HAPPY NEW YEAR!! hope everyone had a safe and great night.
Heres the next chapter! plz give feedback...i need to be feed.
Chapter 10
“Okay, that’s one Nebula Salad, a blood-of-alien smoothie and orbit rings. Can I get you anything else?” I slapped on that automatic smile as my customer thought it over for a second then politely declined my offer.
“No, thank you dear. I’ll be fine.” The middle-aged woman shook her head.
“Enjoy your meal!” As soon as my back was turned my features dropped from that fake, phony the-customer-is-always-right façade.
I had crawled out of my room after cursing at the walls and crying in confusion. Hours later I performed the mindless routine of getting dressed into my uniform and heading downstairs for my shift.
It was evident that I had become a walking, mumbling zombie. I shuffled from one customer to the next pretending to be bright and helpful when in reality every customer ate away at me demanding fatty foods that made me nauseous. I wanted to snap at anyone who complicated an order by wanting a side salad instead of fries and altering every single thing else. Okay it was two things but either way I was getting pissed off and had to literally bit my tongue with every order.
“Order up!” I heard Eddy yell out to me followed by a ding of the bell as I made my way to the kitchen window.
I scooped up my order for table twelve, a Will Smith burger and a Galaxy Sub. I got another waft of greasy fatty foods and had to repress the bile in my throat. Squeezing my eyes shut I turned my head away from the orders window and swallowed a few times before making my way to the table.
I wove through the crowed restaurant, holding the plates high so they wouldn’t be tipped over. I slid the plates onto the table of a happy couple. Not much older then me, properly two or three years older.
They looked so wrapped up in each other; it made me what to gag.
“Will that be all?” I didn’t even give my fake tone this time; I just stared at them insufferably. But they didn’t notice, they only noticed each other.
“No, that’s great. Thanks.” The guy said to me without looking, his eyes only on his girlfriend as she giggled under his love filled gaze. Get me a bucket! My mind snidely remarked, Max and I had that, but not as cliché and mushy as they were. I nodded and turned on my heels; I mumbled under my breathed in a bitchy tone, “God, get a room.”
I really needed to finish my shift and just go to bed. It was getting hotter in here by the second. It was stifling.
I walked over to the waitress corner and busied myself drying glasses till my next order was up. I jumped at the sound of breaking plates; I followed the direction of the sharp noise to see the new girl, Lucy, who had just dropped three dirty dishes on the floor and managed to tip most of the left over food onto an older couple.
The girl was costing us more money by being here. She frantically picked up the shattered pieces as my father stomped past me and over to Lucy to mend to situation. I merely watched as my dad helped pick up the pieces and calmed the food covered customers while trying to control a fumbling Lucy. Everyone in the Café soon turned back to what they were doing and forgot about the previous events.
I continued cleaning my cups and turned to the clock, it was 6.20pm, and Maria was twenty minutes late and so was Michael. You have to be an idiot to not figure out what both of them would be doing.
As soon as the thought left my mind, Maria came rushing through the staff door.
“Nice of you to turn up.” I said to her without looking away from cleaning the cup.
“Sorry, I got…held up.” She said as Michael could just be seen through the order window, putting on an apron.
“Sure.” I replied again my eyes still looking to the already clean glass; maybe I’ve done this one. I placed the cup on the shelf and continued to avoid eye contact.
I had to admit I really didn’t want to talk right now. Repeating every little thing to Maria was making me worse, I mean it was good for me to get it out but why did I feel worse whenever I did a recap.
“So, what happened? I can tell your getting a little lost in thought there, Liz.” Maria said bluntly as she readjusted her silver apron.
“Nothing.” I mumbled out as I placed another glass on the shelf.
“Nothing?” She said in a mocking ‘I-know-your-lying’ tone.
I sighed and faced her for the first time, “Maria I really, really don’t want to talk about it right now.” I said sullenly as I placed the last cup on the shelf.
“Okay, but you have to tell me sooner or later, Liz” She replied and walked over to the counter. I followed her and leant up against milkshake machine, my face remained lifeless.
“You okay there. You look a little pale.” She took an order pad then studied my face again.
“I’m fine.” I sighed as the ding of the bell made me move to the window to pick up my next order. And then made my way to table four.
“Here’s your Warp Wrap. Enjoy.” I didn’t both with the pleasantries anymore. It was too much effort and the heat in here was increasing by the minute. I heard the jingle of the entrance bell and was shocked to see Max walk through the doors… and not accompanied by Tess this time.
He searched the café swiftly and finally he landed his eyes on me then he made a beeline to where I was standing. I was stuck in place, I wanted to move but my feet didn’t make any kind of attempt. It’s like my body shut down and my mind was screaming for escape.
He towered over me real close and I just stared into his face. Anger building in my throat at the fact that he could just walk in here and seem so unharmed by our fights and bickering.
How dare he not go through pain, how dare he let me just go through it all, whereas he can just brush it all off.
“What the hell do you want?” I spoke low, my voice stifled to avoid any outbursts of angry.
“Liz, we just really need to talk. Have a proper conversation without leaving each other shattered.” He spoke so calmly that it made me want to scream at him and punch him in the face.
“I don’t have anything to say.” My bitchy tone was spiteful. I kept contact with his glazed over eyes. It looked like he hadn’t slept for days, but it matched my own.
“That’s a lie and you know it.” His tone was hushed low with growing fury.
“Fuck off, Max. I don’t want to speak to you.” Tears were developing in my eyes, I just can’t face him anymore and I really don’t want to talk to anyone especially him. I just want to be left alone. I turned on my heels and darted through the tables weaving past customers and dodging any contact with Maria or my Dad.
