A/N. I swear this past year has been a never- ending circle of me being annoyed and tired.
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Emma's POV
A couple minutes after the incident at the gym with Mr. dickface, I found my way back to where Demi and Stella were. Demi of course noticed that I was a bit tense but I made sure to let her know that it wasn't anything worth worrying about and just that I ran into a guy who needed a lesson about manners.
We made our way to a coffee house eventually and got to know Stella a little bit better.
~~
I almost slapped myself for being such a chicken.
Grow up Emma. What's the worst that could happen? They say no and you get over it.
Oh yeah you're a bit lost huh?
Well 2 days ago Demi and I came to this diner and I saw a sign that said 'Help wanted' and I've been thinking about asking for the job ever since.
Today I came back to check if they still needed people and I'm currently outside the diner pacing back and forth. Should I go in? Should I go home?
Ah fuck it.
I'm going in.
I walked through the doors of the diner and headed to the front counter.
"Hello honey" said a woman around 50 with a smile on her face "What can I get you?"
"Um I'm actually here for the job. My name is Emma Greene and I saw the paper in the window, is the possition still available?" I asked hopeful.
"Yes. Of course it is. It's nice to meet you. My name is Christina and I'm the owner. Are you a student dear?" She asked. The smile never leaving her face.
Oh how glad I am that she's not being a bitch.
I could really use the money.
"Yes, it's my first year in college actually. I just moved here a couple of weeks ago and I'd really like to get a job, I wanna have a few money on the side you know, for emergencies." I said smiling at her.
"Well then my dear the position is yours, I don't see a reason why I shouldn't hire you"
My eyes widened in excitement "Really? Thank you so much" I said grinning like an idiot "Should I come back tomorrow?"
She nodded "Well you could come around 10, we will discuss about your payment and your shift. We have another college student here and we'll work something out so we're all covered. Charlotte will be here too tomorrow and you'll get to know her. My nephew Stefan is working here as well and you'll meet him tomorrow"
Wait what? College student? Charlotte? Working here?
It's a coinsidence right? It can't be her.
It just can't be her.
It would be rude to quit right now, right?
"Uh, okay. I will be here tomorrow at ten. Have a nice day" I said smiling at bit at her and the walking away
Well if it's the Charlotte I know, this will be awkward with a capital "A"
Shut up Emma you need this job. The annoyingly rational voice in my head said.
It's true, my father's bussiness isn't going very well and they're paying enough money already for me and my sister so finding a job is exactly what I need. Everyone does it. If they can, so can I. I can't force them to pay for everything I need considering that they are already paying enough for Lexi, their biological kid.
Oh I'm sorry I haven't told you have I?
Anna and Brad aren't my biological parents.
They found me by the door of their building on February 16th, 18 years ago. And that's the date they call, my birthday. I didn't look older than just a few months old so they decided that it could work as the day of my birthday.
They didn't have any kids back then and they were really trying but couldn't. Mom says I was a gift from god. They took me in their home right away. They always treated me like I was their biological kid, making no exceptions for Lexi and that makes them the most amazing parent's in the world.
I will be forever grateful for them.
Lexi came to life two years later and we always got along pretty well.
My parents told me I was not their biological kid at the age of 9 . Mom made it sound like a fairytale. She also tried to explain everything in simple words so I wound't be hurt and confused.
To be honest I'm glad they were the ones that found me, who knows where I could have ended up?
I almost never think about my biological parents.
Well except your 'birthday'... you do think about them then.
Shut up, subconscious!!
You can't just leave your kids ouside of a building and expect them to care especially if you don't even leave a damn note on them.
Oh wait. They did leave a note. It said 'Emmalyn' on it but nothing else. I think it's part of why I don't like my full name.
Brad and Anna adopted me right away and thanks to a good lawyer they didn't have much trouble with the whole thing, eventhough I had no papers on me and it would have been hard to make the actual adoption.
Truth is, I really don't care about my biological family. Anna, Brad and Lexi are my family. The only one who knows the thruth except those three, is Demi. I've learned to accept that what's done is done.
Anyways, they may treat me as their own, but I really don't want to feel like a burden, espacially now that dad's having a hard time with bussiness.
