My Waitress (NOT EDITED)

Chapter 20

Everything's a mess.

My bed has been pulled from its position, in a diagonal angle. The sheets and pillows that were spread on the bed are now on the floor. The vanity has been pulled from against the wall, and all of the drawers are pulled out as far as they can, and all the clothes that were neatly folded in them are now out and thrown by me on the floor. Everything on the vanity has been knocked down by my shaking hands. My closet is a mess. All of my clothes are yanked from their hangers, searched, and thrown on the floor, and all of the things that were on the shelves above too.

Everything's a mess.

And I'm sitting in the middle of it.

On the floor, back against the bed and aching from bending down. My elbows resting on my knees, hands in my hair, heart pounding.

"My bracelet. My bracelet, where is it," I keep muttering to myself. "C'mon, Nicole, remember. Use your head. When was the last time you wore it? C'mon, Nicole, THINK!" I yell out of frustration as warm tears fall fresh from my eyes. I had it on yesterday when I was getting ready for the party, then... then what? What happened? I'm so mad at myself. Why did I get myself drunk? Stupid, stupid me. That bracelet means so much to me. I always thought of it as a good luck charm, and whenever I wear it, the day will be a good day. But nothing has ever been good these days. The crash, and now this? My wrist feels so bare without it. Without the diamond rainbow hearts dangling from the gold. I feel like I've failed. I've failed to keep a promise to myself that I would never lose this. Even though I'm already alone, I don't feel my mother watching me from above. I feel like...

She's actually gone.

Footsteps get louder from the open front door.

"It's not in my car," I hear Malachi say.

I grit my teeth. "Are you sure?"

"I checked everywhere—"

"Maybe you didn't. You could've overlooked somewhere. It happens... G—Go check again, everywhere, in your secret compartments, under the chairs... gosh, Malachi, you—"

I feel hands take hold of my wrists, forcing them out of face. As my hands are pulling away from me, Malachi comes clear, bend down in front of me. I blink my tears away, his ocean blue eyes finally coming clear too.

"Milkshake, I looked everywhere," he states. "I even checked twice. I can't find it."

He's telling the truth. It's gone. "It's gone..." my lip quivers as my voice becomes higher. "It's really gone, Malachi."

"Hey..." he lifts me up to my feet, and embraces me in his arms. "It's not gone. It's still on this world. Nothing can ever be really gone unless you destroy it." I cry in his warmth as he rocks me back and forth. "I'll call Jace to see if the bracelet's at his place. Noah should be there too, so he can help look for it too."

I sniff and look up at him. "Thank you. I'll call Naomi to see if it's at Ashley's."

Malachi smiles down at me. "Good. I understand that this bracelet means so much to you. We'll find it. Trust me."

I don't say anything after that.

I'm not focused at work today. I have to let costumers repeat their order, and I forget I have orders to give to said costumers. My clumsiness teams up with my stress and makes me drop or spill everything, which ends up with everyone wasting the time they have to stop what they're doing and shoot looks at me. I can scream right now.

"Even though I know it's not here, I checked in the back like you asked me to," says Chloe, coming from the break room. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do... Hey!" She snaps at two high school girls who are eyeing me. Chloe snatches a phone out of one girl who was recording me, and taps on it. They both look up at her, surprised. "Turn the other way, and eat your food! Staring is rude, ya know." They do what she says and look out the windows. Chloe tosses the phone back on the owner's lap. "Hmph."