "I'm on lunch break. How's business?"

"I just got on mine, but probably not for too long," he said. It was so loud in the café that it was almost hard to hear him. "It's one of those days, Darce. I can feel it. I think Ronnie's head is going to pop off if one more thing goes wrong in the kitchen. I'm gonna have to cut my break short to jump in and save the day."

I perked. It was unfortunate that things were going rough at the café today, but that meant... "You'll need backup, then? I can come in right after school is done."

He didn't have to say anything for me to know how he felt about that. His silence was an answer in itself. Papa was beginning to get on my case about how much time I was spending at the café. I know if I show up after school, he'll ask me if I've looked into any clubs or organizations to join yet, or if I've made any new friends. The answer was always no. By this time in the school year, everyone already has their established friend groups. I can't just slot myself in anywhere after being transferred to this school, especially when I'm entering as a junior. It's not like I wanted to try, either. That's why I hide out in Mrs. Ichikawa's classroom for lunch, having the occasional brief call with Ben or London, my neighbor from across the hall.

Papa can get on my case all he wants about "coming too much," but he knows how much that place ties us both down. I couldn't be more happy that we were able to take over the Brewing Café after we returned back to New York. Before we moved to California, Papa worked there. That's where we met, where he asked if he could adopt me, and where I spent a lot of my childhood days. Now that we've inherited the place from Mr. Oxford - who moved to Miami with his wife to retire - we're there almost every day. Again, it's not like I minded, because I loved working at the café. I really, really did. Not only did I love the atmosphere of it all, with people of all ages coming in simply for some good food and good times with whoever they came with, but the Brewing Café was my safe haven. It felt like home. A big part of that is because of the people there. It's not a family owned business, but the small-knit staff might as well be called family because that's how I consider them.

I was content with how I'm handling things now, so why did Papa have to be like this? I sighed - loud, long, and dramatic. To that, Ben replied, "You know you can come in, Darce. We're not gonna bar the doors or anything. You'll just have to answer your Papa Rich's questioning, again."

"Fine. I'll deal with that," I said, rebellion evident in my tone. I stabbed my fork mindlessly into my pasta. "You get it, don't you, Ben? I can't just make friends halfway into the semester! Why does he have to drill me about it?"

"Because he wants you to branch out," Ben responded, soft to combat with my roughness. "He already feels bad he moved you out to California, then had you move back again. He wants you to settle in with some good friends at a good school. You know, make New York feel like home again."

"It's not like it's his fault he got sick," I muttered. "I would follow him anywhere and be just fine. I'm perfectly fine."

"You're perfectly fine isolating yourself by eating lunch in your English teacher's classroom, then coming straight to the café to work? Where's your social interaction?"

"With you. And Ronnie. And Papa, Evan, Nina, and the others."

This time, it was his turn to sigh loud, long, and dramatic. "Fine. I gotta go, but I guess I'll be seeing you later?"

"Yes, you most definitely will," I said, adding "whether Papa likes it or not," before hanging up the phone.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Ichikawa returned and lunch break ended. I stared out the classroom window, watching the people flow by as everyone made their way to their next class. People filed into my classroom. The crowds outside slowly thinned. And then, there, just like after every lunch period, stopped a couple by the classroom across the hall. Although I didn't know the girl with the thick, curly hair and contagiously loud laugh, I knew the blonde-haired boy the second I saw him on my first day.