Selene didn’t know what was going on, but she figured that was probably for the best.
She was working the night shift at small diner that was open 24-hours in Manhattan. She didn’t dare look at the clock, afraid that she may pass out just from exhaustion if she were to check the time. And it didn’t help that the place was practically dead, and the only one working that night was her. It felt like she had been working non-stop all week; between this job, her waitressing job, her other odd jobs, and taking care of her sister, she was surprised she even had the energy to stand.
She was just glad that she was almost off; she needed to get back home to her sister. Selene just hoped that she hadn’t waited up for her again.
She sighed and rested her chin in her palm, brushing her bangs away from her face. The only thing that kept her awake—and somewhat amused—was watching the three teenagers who had been arguing outside the diner for a good half an hour.
She couldn’t hear a word they were saying, and she sucked at reading lips, but the wild and animated motions told her that something was up. She didn’t know what was going on, but she figured that was probably for the best.
They looked like they were in a heated argument, probably debating on where they should go out to eat because one of them—Selene had nicknamed him “Golden Boy”— kept pointing back at the diner while the other two—they looked a lot like brother and sister—shook their heads and pointed to some place down the street.
Honestly, what were those kids doing up this late? They looked like high school students, none any older than her, and they were all dressed in black; it was kind of a gothic punk style, she determined.
‘Shouldn’t they be out at a rave instead of eating at some crappy diner?’ Selene thought to herself.
Golden Boy looked like he was pleading with Blue Eyes, but the girl with ink black hair stepped between them and looked as if she were about ready to break both of their necks. Selene cracked a smile, her eyes drooping closed; they were all crazy. It was like she was watching a silent soap opera or something.
Then a girl with bright red hair appeared behind Golden Boy and she joined in the discussion. She looked apologetic, but also concerned. She turned to Golden Boy and it looked like she asked what was wrong, and he pointed behind him to the diner.
Fire Head—what Selene had nicknamed the red head—looked past Golden Boy and the two made brief eye contact for a moment. It jolted Selene awake when their eyes met; crap! Now it looked like she had been just staring at them this whole time! She quickly turned around to look at the cash register, check the cups under the counter, anything to make her look like she was busy!
When she dared to look again, it looked like Fire Head was reasoning with Golden Boy and actually getting through to him. It looked like he finally gave up, then he and Fire Head split up from the two siblings and went off on their separate ways.
Selene sighed, suddenly disappointed that her source of enjoyment was gone. Now what was she supposed to do for—she looked up at the clock and cringed; it was 1:30—the next half an hour until she gets off work?
The answer to that was sit in boredom, watching shady figures walk by, not even casting a glance inside the brightly lit diner that offered warmth from the chilly night air of the city. Occasionally someone would come in and ask for change or something like that, but that was about the extent of her night.
Ten minutes before she was supposed to get off, a man in a trench coat and a fedora hat came barging in, nearly breaking the glass door and knocking the bell right off its hook. It startled Selene so much that she dropped the tray of dishes that she decided to put in order for the person who had the shift after but that idea was shot to hell.
