Hiya. I have finished chapters two and three, but will post them seperately so I don't make you want to throw yourself out a window from reading so long. Haha. If you missed chapter one, it may be a good idea to go back and read it here:
http://www.writingforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=7912 . This chapter is mostly just introducing the major minor characters, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. Thanks for reading and please critique! Adios.
Chapter Two:
Santos and Son's Diner, as it was called, was the little establishment at which I worked. It was owned by my boss, Roger, and employed only two waitresses, Liv and myself. The outside of the diner was cold and industrial, but the inside was warm and friendly. The floor was a checkerboard tile, the walls were a light shade of blue, and the booths along the walls matched the color. Very homey, at least, I thought it was. But it wasn't the color-coded furniture and walls that made me love this place, it was the people. The memories of the three of us talking or quipping at each other during work, were the memories that I treasured most. If I valued anything above all else, it was friendship. That and cigarettes.
I watched them from the big window outside and grinned. Liv was closing up for the night when Roger walked by and kissed her on the head. He mouthed a goodnight and headed towards the door when I walked through it. Roger looked ready to dish out the guilt for me not showing up for work earlier today, but he quickly bit his tongue when he got a good look at me. Smart man.
"You look terrible." Roger said, very matter-of fact like.
"Perceptive isn't he?" I asked Liv, still behind the counter, cigarette hanging off her lip.
"Yeah. He also has an annoying habit of telling the truth." Liv managed to say, making her way over to me.
My legs buckled and Roger and Liv rushed to my side, catching me. I had come to hold a seething hatred for my motor functions recent lack of respect. Maybe they knew.
Liv and Roger helped me over to one of the booths near the door and sat me down. They each took a seat on either side of me and stared. I felt very much like I had walked in naked.
"Okay. When you two are through with the piercing stares, let me know."
Liv frowned. "What happened Cassie? I was worried sick." She ran her hand through her big hair and clutched her chest.
Liv was in her late thirties. She wouldn't tell me anything beyond that. Very lady-like indeed.
She was the closest thing to a best friend I had. She was big-boned and very mama bear-ish towards me. I made it a point of telling her not to act the way she does towards me, but I secretly appreciated it. Don't tell.
Her hair was dyed blonde and always in a perm, way over the top. Her make-up usually varied between extreme, and clown. Today it was clown. Her eyes were outlined in deep purple along with her lips. It made her big green eyes pop.
I sighed and made a calming gesture. "I really don't want to talk about it if that's okay. I'm fine. Nothing a little morphine can't fix,”
Roger just sat there looking like his favorite puppy had just been run over, again, and again, and again. He had a major crush on me the minute I walked in asking for a job three years ago. Maybe that was why I got the job, maybe not. Either way, I played oblivious.
"Breathe Roger," I said to him.
Liv slapped his shoulder and he shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's just, damn. You sure you're okay?"
"Peachy," I said, sticking my tongue out at him. "Promise."
Roger ran his hand through his curly auburn hair and nodded. At six foot two, he comes off a little imposing. But his easygoing and sensitive demeanor carries that aura away. I swore he was the type of guy who cried when the artist stopped drawing Bambi's mother. His dark brown eyes, almost black, always glimmered slightly at me. He was very polite and kind, a real people-person. Good qualities for a diner-owner. He was in his mid-twenties, and had worked under his father at the diner. When he passed away, he had left the diner to him. A year before I came to work there. The diner was his life and Liv and I were like his family. I felt the same way.
"Do you need a place to stay tonight?" Roger asked. His intentions, of course, were pure. He would never try anything on me, and I respected that.
"Actually, that's kind of why I'm here. Do you mind?"
Roger shook his head at me. "Of course not."
Liv rolled her eyes. "No offense boss-man, but I think this qualifies as girly time. She can stay at my place." Liv said crushing her cigarette on the table. "Besides, I actually have clothes she can change into there. And Richard won't be home until the afternoon tomorrow." Richard was Liv's long-term boyfriend who occasionally lived with her. He was a doctor and made oodles of money, Liv's second love in her life, after Richard of course. Or maybe it was the other way around.
Roger shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. As long as you're not sleeping in that guy's car."
"You know that's only temporary until I find another place Roge." I said, slightly annoyed.
"I just don't see why you couldn't have stayed with Liv or me." Roger replied.
"I just don't like to mooch. Besides, I've slept on worse thing than a Volvo." I said, trying to quell my annoyance at Rogers goodwill. It wasn't working.
"Fine. Then why are you mooching now?" Roger said, flashing a smile.
I smirked. "Because I am an extreme hypocrite that’s why Roger."
"Thought so."
"Oh for heaven's sake, you two stop bickering! Might as well get hitched I swear," Liv said standing up. "So who are you staying with?"
I also stood up and massaged an ache in my shoulder. "Well, sorry Roger. But Liv has clothes. Can't compete with that."
He smiled and joined them. "Alright then. You get rested up, and don't come in tomorrow."
I looked puzzled. "Why? I'm fine."
"This isn't an argument. Don't come in tomorrow."
"I refuse to not come in tomorrow Roger! And you can't make me! If you do, I'll quit!"
Roger grabbed his coat and headed towards the door. "Ah, alright then. Either way, I still win."
"How?"
"Because if you quit, you won't be here tomorrow." he said, his voice getting dimmer as he walked outside. Roger waved through the glass and was gone.
I giggled to myself. As stupid as it sounds, I needed a good laugh right now. Whoever said laughter is the best medicine, wasn't lying. Almost made those memories of last night seem like a bad dream. Almost.
Liv walked behind the counter, chuckling at our immaturity. I strut up to the counter and had a seat on one the stools. Liv was putting the cash in the safe-box and hanging up her apron. I watched her, and felt safe for the first time since my encounter in the alley. I grinned and placed my head on the counter and closed my eyes. Before I knew it, Liv was giving me a hardy prodding with her index finger and motioning towards the door.
"Ready Cassie?" Liv said hugging me warmly.
"Let's get out of here."
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