A buck...that's all I'm worth to these people. I sighed as I picked up my one dollar tip off of the table. They had been a touch crowd, too. I rolled my eyes at the thought. They were constantly changing their order, and the woman had even sent back her salad because there were "too many tomatoes". Well, it's better than nothing.
That's me trying to look on the bright side of things.
"McGraw!" Thomas Youngs, my boss, called to me.
I turned around. "Yeah?" I asked, walking over to him. I wonder what he wanted now.
"I need you to get over to table 7. Now!" Thomas ordered.
I stuffed my one dollar bill into my apron pocket and walked over to the table Thomas had instructed me to waitress. Sitting there were two men. I vaguely recognized them, but I didn't know from where...One was tall, and had messy blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. The other definitely stood out in a crown. He had blonde hair also, but I could tell it wasn't natural. I saw his brown eyes once he pushed his sunglasses onto the top of his head. He also had a lot of tattoos. He was definitely an interesting character.
"Welcome to Jenny's. Can I get you something to drink?" I asked them mechanically, putting on my best "be nice to the customers" smile. When I first got the job they basically told us exactly what to say and how to say it.
"Uh, yeah. I'll have a Mountain Dew." The blonde one told me.
"Okay," I said, writing it down. I turned to the man with the tattoos. "And you?"
"Just a water, thanks." He told me with a smile.
I wrote that down also. "Alright. I'll be back in a few minutes." I told them.
As I walked away I could feel eyes on me. But I didn't look back. I just kept walking forward and tried to ignore it. Guys stared at me every day. It came with the uniform. I didn't like it, but it's not like I wasn't used to it.
"Whaddaya need, Faith?" A friend of mine who works in the kitchen, Eric Moore, asked me.
"A Mountain Dew and a water." I answered him.
"Coming right up." He told me.
I leaned on my elbows onto the countertop. "Eric," I asked, "What's it like to work in the kitchen?"
"Hot and smelly." He answered, handing her the glasses on a tray.
I smiled and said, "See ya in a minute."
I walked out of the kitchen and back to table 7. "Here ya go," I said, putting down their drinks. Then I pulled out the notepad and asked, "Are the two of you ready to order?"
"Yeah, I am." The blonde said, "I want a...cheeseburger."
I smiled and wrote 'Cheeseburger' on the paper. "Is that all?" I asked him.
"Yeah, but no onions." He added.
I added 'No onions' to the paper, and asked the other man, "And what'll you be having?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm just here to wait for him." He told me.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"I'm sure." He answered.
"Okay, well, if you need anything just ask me. My name is Faith." I told them, pointing to my name tag.
"Actually, Faith, there is something I would like to ask you." The man with the tattoos said.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Well, by the way, I'm AJ...Anyway, I'd like to know if I could get your number." He said.
I raised my eyebrows. "Seriously?" I asked him. The guy looked familiar...What if he was an escaped convict? And he's asking for my number!
"Seriously...unless you have a boyfriend, that is. Or a husband. You don't have a husband, do you?" AJ asked.
I shook her head. "No I don't have a husband. Or a boyfriend...But I really don't think I should be giving you my number," I told him, "Sorry."
"Come on." AJ coaxed.
I smiled. "I'll think about it." I told him.
"McGraw," Thomas said, walking over to me. He hissed in my ear, "This is not chit chat time. Get to work."
"Sorry, Thomas." I said. Thomas gave me a look and I rolled my eyes. "I mean, I'm sorry, Mr. Youngs." Thomas has this thing about any of us calling him by his first name during the work day.
I walked away from the table leaving Thomas with AJ and his friend. I went into the kitchen, gave the cook the order, and sat down next to Eric who was now on lunch.
"This guy asked me for my number." I told him.
Eric stopped eating and looked at me. "Well," He said, "Did you give it to him?"
"No! Of course not! I'm not going to give a complete stranger my number!" I told him. What is he? Crazy?
"Come on, Faith...You gotta start dating sometime." Eric said to me, "You've been working here for three years and not once have you had a date."
"I don't have time for dates, Eric." I explained to him.
"Yeah, that's because you work too much. Hasn't Zach gotten a job yet?" He asked me.
I shook my head. "Nope. He's too busy with school." I sighed, "He's going to get into medical school before I do at this rate."
As soon as I can get enough money, that's where I'm headed. To medical school. That's what Zach is going to do, too, right after he gets out of college. I graduated college, but by that time I was broke. So for the past two years I've been working full time at Jenny's.
Eric shrugged. "You'll make it eventually." He told me, "Now lemme see this guy who wants your number."
"He's at table 7." I told him, "The blonde one...with tattoos."
Eric stood up and walked to the door leading from the kitchen to the restaurant. He spotted them and looked for only a second or two until her closed the door and turned to me. "You," He said, pointing to me, "Got hit on by a Backstreet Boy."
"What?" I asked, "No way!"
"Take a closer look." He told me.
I walked to the door and swung it open. AJ and his friend were talking to each other. They thankfully did not notice me watching them. I turned her head to look at Eric. "Oh my goodness...What is this? An alternate universe?" I closed the door, "How did I not know that those two were in the Backstreet Boys? And why would a famous guy want my number?"
Eric shrugged. "Rock stars want a lot of things...Don't underestimate them." He said.
"Ugh...oh well. They'll be gone soon enough." I said just as the cook put down the cheeseburger the blonde one, that I now knew was Nick, had ordered. "I just have to give him this, give their check, then they'll be on their way."
I picked up the plate and walked out the door, towards AJ and Nick's table. When I reached it, I set down Nick's plate and asked. "Is there anything else I can get you?"
"No, I think we're good." Nick said, "Unless AJ still wants that number..."
AJ looked up at me. "How bout it?" He asked.
I smiled and said, "I really don't think that's such a good idea." Then I turned and walked away.
I heard Nick laugh and say, "Ooh! AJ got denied!" Followed by an "Ow!" and "What the hell was that for, J?"
I shook her head as I went to another table. Men have got to be the dumbest things on this planet....
As I was getting the drinks, another waitress, Joanne, walked into the kitchen. "Faith," She said, "There's a hot guy here and he asked for you."
I sighed. "I know...but I don't know him." I said.
"Then how does he know you?" Joanne asked, sitting down.
I put a Coke down on the tray and said, "He was here yesterday...He asked me for my number."
"Did you give it to him?"
"No."
Joanne smiled and said, "I think you should. He is hot!"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. I'll think about it." I had all of the drinks ready so I picked the tray up and walked out of the kitchen.
AJ was leaning against a countertop. When he spotted me he waved a bit. I quickly gave the family their drinks and said I would be back in a minute. I walked over to him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to a corner where none of my co-workers could see me.
I looked right into his eyes and said, "You can't just come here and pull me away from my work. You're going to get me fired."
"In all fairness," AJ said, "You pulled me."
I sighed and said, "That's not what I mean...What are you even doing here?"
"Not giving up." He answers, "I want to go out with you."
"No!" I told him, "I don't even know you!"
"You can get to know me..." AJ told me, "You didn't know every guy you dated at first, did you?"
"As a matter of fact, I did. Growing up in a small town you kind of know everyone." I said.
"Well, you're in the city now. You've got to take chances." He said, "Come on...I promise you won't regret it. And you'll have fun."
I thought for a moment. I should start dating again...I haven't gone on a date since high school.
"Fine." I finally said, "I'll go out with you. Just don't show up here out of the blue anymore, all right?"
AJ nodded. "It's a deal."
