Hailey's P.O.V:
I ended up taking my bus home because now my mom was working until later and she couldn't pick me up anymore. So I sat on the bus alone, listening to my music with my headphones. Luckily, my stop was the second one, so I was able to hurry off the bus and get home.
I unlocked my door and went inside. The house felt big and empty without my mom there to greet me. I shrugged off the lonely feeling and went to go make myself a snack. After I ate, I did my homework and watched some TV. My mom was supposed to be back by 7:30, so I guessed we would have dinner around that time.
Time passed, and my mom came home, and we ordered some dinner. I told her about school (leaving out the part about Jack for right now), and she told me all about her first day on the job. I told her I would go to the diner and ask about a waitress job whenever I got the chance.
I looked at my mom. She seemed so much happier than she was back home. I smiled out of relief for myself and her. I guess this move was working out for the better.
*
A couple weeks passed, and I found myself getting along with Jack more and more. It was easier to talk to him now that's we've known each other a little longer, but I could still see the pain behind his eyes. I sat with him at lunch, and listened to him as he explained to me what The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments book series were about, and he listened to me as I told him about what books I liked to read and music I listened to. We talked about food we liked, he told me he liked stuff like sushi and I told him I liked Italian. We said hi to each other in the hallways during school, and sometimes, he came to my locker and we walked to English together. He was still awkward sometimes though. For example, he would quickly look away sometimes when I talked to him, and he would stutter sometimes when he would talk, obviously out of nervousness. And also, every time I would laugh, his cheeks would flush red. He also tended to frantically look around, probably for Gilinsky and his friends, whenever we were together.
It was Thursday in mid-October now. The month of September flew by pretty fast. I had to go out again and buy clothes for fall.
I headed into English a couple seconds late because I stopped in the bathroom. Jack was already in his spot, and he waved timidly to me as I sat down.
"Okay everyone, we're going to start!" My teacher called. Once everyone quieted, she cleared her throat.
"So, I've overhead lots of my students discussing To Kill a Mockingbird. Well, I came up with an idea that instead of reading the book and doing the worksheets on your own, why not do it with a partner? I've come up with the partner list and now you both will read the chapters and answer the questions together."
Half the class groaned, and the other half clapped their hands with joy.
Mrs. McAdams pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and began to read off the list.
"Okay...Stephanie, you'll be working with Annie. Caleb, you'll be with John. Melissa and Don, Madison and Trevor...."
She kept throwing out pairs and then I heard a familiar name.
"Jack Gilinsky and Nate Maloley. Sam Wilkinson and Michael Kieger."
I sighed a breath of relief as the boys all high fives each other. Thank god none of them were working with me or Johnson.
"Hailey Adams... and Jack Johnson." My teacher said now.
I looked at Jack and smiled brightly. Surprisingly, he gave me a sweet grin back. Gilinsky rolled his eyes and snickered. I ignored him and nodded at the teacher, letting her know I heard her.
Well, okay.
*
"So, I think that we should get together once a week, read the chapter assigned to us, and work together on the questions and vocab." I said to Jack later as we walked out of school together.
Jack nodded.
"Okay."
We walked a little more until we got to my bus number. Jack was driving home in his brother's car, and I had to take the bus.
"I guess we can work at my house first." Jack offered.
"Okay, sure."
"How's Monday after school sound? I can drive you straight to my house after 9th period."
I nodded.
"Okay."
Jack smiled slightly.
"Okay."
I stared down at the ground, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, I will, uh...see you tomorrow?" I said now.
Jack's cheeks turned red and he nodded again.
"Yeah, see you."
I waved as we went separate ways.
I guess this friendship still needed some adjustments.
*
I did all my homework when I got home, and then I was bored with nothing to do. I slapped my forehead when I remembered that I have to go into town and see about that waitress job. I guess I could go now so I wouldn't forget.
My mom wasn't home to drive me, so I decided I would walk.
I put on my Mead Hill Girl's Basketball sweatshirt and pulled my chestnut brown Ugg boots back on.
I left a note for my mom saying where I would be in case she came back before I did and headed out, making sure to lock the door behind me.
I started down the driveway and down the street. I looked at Sammy's house as I walked. It was an ordinary brown house with a fresh cut lawn and a swing set in the backyard. How could a house so simple hold such a bad kid?
I shrugged off the thought and continued walking down the street until I got to the main road that led into downtown Omaha. I crossed the intersection and hopped into the sidewalk.
A little while later, big buildings and small stores came into view and I knew I was in the city of Omaha. I walked through the city until I got downtown. Stores and little restaurants lined the streets and I smiled. I loved little towns with big skyscrapers in the back like this.
I soon came up to the Omaha Diner with the Help Wanted sign in the window. I walked over to it and opened the door, the bell jangling overhead.
The place was pretty nice and sort of like an original 50's diner, with red vinyl seats and bar stools, and a record player and scratchy jazz music playing. I saw a woman with red hair dressed in a blue turquoise shirt and jeans with a black waist apron with a pocket rushing around taking orders. I decided to go over to her.
"Hi, excuse me?" I tapped her on the shoulder. She whirled around and smiled at me. The name on her tag read Ally.
"Hi, are you looking for a table?"
