Scarlett ❤️

Chapter 2

I frequently miss the bus home from sixth form and end up walking through the town centre to get home. I like walking. Well, I like walking where there are no people. The town is pretty quiet all week, but a Friday night is always packed.

When Chloe was here, we used to have to walk past this huge abandoned building in town. It was pretty scary. But since Chloe left, a few months ago, it's been turned into a new gym. It still doesn't look particularly inviting but it's far nicer to walk by when it has lights on and people around it. I often walk past noting any developments from that week but they must be happy with how it looks, because nothing has changed in the last couple of weeks.

I stick my headphones in and set off, walking at a pretty brisk pace. My playlists are usually quite random going from PANIC! At The Disco, to Beyoncé, then Lewis Capaldi. I don't really have a favourite song or genre, just whatever springs to mind at the time.

Here it is, the moment I hate most. Just as I'm passing the new gym, I see a group of 11 or 12 people from my sixth form, all gathered right in my path. They haven't spotted me and I'm hoping that they don't! I have my lanyard around my neck from sixth form. I start to fiddle with it, trying to calm my nerves as I walk by with my head down.

They don't look up. I think they haven't noticed me, but just as I'm almost out of their little crowd, a foot extends in front of me and sends me flying forwards. I think I'd have preferred to land flat on the tarmac, instead I start tumbling, almost like I'm running but just progressively getting closer to falling with each step. I close my eyes as I think I'm about to finally splat on the ground, but it's not the ground I hit first. It's the kneecap of a large figure. I headbut his knee with a lot of force and his balance doesn't shift at all. I gather myself, standing up to look at the man I just plowed into.

"I'm sorry I um.. I.." I start as I look up to his face. "Finn?"

"What are you doing?" He questions, as if I would intentionally land myself on the floor, in the street.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, realising that Chloe never told me he wasn't with them. Maybe he was. Does that mean she's back too?

"Last time I checked, I live here" he rolled his eyes as he just walked away from me, his long strides allowing him to disappear from my view before I'm even back on my feet.

I look back over my shoulder, hearing the sniggering from behind me. Yes how funny. I'm glad I'm their main source of entertainment on a Friday night. They can't be that great if they have nothing better to do. Me, I have an exhilarating night ahead of me. A 5-10 shift at work. It's not a bad shift really, when I turn 18 I will have to close up the restaurant and if it's been a busy night, you can end up being there until the early hours of the morning.

There aren't many restaurants in town so it can get pretty busy. There's a McDonald's on the other side of town and a fancy Italian restaurant where everyone gets really dressed up. There's a bar a couple of doors down form this restaurant, it looks a little scary in there but you can't go in until you're 18. There's a couple of nice cafés, but they close after 4. So basically this is where the whole town comes to eat on a Friday night.

I arrive at the restaurant and hang my belongings in the staff room. I head through to the bar and my delightful manager greets me in his usual monotone voice.

"You're late".

"It's 1 minute past" I argue.

"Yes, so you are late" he returns as I roll my eyes and being serving customers.

I try not to watch the clock, but I can't help it. It's pretty quiet tonight, for a Friday night. There was a family of 12 celebrating a birthday and the dad told me to keep the change every time he bought a round. I don't think he realised that he tipped me a total of £23.14 throughout the night. I considered retuning it with their change for the final food bill, but just as I went over to the table his wife (who had eaten all of her food and had dessert) began ranting about their awful experience tonight. I shoved that money back in my apron whilst delivering my fake apology,

"I'm very sorry you haven't enjoyed your food tonight, I will let the kitchen staff know".

I will absolutely not be telling the kitchen staff; the chefs are always so angry for no reason. They scare me!