Valarie
Chapter three
By: Amber Boles
Monday June 21, 1999 4:27 P.M.
Val is being walked through the process. Since she has a background from her Father's old restaurant when she was fourteen, she was hired instantly. Easy as pie. She teaches her teacher a few things along the way. Val makes a note to herself not to do that again.
5:01 P.M.
Val is on her own now. Clearing tables and whipping them down. She brings the dirty dishes to the kitchen, and the dish cleaner takes care of the rest. She was sure she'd have to clean them herself.
Val has to work fast. It's a busy night. Val rearranges tables, clears them. Rearrange. Clear. Over and over again until it's eleven, and ready to close up. She makes sure all the tables are right. Val turns to go back into the kitchen, but as she's about to go through the door, someone comes out and crashes into her.
Val falls on her bum. Ouch.
"I'm so sorry!" A boy not much older looks at her. Sympathy in his green eyes. He's very, very sorry.
He takes Val's hand and hoists her up. Apologizes again, and excuses himself and walks past her. Val barely saw his face. Just his profile, but he seems familiar some how. His voice defiantly not something she could pin point, but something about him. His build. Not fat, but not muscular, or thin. Sort of short...
Val would have to make not to find out his name. She finds a manager and asks for help to clock out. Someone helps her.
Val goes to the parking lot.
Anthony. They boy's name is Anthony. Val remembers now. She repeats it, trying to cement in in her memory.
Tuesday, June 22, 1999 10:20 A.M.
Val enters the establishment. The chairs are not arranged right, and tables are bare. Val clocks in ten minutes early, and finds the manager who is helping her out. Russ is his name. She asks around, and finds out Russ usually doesn't come in until it's officially his shift. Meaning Val has to wait a few minutes before he arrives.
Val sits in a chair at a table while she waits. The minutes tick my ever so slowly.
"Can I help you," asks a woman probably fresh out of college. Smacking her gum like a cow.
Val looks up and politely smiles. "I'm waiting for Russ." She looks away, almost certain the girl would just walk away.
"Well I need to fix the tables. Move." Her hands on her hips. Still chewing her gum like an idiot.
Val doesn't have time to make enemies. So she says: "Oh, I'm sorry." And walks away.
Images fly by behind her eyes. Yelling. Samantha yelling. At Val. Gum-girl's name is Samantha. Not matter how hard Val tries, This Samantha girl is bound to be her enemy.
"Great," Val mutters to no one.
10:29 A.M.
Russ walks through the door, and clocks in just in time. He tells Val to wrap up utensils. He shows her the technique. Val catches on fast. By eleven, when the restaurant opens, she is done, and places them in the bins under the podium.
Anthony walks in the restaurant. Apologizes for being late. Russ tells him it's the last time, next time he's fired. Anthony nods, then catches Val's eye. Only for a second, but She knows he feels it too. That strange feeling you get when you lock eyes with someone for a millisecond, and you both know it.
He disappears into the kitchen, and that was the last Val saw of him for the afternoon until her shift was over. They got off at the same time. Val tries to walk as slowly as she can to the door, she see's Anthony heading for it at the same time. She has the weird feeling they would make it to the door at the same time. Awkward.
Anthony makes it to the door first, and gets into his old beat up... What ever make of car it is. That hideous. Val hops on her motorcycle, and coincidently, she stops at a red light just behind Anthony.
He slowly creeps forward as the other cars ahead turn when the light turns green. Val starts moving too. But Anthony changes his mind. Stops. Crash. Val barely taps his car, but leaves a dent in the back. Not that you could tell with all the other previous dents and scratches. She had to stop and talk to him anyway. She searches for the orange triangle button she heard you were supposed to press when you were in an accident. Kickstand down.
Middle school. She was in sixth grade, Anthony in eighth. It was the sixth-eighth grade Music theory/chorus class. There weren't many electives to choose from. She never spoke to Anthony. People them knew him as Tony. Wonders if they still do. His hair is longer now.
Tony get out of his car and gives an apologetic look. "I didn't mean to stop. I just..." Doesn't know what to say.
Val laughs. She wonders if Tony knows it's legally not his fault. He was the victim. Val keeps her mouth shut for now. She's going to compromise.
"Tony, right?" Val asks approaching him. She hold her hand out for a hand shake.
Tony gives a strange look. "It's Anthony. Hasn't been Tony in years." He shakes her hand. "Looks I'm real sorry, did I dent you bike?" He takes a better look at Val's bike. "Is it new?"
"Yes, it is. And no, there's no damage on my bike, but yours..." Val doesn't know how to even ask to forget about it. His car was barely changed. Who could tell she hit him?
"Do you just want to..." Anthony want's to forget about it too. Would that be rude?
"Forget about it." They say in unison. They also sigh in unison. Relived.
"No insurance companies?" Val asks. Her uncle would kill her.
"No, I'm fine with it, if you are."
They shake one it.
5:14 P.M.
Val takes a nap. She's just resting her eyes. Honest.
