Match

32: Long Day

Floods of kids with their parents pour into the restaurant. It looks like a long queue line. The largest capacity in the restaurant is two tables placed together to seat two adults, one who appears to be a coach, and a team of rowdy ten year old lacrosse players. To Cole's 'luck', he's their main server.

"So a share of three big breakfast specials?" He asks through hasty scribbles.

The coach looks between the kids for confirmation. "Yup. Oh! And one with turkey bacon."

"I want cereal," a boy slams the menu flat on the table.

"Okay," Cole says, "we have Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, and Corn Pops."

He presses his brows together, annoyed. "You don't have Cinnamon Toast Crunch?"

"We uh, the cereals change by week."

The boy lets out a long sigh, to which the coach looks up at Cole with slight embarrassment.

"Sorry, that's my son," he says, then turns to him. "Brayden, choose one or you get none."

"Fine!" He throws his hands up. "Froot Loops, then."

"Okay," Cole flips to another page.

"I want another orange juice..."

The woman sitting beside the other boy nudges him gently, while mumbling "say please".

"...please."

"Alright," after scribbling down everything, he looks back up at the large group. "Is that everything?"

"Yup!" The coach says quick.

He nods, retrieving all the menus, then heads to the kitchen to place the orders. From behind he can hear a child screaming, to which he presumes the parent, firmly says 'shh!'. Two co-workers mumble to each other behind the counter.

"There's so many children here this morning."

"I know, right? What do they think this is? A playground?"

As Cole takes a drink order to a table, he passes by them.

"Watch how loud you say that," he says, "there's a young family ten feet away."

He did not hold his sass back this time. But he could definitely feel their sneering smiles climbing on his back. Today he doesn't care. They're getting paid for standing around.

———————————

Thump!

Cole face-plants onto his bed, enveloped by the mattress concaving from his weight. Nothing feels more comforting for him right now than a clean, cool bed.

"Cole?"

He pops his head up to Hayden's voice, directed in the bathroom. Hayden opens the door with an ardent expression and damp hair.

"Yo did you see what we got?!"

He points to the upper far right corner. Positioned there is a brand new air conditioner. Cole's eyes widen. He sits up.

"When did that get installed?"

Hayden pats his hair dry with a towel. "Just this morning."

"No, no..."

"'No'?" He stops. "No what, Cole?"

Panicked, he fumbles for his phone buried in his pocket. Immediately he dials for his sister. He paces back and forth, impatience growing with every ring.

"Hello?"

He blinks. "Don't tell me you paid it full."

"Paid what - oh, the air conditioner?" Sasha sighs. "I changed my mind."

"Sash-"

"Cole, it's fine. Take it as my thanks."

His eyes meet confused Hayden.

"You and Hayden have been amazing tenants," she continues, "it's a fairly new model, so it's bound to last a long time. If not, it's got a five year warranty."

Cole plops his butt back on the bed. He runs his hands through his greasy hair.

"Okay..." is all he can muster up.

He hangs up, dropping his limp arm to his side. His eyes stare as if it's the calm before the storm. Hayden shimmies to his bed with uncertainty, then sits across him.

"You phoned your sis?"

Cole blinks himself awake, glancing at him. "She paid for it full."

"Huh? Oh, the A.C.?"

He nods.

"That's pretty sweet, eh?" Hayden tosses the towel to a laundry basket with perfect accuracy.

Cole lets out a 'hm' sound, then turns his attention to his phone screen. The call log appears, showing Sasha's name and the call from a minute ago. He taps the contacts. Jonah's name is the first thing that appears. He feels himself pout, so he places his phone on the desk beside the bed.

"Hey uh,"

He looks back at Hayden, who's got an open manga book resting on his lap.

"You seem kinda irritated. Was work shitty?"

Cole rests an arm behind his head.

"Uh, yeah," he says, "long day."

"Mm," Hayden flips a page. "I'm considering your idea."

Cole looks to him. "Huh?"

"Ya know, volunteering at the orchard. It says here that they need people to pick strawberries."

"Ah, uh... I'm sorry if I sounded demanding that day."

"Nah, man!" He laughs. "I'm used to it, just like how you're used to my... antics."

"Right..."

He rolls to the opposite side, letting fatigue make him doze off.

———————————

Two hours feel like ten minutes, but in that time he has a vivid dream. The sky is orange, with the yolk sun drawing closer to the horizon. He's back on a soccer field. Even though he's in full gear, there's not a soccer ball in sight. Jonah is in the dream again, also wearing soccer gear.

This time, Jonah's hanging upside-down on a net. Wearing a smile that looks like a frown right side up. Cole is staring at him. And in that moment, their faces are only a few feet apart.