Just One More Mistake (Carziger)

2.

¤ Cody ¤

Curling into the red diner seat, I run my gaze over the menu I've already seen millions of times before. It was almost unbelievable the amount of times someone can repeat the same action over and over, and still enjoy themselves.

I wasn't planning on eating anything, I was just wasting time. In an hour or so I'll probably leave a twenty dollar bill on the table and call it a day. Something about this place is just so relaxing. I'm just drawn to it. All the waiters and waitresses knew me more then just a first name basis. From time to time they'd walk up to me and have a small conversation on their breaks. I've always liked it. The crappy songs they played over and over again held some kind of relaxer. It made a feeling of calm, complete, and total bliss.

But something was off today. The air smelled bitter, and the sky looked too perfect. When a woke up I had this knotted feeling in my stomache, like something bad was about to happen. Not even the usual peace of the restaurant helped.

I dropped the manu down, sending a plastic smacking noise across the empty diner, and ran a hand through my hair.

I've been waiting all day for something terrible to come attack me and it was pissing me off that it was just lingering there, a predator stalking the prey. I pushed out a breath, taking my straw wrappings, folding them into little bits then organizing them by size.

The classic ringing of a bell signaled everyons in the vicinity someone had walked in. The employees flew over trying to be the first one to the new customer. My brain was too busy with the little slips of paper to care.

"Hello Sir and welcome to Denny's, how may I help you?" I think her name is Angelica chirped. She was always peppy, had a certain spark to her.

"Uh, just some water, please?" A weak little voice said. Wait. I knew that sweet little voice. I finally felt a smile on my face.

I turned my head up and saw the one and only Maxx, spelled with two 'X's because he's special. His messy bleach hair was flopped over his eyes, blocking his view of me. I droped the straw's corpse, and threw my hand up, calling his name in a whisper "Hey, Maxx! Over here." It didn't even phase the drummer. "Maxx!" I said more stern. He fliched away, but still turned toward me.

I gave him a grin. I swear Maxx let out a sigh of relief before signaling the waitress where he planned on going.

Maxx quickly slid into the seat, resting his elbows on the seat. I almost couldn't see them with the giant jacket he wore.

I leaned forward, closer to him and asked, "What the hell are you doing here? I called you earlier but you said you were with Austin, so..." Maxx's usually bright eyes dimmed at the mention of his boyfriend. They immediately lit back up as he replied, "Yeah... Well were watching a movie and it ended." Maxx moved his arms off the table, looking off at the sugar packets.

My face scrunched in confusion, "For a glass of water? Dude, you cannot shit a shitter, come on, I want whole story," I rested my head in my hand, "Cough it up."

The boy stayed silent. Any color in his skin was gone.

"Hello? Ma-"

That's when I saw it. His hair wasn't purposefully moved to cover his eyes, it was stuck to something. My blood froze. I cautiously reached over the table and moved over the strands of hair.

I wanted to puke at the sight.

Maxx's normally colorless hair was ever so generously stained with dryed blood. A fresh 'L' shaped gash covered his temple, bleeding slowly. This didn't happen on accident.