Recover

Chapter Twelve

"Could I get the Western omelet with a side of sausage and a glass of orange juice, please?" I say then hand the waitress, Martha, my menu. She smiles and takes it; I come here so much I know the staff. I look at the old juice box blasting Elvis Presley, then at the floor; it's checkered black and white. On top of it the booths are fire engine red and there's a statue replication of a 1952 Chevrolet Styleline outside. Linda's is the best place in town to grab something to eat, as officially designated by Miles, Dakota and myself.

    "Hello? Gen you're spacing out again!" Eva laughs, waving a hand in front of my face.

    "Huh? What?" I ask, coming out of a daze.

    "I asked you if you know where you're going on your date this evening. Remember? The date you are going on date with Jake for heaven knows what reason why," She says slowly like I'm a two-year old.

    "Oh, I don't know," I say a little nervous and shrug; my fingers itching to sip the orange juice that Martha puts down on the table. I snatch it up and down a third of it before quickly changing the subject, "So how are you feeling? Still upset?"

    Her smile drops and she looks down at her lap and mumbles, "I'm doing fine."

    "Hey," I reach over and tilt her chin so she's looking at me and my heart swells a little when I see that her eyes are watery, "you're amazing. Don't let jerks like that guy from last night make you think you're not good enough to be wanted, only used." She gives me a weary smile and our food arrives, I start to dig in when my phone pings. I look down at the text:

     555-975-3465: 'Hey, it's Jake.'

    I sigh and make him a contact.

    Me: 'How did you get my number?' 

    Jake: 'I know people.'

    Me: 'Can you be any less creepy?'

    Takes him a second to respond.

    Jake: 'When should I pick you up tonight?'

    Me: 'I don't know, how about 6:00?'

    Jake: 'Got it."

    Oh my god that was awkward. "Can't tell you where, but my date is at 6:00 tonight," I slide my hand down my face and keep eating. Why the hell am I doing this? Did he somehow drug me out of my mind? That jerk. Gosh, I'm feeling sick just thinking about this.

    "That," She points her fork towards my phone, "was Jake?" her mouth is gaping a bit because I told her I didn't have his number. I nod, "How, you didn't have his number?" she asks confused.

    "I asked him the same thing; he said he knows people," I cross my arms over my chest, "the creep."

~ ~ ~

I grab my jacket from the booth and throw my money on the table as Eva and I get up to leave, "See ya Eva, I have to go to BB's for my apprenticeship."

    I hug her good bye, “You sure you don't wanna ride?" She asks.

    "I wanna walk, it makes me feel, I don't know," I try to find the word, "calmer?"

    "You calm?" she laughs, "Okay well then, see ya later," She gives me a wink and heads out the door. I just laugh and follow, once out the door I start walking my own way to BB's.

    I'm on my way when something green in the corner of my eye catches my attention. I stop walking and turn to look at it, the forest. Something in me shifts and my heart drops into my stomach and my eyes widen, it's telling me to go and explore it. It whispers to me, literally. I understand it, but at the same time I don't. It's like an ancient language being carried on the wind waiting for someone to find its source.