Bored Short Story No. One

Ilara A Bonaparte

“Order up.”

            The redheaded woman sauntered up to the bar, sighing.  She would never leave this hole.  Seiring, Michigan was the pit where people went when they had something to hide.  The crime was quiet, and drugs rampant.  The high school parking lot was both a drug corner and prostitution market.  She was tired of living here, tired of breathing in the cold air from all the cold-blooded human beings.  There was always an agenda, and always a man who would grab her butt on a Monday.

            She felt the telltale pinch on her bottom as she set down Jix’s coffee and bagel.  His hand was up her skirt.  Again.

            She smiled at him, and knocked his hand away.  She had to work a double shift, and was doubly annoyed now because of Jix’s antics.  She had a history test tomorrow, and though tests in Seiring High consisted normally of “name a three pronged utensil used in eating”, she wanted to do well.  One year to graduation and summer was looming like an annoyed two year old with his beaches and promises of fun that never occurred.

            “Anything else, Jix?” She asked, keeping a sunny smile on her face.  God, she thought, if only I could castrate him.  Make him an eunich.  Life would be so much more enjoyable without his hand going up my skirt.

            “No thanks, sugar.” He leaned in close, brandishing teeth that hadn’t seen a dentist since the first Bush was in office.  “Unless you wanna let me take you to your Prrrrrom.” He enunciated the “r” in “prom” like it was supposed to turn her on, his grotesque growl. 

            “Sorry.  Have a date.” She said shortly, whirling.  She walked away, grin slipping into an annoyed frown.  She gave the cook a dirty look, slamming her serving tray down next to the shake machine.  “Lorenze.  Slip him some arsenic in his coffee next time.”

            Lorenze laughed, tossing his head back.  She wondered if he ever lost a hair or two into burgers because of that, but kept her mouth shut.  “Miz Nyx, I don’t know when I can find time in ma busy schedule to find arsenic, but I s’pose I’ll put it on my grocery list, just for you.” He drawled slightly with what she thought was the remnants of a Louisiana accent.  She smiled at him, handing him the order from table four.  He was the only one she felt attuned to in this town and she gave him a smile once in a while to show it.  It was her sign of favor, and she hoped he understood what it meant.

            A ding from the bell above the door warned her she had customers again.  She sighed when she saw the customers.  She picked up some menus and walked over to them.  “Smoking or non?” She asked dramatically with a whimsical air.

            David Burtton and his girlfriend Dana looked at the hostess oddly before answering.  “Non.” Dana said coldly.  David looked at the girl again, wondering why Dana was deciding to be moody.  Normally there was a reason to her cruelty…although sometimes there wasn’t.  Slowly, as the hostess turned toward the back section of the restaurant, David recognized her.

            “Hey, Ishtar Nyx, right?” he asked as he sat down.  Dana gave him a dirty look, but he didn’t see anything wrong with talking to the cute redhead waitress.  She was cute, too- long legs, nice curve to her hips and waist, although her bust left something to be desired.  She had freckles sprinkled on her face like someone had taken a Paprika shaker at her when she was a child.  Green eyes peered out under lids almost bare of makeup and a full mouth regarded them both without expression.  At the sound of her name, the corner of her mouth twitched.

            “Yes.” She said.  “Anything to drink?”

            Dana scoffed, and decided to be crueler than she originally had intended.  “Well of course we want something to drink, are you slow in the head? I’ll have a Coke.”

            The redhead regarded them once again with a blank expression, and turned her eyes to David.  “Same here,” he muttered tersely, glaring at Dana. 

            Ishtar nodded and turned back to the bar to retrieve another coffee for the annoying Jix.  As soon as she was out of earshot, Ishtar muttered, “I hate her.”

            “I hate her, David.  There’s something wrong with that girl.  She never talks, and she has no friends whatsoever.” Dana tossed her head of blond locks.  “I cannot believe we are going to let her serve us.  This is absurd.  I’ll bet she puts arsenic in our Cokes.”

            David regarded his girlfriend carefully.  “That gave you no reason to be rude.  Since the start of this year, you’ve gone steadily downhill.  Your father winning that money in Vegas has you thinking you’re better than everyone.” He looked at her stonily.  He had loved her once, in the way a teenage boy can.  Slowly it had deteriorated and he’d begun to face the facts; he was using her.  She had turned into such a raving arrogant lunatic the only thing he actually enjoyed doing with her was sex.  It was time to end it.

            “Look, Dana, I asked you here for a reason-“

            She looked at his stony face and her eyes widened.  He stopped, looking at her suspiciously, and during the pause she turned as white as the coffee mug Ishtar was giving to Jix.  Dana looked at David frantically.  “You have to understand, it meant nothing, I love you, David-“

            David blinked and Dana realized her folly.  “Um.” She said stupidly, and opened her mouth to explain.

            David held up his hand.  “No, Dana, I don’t want to know.  I’m breaking it off anyway.  It’s over.”  He took something from his pocket- her class ring.  He had worn it on a necklace since freshman year.  He handed it to her, still on the chain.  “I don’t love you anymore.”

            Dana froze for a moment.  Time seemed to stop.  She hadn’t lost her virginity to him-that had been gone long before he came along- but she had loved him…most of the time.  Another second went by as she stared at him stupidly.  The silence was only broken by Ishtar returning with the drinks.  “Have you decided what you would like-“ she began.

            Dana grabbed the Coke out of Ishtar’s hand and splashed it in the other girl’s face.  The soda plastered Ishtar’s hair to her head in an unattractive way, and Dana threw David’s own class ring at him.  She had been wearing it on her thumb, also since freshman year.  “You’ll regret this, David Burtton.”

