She Gets What She Wants [Watty's 2016-2018]

Chapter 34

Jade starts sending me texts right away, demanding to know where I've gone to and if I'm out of mind for leaving the event of the season. She says if I don't turn back now, then I'm not going to get my personalized Santa hat that she orders for every year's Christmas party.

But I don't reply.

Of course I lied about having a ride, so I'm walking home underneath a nice light drizzle. I turn my attention to the way the drops are hitting my face in attempt to stray myself away from thoughts of Jordan.

Things didn't end ugly. But the weight on my shoulders hasn't been fully lifted. I'm still carrying mixed emotions that need to be dealt with later. If I go home I'll have no choice but to face things, so I need to be somewhere where the atmosphere is so loud you could mistake it for a club.

***

Luckily, I'm not too soaked when I arrive at "Tina's," the place Hailey spends most of her time at away from school. I'm supposed to come the day after tomorrow for our chili cheese fries date, but to be honest I could really use them right now. There's nothing better to eat when contemplating life than those fries.

We don't have a usual booth. It's more like sit wherever you can before someone decides it's their turn to. Hailey and I usually find a secure spot in the kitchen, while the cooks crack jokes about their boss, Regina. "Tina's" was built decades ago, but remains a family business. Which is why no one's afraid of taking a jab at her. Especially Ronnie, who's married to her brother. Ronnie and his husband are polar opposites, but somehow it works. Ronnie is this loud spirit while Carl is too shy to muster a greeting to even the people he knows. Hell, Ronnie probably said "I do" for the both of them at their wedding.

And even though barks back snarky remarks at Ronnie, we all know she loves him. Also, business wouldn't be as great without him so...

I fish two bobby pins out of my pocket and clip my frizzed bangs to the side. The heat from the kitchen instantly hits me face. And the smell of fried chicken, burgers, and sight of shakes on the counter welcomes me like a second home.

You would think that I met Hailey at school, but actually it was here. Chris had come to this place with his friend, and had reported back to me saying how he'd found the best fish and chips joint in the world even though he's never been out of the state. After hearing this and rolling my eyes, he dragged me to "Tina's." I didn't know Hailey worked there until a couple of visits later since she worked irregular hours.

Chris's unfaltering appreciation and boasting about the cooking earned us a free meal from Regina that day.

Nowadays, Chris stays away from anything fried claiming that the life of a fast food cook changes you. With the exception of burgers, he says.

The main cashier, Georgia with the red hair, waves to me as she hands someone their receipt and change.

I peek around, dodging waiters and loud conversations. Most of the time, the cliental is over thirty at this hour so it's easy to avoid the gossiping eyes of teenagers. Not that many eat here anyway.

Hailey happens to be one of the workers that isn't in the family, so Regina doesn't feel that bad when she has her working so much. If it weren't for the good pay, Hailey might have not stayed long enough for me to have ever met her.

But I don't see her which is strange. If she's not here, then where? Could she be home?

Would she ditch work to be out with Cole?

Maybe they're more serious than I thought.

Gurl, what you think? They're a couple so why wouldn't she leave work to be with him?

True.

Plus it's not like she expected me to come on a Wednesday.

And she can do what she wants.

So can I, so I'm going to eat and maybe walk some more.

You have no other choice then to walk stupid. You don't have a ride.

I feel weird going to the kitchen alone, so I settle for a chair at a small table against the wall that's next to a picture of a turtle. It was taken by Regina, manager and amateur photographer.

After eating my food alone, and distracting myself by playing games on my phone, I leave without ever seeing Hailey.

At home I distract myself with homework assignments that have been handed out by selfish teachers that think Winter break means they're allowed to break our souls with essays and reading material.

I keep ignoring the persistent texts blowing up my phone, and for a moment I think that Jade might just pay me a visit to get an explanation for my MIA behavior. For a moment though. Knowing she has spa appointments and hang outs with her friends keeps me from expecting her to come through the door uninvited. Jordan sends me one text hoping I have a good holiday and nothing more. And I still don't hear from Hailey. Even on actual Christmas when I go to "Tina's" again, she's not around. The restaurant was as packed as Regina hoped it would be for being Christmas day, and if any of the workers hadn't had their hands full, I'd actually have asked someone if they knew where Hailey went.

It wasn't until I got a call from a number I didn't recognize that my stomach fell from fear.