Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 37 - Moving On

Monday finally rears its ugly head and I have to face the real world. I get dressed in my typical black work clothes and walk over to the restaurant.

I hope my shift is still the same time as Jake told me last week, but I don't check. I still haven't turned my phone on.

One thing at a time.

Work and socializing with customers and strangers first. Phone and dealing with people I know second.

I have the lunch shift again today so I'll be done at 3. I bring my laptop along to work on my story at the café next door to the restaurant when the shift is up.

I walk in the front door and greet my coworkers. I haven't learned all of their names yet but I'm pretty sure the brunette server with glasses is into Jake. Her name is something like Aly or Andrea... something with an A. 

She walks past me and I lean quickly to read her server nametag. 

Alex. That's her name.

Either way, she works lunch shifts serving during the week and seems friendly. I should talk more to her. And remember her name...

I say hi to one of the chefs as they walk by my desk to the kitchen - a blonde guy named James. He looks a little too much like another blonde I'm trying to forget so I make a note to stay away from him as much as possible today. Shouldn't be too hard if I keep out of the kitchen.

As the shift begins and the restaurant opens, I greet and seat dozens of tables happily. It's nice to get back into things after being off since Thursday. It's not the most glamourous job in the world but I like it. It keeps me busy and it isn't boring since the restaurant is usually packed.

I also think it's helping my social anxiety. Each shift and each table I get a little more comfortable talking casually to all of these strangers.

"Right this way," I smile widely at a sweet elderly couple as I show them to their table by the window.

"Thank you, dear," the woman says to me sweetly as I give her a hand sitting down.

"Jake will be your server, he will be over soon." I say to both of them before turning to the man. "Don't get jealous," I say with a smirk and he chuckles as I turn to his wife and wink, "He's a looker..."

I wiggle my eyebrows and tilt my head towards Jake to my right where he is helping another table.

"Ouuu, you're right, dear," she replies, eyeing Jake.

I chuckle as I walk back over to the front desk.

"I was just kidding, Ernie!" I hear her say exasperatedly and I giggle.

The afternoon continues, the restaurant traffic slowing around 2pm with an hour left in my shift. I find small tasks to keep busy but when I finally run out of anything else to do, I pull out my phone.

I press the side button and watch the apple sign pop up as the phone comes to life. I can feel my chest tightening anxiously as I type in my password.

As expected, my phone starts blowing up with texts from Jade, Santana... and Nathan. I scroll through the many texts from him spanning from Thursday to this morning with a frown.

'I'm sorry. I'm an idiot.'   Yup... you are.

'Can we talk about this?'

'I get why you are mad. I pushed it too far. You aren't a whore, I never thought that. I was angry and drunk and pent up from seeing you all night without being able to touch you.'   My stomach tightens as I read the last two words of that text and my face flushes a little.