Extraordinary: A Kian Lawley Story

Chapter Twenty Two

Standing in the diner after being away felt strange. I couldn't tell what had changed, me or the diner itself.

"Here you are," I said placing a platter in front of one of my regular customers.

"I heard you had a mental breakdown," he laughed picking up his fork.

"Excuse me?"

"A mental breakdown? Hopped a plane and ran away," he said digging into his meal.

"I didn't have a mental breakdown," I said trying to remain calm. "I wanted to leave so I left."

"Aye, I'm just repeating what I heard."

"Enjoy your meal," I said walking away before I exploded. I rounded the corner toward the kitchen, resting my head on the wall trying to pull myself together.

"You ok?" Sydney, one of the other waitresses asked as she exited the kitchen.

"Did everyone around here think I had a mental breakdown?"

"Everyone? No. Some people? Yeah."

"Lovely."

"Don't let it bother you. You know how people talk around here."

"I just," I paused.

"What?" Sydney asked as she rang up her ticket into the register system.

"I just don't know why I came back."

"To be honest, me either. I thought you had finally made it out of here."

"Yeah right, you know this is my life."

"Well if anyone was going to get out of this type of life, I just thought it would be you."

"Why not you?" I asked.

"You know I could never. I have Tommy and college."

"Yeah but isn't there something you really wanna do before your stuck living this boring life?"

"I think the difference between you and everyone else around here is that you see this life as boring. Whereas we see it as life, we are happy, this is what we want. You want more, you want something else. You get what I mean?"

"Sort of," I said resting my head on the wall again.

"I guess I just always thought that you had something more in ya," she laughed. "Don't take that in a bad way!"

"I would never," I chuckled.

"Graduating school and becoming a teacher at a local school, marrying Tommy. That's what I want, truly want. I wouldn't be settling. You on the other hand, if you stay here, you're settling."

"Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"

"Never settle for less than you deserve," she smiled. "I better get back to my tables."

As Sydney walked away, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

"Ella?" Sydney said poking her head back around the corner.

"Yeah?"

"There's a table requesting you," she said pointing toward the opposite side of the diner. "There weren't any tables open in your section so I'll give you one of mine."

"Requesting me?"

"Yeah, only you," she laughed.

"Great," I rolled my eyes and headed out toward the dining floor. "Where?"

"Table 22," Sydney said before dashing off toward the kitchen.

I pulled out my order pad as I made my way toward the table. One of my regulars, I assumed. The menu blocking their face. Hopefully someone who hadn't heard about me leaving.

"Hi, I'm Ella. What can I get for you this afternoon? Our soup of the day is loaded baked potato," I paused as the menu flapped down on the table.

"What's your favorite thing on the menu?" Kian said with a grin. I was unable to speak, Kian was sitting in front of me, in my world. He was here.

"Chocolate chip pancakes," I spit out holding back tears.

"For lunch?" he laughed.

"For anytime really."

"Well I guess that's what I'll be having."

"Syrup or whipped cream?"

"Whipped cream definitely!"

"Anything to drink?" I asked still in shock.

"Ehhh, water?"

"Sure thing."

"You're not writing any of this down," Kian said pointing toward the order pad and pen in my hand.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well there is the reaction I was expecting," he laughed. "Why do I need a reason to be here?"

"You don't belong here."

"Maybe," he paused. "But you're here and I just needed to see you."

"Why?"

"This is getting to be an interrogation isn't it?"

"Why?" I repeated.

"I missed you."

"It had only been like two days."

"That's a long time," he smiled.

"Ella, I need another bottle of syrup over here!" a man hollered from my section.

"Get it yourself!" Sydney yelled from her table.

"Wow," Kian said rubbing his hands together. "Pressure is really on now. You have other men that need you!"

"Oh yeah, I'm in high demand," I said offering a slight smile.

"Look, I love you. I know that, you know that. I should have understood that your trip to LA was just a visit but I was selfish, I wanted more of you. I get that you don't have the option to just give up everything and live in LA. Sometimes I forget that my life isn't exactly normal, that not everyone just up and moves like I did."

"It's ok," I said fighting back tears.

"But I couldn't stand the idea of you thinking that you have to live this way. That just because of the life you were born into is ordinary, means that everything has to be boring. You're much too extraordinary to live such a ordinary life."

"Kian," I started but tears stopped me from speaking.

"No don't cry," Kian said standing and pulling me into a hug. I hugged him tighter than I ever thought possible. "I didn't come here to make you cry."

"It's ok," I said softly.

"You're extraordinary Ella, I just don't want you to live a life you think that you have to. I want you to live a life that you want to."

"I missed you too," I said hugging him tighter.

"I hoped so."

"I love you too."

"I hoped so."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I love you."

"Can I kiss you?" he asked raising my head up toward him with his fingers under my chin.

"Always," I managed to spit out before Kian's lips pressed against mine. I heard claps and few aww comments from the other waitresses. We pulled apart to see a diner full of customers and waitresses clapping and smiling, for us. This felt like a movie, Nicholas Sparks book.

"Do you mind if I take her?" Kian said to Sydney.

"She's all yours," she smiled handing me a napkin to wipe my face.

"Great," he said picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. I playfully slapped his butt as he ran out of the diner.