Temper

4

We sit in front of Rylee's house her uncles old pickup truck parked in front of the big maple tree. She sits in the back as John b is in the driver seat and I'm in the passenger seat. I look back over my shoulder to see her fiddling with her fingers nervously and staring at the front door like it will open anytime soon. I tap my foot waiting for her to get out to the van so we aren't late.

"Come on rylee we have to go" I say looking at her. She takes a deep breath and hops out of the van joging towards the front door. She stops before entering and wipes her hands on her shorts. "Why is she acting like that?" John b asks seeing how her behavior has changed. I shake my head watching where she was just standing "I don't know" I say staring at the door waiting for her to come out.

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10 minutes pass and she still hasn't come out yet. "I'm gonna be late for work JJ go get her" "no you go get her" "I don't want to go get her" "well neither do i" "you know her uncle better" "I do not,I've never even met him" the sound of the sliding door being opened cuts off our aruging making both of us snap our heads in the direction of the door. She is breathing heavy and holding her check in her hand while wiping her hair off her forehead. "OK let's go" she says her chest rising and falling rapidly.

John b doesn't waste any time pulling the van away towards Rylee's job. I turn to look at her as the tires grind against the fifty year old pavement filled with potholes. She is laying on her back with her fingers locked behind her head and her eyes closed her shakey breathing making her chest and stomach quiver. Her check is laying on her thigh, I reach down and swipe it up looking at the money she has made this week. "God, you only made a little over 300 this week? That's less than your last check" I say letting go of the check and watching it flutter down onto her stomach.

"I know and I worked eighty hours this week!" She says with an exasperated sigh. John b hits his breaks pulling into the wreck parking lot. "You know your not supposed to work over forty hours a week!" I say reminding her of the rules that kie's parents made. I watch her sit up and wipe her eyes while sliding the door open. "I can't help it JJ! The restraunt just started staying open twenty-four hours and I really need the money." She replies huffing as she shuts the sliding door and comes to rest her chin on the window sill of the passenger door next to my arm.

She has dark circles under her bright blue eyes that are staring up at me. "Don't y'all fucking forget to pick me up this time! It's Friday and I want to get hammered" she says smiling making her tired eyes crinkle and her dimples appear. "Got it, now go we have to get to work Ry" I say tapping her on her nose not being able to hold back a smile at the way she scruches her face up. "OK, bye fuckers" she shouts while walking away backwards flipping us both of her middle fingers.

I watch a little smirk appear on her lips as John b backs away from the restaurant. The wind blowing her brown hair around plastering it to her face. We turn the corner away from the wreck and drive until it's out of sight. "I think we should have a kegger tonight down at the bone yard, It would be good for Rylee she's been working non-stop" I say turning in my seat to look at John b. "Yes actually that sounds like a good idea, who new you could come up with those" he teases. I shove his shoulder leaning my head on the seat "fuck off".

I open the door hearing the bell quietly ding above me. My body goes into auto pilot as i enter behind the counter. I clock in, wash my hands and grab menu's heading for the table in the corner that has a family of four. My ribs ache causing my stomach to twist and my breathing to increase. I stop at the end of their table and start handing out menu's. There are two little kids with brown hair and brown eyes one mirrors the reflection of the older woman sitting across from her; and the other one mirrors the older man sitting across from him. All wearing expensive clothing so they are either tourons or kooks. I clear my throat "umm what would you like to drink?" I ask pulling out my note pad and plastering on a big smile.

I'm getting weird looks from the kids and who I assume is the mom looks up at me and says "could you give us a moment please?" I nod my head and walk in the direction of the counter hearing quiet wispers from behind me. I furrow my eyebrows wondering what they are talking about but brush it off. I grab a couple more menu's and head for another table. While attending the older man at this table I see the lady from the previous table get up and walk towards the counter. She rings the bell on the counter and I tell the man I will be back with his drink shortly. Leaving him to think about what he wants to eat while I go and help out the lady at the  cash register.

"How can I help you?" I say smiling and putting away the menu's that were in my hand. "Ummm-umm well could I talk to someone else please?" She asks causing me to raise my eyebrows in confusion. "Um yeah...sure thing" I say swallowing my saliva feeling my stomach and chest hurt. I go to the back of the restaurant and tell Mr.Carrera that he is needed in the front. I step to the side as he stands infront of the woman asking her what she needed. Her eyes bounce from me to him and she fiddles with her fingers. "Is there anyway we could get a different waitress?" She asks her eyes sliding to mine for a split second.

"Well who is your waitress now?"he asks and I answer for her. "Me" I say looking at her with confused eyes. She is looking at her feet and shifting nervously. "Oh, ok well what is the problem?" Mr. Carrera asks looking between me and the woman with furrowed eyebrows. I srug my shoulders and shake my head because I don't know why she would want a new waitress. "Umm well could we get a waitress that is a little more clean? Maybe someone less filthy" She asks and my confused expression turns into a hurt one.

Mr.Carrera nods his head and assures her she will be appointed a new waitress. I look down at my dirty converses and fold my arm over my chest. I feel my eyes sting waiting for her to walk away. Mr. Carrera turns to me and says "maybe you should go home, you look tired". I shake my head fast "no no I can't I need the hours mr. Carrera please" I beg. "No Rylee go home and get some sleep......and don't take what she said personally ok?" He says. I slowly shake my head and back away from him. I exit the front door my chest burning and ribs throbbing. I lean my back against the wooden wall of the restaurant slowly sliding down so I'm sitting and lean my head against the wall breathing in and out.