The staff door was my destination and I was just so close to escaping everything, when a firm grip on my arm spun me around and made my head spin. It got even hotter and the air was so thick it was hard to breathe at all.
“What?” I breathed out, my tone wavered with emotion.
“Liz, we need to talk.” Max said calmly but sternly.
“No, just let go.” I pulled from his grip and walked up to the waitress corner to brace myself. It felt like my feet weren’t even touching the ground; that familiar flush of hot and cold chills ran through me.
“Uh oh.” I mumbled out as my vision dimmed into darkness.
“Liz?” I heard Max from behind me, I swayed on my feet and stepped back to hold my balance but it didn’t help. I can’t faint again, what if my father sees?
“Liz? What’s wrong.” I heard Max again a little more closer this time.
“I …just need to…lay down.” I mumbled out but it felt like my lips weren’t even moving. Holding my weight was becoming unbearable so I leant more on the wooden counter only to have my body collapses back into Max’s arms.
I heard a gasp like Maria yelping my name. I could hear everything but I couldn’t open my eyes at all. I felt so heavy and the need to be so close to the ground was excruciating.
“Liz? You okay? Wake up!” I heard Max plead to me in a strained, hushed tone, I tried to mumble a response but even that was too much to attempt.
“Liz!” Max shook me gently trying to wake me. This is a disaster, why can’t people just leave me alone. I just want to be alone! I just want to sleep. I felt Max lift me into his arms then carry through the back room. I wanted to scream for him to put me down, I wanted to hit him, anything that would get me away from him….but I was complete paralyzed.
Obviously my father hadn’t noticed my departure otherwise he’d be hounding Max like he was a wanted criminal under a spotlight. I suddenly found myself thanking god for Lucy’s clumsiness.
I felt Max briskly take the stairs and round the corner to my room. My body was starting to feel that heaviness drift away and that excruciating need to be close to the ground in a deep sleep was fading away too.
“Mmm…” I sighed out in relaxation as he lowered me to my bed, it was so soft and comforting I just wanted to curl up in my blankets and sleep forever.
“Liz? Talk to me.” Max pleaded as his fingers skimmed over my forehead and cheek. “Mmm…” I mumbled, frustrated at being disturbed from my brief contentment.
“Liz? You fainted again. I’m getting worried, wake up.” Max soft voice was the only thing heard in my eerily quiet room. I finally opened my eyes to have my vision filled with his concern face.
“I know.” I mumbled out bitterly as I tried to focus my eyes on something other then his face.
“This isn’t good for you. Fainting once is okay, but twice in the same day…”
“It wasn’t so much fainting, as it was collapsing.” I interrupted as I propped myself up on my shoulders.
“Big difference. I’m taking you to the doctor.” Max insisted as he leaned forward to help me up
“What? No! I’m not going to the doctor’s.” I childishly protested
“Get up!” He again reached for my hand but I snatched it from his grasp.
“No, I’m not going with you.” I sat up shifting a little more away from his reach.
“Liz, this could be serious… Just get up!” Max’s hand reached out for mine, but I didn’t take it.
“What, suddenly the wellbeing of the baby you wanted to destroy is now important to you?” I remarked viciously
“Liz don’t start, I never told you to go have an abortion I gave you my opinion…”
“But on what grounds Max!” I interrupted sitting more upright as the anger started to resurface.
“Liz I told you what reasons, our parents--”
“That’s bullshit, Max! There’s some other reason why and you won’t fucking tell me! I KNOW your lying to me and it’s killing me not to know why you feel this reason is above any other! You’re a selfish son of a bitch and coward!” My breathing was erratic as I held his icy stare
Max’s eyes burned into mine, “Fine! You wanna know why you think I’m some heartless bastard?! You wanna know why I can’t deal with this pregnancy let alone any other person’s?” My spiteful words were fueling his confession.
“What because you’re an Alien?” I immaturely retorted.
“Because I’m the reason my little brother’s dead!” His words shocked me to the core. I suddenly felt the anger being replaced with confusion; I didn’t feel that confident under his gaze as I did when I was yelling at him.
Max’s fury turned into an enraged regret, a self-hating turmoil. He diverted his painful glare anywhere else but my face. I suddenly realized that during the fighting I had risen to my knees on my bed Max hovering over me.
“What?” I breathed out and shook my head in disbelief, he must be lying.
“You heard me.” He cruelly chuckled out as he made his way to my window that led to my veranda.
“How?” My brow knitting together with confusion.
I stepped off my bed and remained beside it, I didn’t want to scare him off, I had finally broken down one barrier and I didn’t want to disturb its fall.
He stared out the window shaking his head in what looked like self-shame; I took one cautious step forward in attempt to hear him better.
“My Mom had a third child when Isabel and I were four…and…” Max looked down to his shaking hand then he turned to face me. I could tell he was reliving it. It haunted him.
Suddenly his hollow eyes snapped out of its haunted daze and looked to me, “C’mon I’m taking you to the doctor’s. Get a jacket; we’ll go down the fire escape.” He moved around my room throwing me my blue zip-up jacket and closed my bedroom door.
“Max,” I stood bewildered as he continued to swiftly move around my room checking everything was as it should be so we didn’t leave any clues that we were in here and then he moved to my window opening it without hesitation. He was pretending not to hear my question.
It was irritating to have him to ignore my question, but having something traumatize you at such a young age and bring it up for maybe the first time. Sometimes I knew how that felt, so I let it slid…for now.
“C’mon.” He gestured with his hand and I silently obeyed.