Memories Togther

Chapter One

"Hello?" I picked up my phone answering the call, my high-school best friend's voice drifted through the speaker.

"Hey Janice are you coming to the 'get together', everyone is going to be there, Karla, Damian, Rupert, Tanya, me and Eric are going to be there along with all of our classmates, I'll send you the address if yo..." I cut Mary's cheery chatter off before she could get ahead of herself.

"I'm sorry Mary, but I have work tonight. My boss asked if I could stay late and lock up," I said with a fake smile on my face.

"Oh OK, um well while we're on the subject of work, you still working at that same place since the last time I visited?" She asked, switching the subject, I knew she knew I wasn't happy, so she changed the subject for my comfort.

"Yeah, why don't you come over tomorrow since you're in town? I'll treat you to the best meal you have ever tasted. We have added quite a few new dishes to the menu, it will be fun," I said as I finished wiping off the table that a couple had been eating at.

"I would love that!" She said before I heard someone speaking in the background, "Well, I have to go. We're heading to the restaurant right now. Love you, Janice!"

"Bye Mary, see you tomorrow," I said before we ended the call. I looked up at George, the head chef a middle aged man with glasses that made his blue eyes bigger then normal and brown hair covered with a chef hat, before saying, "George when did you say that reservation was made?"

"Six, make sure the other customers are gone by then," he said while wiping his hands on a clean drying towel.

"Will do," I said, glancing at my watch. It was five-thirty, the elderly woman who sat in the far corner of the restaurant had thirty minutes to finish her food. I walked toward the front doors where 'Howard's Dine-in Take-out Restaurant' flashed red and green. I flipped the 'open' sign to closed so no more customers could enter before making my way back over to the woman.

"Excuse me Ma'am, I'm sorry if it may inconvenience you but we have to close early today, so we would much appreciate it if you could leave before six o'clock, I am sorry again if it has put pressure on you. So feel free to enjoy yourself and take the next thirty minutes to finish. Thank you," I said as nicely as possible. She looked up at me with her watery eyes and smiled.

"You are a sweet young lady, you have a beautiful voice, I could listen to you all night, but I fear I am done and can't eat another bite I will take my leave now," She accepted the receipt I handed then paid the bill.

Smiling I said, "Thank you for picking our Restaurant for your dining purposes, please come again," the woman picked up her purse assured me she would come again and made her way out.

Trey, my fellow waiter walked out of the kitchen just then with a stack of plates in his arms, "Here Trey help me arrange these tables to fit the number of people before you set out the plates."

It was not unknown for the whole restaurant to be reserved for a night, especially by big groups of people, occasionally there was the occasion rich guy that would bring his girlfriend or wife for their birthday but that was rare compared to the former.

Trey nodded his head, he was a shy Eighteen year old that had blonde hair and brown eyes, he was sweet and treated me like an older sister. By the time we stepped back from setting the tables it was nearly six straightening my apron I walked back into the kitchen leaving Trey to wait the arrival of the customers while I used the restroom and freshened up. I pulled my scrunchy out of my black hair and combed it back into a high pony-tail, I washed my face before staring at myself. My chocolate eyes starred back and I smiled, it would have to do.

As soon as I walked back into the kitchen Trey said, "Hey Janice their here, would you help me carry these plates out?" I nodded before gathering two trays of food in my hands.

Trey walked into the dining room first, as I walked through the swinging doors my jaw nearly hit the floor. Sitting at the tables were my senior high-school classmates including my personal friend clique, Karla, Damian, Rupert, Tanya and Mary, the boys being a year ahead of us girls.

"Janice, surprise! We decided to have dinner here today to include you," Mary shouted, as all their eyes turned to me, suddenly all of my friend group was surrounding me hugging me and telling me how much they had missed me, while the rest of the class cheered and greeted me with enthusiasm. Damian took the trays from my grip before I dropped the food placing them on the table.

I glanced at the tables, one seat was empty and I knew it wasn't mine, Mary had said he was coming, maybe he changed his mind after he found out I worked here, after all I was annoying. Suddenly the restaurant door opened and in walked the devil, or should I say angel, Eric.

Our eyes connected, his once bright green ones now dull, his dark brown hair was styled and he wore a black suit with a black button-down shirt and black suit pants. He had never worn a suit in high-school, always casual. His shoulders had filled out and he was taller, he must have gone to the gym through the past seven years.

His face hardened and he looked away walking to the empty seat, I suddenly felt left out. I would have to serve these people and not eat with them. I put on a smile and returned to the kitchen to gather yet another tray of food, as I walked out I studied my high-school friends, Karla had red hair with blue eyes, she was short compared to her boyfriend Rupert.

Rupert was tall had blonde hair and green eyes and was always joking, Damian wasn't too tall but he made up for it in bronze, his black hair and Hazel eyes matching his twin sister Mary's. Tonya who was dreamily starring at Damian had blonde hair and blue eyes. As far as I knew they weren't together but Tonya could dream.

Then I looked at him, his eyes met mine as if he was already starring at me, I shuffled my feet as I placed the tray on the table accidentally knocking over a cup of wine, I broke our gaze and looked down at one of my classmates, "I am so sorry, let me clean that up for you and get you another one." Luckly it hadn't spilled on him, only the table.

Time passed after that, with out mishap, with Trey and I standing off to the side quietly as the group quickly became drunk, Eric remained quiet, not initiating conversations or answering drunk questions. I haven't heard his voice all night. And it was in this lull of work that the memories came back.