^has nothing to do with the chapter, it's just a bop 👌🏽😁 okok carry on
The city is not a place for a girl like Dinah. It was too loud and the people here weren't very pleasant; that is until she found her spot. It was a small diner on Riverdale. She absolutely loved it there, it was like home. Everyone there knew her, she was safe. Every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday she would arrive at the same time; 9:45:29 she's never missed it. Never. If she was even a second off, it would throw her off balance for the day, and that upset her.
&@&@&@&@&
Lauren wasn't having a good Thursday, her alarm didn't go off so she was rushing to get ready, although she didn't have to be anywhere. She had the day off, as if she remembered that. She'd been drinking all night with her best friend, Ally (who by the way, was passed out on Lauren's couch.)
Looks like she had a fun night... Lauren thought, noticing all the "art" plastered on her neck. By the time Lauren had realized she had the day to herself, it's was too late; she had already showered and changed. It was a little past nine, but she decided she could use some breakfast...but she didn't want to cook. Checking her phone for the weather, although she had already predicted the briskness of autumn in New York, it read 56 degrees. Not bad. She thought. Quickly writing a note for Ally, Lauren grabbed her worn out leather jacket and headed out the door.
<~>~<~>~<~>
Dinah was late, there was nothing she hated more! Her head was spinning, nothing was falling in place today. The outfit she had prepared last night was absolutely ruined. Her pup, Raider, chewed her shoes and pissed all over her pants. Of course she had a back up plan, but those are- were her favorite shoes! By the time she was ready, she was already working against the clock and now she can't find her keys! Oh god oh god oh god! She's looked everywhere! She grew more and more frustrated with herself, tapping her thigh as she searched around the room. The keys hung in plain sight on the hook in the wall, exactly where she always keeps them. Eventually she made it out of the door and on her way to the diner. Horns were honking, trains were passing, there were people yelling on the streets, but Dinah was able to get to her safe space before a small anxiety attack broke out.
Upon entering she spotted Emilio, one of her favorite waiters, and greeted everyone as usual; only few realized that she was a tad bit off schedule. As she made her way to her designated booth, she noticed a Raven headed girl had already made herself comfortable...in her spot. Calmly she walked over to the girl quietly mumbling to herself hoping she was loud enough for the stranger to hear.
"Can I help you with something?" This stranger was very attractive in Dinah's eyes but that's besides the point. Before Dinah could speak, Katherine - another one of her favorite waiters- walked over.
"I'm so sorry miss, but would you mind if we moved you to a new seat?" Katherine asked kindly.
"Why? Can't she sit elsewhere? I was here first."
"But that's my seat!" Dinah exclaimed. Nothing was going right today! All she wanted was her breakfast and to be on time! She felt like crying.
"Well tough luck, hun. I'm staying right here." Dinah still hadn't made eye contact with the girl but she noticed the tattoo on the pale girl's wrist. Without any further discussion, Dinah took her seat. Lucky for her the girl sat on the other side, Katherine looked at Dinah with an amused smile and shook her head.
"D, why don't we try somewhere else for today?"
"No, thank you." The tall woman said shyly. This was her booth.
"Look, I don't know what your deal is but I was here first, princess." Dinah completely ignored her and tapped her nail on the table to a rhythm she'd heard last night. "Hello! For god sakes! Can you remove her?" Lauren spat.
"I'm sorry, miss, I can't do that." Katherine said taking a look at Dinah then back again at Lauren. "Could I maybe interest you in some free dessert?"
"No!" Dinah flinched back and began humming, shaking her leg now. "Would ya stop?" She slammed her hand in the table, making Dinah cower and whimper in her seat. Dinah didn't like confrontation but she wasn't moving.
"Excuse me, but can you not yell at her please?" Shawn walked over, seeing as though Katherine couldn't calm the situation. "Dinah, come on... I'll get you another great seat." He held his hand out for her, but she didn't move. Lauren watched with guilt, she didn't mean to upset the girl to that extent. Clearly she wasn't...all there. Or something...
"Fine," Lauren stated. "I'll move." She slid out of the booth and followed Katherine to her new seat. Shawn took Lauren's place leaving his hands open on the table; cautiously Dinah placed her hand over his but continued humming.
"You're okay." He said. Dinah mumbled an apology to Shawn; she felt extremely bad for the scene she had caused. "Don't worry about it, I'll send her a muffin and tell her it's from you." He winked making Dinah smile and nod. "I'll bring your food out as soon as I can, okay?"
"Okay."
Lauren watched the interaction from afar, now realizing that the girl had some sort of mental illness. She wanted to apologize to he- "I didn't order this?" Her thoughts were broken when Katherine set the blueberry muffin in front of her.
"This is Dinah's way of apologizing...well Shawn's way. But Dinah was still on board!" The waitress stammered.
"Oh, okay. Do you think it'd be alright if I went over there? You know to do the same?"
