Forever His & His Ghost

Chapter 3: The Diner

       "Hey, you need some help?" I asked Marie as she zoomed around the small diner setting up for the dinner rush. Mark had dropped us off about thirty minutes ago and said he would be back after practice.

       The diner was on main street in the small town and looked like something from the fifties when you walked in, right down to the jukebox. Marie's mom and dad worked the morning shift, and her dad was the cook on the second, but Marie handled all the waitress stuff by herself in the evenings through the week, most of the time.

      She buzzed by me with some menus. "Sure, you can find a uniform in the back."

      I ran to the back and found the uniform and about died. The skirt was a black and white polka dot poodle skirt looking thing with a hot pink polo type top. How bad can it be right? I thought to myself as I stepped in the bathroom and changed. I pulled my braid into a neat bun on the top of my head and did a once over, laughing at myself in the mirror, if for sure was not my era.

      I walked back into the diner and Marie stopped dead in her tracks with her mouth wide open. I stopped and immediately checked; butt completely covered, check, no cleavage, check, something on my face, I don't think so. "What?" I finally questioned putting my hands on my hips.

     "Well, that fits you perfectly, and we are definitely going to bring the crowd in with you. You will make a ton of tips." I suddenly felt subconscious, I wasn't the prettiest girl, but I was comfortable in my own skin and had learned not to care what people think, but I also didn't want to be a spectacle. "You look beautiful Skyla. I am just saying you are going to turn some heads." She handed me some wrapped silverware. "Go set four sets of these on each table, and one set with each bar stool."

       An hour later and we were done setting up and people started trickling in, Mark had made it back and had put his uniform on to man the cash register. I laughed when he walked in and dropped everything seeing me in the poodle skirt. I instantly lost the self-consciousness I was feeling at that and was ready to take on the world. Well, that was until Jaxon, two of his guy friends, Darlene and a barbie want to be walked in and took a seat in the section I was waiting on. Then came Preston and his four buddies also taking a seat in my section.

      "Crap," I mumbled and stepped in the back to grab my bearings.

       Marie joined me after a minute and placed her hand on my shoulder give me a heartwarming smile, "Come on, I will help you. Let's do this." I nodded and took a deep breath putting a smile on my face, I stepped back into the diner,

       I can do this, I mentally screamed at myself.

      "Oh, hey Skyla," Jaxon nonchalantly greeted with a smile like we were old friends, and just like that the butterflies were back.

      "Hi, how can I help you guys this evening?" I grabbed the notepad and pen trying my best to steady my shaky hand. I was happy that Marie was standing next to me, ready to step in if needed.

      "Oh look, isn't this perfect, now you are the hired help." Darlene spit out, and her and her barbie laughed. I took a deep breath but didn't miss the look on Jaxon's face, he didn't seem to like the way they were acting.

       I took the order with a smile and returned within thirty minutes with their order. I didn't wait for them to say anything I just made my way to another table. Thank goodness, Preston was the nice one, him and his friends welcomed me with open arms, and I found myself sitting down with them while I waited on their food.

      "Really sis?" Preston raised an eyebrow, "A poodle skirt?"

      I busted out laughing, "Well I wanted to step back in time. Besides, it kind of grows on you."

      "I think she looks pretty sexy Preston." His brown-haired friend piped in. I just slapped his shoulder, these young boys, I swear.

      "Terrance by the way. But my friends call me Terr." He took my hand and shook it.

     "Nice to meet you Terr. I am Skyla, but you better keep my brother in line." I winked at him, and they all laughed.

      The rest of the evening went by uneventful, and I was exhausted by the time Marie and Mark closed the diner.

      "Ready to go?" Mark asked as we stepped out the door.

      I shook my head, "Thanks so much for the offer, but if it's all the same to you, I would really prefer to walk. I need the air."

      He contemplated it for a second, but then shook his head, "Only if you agree to let us know when you got home. I wouldn't have anything happen to my little sister's new friend."

      I laughed and winked at him, not flirtatiously, just friendly, "Deal." I turned to walk away and looked back over my shoulder, "See you guys tomorrow."

      The night was peaceful, there was a few people moving around and every now and then you would see a car pass by. The stars were bright in the sky and the moon was in its thumbnail form looking over me. I slipped my ear buds in, tucked my bag into my shoulder and continued my walk.

      I was about ten blocks from the house when I rounded a corner and bumped into a wall, and you guessed it I found myself in two big golden arms, just before hitting the ground. I just rolled my eyes; this can't be happening. I pulled the buds out of my ear and took a step back taking a deep breath, I looked into those amber eyes, and I swear they just sucked me in.

      "You know, I am all about catching a pretty girl when they fall, but we should probably talk a little before you fall anymore." I laughed at his cheesy antics, and that smirk on his face, however sexy, I would not fall for it. Bad Boy, written all over him.

       "I am beginning to think you just like stepping in front of me." I matched him with my own smirk.

       "Well, I have to do something, you tend to ignore me." He almost sounded as flustered as I felt.

       "I am not ignoring you," I scoffed as I stepped around him and started walking down the street toward my house.

       "Hey, wait up," he shouted, jogging to catch up with me. "Maybe we got off on the wrong foot." He shoved his hands in his front pockets and matched my strides.

       I stopped dead in my tracks causing him to do the same as I turned to face him, "No we met, you caught me falling three times, and for that I am grateful, and you didn't make fun of me, so that's a plus. But I have nothing to offer, you don't know me, I am just what you see, and don't belong in your circle. Us being friends will only cause me problems and I am only here to get through high school and then I am out of here." I let out a deep breath. I am not sure how I got so brave in a course of five seconds, but I spilled it all. "Nice to meet you and thanks again." I turned to walk away.

       I froze in my tracks as he reached out and gently grabbed my arm turning me back to face him, "You are right, you don't belong in my circle. You are too good for my circle, but you have lots to offer. And I promise being friends won't cause you any trouble. And I will follow you wherever you go."

       My heart stopped and I just stared at him blankly, unsure of exactly how to feel about that. "Um, what, why," I shook my head. "Why would you say that?" I whispered.

       "Just give me a chance, and let's start with letting me walk you the rest of the way home." I didn't have the energy to argue with him, he was a smooth talker and knew exactly what to say. I just nodded and we walked in comfortable silence to my house.

       "This is it." I said stopping at the end of the sidewalk, rocking back and forth between my heel and ball of my foot.

       He took my hand and brushed his lips ever so softly across my knuckles, "See you tomorrow, Princess." And then he left me there with a shocked look on my face.