"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.
*
The diner had died down slightly so Brooklyn joined Sasha and Alice as soon as she could. "I can't stand it!" Brooklyn whispered. "What is his problem?"
"Huh?" Alice wondered, taking a large gulp from her third milkshake.
"Harry!" Brooklyn panicked. "He won't stop staring and he said he wanted me and he makes me feel all funny inside and I don't like it!"
"Whoa, calm down, girl," Sasha said. "He said he wanted you?"
"Well, technically he said he wanted to order me which is really weird and creepy," Brooklyn said, her words coming out at a thousand miles an hour. "And whenever I look at him he's staring at me with like an emotionless face and I can't stand it! He makes me feel so weird and on edge! Like I can't even tell what he's thinking because he's just so... Blank and cold!"
"He makes you feel weird how?" Sasha wondered.
"That's what you're taking from what I just said!" Brooklyn asked.
Sasha nodded. "Weird how?"
Brooklyn frowned and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, he makes me feel all funny inside. Whenever I catch him staring, which is not hard to do, it's like I've got electricity buzzing all through my body."
"I get that when I really need a shit," Alice said thoughtfully and Brooklyn stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing.
"You're disgusting," Sasha said with a chuckle and shook her head at Alice. "Well, Brooke, it doesn't sound like a bad thing the way he's making you feel."
"But I don't want him to make me feel funny!" Brooklyn groaned. "I wanted to move towns, blend in, go unnoticed and not attract any attention."
"Ah, but you see, you're a nice, pretty, lovely person moving into a small town," Alice said and shook her head. "Going unnoticed is impossible."
"I need you and your arms of steel," Brooklyn joked and she looked up when Romeo rang the bell. "I've got to get back to work," Brooklyn sighed and quickly stood up and made her way over to the hatch where Romeo had laid out plates of food. Brooklyn looked looked at the piece of paper and scowled when she saw the table number. "Great," she mumbled and picked up the three plates, balancing the expertly and then making her way over to Harry's table.
"Burger and fries," she said, placing a plate in front of Kal and then Ace. She stiffened when she leaned over Harry to give Greyson his chips.
"Brooklyn," Harry said when Brooklyn walked away. She heard him loud and clear, it was impossible to miss his deep, velvety drawl, but she ignored him and went to collect Kal's and Ace's milkshakes.
"You can pay at the counter when you're ready," Brooklyn said politely when she placed the drinks in front of Kal and Ace. "Have a nice meal."
"Brooklyn," Harry said again and he reached out and grabbed Brooklyn's wrist. Small tingles formed at his touch, but it wasn't enough to overpower her fear of his touch. Brooklyn stiffened and turned to glare at Harry.
"Get off me," Brooklyn snapped, her voice rising in panic. "Harry, p-please!"
Harry's touch was gentle and he slowly let Brooklyn's hand slip through his as he let go. Brooklyn immediately turned round and rushed away from him, not expecting him to follow her to the counter.
"What do you want, Harry?" Brooklyn snapped, turning round to glare at him.
Harry slipped onto the chair behind the counter and leaned across so he was inches from Brooklyn. She surprised herself by not moving back.
He was silent for a moment and Brooklyn chewed on her lip, the close proximity of them making her nervous. She could clearly see his vibrant green eyes studying every feature of her face. His soft pink lips were set in a hard line and his jaw was tense. She could even see a small dusting of freckles on his nose.
"What do I want?" He whispered and linked his fingers together under his chin. "Well... Since you're not on the menu I'll take a burger and fries, babe."
Babe.
Brooklyn wanted to be sick, but she wasn't sure it was because of the name or because Harry made her insides twist and churn like no one ever had before.