            She stormed out in a very melodramatic way.  Overall, she was pleased with how she handled the news.

            Inside, Ishtar shuddered.  The Coke was cold, and an ice cube had gone down her shirt to rest between small breasts.  Maybe if she shimmied a little…

David stood and looked at her apologetically.  “I am so sorry, she’s insane, I-“

            “It’s fine.” Ishtar said, whirling.  “I’ll be back to take your order in a minute.” She called over her shoulder.

            In the kitchen, she grabbed one of Lorenze’s towels.  “Good lord!” He yelped, regarding her with shock.  “What was wrong with that little wench?”

            Ishtar held back the tears she figured would come.  Embarrassed royally in front of David Burtton.  Of course.  Like her life could look any more like Hell.  “She is evil.” Ishtar answered simply. 

            Lorenze frowned.  “I’ll call Sara, ask her to come in f’r an hour so you can go home and shower, okay?”  He patted her hand awkwardly.  “At least then Jix will be her problem.”

            Ishtar shuddered.  She was so sick of this place!  “Okay.” She replied lamely, adding as an afterthought, “Thanks.”

            Lorenze smiled.  “No problem, bella.”  He called her that sometimes and she smiled at him again.  She fished the stray ice cube out from between her breasts-shimmying a little bit this way or that didn’t help- as he went off to call Sara.  He was gone for only two minutes, and she flipped the burgers of an old couple that were regulars.  They normally sat in Lena’s section, but since she’d called in sick Ishtar got them.  They seemed nice enough, and were looking adequately shocked from Dana’s display.  David was simply looking forlorn and alone in his booth.

            Ishtar sighed just as Lorenze returned.  “No worries.  Sara’ll be here in a jiff.”

            Ishtar nodded.  “I’ll finish up and wait until she shows, but then I’m gone.  I’ll be back in an hour…”

            Lorenze grinned at her.  “Don’t worry, Sara says you owe her, but it’s fine.  I know what having a soda spilled on you can do to a seventeen year-old morale.”

            “Eighteen.” Ishtar corrected automatically.

            Lorenze’s eyes got wide.  “What?  When was that?”

            Ishtar turned back toward David’s table.  “Today.” She called  back to him.

            Lorenze rocked backward as if he’d been shot.  “Double shifting on her birthday and she gets a Coke in the face.  That girl’s got strength to not go crazy.”

            He counted Ishtar like the daughter he’d never have, thanks to his crazy anti-procreation wife.  He was thirty five and still in his prime, but he was stuck in Seiling, and there were no more eligible women his age.  It was either no sex and no wife, or sex and wife on birth control.  He sighed, pushing some French fries into the deep fryer, and wished he had more options to choose from.

            David was regarding his menu with intense interest when Ishtar walked up.  She was still wet and getting sticky, but she would take his order if it killed her.  “Did you decide what you wanted?” She asked pointedly.

            “Yeah…” David shook himself.  “Oh.  Yeah.  I, uh.  I’d like the Farmers platter, extra fries.” He had the courage to look up at her timidly.  He felt horrible for Dana’s actions, and wanted to explain them.  “I just broke up with Dana, so she kinda went crazy…”          

            “From the impression I had she was always crazy.” Ishtar deadpanned.  “Salad or soup?”

            David blinked at her nonchalance.  “Soup.  Uh…” He glanced down quickly at the menu.  “Potato, please.”

            “Right.” She said, and took his menus.  “I’m leaving for an hour to get cleaned up, so your server will be Sara for the rest of the time here.  I hope you have a nice day,” She said through gritted teeth.

            Ishtar turned toward the older couple, and they expressed their shock that such a person could do such a rude thing, blah, blah.  Ishtar was bored with them immediately.  She was getting increasingly sticky and not liking it in the least.  She notified them of their change in server just as Sara walked in through the door.  Ishtar breathed a sigh of relief and hurried toward her.

            She was stopped by David.  “Look,”  he said.  “You’re leaving, and I want to tip you for what Dana did-“

            Ishtar automatically tossed her head before she realized her hair was stuck to her scalp and the gesture was meaningless.  “Okay.” She said shortly.  By God, he better.  If she wasn’t going to get paid for sticky hair on her birthday, someone would die.

            David pressed a wad of bills into her hand and returned to his seat.  She ignored the money in her fist until she was done thanking Sara and Lorenze, promising both she would return within an hour.  Only outside, next to her motorcycle, did she realize David had given her three crisp hundred-dollar bills.

            “Oh, my god.” She whispered in surprise.  She rushed back into the diner, to David’s table.  He was gorgeous as he sat there, his eyes plastered on the table under his well-manicured hands.  She presented him with the money.  “I can’t take this,” She gasped, her eyes wide.

            He smiled at her- at her, at her!  As he slid down the red faux leather seat.  “Please.  Dana is evil incarnate, and you are her nemesis- take it as a token of my affection.”

            Ishtar was even more shocked he would refer to anything toward Ishtar as affection, most specifically money.  Sticky-haired and leaking soda down her legs, she watched him leave the diner.  It was funny, how people lose all hope in humanity, as she had.  It was even more interesting that with a kind act traded for a cruel one, all debts are paid, all checks written off. 

            The door swung shut behind him, Ishtar’s hand clenched the money- and she thought just maybe that her life wasn’t so horrible after all.  Maybe she could learn to appreciate what it was to be young, and to be eighteen.