Serenades of Second Chances (BXB)

Lunch (sat)

"Hey, I want to apologize about last night and this morning... how about we get off on the right foot this time?" I ask Deven after Ronny drives away.

He stares at me, then puts out his hand. "I'll be glad too. My name is Deven García."

I accept the handshake. "Maximilian Hall, call me Max."

He nods, breaking the handshake. "Wanna get a bite to eat, neither of us has eaten since yesterday's beers."

"Sounds great. Ya know a place?"

"Yeah, give me your number and I'll send you the address." He pulls out his phone, handing it to me one he opens it to put in a new contact.

"Great."

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"A Mexican place?"

"Mhmm, you don't like?"

"Nah, I love Mexican food."

"Great, let's go in then," he pats my back, then walks in.

He gets us a table, we quickly order while talking. He's not a bad guy, he's kinda a shut-in from what he described himself as, but he is a nice guy.

"So, you go to university close to here?"

"Nah, college life ain't for me. You?"

"Yeah, studying to be a mechanical engineer. It's my 3rd year there."

"What's a guy, with an amazing voice, like you doing in college to be a mechanical engineer?" He asks almost laughing.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I heard you last night, Fallen An-"

I put my hand over his mouth, glaring. He seems shocked. "Don't mention that name," I remove my hand.

"Okay, let's call your screen name F.A. then. Nonetheless, I heard you last night. And your friend was right, 10 million people are waiting for you to post something new. I'm one of them."

"That's all in the past now..."

"Why's that?"

"I 'Woke The Hell Up'."

"You left about 2 years ago, a lot got worried. I was worried actually. You were so active. Have you ever looked at your account?"

"No, why?"

"You should read some of the comments on there, it might persuade you."

"Maybe later. Well, what about you? Why aren't you in college, what are you doing to make a living?"

"I volunteer at an elderly home on weekends when I can, but on top of that, I do have a full time on the weekdays. I take care of my little sister, we don't have parents. They left a long time ago, so she relies on me. She has severe autism, so there's a hard time to shove college in there," he shrugs. "I already pay someone to watch her while I'm at work, on the weekends I am with her or she's with our aunt."

"Ya know, you can ask for me or the gang's help if needed, we'll help for free. You know about my past based on my music, you know I struggled, and I didn't have help. You shouldn't have to raise your sister, you deserve help. "

He stares at me for a minute, then cracks a small smile and he closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath.

"Been a while since I have an offer like that. I'll let ya know if I need it." He opens his eyes, they are warm. "Thanks."

I smile and nod.

"So, tell me about your sister."

"She's 15, I'm 22 making me an adult so I just decided to become her legal guardian," and so he goes on to talk about his sister, how they live and get by, how she's extremely childlike. She's between a level 2 and level 3. Verbal but not able to do full sentences and complicated words. She goes to multiple therapies. She struggles socially, but you just can't resist her spirit, and so on so forth.

It's great to know him, and he gets to know me. We have become friends very quickly. We seriously told each other almost every aspect of our lives in an hour while we were there.

We split the bill, say goodbye, then go our separate ways.

So that's why he's a 'shut in', he has a lot on his plate. It wouldn't hurt to help him a little bit when I do have off days.

Oh shit, work!

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"You didn't call off?" Tess asks as I go behind the counter.

"I forgot, I didn't expect me to get drunk, then get lunch with Deven, and forget I have work. Thank god I had late shit."

"Wait, lunch with Deven?"

"You won't believe the night we had when we left. Also, what the hell happened last night? I don't remember anything after singing."

So, as we helped customers, she gave me a brief understanding of what the hell happened last night. I curse to myself. I flirted with the male bartender, then with Deven who's male. I know it was all just the booze, but for real Max?!

Then, I tell her about how we woke up, how we hated each other this morning, and are now friends because of getting to know each other.

"See, Devens a good guy."

"Though I still don't see why he doesn't like the red streaks, they are good."

"I know his sister doesn't like the color red on people, it freaks her out a lot, she thinks it's blood. She hates blood. Also, I know his ex had them before he found out they bugged his sister. So, maybe it's because it's like his ex's. But his ex's was blue streaks, not red."

"Ex, he didn't mention an ex."

"Touchy subject, you should understand that."

"Yeah, but all of y'all found out about my ex last night, so why wouldn't he open up about that?"

"Eh, it'll happen one day."

"Yeah, your right. 1) it's not my business, and 2) I just don't care."

"Good, let's get back to work."

I sigh, then hand the customer her coffee with a huge smile. I tell her to have a good day, she blushes, wishing me the same. Next in line, I follow the same steps I didn't with the other girl, she thanks me and leaves. The cycle never stops, even with the guys if the cycle goes on until I get my small breaks and lunch break.

Once again, an uneventful workday, but this morning and afternoon were pretty eventful. I can't help but laugh and smile to myself, finding it so weird how Deven and I just hated each other's guts this morning, to bond and become friends.