this meme serves no purpose, but it got me through this chapter, so... yeah
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Oh yes, Adrian is never going to not work at Lily's diner. That is a fact, the hardest, coldest, truest fact known to... well not the world, him at least. Yes, he hates it, but if he can prove Benny and Kimmy wrong, you're bloody sure he's gonna do it.
Sadly that is only half of it. The other half, which is slightly more annoying (all the more reason to not do it), is that Benny is determined to know why he doesn't date. Ever since he found out, the questions haven't ceased.
This topic itched. Scratched. Shredded his temper, to put it lightly. But of course, he would never give Benny the satisfaction of losing his cool. Especially in the diner.
So, what is the second-best option, to snapping the dinosaur in half on his leg?
Ignore the kid. Ignore everyone. And by everyone, that counts Kimmy too.
Kimmy, despite her wrinkly, tattooed arms and husky smoker's voice, her heart is made of gold; pure, motherly gold. And if the word mother is in definition, it means Adrian needs to find a girl and get married ASAP.
It's as if, once you reach the landmark that is called the age of eighteen, you have entered into a different atmosphere. You're not considered a child anymore, but a mateless adult who is too lonely to take care of yourself. Not to mention, owning a cat is a clear sign that you're bound for the streets once your parents die.
Having only one parent left seems to bring up the pity bar in the onlooker's eyes. They begin telling you to consider dating apps or the priesthood.
Back to Kimmy. Her whistle in fact. It pierces Adrian's ears, making him blink. His eyes turn to Kimmy, mind catching up to the present.
I was daydreaming again. He winces at the realization of how he must have looked just now; eyes glazed over, mouth hanging open, hands hanging like dead fish at his sides, the works. If he is lucky, nobody would have noticed how he almost fell against the corner full of brooms. If it wasn't for Kimmy, he would be conquered by twenty pounds of sticky wooden handles.
"Stop standing around like a fool and come over here." she motions with her gold ringed fingers. They glitter in the afternoon sun, beaming through the painted windows.
Adrian brings himself to stand beside her, awaiting the inevitable order to go wash dishes or help one of the toddlers with their napkin as the parents slug down their coffee between yawns.
Kimmy crosses her arms, watching something with her all-knowing orbs of brown wisdom. They remind him of aged whiskey, years of depth, layered upon itself to have a deep bronze tone.
Oh no. What is she thinking?
A stupid idea of her firing him for zoning out for the third time today pops into his head.
"Uh... I can expla-"
"How 'bout that one, over there?" she tilts her head forwards, eyes unmoving.
Adrian pauses, processing the fact that he isn't getting fired?
Instinctively, he looks over to the end of the diner, where Kimmy's eyes rest. They come to stop on a table full of dishes, a couple of dollar bills nestled beneath a plate.
Confused, his gaze flits back to her.
Kimmy rolls her eyes, sensing his question. "The girl Ady, not an inanimate object."
Adrian glances back to suddenly notice a head of blonde waves. Nothing more.
"So?" he asks rather coolly, unconcern dawning upon him like a realization that he doesn't care, like, at all.
"So?" her smoked lungs aren't impressed with his comment. "So, go talk to her."
Ah, this is why the chapter started with how relationships are the point of life. Oh, it isn't? Close enough.
Adrian contains a sigh, stacking some empty cups littered along the counter. "Kimmy, I already told you, I'm-"
"In love with your cat, I know."
"I'm not in love with Irma-" A quick shove to his back makes him stumble forwards, covering half the space to the end of the diner.
Curse long legs!
"Look at that! She's ready to order!" Kimmy gives another push before he can protest.
"That's not my customer," he grumbles, only low enough for his ' kind-hearted' boss to hear.
"Well, Levi is busy helping me," Kimmy states as she grabs the other waiter's collar, yanking him from reaching the customer. She drags him behind her as she walks to the kitchen.
Levi gives a feeble attempt to escape, but Kimmy's too strong for his six-foot, two build.
"Wait, no-" A tug around his neck shuts him up. Levi, Adrian's last hope, gives an apologetic shrug before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.
Adrian stares for a bit, preparing his mind.
His eyes almost jump out of their sockets as he turns to come face to face with blonde bangs and blue eyes of a totally random stranger who Kimmy just thinks is...
"Hello," the stranger greets, wearing a toothy smile. Bright red lipstick frames it.
He barely notices, worries grating his mind. Did she see all of what just happened?
