AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I step into the diner for my first shift. The linoleum floors have seen better days but it's still a place of comfort. The waitstaff banters with customers and dishes clink in the back. This should be interesting.
The diner is cast in a dull yellow glow, the booths worn and stools sagging. But the sight of it fills me with a strange sort of elation. This is it - my first shift, a chance to make my own money, to decide my own fate. I have been pounding the pavement for weeks, but this is the only place willing to take a chance on me. My brother is ready for me to get my own place and so am I.
I take the crisp apron and wrap it around my waist, tugging the strings tightly, and fastening the knot as if it can keep my nerves from trembling. Why am I so nervous? I haven't worked in a decade, and this place holds so many memories that I want it to work. If I want to reset my future, it all starts with this place now.
The scariest part is I have never been a waitress before, and being on my feet for eight hours hurts me just thinking about it. Picky isn't something I have the ability to be.
The bells sings over the door, and I watch as my first customer enters, my heart racing. I take a deep breath, plaster on a grin, and step forward.
"Good morning.”
The customer orders a burger, fries, and a milkshake. I scribble the order down, hands shaking slightly. Behind me people talk, their laughter echoing off the walls. I hurry to the kitchen, handing the order to the cook and receive an approving nod. I try to busy myself by refilling sugar containers at the tables and straightening menus as I listen to all the conversations around me. I deliver the food with a beaming smile and see the customer's face light up. All that matters is doing a good job here.
All day, I have been looking forward to the moment Adonis will walk through the door, surprised to find me working here. The clock strikes six, and still no sign of him. I try to quell my disappointment. He always comes in on Mondays for an apple pie, but something must have delayed him.
The bell continues to sing with each new customer, and I welcome them with a smile. The more orders that come in, the more I fill tables with baskets of fries and plates of burgers, and maneuver around the room getting refills. Everyone smiles, knowing my name and providing me with more than generous tips. Keeping the diner full with customers offers me a necessary distraction from my worries and gives me a chance at making a decent living.
The later it gets, the more worry floods through me. As long as I have been back in town, Adonis has never missed a day. Where is he? If he isn't here, then something is keeping him from being able to get here. He has not answered my texts or calls which has me even more worried.
"Ryan, have you seen Adonis? He hasn't made it in yet..."
When he stutters, my heart drops.
“Adonis braved through the blaze to save a child who was stuck inside the building engulfed in flames. He was taken to the hospital.”
Dead silence as my eyes begin to fill.
"He'll be alright, sis. Some debris fell on him and he got some burns, but he's alive."
Why is my brother acting like it's no big deal? I want to be angry with Adonis for taking such a risk, but I can't find it in me to do so. After all, he did a noble thing - he rescued a child in danger. His heart is pure and that's probably why he acted so impulsively. That aside, my mind contemplates what could have happened if he failed? I love him for being so courageous, but he could've died.
As I think of my life without Adonis in it, a flood of emotions washes over me. My heart aches and tears spill. We have been inseparable since the Scarlett dance.
"I gotta go," I say, needing time to process the information in private before returning to the front.
Minutes later, I return to the front with red eyes greeting customers like nothing happened. As much as I ache inside to go see him, my boss is counting on me. He didn't have to hire me, but I promised him I would work my ass off. Leaving early on my first shift wouldn't exactly display that promise. So, even though my heart is heavy with worry, the show must go on.
I keep my eyes on the clock, thoughts still set on Adonis. A crisp coolness has taken over the evening air. I wipe a hand over my brow, feeling the sweat of a long day's work.
"Goodnight, see ya tomorrow.”
A chill is in the air as I step outside giving me a moment to focus on Adonis rather than work. My eyes well up as I walk to my car. If Adonis is fine, then why isn't he answering my calls or texts? Something isn't right. Ryan must not be telling me the whole story. And if he isn't, I'm putting snakes in his bed.
My hands tremble as I stare at my keys, uncertain of whether I should trust my gut and head to the hospital. Technically, we aren't dating, so if they asked... what do I say? Friend? I take a deep breath, trying to make sense of the chaotic thoughts flooding my mind. Part of me wants to turn around and go home, yet something inside me tells me I won't be able to sleep tonight without knowing. With a heavy heart, I turn on the engine and begin my journey toward the hospital.
14
Adonis
The oppressive antiseptic smell of the hospital room makes my nose wrinkle and my stomach churn as I slowly open my heavy eyelids. The sterile white walls are a stark contrast to the smoky destruction I left behind earlier. Beeping and whirring machines surround me, and I watch the nurses and doctors move around in the hallway. I had been rescuing survivors from what felt like a war zone mere hours ago, and now I lay here, feeling helpless. I joined the Fire Department to save people, but never expected to find myself here.
As the searing heat races through my arm, I squeeze my eyes shut and desperately divert my attention to anything else I can think of. No matter how hard I try, the burning sensation keeps intensifying as if it is competitive with my determination. My jaw is tight and my body tense, trying to hold back an eruption of anguish. I have no inkling on how long this torture will last, but I am steadfast in my desire to make it through.
A soft knock sounds from the doorway, then shortly after a petite woman with a neat bun of salt and pepper hair enters the room. Her eyes are full of concern and her crisp blue scrubs rustles as she glides toward my bed. She has kind, pale hands and her fingertips are cool to the touch when she runs them over my forearm.
"Adonis?" she asks. "Are you alright?"
I turn my head to look at her and manage a faint smile. "I'm okay."
