Written in the Rockstars (Completed)

Chapter 12- Getting Nowhere

Go to your mum's favourite restaurant.

That was the first instruction.

" What's her favourite restaurant? " Jack asked.

" Erm. It's-er-It's..." I stammered.

" Do you know?"

I paused. " It could be that American Diner in town.  You know... 'Polly's American Dream'."

"Oh, I've heard of that, " Jack nodded.  He found the address online and keyed it into the SatNav. We set off in silence.

" What's the next instruction?" Jack asked as we pulled into the diner car park.

I thumbed the page and read the next instruction.

Ask the waiter if you can go out through the back door.

I showed Jack and he frowned.

" That's odd, " he noted.

"Hmmm. Well. Abbey is just agenerally odd, " I replied.

" We're not going through this again, " Jack moaned.

" Give it up,  Jack, " I snapped,  before climbing out of the car.

I pushed the door open and heard the soft tinkle of a bell.  The whole appearance of the place was all too familiar.  It reminded me of diners in Los Angeles.  The red furniture, the black and white checkered floor,  the fluorescent milkshakes and the...the.... everything.

"Annabel?" Jack whispered behind me.

I gulped and pulled myself together. I couldn't show Jack my weakness. I entered the diner and stopped at the counter, where a waitress was dressed in a red uniform that curved in at her waist and out at her hips. Her white apron was fastened in a bow and her hair was styled atop her head in... a fashion.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, pumpkin pie?" The waitress smiled widely.

"Could I use your back entrance please?" I asked sweetly.

She pursed her lips and eyed me suspiciously. "Hmm. I suppose. Follow me."

She tottered ahead of us on her tan high heels, flashing her sickly smile to everyone in her path. She pushed some mahogany doors open and held them open for us, clucking her tongue impatiently as Jack apologised profusely to a man whom he ran into. She continued down a dark corridor and approached a door to her left. She pointed the door without a word.

"Is this the back entrance?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Einstein, I haven't just brought you to a random room because I fancy it. The only reason that I was nice to you was because anyone could have been watching and I don't want customers to find me unpleasant. Now hurry up. I might get accused of skiving," she snapped.

"There's no need to be like that," I retorted.

"You probably want a bin to make out in. That's what most people want. The only reason people ask to go out the back is either because they're having an affair, they're being chased by the police, or they want to make out in secret," she replied carelessly, before muttering, "Scumbags."

"Oi! That's not true. How dare-"

"Annabel," Jack warned.

"No, Jack. I won't be treated like scum, nor called it. If you must know, I'm trying to find my mum because she's been kidnapped. So if I was you, I would stop throwing your accusations around," I told her defiantly.