Brooklyn went straight into town after school with Sasha, Alice and Violet. Apparently there was a local diner that was a hangout spot for the majority of high school kids and Violet had a part time job there.
A bell chimed when the girls walked into the diner and Violet rushed off into the back to get changed, ready for work. The rest of the girls sat down in a booth with bright red seats and Brooklyn gazed over the menu.
"The milkshakes here are amazing!" Alice gushed, pointing to a part on the menu. "You've got to get one."
"I thought you wanted to be healthy?" Sasha said, raising an eyebrow Alice.
"Screw healthy, I'm running away and declaring my life to chocolate," Alice smiled and Brooklyn laughed.
"I think I'll get a strawberry milkshake," she said as Violet came out in a pale pink tshirt and skirt with a white apron tied round her waist.
"Don't comment on the uniform," Violet said as she walked over to the girls.
"This will be the only time where you will see her in something other than black," Sasha laughed.
"Shut up and order," Violet grumbled.
"The usual," Alice grinned.
"Strawberry milkshake," Brooklyn smiled.
"Chocolate milkshake," Sasha said and Violet nodded and walked off.
"I used to work in a place like this back home," Brooklyn mused. "But we had to wear roller skates."
"Oh my gosh, I've always wanted to try roller skates!" Alice gasped. "Where you good?"
"I had to carry food and drink while wearing them, you had to be reasonably skilled," Brooklyn chuckled. "When I first started I dropped a whole tray of food over a customer because I lost my balance. It was mortifying."
Sasha and Alice laughed and Brooklyn rolled her eyes.
"Oh, Brooke! What the hell happened earlier in French!" Sasha gasped.
"Huh?" Alice asked.
"Harry sat next to her in French," Sasha explained.
"It's really strange," Brooklyn admitted as school kids started to fill the diner. "He's really strange."
"She's bad news," Alice said.
"Can't you tell your brother to tell him to stay away from me?" Brooklyn wondered. "He puts me on edge."
"He wouldn't listen to me," Alice shrugged. "And then he'd probably tell Harry to harass you more."
"What did you talk about?" Sasha wondered as a waitress came over and served them their milkshakes.
"Thank you," Brooklyn smiled and took a sip from hers.
"How amazing are they?" Alice said.
"Gorgeous," Brooklyn nodded and took another sip.
"Back to Harry," Sasha said, snapping her fingers. "Details, Brooke."
"He thinks I'm hiding something," Brooklyn said. "He then called me difficult."
"Because you're not falling at his feet like every other girl at this school," Sasha said and rolled her eyes.
"He's very... Intense," Brooklyn murmured and swirled her milkshake with her straw. "I don't like it."
"Stay away from him," Alice said.
"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Brooklyn frowned.
"We'll be your bodyguards," Alice grinned. "I'm so hench."
"You die in PE after running a lap around the gym," Sasha pointed out.
"I excel at other things!" Alice pouted. "I've got arms of steel."
Sasha reached over the table and pinched Alice's upper arm making her squeal and rub her arm. "Yeah, steel," Sasha said sarcastically and Brooklyn laughed. "I'm sure Alice will be able to protect you from Harry's advances."
*
"Oh my god, I'm dying!" Violet gasped, crashing into Sasha as she bundled into the booth with the three girls. "I've not had a break and we're so busy!"
"So you're really busy and you decide to stop working, thus making it more busy," Sasha said and laughed at Violet.
"We're so understaffed!" Violet whined and wiped her sweaty forehead.
"Violet!" Violet's manager gasped and rushed over. "Now isn't the time to break! Come on, we're so busy!"
"Sorry," Violet grumbled. "Can't you call anyone else in?"
"Everyone is busy, we've got to deal with what we've got," the manager sighed. "I need to hire some more people."
"Brooke mentioned how she used to work in a diner like this," Sasha spoke up and Violet and her manager looked to Brooklyn.
"Really?" The manager asked and Brooklyn nodded slowly.
"Since I was 15."
"I know this is extremely unprofessional, but would you mind helping us out?" The manager asked, looking at Brooklyn with pleading eyes. "I'll pay you double."
Brooklyn shrugged and nodded. "Sure."
"Oh, thank god!" The manager sighed and smiled brightly. "Violet, take her out back, get her some uniform and then show her the ropes quickly."
"Sure thing, Ben," Violet nodded and stood up, grabbing Brooklyn's hand and dragging her into the back of the diner. "It's pretty simple really, just take orders and then pass them onto the chef, clean up tables when they're empty. There's not much too it."
"Seems similar to what it was like back home," Brooklyn nodded and Violet led Brooklyn into a room full of boxes. She grabbed three plastic parcels and handed them to Brooklyn.
