The Story of Griffin Hawkins

Chapter Twenty-Eight

2016 Copyright All Rights Reserved

Unedited, first draft

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Week Eight

Wednesday

By nine in the evening, the restaurant was fairly slow. Kirsten was working in the kitchen and I had been cut. I was the next server to leave with how slow it was. I sat in the closed section of the restaurant, finishing up my chores. I folded flatware into the napkins as I waited for the food I had ordered.

I sat in the corner, able to see any customers that walked into the door. While I continued busy work, I figured I could at least people watch. I didn't expect to see her walk in the door. And even more so, I didn't expect her to make eye contact to me and walk straight for me.

Tasha. The one who broke Griffin's heart in high school. Her hair was pinned up into a ponytail with a few strands flailing around her face. She overdid her make up today, heavy on the blue eye shadow and black eye liner. Her skin was dry, with multiple lesions from her picking at her face. She grinned mischievously, showing her yellowed teeth.

Once upon a time, I could see what Griffin saw, but that beauty was long gone because of the drugs. She looked exactly like the drug addicts people watched on TV. Considering I had watched those shows, I knew that addicts could be hostile and violent people. I was confused and cautious at her approach.

"Cadence," Her voice was gravelly. She plopped herself right down in the chair across from me.

"How do you know who I am?" I asked and she smirked.

"You've been hanging around my guy." She stated.

"And how do you know that?"

She smiled again, "Some of Griffin's friends told me. They told me who you were and all about you, sweetheart."

I hated when people that didn't know me used terms of endearments. They are condescending coming from someone I don't know. "Okay? What's your point?" I questioned. The sooner she stated her business, the sooner she left.

"The point, honey, is that you need to stay away from him." Tasha informed me with a sweet tone.

"No worries there." I replied kindly.

"Good! We're on the same page then."

"Except..." I started and her smile dropped. "I'm not the one you need to worry about." Tasha's jaw clenched. "The problem is that Griffin has a hard time staying away from me."

Her expression changed to that of anger. "Listen here, you little bitch, you're going to stay away from him. He's mine. He's been mine since high school. I'm the only one who's ever had his heart and you'll never get it."

I chuckled, "According to Ansem, I already have."

"Ansem?"

"Griffin's brother?" I told her.

"You talked to him?" She asked with surprise.

"I met him last night."

"He's in town?" Her voice wavered to fear.

As soon as she asked, I didn't need to answer. My eyes moved to the front door of the restaurant. Griffin and Ansem walked in. They looked around and spotted me, but when they noticed who was across from me, both of their expressions turned deadly. Tasha's face paled in front of me as she saw them.