Good Luck With That *ON HOLD*

Chapter 3: Disappointed

I sling my bag over my shoulder, shutting my locker door with a sigh. One day down, so many more to go. The hallways are empty besides one or two couples making out against the locker doors, and a few freshmans lugging their book filled bags home. I push through the heavy front doors of the school and breath in the fresh air hugging my lungs. My watch reads 3:15pm which leaves me three hours before I am to meet Dad out at O'Mei Chinese for dinner, in remembrance of mum. I turn the corner and run until I'm out of breath and slow to a walk, finally as far from school as is comfortable. The time passes quickly as I come to the gates of Evergreen Cemetery, and relief fills me. The tall overgrown trees shrouding the entry make it seem eerie, though not to me. I push open the creaky gates with both arms and run towards my mother's grave spinning with arms spread wide. I collapse beside my mothers grave giggling with laughter until it subsides when I notice the dates engraved in the thick stone:

5/17/1967-8/21/2010

Taking in a deep breath I pull the purple lilacs from my bag, my mother's favourite, and gently place them on top of her grave whispering, "I will always remember you Mom, always." 

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I casually stretch my arms and roll onto my stomach, fluttering my eyes open. Suddenly it dawns on me. I check my watch, crap. I have twenty minutes until I am supposed to meet Dad. I grab my bag, taking one last glance at my mother's grave before racing out of the cemetery and running all the way home. I turn the corner to my street, which happens to be a few blocks from the San Lorenzo River, and smack into somebody sending me flying to the ground again. Me and my stupid clumsiness! The pain shudders through my limbs and I blink a few times before scrambling to my feet and keep running past the person. 

"Hey you!" an unfamiliar voice yells from behind but I ignore them and keep on running til I reach my front door. I scramble through my bag for my keys and shove them into the keyhole when I find them. I race up the stairs and almost fall head first into my bedroom when my leg gets caught on Dad's golf bag right outside my door. Cringing at the thought of Dad and running late, I quickly strip and dive into the shower being barely in there for a minute. I throw a towel around myself and rummage through my closet picking out a beige coloured dress and nude heels. Finally dressed I pull my long hair into a messy bun, apply a bit of gloss and mascara, shrug on a white jacket and race down stairs calling a taxi as I go. I grab my keys from the basket beside the door and lock the door on my way out. The road is clear of all cars, besides those that are parked. Despite living in a district where most can afford or fit garages, only a few houses have them on our street including us. It's not a surprise my family is wealthy, for all I know Dad could be rolling in bags of money right now, but I don't like to talk about it nor do I like the fact I have so much of it. It just doesn't seem right, so I never mention it. Right on cue a yellow cab pulls up in front of my house and I hop in my words barely making any sense as they come out, "O'Mei Chinese, Mission street please!" The taxi driver seems to understand as he speeds off down the road and I slam into the back of the seat. I click the seatbelt in and check my watch; I have five minutes. My heart's thrumming with worry and anticipation. The houses and shops whiz by outside the window and I can't help wondering am I ever going to get there? I play with a loose strand of hair until we pull up outside the restaurant. 

"That'd be twenty bucks thanks," the driver says looking over his seat. I gape at him, twenty dollars! 

"You're kidding me right?" I ask, but he shakes his head. I roll my eyes shoving the twenty dollars into his hand, his face lighting up, and jump out of the car. The restaurant is looking rather busy tonight, for a Tuesday. Never the less would it aggravate my father. I hurry into the restaurant stopping at the counter whilst frantically looking around for Dad. 

"Do you have a reservation?" a nearby voice asks. I whip my head around, noticing the middle aged woman standing before me in the standard black and white waitresses outfit. 

"Sorry?" I ask watching her blue eyes grow in confusion. 

"Did you have a reservation booked? Darling are you ok?" she asks placing a hand on my shoulder. 

"Um yeah fine. Just running a bit late," I say sounding exasperated. 

"Ok then, your last name please?" the lady asks walking back around the counter and scrolling through names in a large leather covered book. 

"Woods," I say, gathering something is not right as every table seems to be occupied. 

"I'm sorry but the reservation for Woods was cancelled an hour ago. Were you not told?" the lady asks warmly. My heart drops, I should've known. 

"No, obviously not!" I say trying to force a laugh. 

"Well you have a nice night then," she replies, genuinely smiling. I try smiling as I leave but I know it looks fake because when I catch the lady's reflection in the mirror I see her smile falter and sadness fill her eyes. I walk down the street, my arms swinging sadly by my side, and stop at Starbucks to get something to eat. As I push through the entranceway the bell jingles, not even alerting the few people sitting inside. I order a Chicken Santa Fe Panini and sit by the window. My eyes lazily watch the cars flit by as it's the only thing I can do to control the hatred for my father at this moment bubbling inside of me. However besides the anger all I can feel is numbness. I pull out my phone and open a text from Dad I must've missed. 

Evelyn a very important meeting has come up at work and I've had to fly out to Boston and won't be back for another three days. I've cancelled tonight's dinner. I know what today is and I'm sorry Evelyn, I'll make it up to you when I come back. Dad 

Well at least I'll have a few days to myself to cool off before 'Dad' gets home. I can't believe on today of all days he manages to excuse himself. A silent tear courses it's way down my cheek, as I try to hold back the sobs in my throat. 

"For a girl as clumsy as you, I'm suprised you can walk in those heels," an unfamiliar voice jokes. I look up and meet a mix of green and blue eyes that seem so pure, but then my brain recognises the face and I know it can't be true- Hayden Miller. I begin to get up not even wanting to bother wasting my time talking to him. Unfortunately for me he notices the tears brimming in my eyes and says a little taken aback, "hey wait, are you ok?" I ignore him running out of the cafe, dismissing my name being called by more than one person. I only get ten metres or so down the street running in these heels before my arm is caught. I turn and groan finding it's Hayden. 

"What do you want?" I snap at him. 

"You forgot this," he replies handing me the Chicken Santa Fe Panini. 

"Oh right," I mumble feeling rather ashamed and embarrassed. He lets go of my arm and it drops to my side sullenly. 

"Are you ok? I didn't mean to embarrass you back there," he says holding my gaze so I can't look away. 

"No really it's fine," I say slowly stepping backwards. 

"Hey you go to my school don't you?" he says, "what's your name?" That's all it takes, and I pick up my heels and am running down the street not even bothering to glance over my shoulder. If Hayden is the resident bad boy of Santa Cruz High, then I sure as well won't be telling him my name, but why did he seem so...nice? I shake my head of the thought and keep on running into the black night.