Down But Not Out

Chapter 12

"What should I have then since you're obviously familiar with this place?" he asked and I grinned at him.

"Well I always order chips, because they are great here" I shrugged as we stood in line. He gave me another weird look as we approached the counter.

"Lizzie!" the woman behind the counter exclaimed and I grinned at her.

"Ali!" I replied, with just as much enthusiasm. I heard Josh chuckle next to me.

"Lizzie as great as you are, you really need to get a life" he stated and I frowned up at him.

"Why's that?" I asked him, feeling slightly confused and a little hurt. He grinned at me.

"Do you seriously know everyone around here?" he asked and I giggled.

"Only the people who work in my favourite shops. This is Alison by the way, she works here practically everyday. Ali, this is Josh, he's my boss" I replied introducing the two. They nodded at each other and Ali asked me if I wanted my usual. I nodded and Josh ordered the same as me.

After he'd paid and I'd grabbed the two cans of coke, we made our way back down the shop towards a free table next to the windows. The shop was actually really big. There was a tiled walkway, with a thin carpet that went from the door all the way up to the black surfaced counter. On either side of the walkway were two rows of wooden tables, each row had about six or seven tables, most of which sat four people. The front of the shop consisted of floor to ceiling windows, which offered the view of the shops opposite. Even though this café was near to the new bus station it was in one of the old red brick buildings.

We took our seats, me sitting with my back to the windows, and Josh sitting directly opposite me. I slid his can over to him and we opened them and the same time before I took a sip, relishing the feel of the cold drink travelling down my throat. I gently placed the can back on the table and watched Josh as he took a large gulp. The café was buzzing with voices- as it was quite full as usual- as well as the waitresses calling out the numbers for different orders.

"You know, most girls wouldn't order chips. They would order a salad or something like that" Josh said and I pursed my lips.

"Well surely by now you've guessed I'm not like most girls. If I'm hungry I'll order food, I don't care what people who I don't know think of me to be honest. As long as I'm happy with what I do, and that my family and close friends are happy with who I am then that's all that matters to me" I shrugged and Josh smiled tightly but looked away. I frowned at him, but didn't push him.

"So can I ask you something personal?" I asked and he laughed.

"I thought that was the whole point of this" was his reply and I rolled my eyes at him, but he nodded to let me know that I could. I bit my lip nervously, wondering how to ask without offending him. I sighed.

"What's with the beanie and sunglasses?" I asked him and his shoulders tensed. He looked down at the table and I bit my lip again.

"It's complicated" was his reply, but he still avoided looking at me. I sighed quietly feeling guilty that I'd made him feel uncomfortable again, so I opted for the joking around route. This was the one thing I could do, since I'd needed my sarcasm for the last year and a half.

"It's not like you should be worried about your looks, if that's what it's about" I commented and he looked up at me but cocked his head questioningly. I smiled, feeling the heat on the back of my neck. "-even I can tell through your beanie and sunglasses that you're not ugly." Josh snorted at this comment and I turned away from him.

"Oh really?" he teased and I stuck my tongue out at him, not knowing what to say in response.

"Anyway moving on" I said, shifting in my seat but Josh was laughing at my reaction. I rolled my eyes at him, and instead decided to drink some more of my cola while he composed himself.