I had been so deep in thought that I didn't even understand when exactly I made it to Demi's place. I ringed the doorbell a few seconds later she opened the door. She smiled when she saw me and stepped aside so I could walk in "Hey, I wasn't expecting you,come in."
"Yeah sorry I didn't call." I said walking in
"Cut the bullshit Em, you know mi casa su casa."
I rolled my eyes playfully at her "Jesus Christ. Cut the Italian, you look weird trying to pull of the accent."
She chuckled but then I frowned and her expresion changed too. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I got the job at the diner" I said with half a smile
"Uh- isn't that great? Aren't you supposed to be happy?" she asked looking at me like I've grown two heads.
"Well yeah I am, I mean I was, until the owner told me that there's another college student working there.."
"Your point exactly...?" Demi asked confused
"Her name is Charlotte" I said sighing "Please tell me it's not who I think it is..." I was whining now.
"Crap..." Demi said and it was enough to realize that it wasn't just my mind thinking it's the Charlotte I know.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly...If it's her it will be hard working there"
"Just...uh...wait untill you see for yourself okay? Don't jump into conclussions." She tried to calm me down, not really succeeding though.
"With my luck it's gonna be her, I know...but I guess I'll find out tomorrow for sure."
"I'm sorry Em, it's gonna be hard I know, you may not wanna talk about it but I know you, you haven't gotten over it." Demi said shrugging her shoulders. She knows I haven't gotten over the thing with Charlotte eventhough I try not to talk about it.
I changed the subject "Is there any coffee?"
She sighed "Sure"
After a while of just sitting with eachother scrolling through facebook and instagram, Demi spoke up "Oh I almost forgot" she turned to me "I talked to Matt yesterday."
Great. Make my day better Dem.
Matt is my ex boyfriend. We broke up 4 months ago, we tried staying friends but he keeps hoping I just needed time and that we'd get together, and well... obviously that's not the case.
Matt had it all planned out. He always talked about how we'd get married and have kids and I couldn't even imagine us together a year on from back then. That was kind of a deal breaker I guess. He had been my friend since I moved to Mobile and I always had a crush on him but I guess when we really got together it went away.
I mean I loved Matt, I loved him a lot but I wasn't in love with him after one point.
I regret giving him my virginity too. Not because I didn't love him but because it wasn't fair to him that I didn't enjoy it as much as he did.
"Oh" I said quietly "And?"
"He's...fine" she said
"He hates me" I said looking down.
"He doesn't hate you." she said firmly "He's moving on finally but in baby steps" she said giving me a smile
"I hate myself for hurting him." I admited "I never meant for things to be this way,"
"You weren't in love Emma, you made the right choice. He couldn't love you for the both of you. You're supposed to be in a relationship with a person you're in love with. You may love Matt but it was puppy love,you've said it yourself."
"I know" I sighed "Maybe it's all me, you know... maybe I'm emotionally disabled or something."
"Shut up, you know that's not true." She said rolling her eyes.
"I guess" I said shrugging my shoulders.
Demi pulled me into a hug and we just stayed like that for a few seconds.
"Thank you" I mumbled
"Shut up" she said chuckling.
The next morning I walked in the diner at 10am sharp.
The moment Christina spotted me, she flashed a smile at me.
"Good Morning Emma" she said once I reached her.
"Good morning Christina, how are you?" I asked
"I'm great, are you ready to meet everyone?"
No. "Yes"
"Guys, could you come out for a minute?" Christina asked looking over her shoulder.
"Emma" said a voice, a voice I knew.
Why is life so cruel with me?
What was I in my preview life? A freaking hangman?
"Charlotte hey" I said looking at her.
"You two know eachother?" Christina asked surprised
"Yes, I used to live here as a child and me and Charlotte went to school together"
"Ah that's even better" She said with a smile looking pleased that we knew eachother.
No, not really.
"It will be easier for you to work together, I'm sure you'll get along just great"
Yeah... how about no?
"Don't worry about anything Christina, I'll show Emma around and make sure I explain everything" Charlotte said smiling
Aww? Isn't she sweet? NO!
