Redemption

1 - Dancing in Underwear

Chapter 1 - Dancing in Underwear

"Amber!"

I tie my apron behind my back, fingers scrambling with the fabric, wiping some sweat off my face with my shoulder. Candace, my boss, bless her heart, has been calling my name for an excessive amount of time, her voice bellowing from the kitchen. It smells like grease back there, an overwhelming scent, but has become bearable over the years I've spent here, it's just makes the kitchen stuffy, too hot, too humid, but, there are worse smells after all. 

Hurrying back there, I ignore the look from an impatient costumer and try not to stumble over my own feet. It's Sunday, and it seems that Sundays always become the busiest days, the hours dragging on, each minute passing too slow. Not only do my shifts feel longer, the customers mean, more demanding, more snarky. I can't remember the last time I was free on a Sunday, able to bundle up in my apartment, catching up on Netflix and homework.

Candace is sitting on a stool in front of a bunch of papers. She looks up, a frown on her face. "You're late."

I sigh, wiping my sweaty hands on my apron. "My brother needed to be dropped off at school for a project. I'm sorry."

Candace has been a mother figure in my life since my senior year in high school. I am graduating from the University of Minnesota next year, and this job is the only thing pulling my weight for rent. Candace understands that my mother has been absent in me and my brother's life, all the weight of raising Isaac has falling into my lap.

She simply nods, shooing me away with her hand and going back to her papers. I can't help but smile at her lenience with me. She would never let another coworker of mine get off the hook like that, causing my heart to flutter, appreciation for her.

My lifelong friend, Jasmine, smacks my butt as I walk by, a playful joke, one I've never cared for, never would return. I roll my eyes, making her giggle at my annoyance.

"Candace let you off the hook again?" she asks, putting some food on her platter to serve. I shrug my shoulders, making it her turn to roll her eyes.

"Can you take this to that table in the corner? Ben is sitting there," Jasmine squeaks. I sneak a glance at the frat boys in the corner. Jasmine has had the biggest crush on Ben Anderson since day one. They seem to come here all the time, I'm the one to always bring them their food. I groan, taking the platter from her hands and weaving my way through the tables to serve them.

Just to my luck, one recognizes me. "Hey! Don't you go to the U?"

They all stop their conversations to focus their attention on me, heads turning. I start setting down the food in front of them, hoping that the plates won't shake, my hands becoming shaky with the unwanted attention. "Yeah."

All of them laugh, and I feel like the outsider on a big joke. "We have a party tomorrow night, you should come. You know which house," he winks. It's going to be Monday. I've never keen on going out, especially not on weekdays.

And he's right. I do know which house it'll be at but that doesn't mean I want to go. Ben Anderson catches my wrist before I can walk away. "Tell your friend that she should come."

I can't help but feel excited for Jas that Ben has finally taken an interest in her, but I know that Shawn is a part of that frat. We dated for two years until he cheated on me with Bridget Mallows. I don't know how to feel about that anymore.

I tell Jasmine about Ben's comment, making her lose her mind. She talks about what we're going to wear and where we will eat and what time we will go. The rest of the day consists of her talking about Ben Anderson and their blue-eyed kids.