FOR ALL THE GIRLS !

08. chapter

CHAPTER SEVEN [ AND EIGHT ] !

WESLEY IS DISTRACTED.

He obviously doesn't want to be but he can't help it. The boy shoves the diary a bit more further into his backpack, hoping that no body could see what it is.

If anyone was snooping inside his backpack, Wesley knows that he'd be in deep shit if he was ever found carrying a diary and much less another person's diary.

The humiliation would be endless.

He inhales and grabs his tiny notebook, cleans himself up a bit as he straightens his plain blue shirt and work pants. In his hand he grips a blue ballpoint pen, and to his helplessness he realizes that the ink coming out of the pen seems to look and smell just like the ink sprawled on Lana's diary.

Jesus even that makes him nervous.

Shaking his head internally at his overthinking mind he steps out of the backroom, getting ready work his shift at J's Diner.

The diner was quaint and surprisingly very pretty. Farah always comments on the nineties 'vibe' of it whenever she comes in. According to her, she apparently likes the red booths and the checkered walls and more importantly the large jukebox that was never left alone.

Today, an old song was playing on it. Wesley recognizes it as a song by Marc Anthony and through the corner of his eye he can see an elderly man rummaging for change in his pocket to have a go at changing the song.

One of his mum's friends, an elderly woman named Nadine owns J's Diner. The abbreviation was for her late son whose death marks the fifth year next month due to being a victim of a terrorist attack.

Nadine is bustling at the reception, and probably trying to balance the books when Wesley approaches her.

"Hey hun, can you take the back booth? They just came in." She tells him without batting an eyelash or looking up.

He complies and does what he's told, putting on a signature smile for added effect. He listens and then writes their order on his notebook and tries hard to ignore the familiar scent of ink on the book.

"Okay, so two medium steak burgers, one chocolate milkshake and one vanilla and three plates of fries? Did I get it right?" He compares his notes with what they were saying. They nod happily and Wesley smiles back in return and tells them that it'll take twenty minutes.

He was about to head back to relay his order to the head chef when the quaint entrance door opened, the bell signaling the appearance of a new customer.

His eyes trail over by reflex and to his surprise it's Jane Nesmith. No careful thinking was needed for Wesley to figure out who the Jane in Lana's diary was the first he read about it.

She is, after all one of the most smartest people in his school.

Jane walks in, her round glasses perched on top of her button nose. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. Her hand is attached to a younger girl, which seems to be her younger sister as she's sporting the same blonde hair and button nose. She looks to be about six or seven.

Wanting to be the one to wait for her, (because he realizes that she may be able to tell Wesley where Lana could be) he rushes back inside and sticks the paper on the counter.

"Hey," he greets Jane and her sister. He tries to keep his calm while asking for their order. All he wants to know is Lana's whereabouts.

Judging by the most recent entries he's read, a red flag always goes up in his mind whenever he thinks about it. He's scared, and the entries are getting more aggressive than ever.

Panic attacks? Doesn't she want to get help? He couldn't comprehend it.

He couldn't help but wonder if she's ever been in an abusive relationship. Was that who she was talking about in one of her recent entries?

Wesley was actually, actually overwhelmed with worry.

He has, and always been a soft hearted individual, even as a kid. It wasn't surprising for him to worry about one of his former classmates. No one likes to see anyone suffer, and Wesley was at the top of it, always worrying about others.

But worrying about others didn't mean that he didn't have a bone to be insensitive. He's come a long way, realizing the errors of his ways when it comes to people. He may have been a worrier at heart but he's never apologized for anything he's done.

Wesley, just like Lana was a contradiction. A being who thought they were a saint (at least in Wesley's case) but was unaware of the misfortune they bore to others through their own actions such as insulting people for fun or picking at their stupidity.

He's learned now though and realizes just how powerful words are. He vows to never misuse it ever again.

The boy snaps out of his reverie as Jane tells him their order and he tries to stay focused, writing it all down hastily on his notebook yet again.

A moment of silence pass before Jane furrows her eyebrows, noticing that Wesley isn't starting away from his place.

"Jane right?" He starts uncomfortably, but tries to get it out before he could get scolded by Nadine for 'fraternizing'. She nods. "I know this is sudden but I was wondering if you know where Lana is? I have to hand in some work but I don't know her address and all — " he rambled on hoping she gets the point.

Jane's eyes darken and her body turns rigid. She looks away, unable to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't heard from her for a long time."

The anger inside Wesley seems to burst. "How the hell? — aren't you her friend? Haven't you checked up on her?!"

She inches back, shaken from his outburst. He quiets down and looks at the ground in shame.

"I'm sorry." He admits.

Jane sighs, clearly surprised. "You don't think I'm worried? And I haven't tried? She's not picking up her phone and her mother isn't either okay? I tried visiting her house either but no one answered." She refrains from asking what Wesley's relationship with Lana is.

"For eight weeks?!"

"Well you better believe it! Anyways, even though I'm worried I can't do anything. Also, Lana gets like this sometimes so it's not completely surprising. The best thing I can do is be there for her when she comes back. She'll be fine, she's strong."

From that Wesley realizes that Lana Gardiner has never shown her real side to her best friend. Jane Nesmith is unaware of who Lana really is and Wesley feels a pang if sympathy for her.

"Fine." He says stubbornly. "Can you at least give me her address?" He asks. Jane ponders it for a moment before she sighs again. Her sister looks up at her in wonder and confusion.

"Give me a paper to write it."

[A/N : long ass chapter and I sighed every time I started a sentence cause I wasn't sure if I was even writing it properly.]