To My Dearest Enemy

E. Doe

October 29

"So if you just need anything else, find me. Or Lanzi. Your break is whenever there's less than five customers or when I tell you to take a break." Nat said as Matt wiped down the counter.

"Alright." He replied. Nat turned and walked back to the kitchen.

"Stella's gonna be so proud of you." Alana grinned as she walked behind the counter.

"Oh shut up." Matt dropped the rag below the counter and looked at her.

"We won't be busy today, so just find something to do. Ivory will stop in after church, get a slice of crumb cake, ask Nat and I how we're doing, yell at Liam, and then leave." Alana stated. Liam? Why was that name so familiar to Matt?

"Who's Liam?" Matt asked.

"Liam Murphy. One of the dishwashers and busboys. He's too young to work here, but Ivory has a soft spot for him. He doesn't have a real home, his parents don't care about him, so they let him bus and wash dishes." Alana explained.

"Oh. Is he here?" Matt replied.

"Yeah. You didn't see him in the kitchen?" Alana raised an eyebrow.

"No. I didn't go back there yet." Matt said.

"C'mon." Matt followed Alana back into the kitchen. A tall brunette boy was washing dishes.

"Lee!" He turned as Alana shouted his name.

"Hey." He put the dish in his hands down, grabbed a rag, and walked over.

"Lee this is Matt Bellisario, Matt, Liam." Alana said. Liam held out a hand and Matt shook it.

"Nice to meet you." Liam said. He seemed to be young, maybe fifteen.

"You too." Matt said as he released the boy's hand.

"Matt, you probably won't be back here much. Just go back out front, I'm gonna start baking." Alana said. Matt nodded and exited the kitchen. Why was Liam so suspicious to him?

––––––

"Jill, tell me what happened." Stella stated as Jill shut Stella's bedroom door.

"I went to a party, slept over, stayed the next day, and went to a second party. At the same house. And here we are." Jill said as she crossed her room and sat down on her bed.

"Okay, so you just hung around for, like, twelve hours, before the second party began? Who was there?" Stella asked as she sat beside Jill.

"I did leave for like, three hours, to come home, shower, and change. A couple people stayed over. The two guys who hosted the party were fun. I'm so done with Maplewood and Melbourne parties." Jill laughed.

"Did you hook up with anyone?" Stella wondered. Jill grinned. "Oh my god. Who!"

"Hunter...Hunter Connelly." Jill replied.

"Who?" Stella raised an eyebrow.

"He's from Haverford, but he goes to Melbourne high school since he's not one of the super smart kids that go to Haverford Tech." Jill explained.

"That's how it was for Kane. Not smart enough for Haverford Tech." Jill rolled her eyes.

"Have you seen him? Since, you know." Jill asked as she eyed the cast on Stella's hand.

"No." Stella sighed.

"You can't avoid him forever." Jill said.

"Well, we're not dating, so he's not super worried about not having heard from me in days." Stella replied.