The Secret Diary of Emily Carlton

Chapter Four

I try to act calm as I'm waiting tables at the local diner. But it's really hard when I see himsitting at a nearby table. At one of my tables. Justin. I try to compose myself, and act normal. I walk over to his table and take out my pad and pencil. 

"What can I get you, sir?" Justin looked up and raised an eyebrow. "I'm required to call all customers either 'sir' or 'ma'am' and I figured you'd rather be a 'sir'." I explained. 

"Ah, well, then I'll have an espresso, black, no sugar or cream." He said. "Ma'am." 

"Okay, coming right up. Would you like anything else with that?" 

"A date with the waitress? Tonight, at eight? Dinner and a movie?" I look at him. He seems dead serious. I smile. 

"I think that can be arranged." I say as I walk away to fix his order. I am in a trance for the rest of my shift. A happy, peppy trance. As soon as my shift is over I take out my phone and call Piper. 

"What's up?" She says, a little worried. 

"You'll never guess what just happened to me. Go on, guess." I say, still giddy. 

"You had some happy gas, making you insane?" 

"JUSTIN ASKED ME OUT!" I practically scream into the phone. 

"Shut up." 

"I'm serious. We're going to dinner and a movie tonight at eight." I say walking into my house.

"I want all of the details tonight, do you understand?" 

"Yup, will do." I walk into my room and go straight to my closet. "What am I going to wear?" 

"Hold on, I'll be right over." Piper says and hangs up. I close my phone and toss it on my bed. A few minutes later, Piper walks in to see the new mess I created, consisting entirely of my closets contents. "Wow. I didn't know that you had this much stuff."

"Whatever. Just help me!" 

"Okay, okay. First off, calm down." I took two deep breaths. "Second, do you know where you two are going?" 

"No." 

"Then go with a jean skirt with pleats. It's casual, yet somewhat elegant, so whether he takes you to the diner or another restaurant, you'll be ready. And here, this'll bring out your eyes." She said, tossing me both a skirt and a light green blouse I didn't even know I had. Then she tosses me a pair of sandals with some beading on them. 

I changed and did my hair and makeup, under Piper's watchful eye. Soon Justin is at my door. I follow him to his car. The movie ends up being sold out, so we just go straight to Applebee's. While we wait for our food, we flirt shamelessly. When our food comes, we basically ignore it and continue talking. 

At one point, I look around the restaurant, and my heart nearly stops. Sitting not even ten feet away at the bar, is a man in a brown trench coat. He is turned around looking at me directly. And he is the guy that was outside of the tree house a few days ago. I gasp and turn back to Justin, but he followed my gaze and is now staring at the man.

"Who is he, Li?" He asks, not taking his eyes off. 

"Um, no one. Just some guy I guess." I say weakly. 

"Why is he staring at you then?" 

"I don't know, maybe I look familiar to him?" 

"So you know him then, that's why he'd recognize you?" 

"No! What I meant was, maybe I look like someone he knows." 

"I think that we should go home." I nodded. 

Justin pays the check and we start to leave. But when I pass the man, he says, "Be careful who you trust." and then turns back to the bar.