"You'll get over the uniform," Violet laughed. "You can change in here, I'll get you a notepad and pen and you can start taking orders. On the corner there is a table number so just make sure you right down the table number first of all." Violet rushed out of the room and Brooklyn quickly changed into the pink top and skirt. She tied the apron round her waist and placed her clothes on the side. She thought the uniform was quite cute.
"Ah, good!" Violet smiled when she walked into the room. "Sorry if I'm rushing you, but I'm a little stressed."
"It's fine," Brooklyn chuckled and Violet handed her a notepad and pen.
"Right, out you go and start taking orders!"
"Yes ma'am," Brooklyn joked and walked out into the busy diner. Violet directed her to a table and Brooklyn smiled brightly when she reached the table.
"Hi guys, what can I get for you?" Brooklyn asked and proceeded to jot down the orders on the notepad. When she was done she walked over to Violet who told her to hang up the orders in a hatch behind the counter so the chef could read them. Once the chef had cooked the food he would ring the bell and then you'd have to deliver to the food/drink to the correct table.
"Simple enough," Brooklyn smiled and made her way over to another table, greeting them with a cheery smile. She took their order and then gave the order to the chef who was a middle aged Italian man with a bit of a beer belly, but he seemed lovely. He grinned happily at Brooklyn when she clipped up a piece of paper and flipped something in his frying pan.
"You're doing a great job," Ben, the manager said, nodding thankfully at Brooklyn. "Would you mind wiping down the empty tables?" Ben held out a cloth and spray and Brooklyn nodded.
"No problem," she smiled and took the cloth and spray and then walked over to an empty table, cleaning away the stray pieces of food and spilled drink.
The diner was very loud and extremely busy, but the loud bell that signalled the door opening could be heard loud and clear. Brooklyn was bent over a table when the bell sounded and she looked over her shoulder as Harry, Greyson, Kal and Ace walked in.
A silence went across the diner as the teenagers all stared at the newcomers in shock. Girls ogled while guys glared and tried to make themselves seem intimidating by pushing their chests out and putting on a cold expression.
Brooklyn had to stop a giggle at their pathetic attempts to look tough.
She finished wiping the table down and walked over to the counter and returned the cloth and spray to an empty shelf.
"Brooke, you are such a life saver!" Violet squealed and hugged Brooklyn when Violet walked behind the counter. "How you can be so happy with all the customers baffles me!"
"Years of practise," Brooklyn laughed and the chef, Romeo, rang his little bell. Violet span round and grabbed three plates and then glanced to Brooklyn.
"Sorry, looks like you've got to deal with them," Violet said sheepishly, looking to Harry, Greyson, Kal and Ace who had just taken a seat at an empty booth.
"Where's Alice and her arms of steel now?" Brooklyn said under her breath and laughed when she looked over at Alice who was trying to balance a straw between her upper lip and nose.
Brooklyn took her notepad and pen out of her apron pocket and glanced at Harry. He looked up, as if he could feel Brooklyn looking at him, and stared back at her.
Brooklyn swallowed and gripped the notepad tightly as she walked out from behind the counter and made her way over to their table. "Hi," she said, forcing enthusiasm into her voice. "What can I get for you guys?"
"You work here?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows at Brooklyn.
"I'm just helping out," Brooklyn shrugged. "What can I get for you?"
"Answers?" Harry wondered and Brooklyn arched an eyebrow at Harry.
"What would you like to order?" She asked.
Harry stared at Brooklyn. "You."
Brooklyn stared at Harry in shock and she took a step backwards. "If you're not going to order anything then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Just ignore him, Brooke!" Kal said brightly. "I'll have a burger and fries with a chocolate milkshake. Those are a thing of beauty!"
Brooklyn turned to Kal and quickly wrote down what he said. "Anything else?" She wondered.
"I'll take the same," Ace smiled.
"Just get me some fries," Greyson said coldly and Brooklyn pursed her lips at his rude tone.
"Coming right up," she said sweetly, forcing a smile onto her face.
"What about me?" Harry wondered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You lost your chance to order," Brooklyn shrugged and turned on her heel, walking over to the counter. She clipped up the piece of paper for Romeo and turned back round, her eyes immediately found Harry who was staring at her with a blank look.
Brooklyn swallowed nervously and tried to avoid Harry's gaze, but he was making her feel extremely on edge.
What was his problem?
Romeo sounded the bell and Brooklyn jumped in fright, but quickly distracted herself from Harry by spinning round and grabbing two plates of food. She smiled at Romeo and then delivered the food to the correct table. Once she was done she went to another table and took their orders, very aware that Harry was watching her the whole time.
*