Safe Haven

Chapter 2

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March 15,

"Thank you." I smiled as the waitress handed me my meal and drink. She smiled back at me before I stopped her tracks. "Sorry to bother, but I saw the sign outside and I was wondering if you're still hiring?"

I needed to get a new job- I didn't plan on starting fresh by being jobless. Wondering around the town all night was exhausting, but the people around here are nice. I was able to sleep on a bench; although that's really not how I want to continue. Maybe looking around would be helpful, I do have enough money to find myself a place to say. Certainly not as decent as my old home, but definitely safer.

"Actually I'd have to bring out George, the manager, to talk to ya." She had a heavy southern accent, with beautiful, wavy ginger hair.

"That would be great." I said in excitement, "Also, would you happen to know any houses for rent- apartments, condos?"

She suddenly curved her lips into another smile. "Actually, I'm rentin' a room in my condo."

Was it weird that she happened be the one that had the answer to my prayers? Maybe- because it's such a coincidence.

"That's perfect." My voice was filled in glee as I sipped my soda through a straw.

"If you want, I can take you around for a quick look at it, then you tell me how this is gon' work."

"Alright."

"Well, you eat first and meet me at the counter when you're done so we can talk." she grinned as she walked away.

I began to eat the burger along with constant sips of my soda. After I was done I went over to the counter, finding the same waitress immediately as she caught my presence and went to go get a tall, muscular guy with mahogany-colored hair as he wiped his hands with a cloth. A smirk appeared on his lips as he began to approach me.

"So I hear you're looking for a job." His remark was formed as a statement rather than a question.

All I did was nod approvingly. "Do you have any experience?" He continued, leaning against the counter as the waitress set off to serve a customer.

"Erm... As in?"

He smiled. "Well show me how well you can work with this rag; clean the counter."

He threw me a rag, making me flinch from the sudden action- but I luckily caught it, immediately running the rag over the whole counter as proof that I wasn't that bad a cleaning.

After I finished, I turned back at him in expectation that he would possibly ask me another question, and I was right.

"How well are you with people?"

I hesitated before answering. "I can make friends."

He took the rag from my hand and threw it over his shoulder. "Well, you see that lady over there," He pointed out towards a lady around her late 60s - 70s or so, sitting alone at a table as she looked through the menu. "She's our last customer. Go ask her what she would like to order- and take this pen and notepad."

I grabbed the things he gave me, not sparing a second other than to stroll my way over to the table the lady was sat on.

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine as she set the menu down and had directed her attention towards me.

I forced a smile to emerge on my face, making it seem most reliable and polite. I knew that I had to get used to this; smiling at every customer no matter how fake I have to make it. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, well... I'll have a cup of coffee along with a sugar free donut with lots of sprinkles."

I jotted down her request, doubtful that adding the sprinkles was going to make a difference whether the donut had sugar or not. "M'am, are you sure you want it with sprinkles- that's sugar."

Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration, obviously bewildered. "What do you mean?"

I had my suspicions that when you start to become elderly, you forget things easily. Actually, I didn't suspect it; it was already a fact.

"Well you asked me to add sprinkles to your sugar-free donut. Sprinkles are sugar. Are you sure you want this?"

She suddenly caught up, laughing it off. "Oh no, take out the sprinkles!"

I couldn't help but to mentally laugh in my head at the helpless old lady, yet feel bad.

"Alright." I smiled, "I'll come back in a few with your order."

I walked back towards the counter, finding George and the same ginger-haired waitress making conversation. The bar was completely empty besides the lady I had just attended, which soon led me to think that they were just about to close.

George turned his attention towards me as I handed him the notepad. "I insisted she not take the sprinkles." I grinned.

He observed the notepad, taking a look at what she requested. "Did she ask for sprinkles?"

"Well, yeah... But she also asked for the donut to be sugar free. That wasn't going to work out." I stated simply.

"I always say that the customer is always right, but in cases like this; not always." He looked to the waitress as she nodded, like as if she came to know how he ran this place. "Anyways, you're hired. You'll be working different shifts of cleaning, bar-tending, and as a waitress. You can start on Monday- any questions?"

Monday wasn't too far long, maybe a couple days or so. I can wait.

I smiled at him before shaking my head, not having any questions. It was easy getting a job. It really wasn't even hard. But considering the small town, I didn't expect it to be that hard.

After a couple minutes, we had the lady's order ready and I walked over to her table once again, and setting it down right in front of here. "Here you go." I smiled.

"Thank you. You're such a lovely young lady." Her voice was shaky and quiet, sounding faint from her lack of energy. "You know, you remind me so much of me when I was younger; blonde, pretty hair and very attractive for most guys."

Her compliment stood sweet as she paused for a brief second. "But don't ever let a man boss you around and think he owns you."

My smile turned expressionless as I was shocked by how relevant her words were to my situation. "Um, thank you... Enjoy your coffee." I stammered, walking back quickly to my two acquaintances.

I realized how the waitress began to take off her apron as she also took off her name tag that I hadn't bothered to take an interest at before, now realizing that her name was Kate. She put her hair up in a ponytail tiredly- I figured that it must of been a long day by how exhausted she looked.

After grabbing her stuff, she quickly directed towards me. "So hiya, newbie." She grinned.

"I'm George Quince, the manager/boss, and she's Kate, one of our waitresses. We do have a couple more employees that you'll meet monday." He chirped in, informing me. "We should probably know your name before we go any further."

I though for a moment- weirdly hesitant about my name. Debating whether it would be wrong or not to go along with what I was thinking, but I mindlessly spilt out what I thought would be best.

"Kristen." I spoke. "Kristen Rhodes."

The name had carelessly appeared in my head. Whether it was the truth or not, it was my safest bet. Yes, my real name was Amanda Becker. But those simple two words could ruin the plan of me starting all over. I didn't want to be Amanda Becker anymore; in other words, known as Ryan Becker's wife.

I was now Kristen Rhodes; A single waitress at Silver Moon Bar & Grill in North, Carolina.

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A/N: I will update Mondays & Fridays, just like 'Love Bites' :) hope you like the chapter! Comment & vote! xx

*Dedication to nicest commenter*

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