| �Knock knock.� Maria glanced up in time to see the door of the breakroom open. She prayed fervently to see a friendly face. She really didn�t have time to deal with the �I�m the owner�s daughter kneel before me� Parker right now. Okay okay. Liz wasn�t really like that. She was actually pretty cool. They�ve been best friends for so long. Now Maria was just getting sour because of their fight. She had no idea how she knew, but Maria just felt like Liz really had more part in the Michael fiasco than the �victim� she was portraying. Maybe it�s just that she�s always had a sixth sense in all things Michael since they hooked up. Maria let out a sigh of relief when Isabel�s blonde head peeked in. �Hey Izzy!� She had heard from the other students about how Isabel threatened Michael in the corridor today. She had to applaud the girl. She was a bitch, a white bitch. It was kind of like the difference between evil witches and white witches, like Liz and Isabel. Liz and Isabel were both bitches, but Isabel was the kind of bitch you love. Liz was just someone you love to hate. �I brought you an applicant. And Mr. Parker already gave the a-okay!� Isabel announced. Maria squealed in delight as another blonde girl stepped in with a shy smile. Ever since Liz quit waitressing because it interfered with her studies (and her race to have straight As) Maria had been worn down in the diner. Couple that with the workload that still waited for her at home taking care of Amy and doing the chores, Maria barely had time to do her homework or change her clothes. There was one time when Liz glared at her for not being able to submit her project on time. Liz told her that it was really embarrassing that her best friend would be so slack. It was the morning after Mr. Parker asked her to close down the diner after an all night reservation party. She arrived at home and found that the laundry hampers were overflowing and there was nothing clean for her to wear the next morning. So instead of sleeping, she had to wash a few items and press them dry. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow. At that time Maria thought Liz was so angry because as a best friend, she was naturally concerned with her school ethic. Now Maria suspected Liz just plain hated her. �Finally I get some help around here!� Maria exclaimed. She stood up and shook the girl�s hand. �I�m Maria.� �My name�s Tess. I�m so glad to meet you. Isabel told me so much about you on the way here.� Isabel nodded. �Tess just moved here from Chicago. I volunteered to show her around and when I found out that she was looking for a job, I automatically thought of you!� �Sunshine Committee?� Maria grinned at Isabel. Isabel Evans never had to work a day in her life. She and Max were adopted by a filthy rich family who gave them everything they needed plus more. Phillip Evans owned a huge law firm, the biggest in New Mexico, and Diane was a hands-on mother who did everything herself�a strange mixture of socialite and homemaker. Sometimes Maria wished Isabel would work with her at the Crashdown, so that her two best friends would spend a lot of time with her. And with Liz�s �betrayal� (note the quotation because she really wasn�t that sure yet) she wished even more that she�d decide to work. �I heard about your verbal attack on Michael today,� Maria informed Isabel. �That�s quite some ray of sunshine right there!� �Oh I saw that!� Tess gasped. �She was astounding! The guy was like totally pale and all that. Your ex?� she asked, turning to Maria. Maria nodded. �I�m so lucky with my best friend.� �Of course,� Isabel replied haughtily. �We have to balance it out. Your other choice of best friend turned out to be all crap.� The two started laughing, and Tess allowed them a few moments to regain their composure. �Alien here,� she said after a while. �Catch me up?� �Oh. We�re sorry. It�s just that Mr. Parker�s daughter was Maria�s other best friend. Personally I�ve never been close to the girl,� Isabel claimed, arching an eyebrow at Maria, �because I�m intelligent.� Maria stuck her tongue out at Liz. �She turned traitor on Maria resulting to her break up with Michael, the pale faced boy in the corridor that�s facing the wrath of my leg shaver.� �Ooooh.� Tess flashed a sympathetic smile at Maria. �Wait. Turned traitor? What are you talking about, Iz?� Isabel cleared her throat. �Well the other reason why I dropped by here to see you is to tell you. Sit down.� Both Maria and Tess took a seat on the couch. �Earlier I overheard these jocks. They asked Kyle where Liz went. They seemed to have this mistaken impression that they�re back together because Liz attended Kyle�s last game. And Kyle told the jocks he dumped Liz Parker.� �Kyle dumped Liz huh? Right!� Tess, wide-eyed, asked, �Liz is this gorgeous?� She couldn�t understand why both Isabel and Maria would find the prospect of a jock dumping the girl unbelievable. �Liz is so and so,� Isabel offered. �You�re like totally better looking!� Tess blushed. Maria picked up the explanation. �It�s just that Kyle Valenti has been panting after her since we were kids. And he was totally heartbroken when she broke up with him.� �This is interesting,� Tess murmured. Why would Kyle Valenti then drop Liz? �So,� Isabel continued, �why would Kyle Valenti drop Liz?� �My thoughts exactly,� Maria said. �Oh!� Isabel and Maria glanced askance at Tess. �It�s so cool how we�re like all on the same wavelength!� Maria clapped and squealed. �You were thinking that too?� When Tess nodded, she hugged her. �Liz is so gonna die when she sees us three. I think she was freaked enough with only me and Isabel acting like this.� �We�re like the three blonde bimbos for her.� �More to the point, the guys are gonna go insane,� Isabel said confidently. �Now back to me, or rather my story.� Maria smirked at how Isabel always slipped. She was like totally the most lovable princess ever. �Naturally it was weird so I demanded subtly what�s going on?� �Demanded subtly?� Tess snickered. �Don�t argue with her, Tess,� Maria cautioned with a smile. �She used her feminine wiles.� �Eeew! With Kyle? I�m more than that!� Isabel winked. �Okay I�m not! Anyway, I found out that�� �Iz! Suspense much?� �Liz hired Kyle to push at Michael�s buttons. Knowing Michael� oh yeah, I don�t know Michael, but Kyle told me what it was about. They pricked at his macho rep and ego in front of this bunch of students. It was a pride thing� How much he�d changed since he hooked up with you, how�s he�s gone all soft and loyal�� Maria frowned. �That�s how you get to Michael all right. His pride is above everything for him. It�s probably got something to do with keeping what you have. He hasn�t got much, so he�d hold on to what he does.� �I understand that,� Tess offered, squeezing Maria�s hand. �My family never had much. So when they gave me this doll I always wanted for Christmas, I held on to it like a lifeline. I still have it in my room. Lady Vanessa will be eight next Christmas.� �So you forgive Michael?� Isabel asked unsurely. �I�ve forgiven him a long time ago, Iz.� �You�re leaving my brother?� Maria shook her head. �Max is a wonderful person, Izzy. I wouldn�t hurt him like that.� �You�re dating Isabel�s brother? Wow. You�re going to be sisters-in-law!� There was another knock on the door. Isabel opened it and smiled at Mr. Parker. �Dinner crowd�s here. Break�s over, Maria. Tess, welcome to your first day.� A few minutes later, they stepped into the dining area. �You take that side and this is mine,� Maria told Tess. Isabel rushed out wearing the uniform. �I thought I�d lend a helping hand to my two best friends.� Armed with order pads and pens, the three parted in the middle of the Crashdown, going their separate ways. Several customers from school whipped out their cellphones. Less than a half hour later, droves of guys piled into the diner, eagerly waiting for their orders to be taken by one of the three blondes in thigh high alien uniforms. TBC |
| Part 6 |
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