ALONE

-EIGHTEEN-

After an hour of work a familiar face arrived wearing an apron to fit the job.

Ian.

She already had to spend tomorrow with him, why must he persist on ruining her day? "What's up your ass sideways?" He asked insensitively with his signature smirk cemented to his face.

"Asshole." She sneered at him, then sighed,"Please just give me a break for the night. I just had the worst halve hour if my life, and I have to spend tomorrow with you." Her chest tightened and angry tears spilt on her flustered cheeks from everything that'd happened the last couple hours. She whipped at them angrily.

He put his hands up in defeat. "Whatever, just trying to be funny. Sorry." He sauntered off to the back.

God the nerve.

"Ma'am?" somebody wanted their order taken. "Ma'am?"

"Sorry." She apologized as realistically as possible. Tonight was going to be very, very long.

While she made a sandwich, Ian bumped her shoulder, and she dropped the bread. As she was sweeping, he knocked her over and didn't even notice. Then when she was taking a coffee around to a customer, he "accidentally" spilt the hot drink all over her. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her. The only sound was the indie song playing threw the speakers. After what seemed forever, Ian cracked along with nearly everyone else. They laughed at Mea.

That was it. She ran to the back threw the apron in a washer, and took a sheet to resign. Filling it out as fast as she could her mind wondered. Where would she work? She left out the back greeted by the dumpster and the nights darkness. Her breaths danced swirling patterns into the night, visible as she walked under the buzzing street lights. Cars zoomed past her. She sat down and pulled out her phone to tell Rey not to come. As she pressed send, a familiar truck, that had just been smashed to oblivion, pulled to the side of the cracked rode. Ian hoped out and spoke over the traffic. "Im really surprised you didn't go all "supernatural ape shit" in there."

She just put a two choice fingers to him. She was fighting tears that kept coming and her chest was so tight if she opened her mouth she'd crumble on the spot. "I wouldn't even know how."

"That's what tomorrows for. Here hop in." He stepped out and opened the door for her. The lulling of being as an ocean played around her, and he was almost glowing. Mea couldn't help but let out a laugh. "What?" he asked looking puzzled, his eye brows knit in confusion. "Somethings on my face right?"

Mea shook her head and looked out the open window. "You're glowing." She laughed as she said it. Cool air engulfed her as he sped down the empty rode, and it felt nice.

When she turned to look at his reaction, he was smiling, and his eyes twinkled. "That's my aura." He said smiling wider.

She laughed again. "Isn't that mystical crap those wise asses talk about to get money for looking at your hands?"

Now Ian laughed. "It's not all bull. Since your like me you see auras. It'll make more sense tomorrow." Mea decided that maybe tomorrow wouldn't be as horrific as she thought.

As they pulled up to her house, she saw her sisters car, and also noticed neither if her parents vehicles where there. It was almost ok. As long as her sister wasn't in a bitchy mood. "Well thanks for the random act if kindness. What time tomorrow?" Mea asked unbuckling her seat belt.

"I'll be here at six am sharp," Mea groaned. "Depending on how you act will contradict when you get to go home. Wear something your comfortable in." Ian sounded all business.

Mea thought about it before getting out. At least I wont have to be home. "Alright. Six."

•••••••••

Walking into her house, Mea felt the leftover tangible tension her parents created. She felt terrible for her father. "Hello?" Her voice reverberated through the house. "Tiff?" She called again. She heard the record player in Tiffany's room upstairs and decided to go that way.

"Mea? That you?" Her sister was on her back in her old room listening to The Beatles. She wore black skinny jeans and a cream wrap sweater. Her bleached hair was in a top not and she wore her glasses with no makeup, and a read nose, meaning she cried. So she'd talked to mummy dearest.

"Tiff!" She laid down and hugged her older sister. "You ok?"

"Mum, she's a real bitch. I'm sorry we aren't as close, and that I've always taken advantage of her favouritism game, but I've really missed you Mea."

"I missed you too." Mea allowed a single tear to role down her cheek.

Then her sister sighed. "I'm going to Africa."

Mea laughed and then stopped seeing her sisters face. "You'r serious."

"I dropped out of Uni, and joined the peace core. I'm going to go and give a hand." She stated it as though it wasn't a big deal.

Mea hugged her tighter, and they sat like that for a while. "I'm proud of you." Mea finally said. "When do you leave?"

Her sister sighed and avoided eye contact. "Three am."

Mea sat up and brushed a hand through her hair nodded her head, opened her mouth to say something and stopped herself. "When are you back?"

"Oh I'm sorry Meata, I really wish I could tell you but it's an open ended trip." Her sister sat up.

Mea sighed a good long sigh. "Ok-" pause, "So I'm gonna have a shower and crash-" pause, "Send pictures." She spoke through clenched teeth. Tears spilt as she stood up and walked away from her stressed looking sister.

Mea silently prayer she could be strong tonight. Strong enough not to make the same damn mistake she always made.

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AN: Thank you to all who actually reads this! I love ya. Comment thought, ideas, dislikes, questions, etc. Please and thanks! <3