Late (p.w)

twenty four - horror & cologne

i try to hold in my laughter as my pen scrapes the stack of paper on my pad. my phone has been vibrating non stop, which makes me giggle because it's not only tickling my hip but also i know exactly who's calling me.

harry and i have been conversing via text this whole morning and afternoon to the point where my mom got annoyed with me and told me to put my phone away for the rest of the day, now he's purposely calling me just to tempt me.

"i'll be right back with your orders." i tell the grandma and granddaughter as i lean over to the counter so i have a more firm base to write on and so i can let out my stifled laughter a little bit.

"whitnee do i need to tell you to turn off your phone if it's being that distracting for you?" my mother threatens.

"no, i'm not even on it." i say.

"who's even texting you that much?" my mother asks.

"i don't know mom, how am i supposed to know if i'm not on my phone?" i testify.

she stops speaking and i rip the piece of paper from writing pad and hand it to her.

i scan the cafe with my eyes to look for anymore costumers and i see that i've served them all. i can use the small amount of free time i have to call harry to tell him to leave me alone.

i go to where the bathrooms are and lightly jiggle the doorknob to see if it's occupied. i feel that it's locked so i quickly go to a blind spot where my mom won't be able to see me and i call harry.

"hey." harry says smoothly, as i hear a bunch of screaming in the background.

"what's happening?" i stammer.

"oh nothing, i'm watching a horror movie." he says calmly.

"are you sure?" i says skeptically.

i hear him let out a long sigh and groan before i hear my phone ring again. i take my phone away from my ear and see that he's trying to face time me. before i'm able to decline or answer i hear my mother scream my name causing me to flinch.

i hurriedly decline and turn off my phone before nearly running to the front counter.

"i told you to leave your phone alone." she says angrily.

"i was." i lie.

"then what were you doing then? where were you?" she seethes.

"i was just staring outside, looking at how the birds have more freedom than me." i mumble.

"what was that?" i mom asks.

"i was just looking outside." i retort whilst grabbing the tray.

my mom has managed to make this place a living hell for me. i used to enjoy coming to work so much, things were actually fun, a lot of hard work yes, but fun. i enjoyed taking orders from tons of happy costumers, i enjoyed being together with my mother and father. i enjoyed coming up with different drink ideas along with my father. i enjoyed seeing my mother plan the whole aesthetic of the shop, and seeing her being legitimately happy to be here. now it just seems like it's a burden to her, like it's just a way to get some extra cash, it's been like this since she's added sandwiches to our menu, hell she's been like that since my dad left.

~

by a minute passed five, the last of our costumers leave and i take my apron off while my mother grabs her duffel bag and goes to the bathroom to change into her scrubs.

i hate to think that i spoke too soon when i was happy about the boost of costumers coming after the party. i really had hope that people were going to start coming again, and that things are going to go back to the way things were, but what if they never are? i am just being oblivious and naive for thinking that things can possibly go back to the way they were. is that what my mother has already realized?