Chapter 11: Three Strikes
It's been four days since I got my job at the diner. Terri and the spawns of evil got back the day after training. They have been extremely demanding, but never the less I have been able to escape their clutches. Strangely enough, I've been able to get out of my chores for the last four days, but I think they've been busy getting ready for the ball.
Maybe I wasn't invited, but I couldn't care less. I had my job, even if almost every person working there is a heartless, crabby, jerk. The only friend I have is Dan. Even then he doesn't really like me. He said that I 'am only a little more bearable than those morons.'
I would take what I can get.
Especially since he switched to the night shift because he couldn't stand the other workers. At least, that's what he told me. I still think it's because he secretly thinks of me as a friend. It's hard to tell since he was literally always a grump.
I still can't believe the royal ball is two weeks away. Everyone in this town is ecstatic over it, even though all of them know almost no one from this city will go besides the raffle winners.
In other unfortunate news, I have already lost one strike. This was for talking back to a man who said some extremely rude things about me. I'm not exactly the kind of girl to sit back and take crap from random people. Or anyone at all. Lately, though, I've been doing my best to avoid loosing anymore strikes. I'd rather not be fired not even a week into my job.
"Hey, new girl, table six needs more chips and salsa. Hurry up." Dan called from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes.
"Dan. You've known me for four days. Not to mention the fact that we are both wearing name tags. You should know my name by now." I yelled back.
My answer was an annoyed snort.
I had a half smile on my face when I arrived at table six with a tray of chips and salsa. A man in his late fifties sat quietly reading a book. I took note that his iced tea was nearly gone and he had never gotten any napkins.
He looked away from his book, his brown eyes meeting mine as I set the tray down. "Thank you." He whispered in an almost shy voice. I gave him a small smile.
"No problem. I will be back with a refill of your drink and some napkins." I stated. He nodded and turned back to his book.
I sighed and made my way back to the kitchen. I went around to the soda fountain, where the iced tea happened to be. I found it strange that soda and iced tea would be a part of the same machine. I stopped in my tracks when I saw a person a few feet from the machine. He was walking away, but I was questioning his motive for being in the kitchen. I decided to ask.
"Excuse me, sir? You do know this is the kitchen, as in only staff is allowed here?" I asked. I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just curious.
The man stopped, his face falling. "I am so sorry, miss. I was actually trying to find the restroom, but I seemed to have wandered in the wrong direction."
I nodded in understanding. "It's just down that hallway," I said, pointing to where the bathroom sign was. He smiled gratefully at me and left.
I grabbed a glass that was near the fountain and carefully read all of the labels. It would be awkward if I accidentally got the wrong one. "Aha," I muttered, pressing down on the correct tab.
I waited a few seconds for the drink to pour out, but nothing happened.
But once it did, I wished it would have never came out.
The tea suddenly sprayed out, like it had been under a lot of pressure. It gushed everywhere, all over my arms and uniform. It didn't stop even after I had taken my had off of the tab. I sputtered when it got into my mouth.
I felt panicked when the drain started to clog. Something was stuck in it. "Dan!" I cried out. I heard footsteps from the kitchen coming towards me.
"This better be good, New Girl. I was jus-" His word suddenly ended as he took in the scene in front of him. I was trying to stop the thick stream of stupid tea by covering the nozzle with my hand, but it made it worse.
Dan looked at me like I was crazy. "What did you do now?"
My mouth dropped open at his accusation. "I didn't do anything! I swear!"
Dan rubbed his face with his hand before bumping me out of the way. He shook his head and opened the top of the machine. He stuck his hand into it and slowly the tea stopped spilling from the nozzle.
I breathed a sigh of relief but I suddenly tensed when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"What did you do?" The voice, I recognized to be Cal's growled. Dan and I turned to face him.
"It wasn't us. Someone tampered with the machine." He said calmly. I, on the other hand, was silently freaking out.
Cal glared at him. "Do you really think I would believe that, Mr. Fin? I will be taking a strike from you." He said to Dan. Dan nodded. Cal turned and started to walk away. My eyes widened. No way was I letting him take the blame for this.
"No! Sir, it was my fault. I wrecked the machine." I said quickly. I wouldn't lie. It really was my fault. Cal looked over his shoulder at me.
"Fine. If you are willing to loose a strike, so be it." He said stonily before walking away.
I sighed and turned back to the fountain. I grabbed the glass that I had abandoned earlier and filled it up. Suddenly a hand was on my shoulder,, spinning me around. Dan stood there frowning. "Why'd you do that?"
I shrugged. "What? It was my fault in the first place."
He shook his head. "For one thing it wasn't. Plus, you could have just walked away. I could have taken the strike. Why didn't you let me?"
I grinned at him. "Because we're friends and I don't want you to loose another strike for no reason." My grin brightened. "Friends, remember?" I sang.
He sighed heavily, sounding only slightly annoyed.
I think we were getting somewhere.
"Still not friends, New Girl." He said, a hint of a smile on his lips.
