Ronan: To the Moon and Back

3. Diners and "Like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's"

(AN: Since this story was created and posted throughout the span of two years, it means I had to pleasure to witness a few things. Like this past note I found originally in front of this chapter. "Popping out chapters like the way Harry popped out on stage at my show with that stupid banana and chomping away at it like he's a hungry, hungry hippo. (ihatethatkidjkidonthatehimatallimethimokbye)" That was in Florida- Miami...where the paps swarmed that deck...I was there that night. It was horrible. Anyway.)

  Rae wakes up gasping, sitting up slowly. She shoves her fingers through her messy hair and reminds herself that the dream was just that. A dream. One that leaves her heart aching and muscle spasms in her chest, yet she still pinches her skin just to make sure. She gatherings her barrings, wipes the sweat from her forehead, calms her breathing until it's back at its normal rate, then gets ready for work.

The diner she works at is called Jaspers, owned by the name itself. It sits on the corner of a small intersection, and serves great food, classics and new twists on the classics. They serve one American item, which is the Philly cheese-steak. Jasper himself had gone over to Philadelphia to visit family and fell in love with the greasy and mouthwatering sandwich. The tea is great and the coffee better because Jasper roasts his own beans and secretly adds a dash of nutmeg each time. It's warm, and cozy when it rains, and plays soft classic rock music through the speakers in the ceiling. Jasper is kind, and the cook Glenn, is gentle. Her coworkers are lovely and she's built lasting friendships with them. 

They understand when Rae has to suddenly take off because of Ronan and split the tip jar unevenly giving more to her because they all know she helps her mother pay the bills; despite Raelyn's protests. Though it's hard working double shifts at a 24 hour diner, she loves it. Well, most of the time. Raelyn's double shift at the diner has her on edge. She was fine with the late night/early morning shift, going to work at 12:00am until 5:00am. She did get a five hour break though, going home and sleeping through most of it, before she had to be back at ten.

It is now one in the afternoon, and apparently everyone has decided to take their lunch break at the same time. Rae is beginning to hate her uniform, as she does when she's stressed at work, taking it out on the old fashion looking shirt. The material is an off white with maroon boarding around the hem of the shirt, sleeves and collar. Thankfully she's allowed to wear black jeans as part of it, because the girls had refuse to walk around in skirt all day long and Jasper had no problem throwing out that dress code. Her shirt has several stains scattered in different places, all different colors, due to the plate a little kid threw at her. Rae had only smiled politely, explained she had a younger brother who use to do that and went on her way.

She takes orders from behind the counter for the people who are sitting there. Loving them for being easy to serve. She waits on four gossiping old ladies, who comments on the little camera tattoo on the side of Rae's forearm, a few inches above her wrist. They deem it distasteful and tacky to mark up your body. She mentally thanks the heavens that they hadn't seen the eight inch dream catcher etched on the back of her left shoulder; that would probably give them an aneurysm. Rae serves a group of posh business men, with one man from their group eyeing her like she's the meat instead of the hamburger on his plate.

Then there were the two girls who sat at the counter, giggling with judgmental eyes at Rae the whole time. They teased everything about her. The way she placed the orders, how she smiled kindly at others, and made a comment about that one businessman, saying Rae was a slag who was probably going to ride her way to money in the back of his Mercedes. Rae has to bite her tongue back several times.

She may or may not rant to the cook Glenn, an older man with a pot belly and warm eyes, who may or may not have either spit in their food, or spiked it with a bit of his laxatives. She wasn't going to ask and she didn't want to know, but thanked him nonetheless when the two girls suddenly run out of the diner after paying hastily. Rae reminds herself never to get on Glenn's bad side.

The clock on the wall is just hitting the two pm mark, when another costumer walks in and sit on one of the spinning stool tops at the counter. It 's a face all to friendly to Rae and she's about to greet the new person when she's beckoned; rather rudely.

Three teenage boys are sat at the corner table and had been giving Raelyn a hard time. Asking her to unroll their silverware, cut their meat right there at the table for them, and snapping their fingers at her while she was passing and within easy earshot. It was the snapping that, ironically made her snap. Rae whirls around, fire in her eyes and hands on her hips.

"Excuse me." Rae begins hotly, "do I look like a dog to you? No? That's right, so don't you dare snap your fingers at me. And while we're at it, I am not your mother. Cut your own damn meat and use your own fork. Did your mother not teach you how to respect people, let alone your female waitresses? I bet your girlfriend loves that trait about you. Whoops, I'm sorry. My bad. You probably don't have a girlfriend, do you? Not with the way you treat women like they're beneath you. Now could you kindly get the fuck out of this diner?" With that, she stalks off behind the counter. It only takes two minutes for the boys to pay, with no tip, and hurry out of the diner. She didn't want their money anyway.

"Oh, I do hope you have a lovely day!" Rae calls brightly after them, sarcasm dripping from every word.

A low, long whistle reminders her of the new costumer at the counter. "Someone forgot to take their happy juice this morning."

Raelyn glares the girl. "I had three cups of it thank you. I've had a horrible day and they just got the short end of the stick." She turns and sticks her head through the pick up window. "Jasper, Kari's here. I'm taking my break."