House Rules

Chapter 1: Just wait

Love was one son of a bitch. Still is of course. But my god was she worth every part of this soul wrenching, destruction that some call paradise, me of course I call it my home away from hell. Or if it's easier to remember, her eyes.

They were brown. And no not those brown eyes with specks of gold or green in them. Just a dark brown, although they turned into a lighter brown when the sun hit them and she squinted her eyes, still smiling. Then she would curse the darn fireball for being at the right place at the wrong time. I knew I loved her at these times.

You know you love someone when-- well you'll find out. Let's start with the girl that fucked me up, almost literally. Her name? Monica.

----1 year ago----

"Danny! Shut the fuck up no one cares!" I yell at the fry boy aka Danny my best friend in this whole run down burger joint. "Well Jesse if you would pick up a fucking book instead of jerking off maybe you would care!" He says as I hear the sizzle of a burger hit the stove. I turn around from my cash register to see him adjusting his glasses in the most cocky way possible, before releasing a laugh.

"Oh come on Danny you know you'd like to." I say as I wiggle my brows towards my friend as he rolled his eyes in an disgusted manner. "Shut the hell up." "Is that all you know how to say?" I laugh "no I mean it shut up a car just pulled up. I'm pretty sure a mother with two kids doesn't want to hear about your snake of a penis." I chuckled and jumped over the counter tightening my hat onto my head making it look like I was ready for duty.

I looked over at Danny, I smirked "watch me become employee of the month." I whisper as I hear the bell above the door ring. I look up with a dazzling smile upon my face, back straight and a sturdy welcoming voice "hello and welcome to Papi's Sizzlin' Burgers. Home of the original Sizzling sliders. What can I get for you on this sizzling summer afternoon?" I wanted to punch myself in the face for being so cheery.

Long story short the woman order two ice creams for her kids and they went about their day. Once they left I laid upon the counter and acted out of breathe. I heard what sounded like Danny walk over, "what the hell is wrong with you." His voice sounded much like a woman's. "Danny boy please. I'm parched get me a lemonade." I say still not looking at him waving him off to do the deed. "Really?" Oh lord.

I shifted my head up and made eye contact with a pair of green eyes with long fake eye lashes attached to them, an excess of blue eyeshadow surrounding them with smeared eyeliner to match. That's when I felt my stomach do a flip. "Matilda!" I say with a happy smile "get the hell off my counter!" I quickly rolled off hitting my kneecap on the way down "shit." I say under my breath "Watch your damn language. We work in family restaurant dumbass." I look up at her recognizing the irony in her statement.

"We have costumers. Now put on that cherry attitude you had a while ago and do something that doesn't make me wanna throw you into the fry oil." I stood up and saluted her causing her to shake her head and return to her office.

I grab my hat off the ground and dust it off as I place it on my head. I jumped back over the counter. I hear the bell ring from the door, I prepare to type in an order.

I look up to see a gorgeous girl, she was much like a tall, cool glass of water. Except she was short. Like really short. But like a comfortable short that you wanna stick in your pocket. Sorry my words tend to get jumbled when I look at beautiful people.

She removed her fluorescent sunglasses and placed them in her small shoulder purse. She walked over to me, a small smile on her face. She was like a dream. Like a fantasy. Like a-- "hello?" I shake my head and I realize I had been staring this whole time. Good job Jesse, you've managed to look like a creep without saying a word.

"Sorry miss, what can I do for you?" I ask with a genuine smile this time. "I actually came to get a--" "sizzlin slider?" I fill in her sentence as she raises a brow and shakes her head "no I--" "a chocolate covered ice cream cone? Chicken nuggets? A double--" "shut the hell up! I was trying to tell you that I'm here to apply for a job." I raise a brow "what?" I ask quietly. I was taken back, I blinked hard and fast to clear my eyes. I never did think such a harsh tone could come from such a gentle being "besides I'm a vegan anyway." I open my eyes wide "what the hell?" I say almost disgusted.

That's when the earthquake hit. "A girl?! Working here?!" Oh no that's just Matilda, she came rushing through basically sending me over the counter, her eyes lit up like Christmas lights with the biggest smile I think I've ever seen from her. "Yes ma'am?" The girl says "well here let me just get you an appli--" she looked up at the girl with the application in hand and instantly tore it up. "Hell, we'll do it orally." She smiles grabbing a clipboard  and a pen.

I make my way to a table and chair as I smirk "did someone say oral?" I laugh. Danny comes up from the kitchen and glares at me. "Don't mind him, he's a natural douchebag." Danny says, causing the girl to giggle. Danny gave her a look, a look like have I seen you before? Boys please! I'm trying to give the lady her interview." Matilda says through her painful looking grin. Danny resting himself on the counter, slyly admiring the girls figure.

"How old are you?" Matilda begins "I'm 17." Good the cutie is still in school. "What is your work background, if any?" "I use to be an assistant manager at the grocery story down on 13th and main, and I coordinated the entire senior prom when I was just a freshman." Oh god she's an overachiever... well wait a second I could use that. "Okay well last but not least would you like to be a cashier or a fry cook?" "Cashier."

Wait what?! Wait why am I saying this in my head? "Wait what?! Matilda! You can't just ask someone that!" I protest "well too bad I just did!" She says as she throws her clipboard into her office. "Now pick up your shit and get it ready for... I'm sorry sweetie I didn't quite catch your name." Her tone completely changed when speaking to the mystery girl. "I'm Monica." She smiles. "Monica. You can start tomorrow." Matilda led on a smile towards Monica as she cheered for her new found position in my beloved station. "Now I'll be reduced to fry cook like Danny." "Hey!" "Shit. Sorry Danny I didn't mean it." I say cringing "shut the hell up Jesse." He says as he returns to the kitchen. Monica gathers herself, saying a few thank you's to Matilda and goes along with her day.

Once she was out of sight Matilda shot a glare into my soul. I knew I couldn't argue so I simply accepted defeat by grabbing a napkin off one of the tables and waved them in the air as a surrender. I returned to the counter. "Good boy. Now grab your shit." "Damn for such a family friendly restaurant there is an awful lot of profanity around here." I say in the most annoying manner possible.

I felt something hit the back of my neck "ow." I look down to see it's a frozen crinkle cut French fry. I turn around to see Danny glaring at me "oh come on! Danny! My boy!" he simply shook his head and went back to the stove "geez... the kitchen is gonna suck." That's when another crinkle cut French fry hit me on my forehead "DANNY!"