Grey Street // H.S.

Chapter 6: "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard."

"Elle!" I hear Humphrey's loud but surprisingly girlish voice yelling from across the room.

It's hard to imagine such a large man having such a feminine voice but that's what comes out of his mouth. When I first met Humphrey I was expecting a deep booming voice but instead it sounded more like my mom talking.

"What?" I turn my head, annoyed. I probably should watch my tone with him since he's technically my boss but I can't bring it in myself to care. I like this job and I like the money but I don't like it enough to constantly be conscious of the way I'm speaking.

He pulls out a small rag from his pocket swiping it across his forehead in an attempt to get rid of some of the sweat dripping from his skin. It doesn't accomplish much and it mostly just pushes the sweat around. I almost want to gag with how disgusting it looks.

"We need more ranch to table five, pronto."

Humphrey likes to think we're running some sort of emergency operating room at Annie's. He tries to make everything extremely urgent and acts as though if we don't get something to the customer 'pronto' they will drop dead right then and there. Personally, I hear enough doctor talk at my house to last me a lifetime. Plus he looks like a large chicken running around with his head cut off. So it makes me want to do my work even less.

I nod my head at him, hoping that he will get the message without me having to reciprocate any 'pronto' talk and luckily for me it works. He runs back through the swinging doors, yelling for Tarren who's the new bus boy. Tarren looks like he's about twelve and he stares at me with googly eyes every time I'm near him. I haven't decided if it's adorable and flattering or just plain creepy.

I grab the ranch from the counter and hear Jeff mumble something about how Humphrey needs to buy a new pair of pants because his ass is always hanging out. I nod in agreement, Humphrey does need a new pair of pants or at least a belt.

I walk out of the kitchen and straight to table five. I try to put on my best smile while setting the ranch down at their table. It's a young family of three and the dad looks like he's about to rip his hair out as the mom wipes the snotty nose of their screaming child with her hand. And I try to get out of there as quickly as possible because I'm terrified that the mother will find some reason touch me with her snot filled fingers.

When I turn around I notice Harry sitting at the counter. His back is turned toward me and his curly hair is in a controlled mess as usual. He's wearing a dark t-shirt and to my surprise shorts with sneakers, finally ditching the skinny jeans and boots for once. I haven't seen him since the day we got drunk on the hill and even though it's strange and a new feeling, I'm excited he's here. I walk around so I'm behind the counter and make my way over to him. He's looking down, probably reading another breastfeeding pamphlet so he doesn't seem to notice as I approach him.

"So, what are you reading about this time?" I laugh as I lean against the counter, resting my chin on my hand. "Let me guess is it Becoming a Woman: Girls First Period?"

He moves his head up to look at me, a slightly disgusted look on his face. I can't help but laugh when I see it, the expression resembling somewhere between a puppy dog face and someone who just saw that same puppy dog get run over by a car.

"Ellison, you are quite rude," he says almost as if he is scolding me like I am that screaming child at table five.

"I am not rude," I cross my arms, defending myself. "I think I'm quite friendly for coming up and talking to you."

"No," he starts laughing. "I mean rude like..." he thinks about it for a second, "like inappropriate."

"Oh," I lean back down on the counter. "Then in that case, yes I am quite rude."