Christina smiled and nodded "Where's Stefan anyway?"
"I'm here I'm here" said a guy coming our of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. He put the towel down and looked at me "Oh the new girl" he said smiling flirty "Hello there"
"Stefan behave" Christina said and turned to me "Emma this is my nephew Stefan, he helps around here with pretty much everything just like me, in the kitchen, with serving, cleaning, pretty much everything like I said. Stefan this is Emma, our new waitress, be nice."
"You know it" he said winking at her, he took my hand and kissed the top of it. "Pleasure"
"I'm sure" I replied smirking at him.
Stefan is pretty hot, I'll give him that.
I'm not blind.
"You will also meet Gloria, she's our cook and she's in the kitchen right now" Christina said smiling "Guys you can go back in the kitchen , Charlotte I'll call you in to help Emma in a bit."
Both Stefan and Charlotte nodded and walked away going back to whatever it was that they were doing befora Christina called them.
After talking for a while, me and Christina had figured out my working days and hours as well as my payment. She also gave me a tag with my name on it and told me by Monday she'd have a T-shirt for me just like the one Charlotte was wearing. She then told me to go in the kitchen and find Charlotte.
"Oh hey" I said when I spotted a woman "You must be Gloria, I'm Emma, the new waitress."
"Hello Emma" she said flashing me a smile "Nice to mee you."
"Do you have any idea where Charlotte is?" I asked taking alook around the kitchen "Christina told me to find her"
"Right here" Chalotte said behind me and I turned around to face her "Christina said you'd explain the basic"
"Yes, don't worry. Come on" she said "We'll leave your things at the stuff room in the back."
We left my bag at the stuff's room and walked back out .
"Now the basics.... You have to be smiley and polie with the costumers" She said "Oh but if anyone gets grabby- because it happens sometimes- just tell Christina."She paused and then went on "Oh and a small tip from me, Don't let Stefan get to you, he's a flirt."
"I wasn't planning on that" I said honestly.
"Good" she said smiling
I took a deap breath in.
There's no reason to play nice. I never was. The whole thing with Charlotte is just messing with my head and I don't want her bubbliness (Is that even a word?) getting in my head.
She wasn't there when I needed her, when the nightmares started, when I called her and she was out with friends and she had even erased my number.... I'm not gonna act like everything is okay.
She decided we were no longer friends and I've just adjusted to that desicion.
Better get it out now anyway. "Okay, Charlotte I really need to tell you something since we'll be working together and all" I said and she just nodded "We're not friends." I stated bluntly "I have absolutely no problem talking to you but things have changed and you know that"
She nodded "I know Emma, but I was hoping we could get close again"
I shrugged my shoulders slightly "All I know is that right now we have no idea who the other person is. We were friends when we were ten." I paused and then quoted what she had said to me a few years ago. "Didn't you expect things would change throughout the years?"
She bit he lip "You're right" she said and then changed the subject, smiling slightly at me "Are you ready to take your first order?"
"Not really but it will happen at some point so it might as well happen now" I said shrugging.
Surprisingly today went well. Carrying plates and filling people's cups of coffee wasn't that hard but only because it wasn't so crowed the whole day. The walking back and forth though can be quite exhausting. The diner currently didn't have many costumers and it was now about 6 pm.
"So any plans for later?" Charlotte asked as we were leaning behind the counter.
"No not really, I'll just take a nap and do some laundry" I said "I can basically hear my bed calling my name. I love me some good sleepping after a long day."
Stefan popped up out of nowhere with a grin on his face "I can drive you home if you want me to."
I raised an eyebrow at him and smirked "It's kind of sad to beg."
Charlotte chuckled but Stefan paid no attention to my attitude "You'll come around." he stated confidently.
"In your dreams possibly" I said in a 'duh' tone.
"Sorry." He said turning serious "Don't take me too seriously. I'm only messing around. I hope I haven't freaked you out yet."
"No you haven't" I said with a smile and then added "Yet."
He smiled and nodded. I could use a guy friend anyway. He seems really funny and I can always give him a piece of my mind if he gets carried away.
"Don't try to get her in bed on her first day here Stefan." Charlotte whined.