I shook my head.
"Uh, no...I was wondering if I could speak to someone about a waitress job?"
Ally pushed her ginger colored hair behind her ears.
"You'll need to speak to our manger Bill for that. Follow me."
I followed her through the diner through a brown swinging door and into a hallway. We stopped at another door.
Ally knocked on the door.
"Come in!" A gruff voice said.
She pushed open the door and now I was found in a tiny office with a mahogany desk and a small computer with a black leather rolling chair. A man with graying hair and a scruffy beard sat in the chair typing on his computer. He looked up when we walked in.
"Hello Ally, is everything okay?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, there's a girl here wanting to speak to you about the waitress job."
Bill nodded.
"Okay, I can take it from here. Thank you."
Ally waved as she walked out, closing the door behind her.
Bill gestured to the folding chair next to me.
"Please, sit."
I sat and Bill folded his hands over his desk.
"So you've come for a job offer, hm?"
I nodded.
Bill took out a piece of paper and a pen.
"What's your name?"
"Hailey Adams."
"How old are you?"
"17."
He wrote some stuff down on his paper.
"How are your grades?"
"I have a 3.8 this quarter."
"Why do you need or want this job?"
I paused before answering this time.
"Well, I just moved here with my single mom about a month and a half ago and we need the money to pay for both our needs."
Bill looked at me for a moment.
"You got the job."
I stared at him with slight shock and confusion.
"Really? That's-that's it? You're just gonna hand over the job?"
Bill nodded.
"We need some more waitresses around here, and you could be a real big asset to this diner."
"You didn't even ask me the questions that managers usually want to know, like do you take drugs, or have you ever gotten arrested..I could be a crack addict with a criminal record and you wouldn't know because you didn't ask." I said.
"Well do you do drugs or been arrested?" Bill asked me.
"Well, no but-"
Bill laughed.
"Exactly."
I felt my face grow hot as Bill stood up to shake my hand.
He handed me the same turquoise button down shirt and black waist apron that Ally had.
He told me that Ally will tell me how to do everything and show me the ropes on my first day of work, which was Monday. I would be working everyday after school at 2:30 to 6:30, and Saturdays at 7:00pm to 11:30.
He shook my hand one more time before I walked out of his office and down the hall back into the restaurant.
I saw Ally as I headed to the door. She came over to me now.
"Did you get the job?!" She asked me.
I nodded.
"That's awesome!! So, I'll see you Monday?"
I nodded again, this time with a slight grin.
"Okay!"
We waved to each other as I stepped outside. I clutched the work clothes and apron to my chest as I hurried along the sidewalk back the way I came.
This time around, I passed the small Omaha Cemetery on the way home. The graveyard was guarded with a spiky iron fence and gray and white marble tombstones littered the whole field. I crossed the street so I could walk next to the gates, peeking in.
I peered into the gate's holes and stopped short when I saw a blond head kneeling in front of a tombstone. I squinted and saw the name Johnson engraved on the stones.
The boy was Jack.
I went around to the gate's opening and walked in. I went up the little path and towards Jack.
I stopped when I heard muffled sobs coming from him.
"Jack?" I asked softly.
He turned around and his face was red and blotchy. His eyes widened when he saw me and he sniffled.
"What are you doing here?" He mumbled.
"I-I was in the diner asking about a job and I was walking home and I saw you in here..."
I looked at Jack staring at me.
"I'm sorry to bother you, I'll just-"
"No, it's okay." Jack said to me. He turned back around and I walked over to him, kneeling down as well.
I looked at the names engraved on the stone.
John Johnson. 1965-2014 Loving Father and Husband.
Daniel Johnson. 1992-2014 Caring Brother.
I looked over at Jack. His eyes were closed and he was biting his lip.
I traced a finger over the carved names.
"Were these-"
"My dad and brother." Jack choked on his words.
I hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder.
"Jack, I'm so sorry."
We sat in silence for a minute, just looking at the graves.
"How did it happen?" I asked after a couple minutes.
Jack sighed.
"My dad had lung cancer for about three years. I don't know why, he never even smoked. He died last year. He was tired of fighting. And my brother got in a drunk driving accident. He was driving home late at night, and a drunk guy crashed into him and Danny died."
Jack hung his head down and I rubbed his arm.
"I'm sorry, Jack." I didn't know what else to say. This was terrible. I don't know what it could feel like to lose a father and a brother both in the same year.
"I come here every evening and sit here for an hour or so. I talk to my dad and brother's graves and pretend they are here with me. I talk to them about school and how my mom is doing." Jack smiled slightly.
"Sometimes I tell them about you."
I didn't know wget her to feel flattered or creeped out.
"Really?" I said finally.
Jack nodded, then looked back at the tombs.
"Jack, I'm seriously so sorry. If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you. Okay?" I said to him.
Jack nodded and stood up now, holding out his hand to me so he can help me up.
I took his hand and he pulled me up.
"Come on. I'll drive you home."
A/N: hey guys, sorry that was a long filler chapter lol but I PROMISE after this, it gets SOOO GOOD and there are so MANY PLOT TWISTS you won't even believe. So stay tuned my lovelies❤️
And btw, the waitress Ally is played by Holland Roden in this fanfic!