After Hours

sad eboy

"Hold on sweetie, I've got to take this call."

              UNSURPRISED YET DISAPPOINTED, Althea nodded a little at her mother and watched as she smiled apologetically before leaving with her phone pressed by her ear. She spoke in low tones and moved until she was out of site, likely near the front entrance.

In the long list of places she'd worked and been fired from, Althea had never dared try to apply to her favourite pizzeria. If she were to ever be fired, she'd never show her face again—and that would be such a tragic shame. Besides, Althea frequently got free mozzarella sticks from Charlie's roomate that worked at the pizzeria. It was a shame that he wasn't currently there to give her some, but when she had asked one of the waitresses they'd told her Bennie wasn't in today.

Althea figured that he and everyone else hip and cool were at the party on campus. That, or on vacation. After all, it was summer break.

Sighing, Althea's eyes glazed over to the clock by the wall of the little pizzeria her mother had taken her to.

8:45PM, it read.

Althea smiled a little to herself. It had taken her mother about twenty minutes into their meal before she eventually excused herself out. Perhaps it was better than nothing, but it didn't mean that Althea still wasn't a little bit irritated at having been interrupted from her own plans.

Thinking of those plans, she pulled out her own phone and read the one missed call from Charlie. Althea sighed and pressed his name before she placed her phone by her ear.

"Hi Charlie," she whispered, unable to disguise the sadness in her voice. "How are you? You guys left yet?"

"Nah, I'm just hanging out at Dana's place while she's getting ready." He suddenly lowered his voice. "Dana gave me some beer and caviar with these saltine crackers." He made it sound as if it were scandalous which, honestly, to Charlie it absolutely was.

"How is it?" Althea asked, before laughing suddenly. It was just the sort of Dana thing to offer beer with caviar.

"Honestly, it's not bad," he admitted. There was a crunching sound as Charlie ate some more. "How's your night going? Your mom only talk about stitching people's brains together enough?"

"No, she had to take some call." Althea frowned. "I wish I was with you guys," she admitted.

"Maybe your mom could drop you off here?" he asked hopefully. Sighing, Althea noticed her mother begin to walk back to their table.

"Hey, I'll call you back soon and let you know, okay? You guys have fun," Althea said before ending the call. She knew by the look on her mother's face that they would be packing the rest of their meal into a to-go bag. Althea shook her head when her mother opened her mouth in apology. Truthfully, she was thankful that she got to spend even a short time bonding with her mother. She absolutely adored her mother, and knew that her work was important and vital for some.

"Hey, mom, do you think you drop me off at a party?"

Her mother's eyes cleared with understanding. "Oh, are those the plans you were talking about earlier?"

Althea nodded sheepishly. "Kinda," she admitted.

"Sure baby, but you sure you don't mind being dropped off to a college party by your mom?"

Althea shrugged. "I'll sit in the backseat and pretend you're my Uber. C'mon mom, my friends are gonna be waiting for me." She grabbed hold of her laughing mother as soon as the bill was paid and the remaining pizza had been put into a small take-out box.