"You know you're jealous right?" Stefan asked smirking at her "I don't flirt with you"
"Oh you do" Charlotte said "But I've got a boyfriend"
"That's true, I flirt with her too" Stefan said with a innocent smile on his face stuffing his hands on his pockets and shrugging his shoulders.
We talked for a while about nothing in particular, since things were pretty slow. My shift soon ended and I grabbed my things from the back room ready to head back home.
"I'll see you around guys"
Maybe working at the diner wouldn't be so bad. Stefan may be a flirt but he's funny and as long as I friendzone him, we'll be fine.
Charlotte and I on the other hand are a complicated duo. I'm still hurt.
I really considered her a sister and losing her hurt a lot, I can't just pretend everything is fine. I'm not even sure how I want things to be between us. I really don't know...
I'm sure to someone on the outside it seems like I'm overreacting, like I'm an immature and spoiled little brat that can't help but pout when things don't go her way. But it's much more complicated than that, When someone means so much to you and they just stop being a part of your life it hurts and It's hard to move on.
And I'm not talking about boyfriends. It has always been pretty easy for me to move on from relationships... maybe because I never gave them all of me.
It hurt when I broke up with Matt, yes, but I knew it was for the best.
Life goes on but somehow that doesn't seem to apply to the whole Charlotte thing.
I took my phone out and called home. I just needed to listen too the people I loved. "Mom, hey" I said with a smile.
~ Tuesday ~
" I have to meet this Stefan guy" Demi exclaimed while me, her and Stella where hanging out around campus. I have been talking to them about Stefan, Christina and Gloria and how it's been working at the diner so far.
"He's hot, but he's too much" I said chuckling.
Yesterday's shift went by just fine, Charlotte had a morning shift and when I went there at 3 pm she was leaving, so it was me and Stefan serving tables.
Stefan is a good guy but he flirts too much for his own good.
"I'm not working today but I've got a morning shift tomorrow. You guys should drop by." I said
"I'm in" Demi said, not wasting a second "Stella, what about you?"
"Sure" Stella said smiling.
"I'll stay in to review some notes later today though. Your bro talks way too fast sometimes" I said frowning at Stella
Her eyes wandered around untill they stopped "Oh there's my brother"
"Who?" I asked "McGrumpy?" I asked
Yes, that's the nickname I have for our professor. Sue me.
Stella chuckled "No, James. You guys haven't met him yet. That's why I was looking for him." She got up and waved her hand yelling "James"
A guy spotted her and started walking to us.
"Please tell me he's not grumpy too" Demi said
Stella chuckled "He's fine"
He was fine indeed. *smirk*
He's cute and I noticed.
James reached us "Hey Stel" he said
His hair was brown-ish a bit darker than Stella's and his eyes were blue just like his sister's.
"Hey bro" Stella said "This is Emma and Demi" She pointed at each of us "I met them in Alex's class."
"Oh I'm sorry" James said chuckling.
"We are too" Demi said rolling her eyes.
"He's not the best person to be around, but he's good deep down" James said
"Yeah it must be way down" I said rolling my eyes.
James chuckled.
What's up with the genes in this Family? Stella's gorgeous, McGrumpy's hot and James, guess what...
He's hot too.
What the hell?
It's unfair to the rest of the human population.
"Anyways, the guys are waiting for me" James said "I'll see you around girls" We nodded and he walked away.
I turned to Demi "Hey how about those notes I asked earlier? I can't make out what I've written down" I said "Mind giving me yours to copy?"
"Sure" she took a notebook out of her bag and handed it to me "Take your time"
I took a seat down at the table I was leaning against and took my notebook out so I'd start writing.
******
That was kind of a filler chapter but you got a little more inside info on Emma's life.
What do you think about Emma and Charlotte working together? What about Stefan?
Chapter 4 Preview:I followed Stella's gaze and looked at the guys James was playing basketball with, casually checking them out until my eyes fell on one particular guy.
He was the douchebag from a couple of weeks ago.
I actually hadn't seen him since that day. He talked to James and a few other guys and then walked away.
"Hey Stella" I said nudging her "You know that guy with James?"