"Um, hi." Adrian pulls out his notepad and pen. Whatever, it's just another customer. "Are you ready to order?"
"Yes, I'll take the waffles, please," she confidently replies, handing the menu to him.
"Will that be it?"
"Yes, thank you. Levi already got me water."
Two things crash into his head at the same time. One: She definitely saw everything. And two: How does she already know Levi?
Thoughts of suspicion just beyond his eyes, he gives a curt simper. He heads back to the kitchen, leaving the customer and her confident smile in the dust.
Now, Benny decides to poke his head into the scene, staying fairly quiet till now.
"Adrian, how many girls have you turned down? Do you like any of them?" That annoying dinosaur swings in his direction. Out of habit, he bumps it out of his way.
"I didn't even turn this one down," he answers, voice tired. "It's just another customer."
The door is more resistant to move as Adrian tries to enter the kitchen. He pushes a little harder, looking through the scratched plastic window. Suddenly, it swings out from him, letting him fall forwards.
Levi catches his arm before he hits the floor. In one swift motion, Adrian is pulled back up to a standing position.
Then he notices Kimmy. She stands on the other side, her arms crossed, foot tapping.
They were eavesdropping. Tsk, tsk.
"What was that? I said to talk to her," Kimmy chides, giving him her famous look of shame. Her golden hoop earrings seem to be disappointed in him as well.
Adrian contains a face, brushing his jeans. "She wants waffles," he states quietly, and giving a nod to Levi in thanks, he exits the kitchen.
If he had to choose between Kimmy's attempts at his love life and the annoying dinosaur and prying voice, it would be the latter.
Why can't she just accept that he doesn't want to get married?
Why is it so hard to understand that?
By accident, Adrian finds himself walking back to the strawberry blonde. Her eyes instantly find his and his feet make a detour, bringing him back to the kitchen. A glance to see Kimmy knocking Levi on the back of the head, makes him turn around yet again.
The blue eyes are still on him.
There is literally nowhere to hide in this emotional wasteland!
The only option is the bathroom. Just a few minutes to think is all he needs.
The door opens, sending a gush of cinnamon and apples to assail his nose. Kimmy and her Airwick air fresheners...
Adrian walks to the sink and runs the water, watching the stream glitter in the dim-toned lighting. A few splashes of icy water bring him back to earth. He glances into the mirror, through the droplets in his mother's hazel eyes. A couple of strands of silver hair stick to his forehead, but other than that, everything seems to still be there. Including that patch of annoying freckles on his jaw.
He takes a cursory look at his clothes to make sure they're still there too. Good, no stains on his hoodie.
That is the one thing that Adrian appreciates most about working at Lily's; Kimmy allows casual dress code.
And for him, casual means hoodie and jeans. Black is nice because, it doesn't have to be washed as often, and it is very versatile. He can wear different shades of pants, and the same black hoodie all week. That's called a win-win, kids.
Adrian turns from the mirror to realize that he doesn't want to talk to anyone anymore. But going out that door means he would, whether he wants to or not.
He just really wants to go home. He doesn't want to hear Kimmy's nagging, and no, he doesn't want to serve that girl waffles either. It would be nice just to feel Irma's soft little toe beans or something.
A tired sigh later, he pushes through the door, putting back on his people mask. The only way he can keep his job is if he doesn't blow up with Benny's endless questions and never looks a girl in the eye. That girl specifically.
I won't drop the waffles on the floor on purpose and then give them to her, I won't. And I'm not going to get fired because I sneaked out the bathroom window, either. No way...
But boy, is it tempting.
==============Nov-16-20==============
pub, Oct-24-21
Kimmy's my favorite. Who knew I had a "kind-hearted" boss inside me?
So, while rereading the first draft I stopped with heavy writer's block and stared at the screen for like ten minutes straight. And then I grabbed a pencil and wiggled it in my fingers for a while and then my brain was just like "hey.... what will happen if you shove the pencil underneath a key on the keyboard?"
Me: Idk... Probably nothing lol
Key: *Pops off*
Me and my brain: (☉_☉)
ANYWAYS!
lemme just say, writing Adrian is difficult cuz I don't know the INFP in my real life very well, so i had to resort to tons of research, and listening to INFP song artists to figure him out. at least i'm being honest, right?
so, i've decided to share with you, the songs by INFPs i've used to shape Adrian along the way :)