Something Special

Chapter 8

Once Tara was alone she let the shaking start. It started in her hand before working its way into her whole body. Soon she was a trembling mess. Her breathing became uneven and her vision blurred. These panic attacks weren't as bad as they had been but they were coming more regular. It was Alex, she had decided. Ever since her encounter with him at lunch she been a bottle of pent up nervousness.

Sitting on the toilet seat at the restaurant she looks at her hands. They'd were small and slightly calloused. She still had a cut along her palm but it was healing slowly and she kept it hidden with fingerless gloves and long sleeves. At work she wears a thin bandage to cover it up. She says she cut herself slicing bread and they believed her. They all thought she was just accident prone even though she was in fact very light on her feet.

After a while the trembling subsides, leaving her with an anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was working from 7-12 tonight so she would have to walk back. She had already done a food shop and dropped the stuff off at home. He wasn't back yet so she took her time, letting her neat freak come out as she stacks the tins in colour order, according to the rainbow. It was bad but it soothed her. The one thing in her life that was orderly. The kitchen. Partly because her dad never went in there. "It's a women's place!" he would say, taking a swig from a bottle. "And don't you forget it."

The bathroom was empty so she takes her time applying her neutral makeup and switching her nose ring to a discreet stud. With her hair scraped into a messy bun and her fringe plaited away she looked younger and, in her eyes. More vulnerable. It sucked. The clock just turned 7 when she swipes her time card. She was working tables again tonight and from the looks of it, it was gonna be another busy one. At least it took her mind off of scary things like her dad... and Alex.

When she walks into the main seating area she was struck by just how loud it was. The live music was in full swing and the hustling bustling people were all laughing and enjoying themselves. She walks over to the entrance and smiles at the people waiting there. "Hiya." she says brightly. "Have you got a reservation?"

"Yes. It's under Brian. It should be for 4." She runs her finger along the reservation book, stopping at the name Brian.

"Ah yes. If you'll follow me please." She takes 4 menus from the stack ad takes then to a table in the middle if the room. "Can I take your drinks?" she says when they were all seated.

That's how her night went. Until about 8 ish. Not looking up she says "Have you got a reservation?".

"Tara?" says a familiar voice. She looks up and feels the air leave her lungs. Alex stood there in a suit without the tie. He was easily the best looking man in the restaurant by a mile. And didn't he know it. On his arm was Andie Goulding the captain of the netball team. She had on a mega short red dress with her blond curls piled high and a pair of black heels on. For some unknown reason, she feels unusual feeling stabs at her. Jealousy.

Trying not to stare she grabs two menus and leads them over to a romantically lit table at the back of the restaurant. Alex shoots her a look but doesn't say anything for which she wa grateful. Clearing her throat she asks what they'd like to drink. Andie asked for a vodka lemonade and Alex just wanted a beer. 'Ugh. Even their names sounded cute. Andie and Alex!'. Jealousy pricks her heart again but this time she covers it with a smile. "Coming right up!"

When she gets to the bar she leans on it for support while the bartender gets their drinks. The restaurant had got to a quiet lull so they were her only table at the moment. "You are so lucky Tara." Says one of the other waitresses on her way past. "You got Alex Cross!". Tara felt like shouting back 'He's not that special' but instead she just nods. When she walked over with the drinks, Andie was talking animatedly about one of girls at school apparently sleeping with her French teacher but Alex wasn't interested. In fact, he wasn't interested by anything at all. Other then Tara.