On his walk home, Matteo cooled off slightly, but was still so incredibly annoyed with the girl from the diner that he just couldn’t stop thinking about her. Over the course of his twenty minute walk home, the girl never once left his mind. She was gorgeous, but that wasn’t what drew Matteo in. It was the fact that you could tell just by looking at her she couldn’t care less about a thing in the world. Her attitude, so contrary to his, drew him in and kept him there. Like his fourth grade science teacher taught him, opposites attract.
Or they do in science, at least. In the case of romance, they do not. This can be proven by the milkshake drying all over Matteo. She had looked so perfect, until she moved. She went from a beautiful piece of art to a teen with anger issues. Matteo hoped he’d never have to deal with her again.
Matteo opened his front door as quietly as possible, trying -and failing- to attract the attention of his mother. Not only would she question his chocolate sheen, but she’d also lecture him for leaving work early.
Before he even got the chance to shut the door, his mother’s head peeked around the corner. She took one look at her oldest child and burst out laughing.
“Now why on earth do you look like you took a dip in a chocolate lake?” his mother asked in a playful tone.
“Some girl at work went psycho and chucked a milkshake at me. A milkshake which she did not pay for, might I add.”
“And you got let out of work two hours early?” she asked, her voice less playful. “In the middle of a Friday night rush?”
“Well not exactly but the situation was handled,” Matteo lied smoothly. He didn’t make a habit of lying to his parents, but living with five younger siblings led to advancements in certain aspects that one might not consider honorable.
“It better be. Now go take a shower you’re attracting bugs.”
Matteo smiled at his mother and ran up the stair to take a shower. While in the shower, Matteo thought more about the girl from earlier. She reacted so harshly to him pausing in front of her table. Some customers really hate service workers. As he had no goal to be covered in a pie as well, he hoped she wouldn’t be returning to his section of the diner.
*****
Jackie walked to her car, ready to beat the life out of anything that dare offend her after that horrific diner experience. The freaking waiter boy just stopped and stared at her, his jaw dropped and his eyes unblinking. It was the first time Jackie had been so blatantly ogled. She’d dealt with a few catcalls on the street, and some long glances from old men, but she had never been approached like that, when she was trapped in the booth just to be watched like an object.
She grabbed her steering wheel with hands shaking from rage and fear. As she sat, the rage slowly dissipated, leaving her with only the reality that she had been so grossly objectified right to her face. Her shaking hands were now fueled by fear, and tears streamed down her face. She didn’t know what to do next, so she did what any teenager would do, and called her best friend.
Maxine answered on the second ring.
“Hey girl. What’s up with you?”
“Maxie, can I come over?” Jackie asked with a shaking voice.
“Oh baby of course. Do you want me to get sundaes and set up The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe for you?”
“Yeah. Thanks,” she sniffed. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Alright, and we can calm you down then.”
Maxine was such a good friend. She dropped all her plans when her best friend called in tears. She truly loved Maxine more than anyone.
She walked up the drive, and reached for the doorbell, only for the door to be opened and for her to be wrapped in the loving embrace of a best friend with blankets. Maxine guided her inside and then grabbed their sundaes from the kitchen.
“Do you want to talk, honey?”
“I was sitting in our booth at Marjorie’s Diner, trying to enjoy a milkshake, when this waiter guy just stopped in front of my table and stared at me. I tried to tell him I didn’t order anything, but her just stood there gaping at me. After several minutes of trying to get him to stop, I grabbed the milkshake he was holding, dumped it on his head, and ran out of there.”
“Jack-“ Max started with an almost snort.
“And I know I acted harshly but he was freaking me out, and I didn’t even pay, and I’m gonna end up on some blacklist or something, and we’ll have to find a new place to do homework, and it’ll all me my fault, and-“
“Jack. It wasn’t your fault. You tried to use words, but he didn’t stop. While throwing milkshakes is not exactly a good solution, it was not your fault in the moment. Now the important thing is that I have your favorite movie ready to go, and we have to melting sundaes in our hands.”
Jackie loved Maxine. It was moments like these that truly made her realize how blessed she was to have such a kind and understanding, angel person of a friend.
