happy endings are for fairy tales // kiani au

FORTY-ONE: WILL

31 may 2018

"there's a special table waiting for you to serve it's orders, kiddo," jasmine leans against the door frame, hair in a messy bun with a grin on her face, "table 15."

"another bunch of hormonal teenage girls that requested the hot waiter?" i huff, flattening my crumpled denny's uniform. jasmine answers with a quick 'nope', her playful gaze following me as i lift the tray swiftly off the counter and brush past her.

becoming a waiter a denny's, especially in the same shift as the girl who fell in love with jordan before, had been something i never thought i would do. yet, i still found myself wound up here. as bianca would say, waitering is a way to pass the time meaningfully, before i find out what i really want to do as a career. i let a smile slip onto my face. she would have been glad to hear-

"look at my man!" i almost trip at the sound of jordan's unmistakeable voice. jordan, mitchell, sean, as well as stacy, are sitting at a table, with jordan waving over-enthusiastically while the other three look down with their hands covering their faces.

"jesus christ, jordan!" i whisper sharply, quickly looking around at onlookers with sympathetic grins, "we're in public."

"doesn't matter," his dimples appear next to a mischievous grin as he tugs me closer by the arm. looking my up and down, he presses his hand dramatically on his heart and feigns a faint, "ah, i didn't give you permission to look this handsome in your uniform."

i shake my head, "god, you're so cheesy."

"oh shut up, you like it," he laughs, unconsciously tugging on my hand once again as the rest of them seem like they are about to die in embarrassment, "come join us?"

"i can't, i'm still on shift," i sigh, pulling my hand away from his touch to the base of his neck. i cup his face in my palm, "i'll be out at 11."

jordan sighs, leaning back into the cushion of his seat and checking his watch, "ok, i think i can handle 28 minutes of waiting."

i smirk, "enjoy the food," i wink before turning to leave.

"my boyfriend is so cute," jordan's voice catches my ears, a relieved grin spreading on my face.

—

"finally!" jordan exclaims as i scoot over next to him, "you guys took forever!"

"28 minutes, babe," i giggle, calmly accepting the hand wrapping around my waist by snuggling closer to him, "only 28 minutes."

"whatever, it's long enough," jordan tightens the grip around me, his scent drowning the smell of fries and burgers swamping the room.

"where's isaac and anthony?" i ask, "liam, too?"

ever since jordan and i started dating, many things have changed, including the people around us. back then, i admired isaac and anthony for being true to themselves, and now they admire us for being so open about our relationship. we were quick to form bonds. people who were not even out yet, such as devon and stacy, came up to us too. i was never alone after all; i had just been the first one to come out.

so we created a refuge for the queer people and allies in our college, a protective bubble encircling us in positivity.

"liam had to study. ize and ant are busy on a double date," sean replies.

"hey, we should arrange one with them," jordan turns to me, his face comfortably close to mine, "oh, yah! i saved a fry for you."

"aw, thanks," i reach to the last fry left among the crumbs, feeling queasy looking at the food i have been surrounded by for the past week already. but i know jordan is being a sweetheart thinking of me, so i eat it anyway.