"Right now, no. I don't think that's ideal. Give her a few minutes to calm down," She paused. "Since I have a feeling you'll be watching her, pay attention to her hand, when she stops tapping, you can go." Lauren shot her an appreciative smile, Katherine did the same.
Lauren sat there watching Dinah, almost staring; Dinah felt eyes piercing her way but she didn't dare look up. Soon enough her food was placed in the exact order as usual: toast on her left, apple juice on the upper right hand side, and her pancakes right in the middle. "Thank you, Shawny," she whispered.
"No problem, D. Enjoy!" He smiled and walked off to check on his other costumers.
She did, in fact, enjoy her food. Everything seemed to be falling back in place, it was nearing 10:30 and she was almost done eating. Lauren noticed that Dinah had calmed down and took that as her queue. Calmly she made her way over to the blonde, she didn't want to startle her. The green eyed girl already felt bad enough as it is. A shadowy figure casted over the tall blonde, she didn't like that; slowly she looked up and saw the stranger from earlier standing there with a small smile etched on her face. "May I?" Lauren asked gesturing to the seat, Dinah nodded slowly. "I wanted to apologize to you, I shouldn't have raised my voice at you the way I did...or at all for that matter." The tapping began once again, "I'm Lauren, uh thank you for the uh muffin, it was good."
"I know I'm...different. You don't need to tiptoe around me, Lauren." Dinah was angry but still felt bad (kinda) for making the intimidating stranger move. "You're welcome for the muffin, and I'm sorry you had to move..."
Her voice is so silky. Jesus! Lauren rid her mind of those thoughts with a shake of her head. "Can I make it up to you?"
"What?"
"Can I make it up to you?" Lauren asked a bit louder this time.
"You don't have anything to make up...if anything, it should be me making it up to you. After all I was the one who had you moved to east bubble fuck over there. Plus, that's probably one the worst seats here. It's drafty and-"
"Dinah, babe, you're rambling." Lauren interrupted.
"No, you just weren't talking." Dinah arched an eyebrow at her in annoyance.
"Well how could I? You were too busy talking about 'east bubble fuck' over there." She smirked challengingly.
"How do you know my name? I never told you my name, who told you my name? It wasn't me." The brown eyed girl fired. Her smile is probably more cynical than that stupid smirk, she's pretty though. Not like supermodel pretty but an average kind.
"Katherine, over there, told me when you sent me the muffin." Dinah shook her head and placed a twenty dollar bill under her now empty cup, sliding out of the booth. Lauren watched Dinah put her jacket on and opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out so she closed it.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'
Weeks had gone by since the small diner debacle, Lauren and Ally had gone to see their families for Thanksgiving; as did Dinah. The two hadn't crossed paths again, despite what Lauren wanted. As little as she knew about the other girl she spoke quite fondly about her to Ally; Dinah on the other hand couldn't care less.
"If you like her so much, why don't you just go back to the diner, idiot? Why am I friends with you?" Ally rolled her eyes through the phone.
"I am not an idiot. Y'know what I was gonna bring you something from here but I think the fuck not, since you wanna be an ass."
"I'm being logical! Clearly you have a crush on a complete stranger! You said she had a thing for structure, so if you remember the place and time just go back! You have a full week off. You're flying back to New York in like two days so you have time to think about it." Ally snapped back at her friend. "You know for a girl with a 5.2 gpa you're fucking stupid. Shit! Even the neanderthals you dated back in high school was smarter than you." Lauren laughed at the statement
"Hmhm that is not correct." She pointed out.
"Just because I'm not very bright when it comes to people doesn't mean I'm not smart."
"Goodbye." Ally face palmed before hanging up. "Why is she my best friend, I can do so much better." The short woman shook her head and went back to helping her mother cook dinner.
~\_/_\_/_\_/_\~
The two days went by agonizingly slow, Lauren did have a good time with her family, but a sense of familiarity washed over her. With the constant nagging and insults thrown her way by her family, she grew frustrated and annoyed. Between the, "go help your mother in the kitchen," and the, "clean your room, you may not live here anymore but I still expect a tidy room." Oh! And you can't forget, "wow Laur, you've put on some weight." The list goes on; it was exhausting! Her flight leaves later this evening and the green eyed girl could not wait!
Dinah's week went by too quickly for her liking. She had missed her friends and family! Now she's packing once again, sadly. Regina and Seth sat on her bed watching her, mischievous smiles tugging at their lips. Quietly they scampered off with Dinah's stuffed nala, without her realizing. As she went to pack her stuffed lion, her phone went off.
Shawn™
Y'know you could stay over there a few more days...it's just a suggestion...
Read 6:37
A:n
IIIIIIIM GONNA LEAVE IT here Bc prison starts tomorrow, there will be a part two. Just needed to get something out. Good luck to anyone starting (or those who have started) this joke we call school. I love yaaa, good night/ morning.
How'd your first day go?