work experience ~ s.w

three

By the end of my shift I've earned about $100 in tips. Zach is fast asleep in the corner booth and I'm wiping down the tables one last time. The bell dings slightly. I look up to see the blonde boy from hours ago here once again.

"We're closed" I state, yawning slightly.

"I know." He tells me. "I came to offer you a ride home"

"What?"

"Well I overheard you saying that you didn't have a car and I assumed your brother would be asleep and you can't carry him all the way home"

"Thanks but I'm okay with walking" I tell him.

"I'm not a physco murder I promise"

"Yeah, that puts my mind at rest" I laugh. I put my rag behind the counter before going into the back and changing back into my school clothes. I appear back in the main restaurant as I see the boy still stood before me.

"Please, let me make sure you get home safely." He tells me.

"Why?" No one cares this much about a stranger they just met who happened to remember their order first time.

"I have a sister and if I knew she was walking through town in complete darkness then I'd be worried out of my mind." He rubs the back of his neck as he looks at me softly.

"Well you don't have to worry because no one else will" I shrug, taking off my apron and hanging on the peg labelled V with about a gajillion hearts decorated on the sticky label. Zach begged me to let him decorate it the second it was handed to me. Obviously I let him because I can't say no to his cute little face.

"What about your parents?" He asks. I look to Zach and then to the ground. "Never mind, forget I asked"

"It's okay." I say, answering the statement I know he's wanting to say." And we will take that ride, if it'll help you sleep at night" I laugh.

"I'm sure it will" He laughs.

"I'm leaving a note though" I tell him. I grab my pad of paper and pen scribbling down a quick note in my fancy new purple pen I found in one of my classrooms this morning.

"What did you write?" He asks trying to look over my shoulder. He takes ahold of my hips as he stands on his tiptoes to see over me at the paper before me.

"If I don't come into work tomorrow then I've been kidnapped by a blonde boy with terrible roots" I turn and smirk at him.

"Gee thanks" He laughs, letting go of me and running a hand through his hair.

"I'm kidding. I put that I can't work tomorrow because I have work experience" I tell him truthfully.

"Oh thank god you don't think I'm going to kidnap you" He laughs. I don't respond as I put my stationary away before walking over to Zach, picking him up in my arms. I struggle to pick up my bags before my new friend comes to my rescue."Let me get this for you" He says taking the bags from my hands, our skin touching for a split second. I shake it off and adjust my grip around my brother as he half-consciously wraps his legs around my waist.

"Thanks" I smile as we leave the diner and I lock up securely burying the key deep in my bag.

"How old is he?" The boy asks as I buckle Zach into his car. I check 5 times that the belt is secure before finally shutting the door as quietly as possible.

"Just turned 9." I say climbing into the front seat.

"He looks like you" He says as the engine starts.

"We get it from our mom" I say. "Thank god" Imagine inheriting my fathers genes. I'm convinced he's not Zach's actual dad but could you blame mom for cheating?

"Do you not like your dad?" He asks. "That's the vibe I'm getting here"

"It's very easy not to. You wouldn't either if you met him. It's just me and Zach really" I say, he looks at me, realising that my mom must no longer be around. He gives a small smile before turning his attention back to the road.

"I grew up in a pretty big family." He tells me. "I'm one of 4"

"What's that like?" I ask, truly interested. I can't imagine what having so many people look out for you must be like.

"Chaotic to say the least. Mornings used to be so bad."

"Used to?"

"When we were all at school. I'm the youngest and I've graduated now so it's kind of different" He sighs obviously missing a bit of chaos in his life. Try having to juggle good grades, childcare and 3 jobs at once. That's chaos for you.

"So how old exactly are you?" I ask. He gives a satisfied smile as he stares straight ahead. I frown slightly at the look but eventually give up.

"Just turned 20. December 11th." Woah I didn't expect him to be that old.

"No way, that's Chase's birthday too." I say looking over my shoulder at my brother sleeping peacefully.

"Really?" He asks. I nod in response. "What'd he get for it?"

"I got him this robot thing he's been asking me for for months now"

"You're a good sister you know that right?"

"Everything I do is for Chase" I smile. "Now I'm 18 I can legally adopt him when I want to."

"Won't your dad mind that?"

"He's not much of a dad" I shrug.

"I wasn't going to ask but how'd he get the shiner?" He asks rather worriedly.

"Some kid in his class called him a loser and punched him in the face. I've already had a go at the teacher for letting it happen." I shrug. He seems to relax slightly as he loosens his grip on the steering wheel. "It's not what you think, our dad doesn't beat us. I wouldn't let him even get close to Chase."

"I wasn't implying it" He responds defensively. You could cut the tension in here with a knife. "Hey, I never actually asked where you live?" He asks, changing the subject immediately. "I've been driving around in circles for the last 10 minutes"

"Just take this left" I tell him. "Then the third right, then the second left"

"You know this route by heart"

"I walk it pretty much everyday" I shrug as if it's no big deal. I know these streets like the back of my hand. "Hey, do you know where the-" I begin to ask, pulling out the piece of paper from Mr Turner from my pocket. "Nexus recording studio is?" I asks reading my crumbled note.

"Wait, you're not Viola Harper are you?"

"That's not creepy at all" I frown, raising my hand to the car handle.

"No! I didn't mean it like that. It's just-" He says pulling up to my house as I point to the rundown old 3 bedroom house at the end of the lane. "I'm Sam Wilkinson"