I run from table to table, cleaning them off as waitresses rush to set new places and the dinner rush surges in. The atmosphere is calm, the usual instrumental music playing in the background, the regulars coming in for their regular dinners but the staff is rushing, these people with their expensive shoes and designer watches have no idea what it looks like in the back. Everyone rushing around, everyone struggling to get things out on time and looking good. Its organized chaos as I rush back with the plates and drop them in the sink. I pull on some gloves and start washing the plates. The water is scolding as I rinse the plates off and drop them in the dish washer. My hands are red when they come out but I head back out and ready for round two anyway. I ignore the sweat on my forehead as I smile and I clear plates. I greet people and ask them how their meal is and in the back corner I see a little girl with a cupcake in front of her, a single candle in the center as her parents sing to her in some language I don't know. I imagine it's their equivalent of the Happy Birthday song. I pause for just a second to watch. I remember how my mom sang to me with a premade cake from the grocery store and those trick candles. She loved birthdays and holidays and any day that was an excuse to pay more attention to me. I feel a little pang at the absence of my mom. Six years and it still hurts to think about, the car accident, the healing. Man, Lucy saved my life. Even two years after the accident I was low, I never really did make peace with losing my mom. Not until Lucy came into my life and knocked me right off my feet. Literally, we just ran into each other and we were listening to the same song and I said something stupid and cheesy. To this day, I know she only said yes out of pity for me but hey, love is love, right?
"Natsu." Lisana barks "get a little pep in your step, would ya?" she flies by me with a big tray of food. I go back to gathering the dishes. I stop by the birthday girls table and I clear their plates.
"Birthday?" I ask not faking my interest for this one.
"I'm seven now!" The girl squeaks. Holding her hands up.
"Woah!" I exclaim "congratulations." Her parents laugh and she smiles at them and they're a picture perfect family.
"Enjoy the rest of your birthday." I give her a thumbs up and her giggles follow me into the back as I wash another round of dishes. Rinse and repeat.
It shouldn't only be midnight I think as I clear the final tables off and take the dishes back to the kitchen. The waitresses are tired as they count their tips and do the books. My legs are killing me as I start on the never-ending dishes piled in the sink. The usual slackers already bailed, the usual workers, me, stayed to pick up the slack. I yawn as I scrub at the dishes. I close my eyes just to rest them for a second.
"Natsu." Lisana pats me on the back. "Wanna go out with me and the others for a few drinks?" she asks. I shake my head and give her a smile "nah, my girl's waiting for me at home." I say. I love calling Lucy my girl.
"Come on." Lisana presses "I know a great new place right down the way." Lisana pulls herself up onto the counter beside the sink and swings her legs. I love it when Lucy does that, she just looks so carefree.
"Thanks." I say and her face changes for a second, her eyes are a little brighter.
"but I'm gonna head home as soon as I finish up here." I say and her eyes droop a little. Lisana had a thing for me long before I met Lucy.
"Well," Lisana tries to recover herself "when can we hang out?" she asks "just because you're dating that girl-"
"Lucy." I put in for her.
"Lucy." Lisana smiles on Lucy's name, Lisana can be pushy and possessive sometimes but no one can resist Lucy.
"It doesn't mean you can't hang out with your old friends too." She gives me a toothy smile and I shake my head at her, stifling another yawn. "Really, thanks." I say to her "but Lucy's waiting for me and she works in the morning." I tuck the dish into the rack and start on the pots. "I don't want her to worry."
YOU ARE READING
Every Reason I Loved Her- FairyTail edition
FanfictionNatsu loves Lucy, Lucy loves Natsu Their whole relationship has been as easy as breathing but lately Natsu notices Lucy acting strangely, he trusts her but he'd do anything to protect her but how can he do that when she won't tell him what's wrong...