He was about to leave when I remembered something. "Hey. what did you mean 'it wasn't my fault'?" I asked.
Dan and I locked gazes. "Someone tampered with the machine. They stuck a cloth in the drain to clog it and messed with the inter workings of the machine. I don't know why, but someone must have intended for one of the workers here to get fired. My guess, it's someone who also works here."
I frowned. "Why? So they could get more money?"
"I believe so." He replied. "I think it's best if we watch our backs from now on."
I glanced around the restaurant. "Yeah. No kidding."
***
It was harder than I thought, working at a restaurant. Not because of the work, but because I constantly see families. Laughing, talking, loving. It hurt. To know I could never have that. I know I need to move on, that the past is the past, but I can't. I do everything I can to get over my dad's passing. I try so hard to push the memories away, to hide them so I don't get even more hurt.
But nothing works.
I couldn't help but long for a family. My family. Even if it was just my dad and I.
But it will always be just a dream.
I ran my fingers through my hair and took out my notebook. I still had to serve table eight. Putting on a smile I headed over.
"Hello and welcome to Cal's Diner," I said. "What can I get you today?"
The man had short, dark blonde hair paired with light grey eyes. It was an...odd combination but actually a little stunning. He was young too, yet older than me. He smiled widely, showing off his white teeth.
"Just a coke, please." He said.
I tilted my head slightly. "Are you sure?"
He was silent for a moment, lost in thought before looking back at me. "I suppose I could go for some..." he glanced back at the menu. "Nachos."
I put my notebook in my waistband. "Coming right up. I'll take your menu and be with you in a minute."
The place was surprisingly almost empty. Only a few families linger at the tables and booths. A few men sat at the bar. There was one sitting at the very edge of it, feet away from the kitchen entrance. He was wearing a hat that covered most of his face, but I could tell when he moved his head that he was looking at me. I turned my head away quickly and continued to get the nachos and coke for the man from table eight.
"Hey, Dan!" I yelled. "We need an order of nachos!"
I could hear Dan rustling around in the kitchen. "I ain't the cook, New Girl. Get it yourself!"
I grabbed a tray from the counter and filled a cup with soda. "Never Mind! There was already an order out!" I stared at the pre made but still fresh batch of nachos in my hand.
Sometimes, I thought the cook was psychic.
I grinned at Dan's exasperated huff and started walking towards table eight. I kept my eyes straight so not to make eye contact with the man in the hat.
I carefully balanced the tray of cheesy chips on my right hand while holding the glass of coke in my other. I have been practicing balancing food items in or on my hands for the last few days.
But it wasn't enough.
My ankle suddenly hit something that had shot out from my right. I stumbled quite ungracefully forward, crashing into something. Lucky for me, whatever I ran into caught me.
But unluckily for me, the thing that caught me happened to be my boss.
Who was now covered in cheese and chips as well as coke.
I stood in shock. I just screwed up.
Big time.
Cal glared daggers at me, his once clean, spotless gray suit now covered in food.
Everything around me seemed to pause. All the attention in the restaurant was now focused on us. The man I was about to serve had a secretive smirk on his face as if the accident had entertained him. I felt extremely embarrassed. I wished the ground would open and swallow me whole, anything to happen that would get me out of this mess. The only thing I was able to hold onto was the now empty glass.
"Ms. Tyler," Cal said in an eerily calm tone. "That was strike three. You are fired."
"No!" I heard Dan shout. "Please, give her one more chance. She's new."
Cal moved to glare at Dan. "She has shown that she is unable to work at this restaurant with out recking havoc." He said simply. Dan opened his mouth. "And if you complain anymore about the subject anymore, Mr. Fin, than I will deduct another strike from you as well."
Cal looked back at me. "Turn in your uniform and leave."
I looked at my feet and nodded. Cal brushed passed me and down the hall.
My heart dropped in my chest and my throat burned. I felt my eyes start to hurt as tears begged to surface.
I lost it.
Just when I thought freedom was in my grasp.
It vanished.
***
I sat on a curb, my back against a cold wall of brick. My knees were pulled up to my chest while my head was bowed and resting on them. My vision blurred with tears, but I pushed them down. Here I was, alone and wallowing in my own sadness. I couldn't help it. I felt devastated and it had only been a half hour.
After I had hung my uniform up, I said goodbye to Dan, who had for the first time hugged me and comforted me.
He was the only other friend I had besides Marcy, who I have hardly been in contact with since I started my job.
At least I would be able to see her more I guess.
A cool wind blew against me, making me shiver. It was dark out, just a couple street lights to light up the night. I lifted my head and leaned closer to the wall, my eyes cold. I sighed heavily. It was over. I would have to go back home and face the three witches once again.
The sound of shoes hitting the pavement filled my ears as someone walked down the road. The noise stopped when they were in front of me. Wearily, I opened my eyes. I don't know what I expected to see. But I do know I did not think it would be the cocky blue eyed stranger I had met at my front door.
"Well, what do we have here?"
***
Hayo!
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Now back to the current chapter...Things are about to get good folks so stay tuned!
~Sasha