For The Better

The Diner; Chapter 3

Maya and I walked side by side down the street to the subway.

"Let's play a game." She said with a smirk as we stepped inside of the subway.

"Should I be scared?" I replied.

"No, this one's fun. Okay, here it is. Look at a random person in here. Anybody."

I pointed to a tan man who sat in one of the seats of the subway. He was very old with a gray beard and dark spots. He had a turban on.

"Now we make up a story of who they are. For example, that old man is a very wise old man. He used to be a palm reader when he was younger and he has been wise beyond his years since then. Right now, he's on his way to visit his son and daughter-in-law and their 2 year old daughter. He visits his son every other day because they remind him so much of him and his wife when they were younger. Right now, he is praying to whatever God or gods he worships. He's praying for his health, that he'll make it to see his granddaughter turn 4 at least, and he's praying for his son's family to not miss him too much. He knows he'll die soon and he will happily go, knowing he'll be with his wife who died of cancer in her early 40's."

She concludes her story with a sigh and a shy looking smile and looks up at me.

"Your turn, Bucky McBoing Boing."

"I don't know how I can beat that," I started, looking over at Maya with a sly smirk, "or maybe I can."

"Show me what you can do, cowboy."

I point to a woman in a purple crop top with purple jeans and purple converse. She had sleek, jet black hair in a long ponytail and she kept smiling at everyone. She carried purple flowers in her hands. She was very beautiful, but she wasn't my type.

"That," I stated, "that's Kylie. She loves the color purple because her mother's favorite flower was purple and so to honor her late mother she wears it often. Right now, it is the 2nd anniversary of her mother's death. Her mother, a kind woman, always told her to smile at everyone and look up from technology sometimes and so she doesn't own a smart phone, (Maya seems pleased with this,) and she smiles at everyone. Her mother was in a car accident due to some drunk driver who was on the wrong side of the road. Kylie was discouraged and depressed about life until she met a little girl named Addie. Addie is the neighbor girl Kylie and her older sister and father have. She lives next door and often asks too many questions about simple things in life like a child would. One day, Kylie was asked by Addie why she didn't smile, and she told Addie she was sad. Addie told her that sadness is silly, because her grandma told her that she 'doesn't have too many days left to be as happy as she was right then.' Kylie realized that Addie's grandma was right, and remembered her words about smiling. She became an amazing babysitter to Addie and loved her so much. Kylie spent more time with Addie, and when Addie's grandma died, you bet Kylie was holding Addie in her arms telling her to smile. Because it's going to be okay."

I smiled at Maya who's stormy eyes had gotten rainy with, tears?

"Sorry, I had something in my eyes. Pretty good Ranger Roye."

I bowed to her and she rolled her eyes. I laughed at that.

We got to the stop of the diner and I saw my parents in their normal booth for 4 by the window. They always sat there. That's where my dad proposed to her, so the manager said that that was "their booth," and put their wedding picture on the wall beside it. Maya and I walked closer to the diner. She was looking down at her clothes. Her ripped black jeans, her wrinkled and gray tank top with her leather jacket and her black converse high tops. She wore little to no makeup. She must've thought she didn't look presentable, but my older brother brought home more rugged girls than this at times.

I didn't know what to say to her without sounding like I was flirting. I wanted to tell her that she looked good or presentable but I don't want her to think I like her like that. Do I?

"You look great." I smiled at Maya.

She looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and smirk on her lips.

"Thanks?"

"You looked kind of scared. Just thought I'd help." I smiled brighter. She looked like she might have blushed. She was looking down at the street again and I could see her smile. I could hear it in her voice too.

"Yeah, well, thanks Cowboy."

We walked into the diner and I gently tugged her arm to the booth that my parents sat at. We sat across from them and Maya shook her hands with them.

"Nice to meet you, Mister and Misses Friar. Thank you for inviting me." She was smiling very brightly. I could tell she was being sincere.

She sat down next to me and made eye contact with both of my parents. Maya smiled at the menu. My mom asked her,

"Where are your parents? Are they okay with this?"

Maya sighed. She had to answer now, she'd never answer about this to me.

"Well my dad disappeared when I was young. I don't remember much of him but I think he abused someone and might be in jail now. And that someone is me-" she muttered that part under her breath so my parents couldn't hear it, but I sure could. "And my mom, she works at an older diner in a pretty bad part of town. She works there from 9:00am-4:00pm and from 4:30pm-3:00am she works at a bar." My parents looked shocked and saddened. Maya looked down.

"Oh, Honey," my mom started, "that's terrible." Maya looked up again.

"I'm doing okay though, my best friend Riley and her family let me stay at their house most of the time, and if they're busy I'm pretty good about being alone. And your amazing son Lucas, my best friend Riley, and one of the strangest yet one of the greatest friends I've ever had, Farkle get me through it." She looked up at me and smiled tightly in conclusion.

My parents looked at eachother with smiles. Maya is approved. Maya and my parents talked, only occasionally did my parents ask me something. This gave me time to think about how Maya said she was abused. That's a terrible way to remember your father. She really was broken. Maya snapped her fingers I front of my face.

"Huh?" I asked.

"The waitress asked what you are ordering." She started to giggle at my confusion.

"I'll take the grilled cheese with tomato soup please." I smiled at the woman. She smiled back.

"Allllright! We'll be back in about 20 minutes with your food." The lady said. Then she added,

"Thank you for the smile. I've had a rough day." And she walked away.

"You're such a flirt." Maya smirked at me.

"Or maybe I'm just nice."

"Or maybe you're both, Sundance." She actually smiled now. I smiled down at her.

Now, we wait for our food.