Moving Forward

Four- New Friend

It turned out Zayn and I had a class together. I was in advanced math. So it was a Junior and Senior class. He apparently is a Senior. Most of what we did today was get papers explaining the class and the teachers rules. We had third period together. And I chuckled when he just balled his up and threw them both in the trash can. But just as he was about to leave the class the teacher called him over. I was still organising my stuff and putting it away, so I could hear what they were saying.

"Zayn, you do realize that is supposed to be signed by a parent and returned to me before the end of the month, right? Or you will get a zero." Mrs. Adamson said cockily.

"And Mrs. Adamson, you do realize that I live alone and both my parents are unavailable to sign a stupid class paper telling me about rules that I don't care about, right?" He mocked back, crossing his arms tightly over his broad chest.

"Then have them call." She persisted a little less cockily this time.

"I can't. They can't call you." He glowered.

"Oh? And why is that Mr. Malik?" She asked, doubtful that he would have a good reason.

"Because they're dead! There you happy? Now I'm leaving." He stormed out leaving her behind shocked, and speechless. I rushed out after him. Hoping he still planned on telling me where Dave's was.

"Hey," I began as I jogged trying to keep up with him, and just about ran into him because he halted and turned on his heels when I called out. Startled, I slid and ended up falling backwards in order to not bump into him.

"What?" He glared and spat harshly. That is, until he saw me on the floor. "Oh, sorry." He offered a hand to help me up, which I took graciously.

"It's fine, um would you please tell me how to get to Dave's restaurant?"

"Yeah, we just get on bus T and it takes us right across the street." He said. "You can sit with me if you want. Your better company than most of these petty preppy girls."

"Oh, no I need actual directions... I drove to school. I can give you a ride if you need it." I offered.

"Oh, yeah. I'd like not having to deal with the jocks on the bus who think they're bad ass, when I know if I were to respond to their stupid antics, there would be two hits." He paused and grinned at me. "Me hitting them, and them hitting the floor." I chuckled. I took him to my car, and it took forever to get out of school traffic. He told me when to turn and where. We were there in about a half hour.

"Nice, thanks" I said as we exited the car.

"No problem, thanks for the ride." He winked at me, and I felt a blush tingling in my neck, threatening to show on my cheeks. And with that he entered the shop next to Uncle Dave's.

I took a deep breath and started toward my new job. When I walked in I was greeted by a sign that said "seat yourself, but please choose a respectable table that suits how many people that need seated." But since I wasn't needing a table, I waited patiently at the front desk. Soon a waitress came by and noticed me waiting.

"Hey, sweets, you can seat yourself, we are waiting on a new hostess." She said, kinda distracted by what she was doing.

"Oh, I know. I need to speak with the manager about that." I said, catching her attention.

"Oh, it's okay. He's already got someone coming. She's supposed to be here in about ten minutes." She replied.

"I actually came early. I'm Viora-Drayon the new hostess." I said, holding out my hand, introducing myself.

"Oh thank goodness!" She exclaimed putting the five menus down she was stacking up, for another table, and taking my hand, shaking it fiercely. "I am so glad, we are running low on business because people don't think that when we say seat yourselves, we don't mean one person can take up a booth meant for seven people. Or that four people should try to fit around a two people table, because then were short on chairs. Plus not to add that once we are busy people tend to crowd around and unfortunately because they all argue over who was there first, we have to ask them all to leave. We really need you, and none of the waiters or waitresses can be spared; nor do most of them have the patience."

"Well I've grown accustomed to working with and around impatient people, so... this should be the perfect job for me." I smiled taking a deep breath and readying myself for the long afternoon ahead.

"Great, I'll go get you your uniform and let Mr. Styles know you're here, he's the manager of this place." And with that she was gone. Soon I was behind the desk, dressed and letting Mr. Styles teach me how the cash register worked. (It was one of those high tech ones)

"So after you type in the receipt number they'll bring, the cost will show up here." He explained, pointing at the computers corner. "They will also see it on the display, here. If they want to used debit you hand them this card swiper, credit is this one. They are color coded so you don't mix them up. And I'm sure you know how to count cash if they pay that way. Is that all?" He said looking at me, with eyebrows knitted in concentration.

"Yes, I believe so, boss." I said, confidently.

"Call me Mr. Styles, k? 'Boss' just sounds like you don't respect me enough to remember my name." He chuckled, then continued to remove the 'seat yourself' sign. "You are officially the new hostess. Hope you do well, for your sake, and for the business." He waved and disappeared behind the door to the kitchen, probably on his way back to the office.

It wasn't long before I had my first costumer. "Hello, how many people are joining you today?" I said with the biggest smile I could muster.

"Two, My wife is parking the car and my son will need a booster seat, he's a year old."

"Okay, would you like a kids menu, to get him something?" I offered politely.

"Nah, he can just share off my plate." He waved his hand to dismiss the offer, and I obliged.

"Okay, right this way sir." I said leading him to a booth. The day just went on like that. Me meeting and greeting people with a smile that hurt my face; and when someone left, they came to me to pay with their receipt and that was that. Pretty simple. Once my shift was over I clocked out, and grabbed my purse and keys from the cubby I was given and exited the restaurant.

I was going to ask Zayn if he needed or wanted a ride, but his shift ended a half hour before mine. So reluctantly I got in the car and took off to my lonely empty house. I know what it's like to lose a parent. Though I've only lost my mother, and I couldn't imagine continuing school without both parents, I think he and I will be good friends, with that small part of our lives that seems to have broken, it seems to have created a connection.