Hurricane Love

Twenty Two

'Amelia, can you take the entrance, please?' Becky asked me, as she balanced a pile of plates and gave me an exasperated look. 'There's a queue building up for tables.'

'Sure, Becky,' I replied, returning the rag and antibacterial spray that I was cleaning tables with back behind the counter and I headed straight to the doors to manage the queue. 'Hi, welcome to Bernie's; table for two?'

I worked through the queue, seating people as quickly as possible so that I could jump back on waiting tables to lower Becky's stress levels a little. I loved it when the restaurant was like this. I worked better under pressure and it distracted my mind from everything else that was going on outside of work; things I didn't want to think about or try to make sense of.

'Another table just came in, Becky,' I told her, as I paced past the counter. 'I'll seat then I'll start taking orders.'

'Thanks, Amelia, you're a star,' Becky said, giving me a wink.

I smiled and headed back up the aisle to the doors, slowing down as my smile faded upon seeing Ryker and Mason waiting there. I continued slowly, as the pair of them both eyed me up and down awkwardly. The only thought going through my mind at that moment in time was why on earth they would come here after last night, knowing I worked here? It could only be for one reason and that was for Mason to apologise and try once more to get me back. I almost sighed at the thought; it made me feel tired. I was exhausted from the repeated conversations with Mason and after what I'd done last night, I dreaded them even more now.

Bracing myself, I prepared to listen to whatever Mason had to say and planned to simply nod and smile and tell him we'd discuss it after my shift. I had to give him the chance to talk to me; after what I'd done to him, I had to try and give him the benefit of the doubt.

'Table for two?' I asked, as I stopped a few feet away from them, trying my best to remain as normal as possible.

The pair of them just stared at me, neither one of them saying anything. Both of their expressions were equally uncomfortable. They were both acting as awkward as each other whilst standing right here in front of me, but I knew they were doing so for completely different reasons.

As I opened my mouth to speak again, Mason spun around quickly and exited the restaurant. I took a few quick steps forward as my face creased up in confusion, watching him disappear out of the door and out of sight. I turned to Ryker who was staring at the door in surprise too, before he turned to me and blinked several times.

'Ryker,' I said, my tone deep with worry as I prepared to ask him something I didn't really want to know. 'Why did he just run out like that? Did you...tell him?'

'No,' he replied, his tone calm and steady. 'I guess he feels like a bit of a dick over the way he acted last night...yelling at you and all in front of everyone and passing out drunk.'

'Oh,' I said, feeling relieved. 'Well, he was just drunk and we've all been there; he didn't have to run off.'

'I guess we just assumed you wouldn't be working this evening,' Ryker said. 'I didn't think you worked on school nights.'

'It's just cover for someone,' I explained, as he shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded in reply. I instantly realised how insecure I became standing in front of him with my hair messily shoved into a small bun and no makeup on. 'Well, maybe you should go after him.'

'Yeah,' he said, as I gave him a small smile and turned to return to my job. 'Wait.'

I turned back around slowly, noticing the ever so curious expression on his face.

'Yeah?' I asked.

'It doesn't seem like you're mad at me,' he said.

I didn't understand where he was coming from; I didn't understand why he expected me to be mad. 'I don't follow...'