I Hate You, but I Love You!

Chapter 22: Chloe's nightmare

It was 9PM. My shift was finally over.

"Eyo Chloe," Diego called. Whenever he called my name it was always in a higher pitch than usual. He walked a little faster in order to catch up to me to the employee's room. "Today was crazed. Since when is this diner so damn popular?"

I laughed as I zipped my bag. "Hey, I don't know about you, but I'm enjoying the extra tips."

He kissed his teeth toward the ground. "Yeah, but that's cuss you're tall, white and pretty. People - as in dudes - soak that shit up."

I didn't really know what to say to that, so I tried to make a joke instead as I passed him. "Maybe you should start wearing a dress then?"

He grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Hey, wait up!" He assembled his stuff rather quickly in order to catch up with me again. "Headed in da same direction."

We were walking out the main entrance instead of the employee's back door. Once outside, Diego noticed that I wasn't going towards the parking lot. The night was cool and dark, the streetlights doing a terrible job at illuminating the street. It was kind of creepy looking when you thought about it.

"Ey Chloe? Where's your car?" Diego asked, looking in the direction of the parking lot.

"It's uh, getting fixed. I'm taking the bus instead."

"Same here, yo!" He grinned as he walked beside me. A part of me breathed a sigh of relief that someone I knew was coming with me. Another part told me to shut up and get over myself.

"So how ya doin', Chloe?" Diego asked, probably to avoid a weird silence.

"I'm okay. How are you doing?"

"Meh, I've been better. Lemma tell ya, rent has been an absolute bitch."

"I'd drink to that."

"Pfft, yeah. I still live with mama and my baby brother Mateo, and life isn't easy. You live on your own?"

"Pretty much. I'm thinking of moving, though."

"You don't have a roommate or nothing?"

"No. I like being on my own better." Diego didn't need to know too much about me.

"Damn. Life must be good then, with all that freedom and shit. Lots of responsibility, eh?"

"Yeah. But I'm used to it. Life's good that way."

"Huh," he said as we reached the bus stop, "Mama would never let me move out. Not until Mateo is old enough to help around."

"In a way that's good, though. You support each other."

"Eh, guess so. Your folks cool with you living on your own at like, 19?

"Yep." I said, not even hesitating.

"It must be pretty sweet having 'em as parents."

"It's the best." I said it dismissively, but even I could hear the bitter edge to my tone. Diego sensed the awkward tension and decided to change the subject.

"Huh. Anyway, Linda seems to really like ya."

"I suppose so."

"'I suppose so'" Diego imitated jokingly. "You got that lady wrapped around your skinny damn finger. What's you secret?"

I laughed. "I don't have one. I just work a lot."

"Rumour has it got a raise. A nice big one too."

I hesitated before I said, "Yeah, it was really kind of her to do that."

"You think that maybe, you can, you know, put in a good word for me next time you talk ta her?"