Catcall [MIKA Fanfiction]

Chapter 6: That's How Hearts Get Hurt

MIKA's POV

I put the glass under the soda fountain and began to fill it up. I looked out the window of the kitchen and saw Risha taking orders. She smiled as she wrote them down and cooed at the baby sitting in the high chair. She was so friendly and sweet with them. With everyone really. Well except for me.
It had been a week now since the park incident and she hadn't spoken a word to me since then. All I got were icy glares. I almost envied the customers. They got to interact with her. And laugh with her and see her smil- No, what was I even thinking. I didn't envy them. I didn't need her. All she ever was to me was a pain. I'm better off with her ignoring me. Suddenly I felt cold and sticky liquid all over my hand. I looked down and saw the soda had overfilled and ran over onto my hand.

Well shit. I dumped the cup into the sink and washed my hands. While I was patting them dry with a towel and straightening my paper hat, I heard a few of the other waiters snicker. I turned and caught Luke and a few of his friends watching me with amused smirks plastered on their faces. I could feel my face going red, which only seemed to entertain them.

"Nice hair glitter, you look like a piñata." Luke commented on my fascination with putting tinsel and confetti in my hair.

"W-why do you guys always pick on me? I don't understand how you benefit from making other people feel bad. Can't you stop?" I pleaded. Bullying always seemed to follow me, anywhere I went. I was tired of it. Luke simply chuckled.

"Mika you show up to work every morning dressed like you shop at the pre teen girls' section with a bunch of baby toys around your neck. You're always off in your own childish world daydreaming when you should be doing the job. In fact, I don't even know why you haven't been fired yet! You think you're normal but trust me, you're not. Honestly kid there's plenty of other jobs for mentally challenged people like you." I stared at him, my eyes growing wider as I processed everything Luke had just spat at me. I know I was weird but did people really despise me so much just by the look of me?

"Yeah man, you're slow. I've seen you daydreaming, staring at your watches  like one day you'll be able to understand what it's saying, and messing up orders because you can't spell. I've seen it all." Luke's friend added. I couldn't help my dyslexia! Nobody ever understood it. I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked around for an excuse to leave. I had to get out of the kitchen before I started crying. The boys would only tease me more. I looked up to see Risha coming in with a handful of dirty dishes. Relief washed over me. I looked at her with hope.

Instead she simply shrugged and walked on.

My heart sank a little. But I saw my opportunity to leave. Rish was no longer waiting the tables so I readjusted my paper hat, grabbed a notepad and pencil, and left the kitchen. I couldn't face them. Maybe they were right about me being weak.I hurried up to a table. "Hi how are you a doing today?" I asked. "Can I start you off with anything?" The couple peeked at me over their menus. The young man cleared his throat.

"Can I go with a cheeseburger and chips?" he asked politely. I nodded and scribbled down their order.
Cheezeburger and-
I stopped myself, sighed heavily, and corrected my spelling mistake. Maybe Luke was right. I can't work here. At the moment I had no other options unless my music career took off.

Suddenly, I remembered what Risha said. Maybe if I worked on 'Grace Kelly' like she suggested, I could get signed. That wasn't too bad of an idea. I pondered that thought while I walked back to place the order.

Risha's POV

I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to scream and hit them with all my might. But I did nothing. I walked away. And I hated myself for that. Moose didn't deserve that shit. I didn't hear all of what they said but by the looks of it and knowing how they were I could assume it was cruel. But I was angry. Angry at Mika. Angry at him for I wasn't even sure what. I just knew I was mad. He'd ruined my chance with that boy Alec from the park and he just overall made me mad. The bell on the door rang and I looked up to see a man walk in. I'd seen him here many times before but I'd never spoken to him. I approached him.