Handwritten (One Shot Collection)

I Will Put You Back Together: Part II

Trigger warning for severe depression and self mutilation.

***

"Art, that's what you are. It's what you've always been Lauren; it's what you were born to be. You should know that even angels break sometimes."

~ Week 3 ~

Jotting down the last of the orders, I sent the family that was seated around the far booth a sweet smile, flipping the front cover of my tiny dollar-store notepad closed and returning to the kitchen. A small carousel sat near the delivery window, holding a variety of notepad pages covered in messy writing. "Another seafood pasta" I grinned, latching my own slip of paper up onto the carousel. "Good luck Mani!"

"Ugh." Normani, one of the restaurants most treasured chefs groaned over the sound of oil sizzling away in a pan. "I get the damn garlic all up in my nails Mila, you have no idea the level of my pain."

"Less complaining, more cooking." I teased, throwing her a wink and turning re-emerge in the main room. I was stopped again, screeching to a halt as a fresh basket of bread was offered out to me, the white fluffy slices of baguette were topped with a number of butter cubes.

"Camila, table three needs more bread."

I looked up to a friendly face. "Dinah Jane, table three has had four of these things now, there's no way they need any more bread."

"Mila, what did we say about insulting the customers?"

"It's only okay after the dinner rush." I rolled my eyes, grabbing the basket and happily prancing over to the table and placing it in front of the bread-loving family. I proceeded to top off some diners with ice water before returning to the space behind the bar. Dinah was filling a few tall glasses with a cold dark liquid, garnishing one with a slice of lemon and popping in a straw.

"Hey, your drop dead gorgeous girlfriend is here." She nudged me as I walked past. Glancing up to the restaurant entrance, my heart skipped at least three beats when I saw Lauren step through the front doors. Embarrassingly enough, the green eyed girl had been the only thing on my mind for every waking minute of the day, whether I was with her or not. I had become easy teasing material with the rest of my friends.

Lauren's progress was going well, not a single relapse since the night at the hospital. Things were becoming visibly brighter for her, in a way that was different from her recovery before.

"We don't use the word girlfriend, you know that Dinah." I shot back, ripping my gaze away from the girl before grabbing a set of rolled up cutlery and heading over. I could hear the exuberant blonde girl snicker behind me, and flashed a glare at her over my shoulder.

"Hey." I approached Lauren before the hostess could say a word, taking her by the arm. "You made it."

"Of course." The girl nodded, smiling a sweet hello. "I was afraid I would be too early. I'm really nervous."

"Oh you're fine, don't be." I led her over to the corner of the restaurant, seating her in a booth that was tucked away from the crazy volume that came from the eager sports-goers at the bar. "This is going to be really fun, Gabe is the sweetest kid on earth, and I know he's going to love you."

"I don't know Camila." Lauren shed her leather jacket, revealing an unbuttoned, dark red flannel overtop a loose black top that left her tattooed chest exposed. "I'm not really a loveable person."

"Not true." I placed my hand on her good shoulder, leaning down and kissing the side of her head. "By the way no menus for you tonight. You're dining based on my recommendations."