Chapter 1: the mysterious three
"Your order, sir," I said in a monotone. "Mozzarella sticks, Shrimp Sauté and Greek Salad. Is there anything else I can help with?"
"Thank you, that is all for now, miss..." He read her name tag. "Miss Carol."
"Actually it's Carolynn", I said with the same monotone, but with a hint of annoyance while balancing from one foot to another. Some of these customers were so annoying and don't they know how to read? It's polite to say the whole name that is written.
"So, sorry miss Carolynn", the man's voice was apologetic. His green eyes pleading. He looked agitated and was fidgeting with the collar on his plaid jacket.
He seemed like he was in his early thirties and was not too bad looking with his shaggy brown hair. "Not my type though", I thought.
I nodded without saying a word and gave him a small fake smile, grabbed the tray and walked towards the doors that led back to the kitchen. I threw it on the other pile of trays, gave a loud angry sigh and rubbing my eyes while trying not to smudge my almost unnoticeable makeup.
"What's gotten into you? You don't look so well." Mira, a friend of mine who works with me, asked with concern. She walked up to me and wiping her hands on her apron from the flour she was working with, put an arm around my shoulders and led me to the nearest storage room.
She looked around so no one sees and closed the door. She stepped away and stood in front of me with arms crossed. I leaned against some boxes of food, that doesn't spoil and waited for her to speak. We made eye contact and I saw she was raising her eyebrows and encouraging for me to start talking. I sighed and looked away like I was reading labels, only to be away from her eyes. I really hated talking about my worries and problems.
"Okay, spill the beans", she said. I finally began forcefully: "I feel like I haven't slept in days. I feel bothered, annoyed and touchy about almost every single thing."
"You're not on your ..." Mira raised an eyebrow. I knew what she meant. I shifted: "No no, just done almost a week ago. That's definitely not it."
"Well, are you thinking a lot about something in particular or should i say SOMEONE in particular?", Mira questioned thoughtfully.
I finally looked at her, not knowing what to say. "Might be because I miss ... them ...I still think about them ... A lot. They were all I had, but you know,
I'm not even sure what is happening to me." I felt tears start to arise and my heart filled with pain. I lowered my head and tried to blink away those tears that were threatening to spill.
Mira walked up to me, pulled me in her arms and stroking my head. "Darling, I'm so sorry it happened to you. I can only picture how you feel. You need to pull yourself together though, life is cruel to us sometimes. I promise you things will get better."
I sniffed.
My parents had died cruelly in an awful plane crash, when they were coming from a business trip from England. It happened only 4 months ago. All my wounds are still open and just would not heal. I cried so much at their funeral. I was still nineteen at the time. I was in college studying what I loved the most: writing. After they died, I was left alone, no other family, no money. There was not enough money left for me to finish and pay for college.
I quickly got a job that Mira helped me with: a waitress. Even if I sold the house, I wouldn't have had enough to finish college if I bought an apartment or rented. I stayed in the house and with this job tried to pay for the bills. The little pay I get wasn't enough. My friends moved in with me though and we paid for the bills together, which has definitely helped me. We still live together and their presence helps me cope with my loneliness and with the crazy bills. I started thinking of our fun nights we shared watching movies together; laughing, crying, and hanging out an amazing time just us girls. There was four of us. Sarah, Sophie, and Gwen. Mira lived in her own apartment not that far away from our house. She would come over and we would all make delicious treats or eat tons of ice cream. That was mostly to help me feel better. I appreciated how caring they all were.
"Thanks, Mira", I choked my words out, because unfortunately those pesky tears started rolling like waterfalls down my face. I wiped the tears and pulled away from her hug. "You're right. I need to pull myself together. Life goes on."
"Carolynn, I think you need a man in your life. I think it would help you. You won't feel so depressed anymore." I shook my head and turning towards the door, "I don't think, that's a very good idea. I just ..." I let the sentence trail away.
"You just, what?", Mira questioned. I was quiet for a minute, "I just can't!"
I heard disappointment in her voice as she said, "Carolyn, you need this, it will help you." She tried to reason.
"Mira, please." I begged, turning back to face her. I didnt want anyone right now. I wasn't ready for committing to a relationship yet. I was already full of problems. A man would just make me distracted.
She pursed her lips and grumbled under her breath. "You are so stubborn. Fine." Then I could almost see the gears in her head turning. She started to smile slowly, "How about I cheer you up this evening when we leave work?"
"How?" I asked cautiously. Mira was known to be a wild and crazy girl even though she was two years older than me. "I was invited to a social gathering," She made air quotes with hers fingers around "social gathering" and started grinning.
"Dont worry, there won't be any crazy drinking or wild partying. I know you'll enjoy it, come with me!"
I made a face. I hated "social gatherings". Knowing this would get Mira off my back, I gave her an answer she would like, "Okay ill come, but there better be no drinking or wild partying like you said!"
She threw herself at me and hugged me really tight and let go, waving her hand and saying, "You won't regret this, girl!" I rolled my eyes and finally smiled a little. "Come on, lets finish this boring work shift."
We walked out of the storage room. Some stared at us, and I turned to Mira and whispered, "Why are they staring at us?" She looked at me and gave a chuckle. "You got some makeup smudged and your face is red from crying." She whispered back.
I groaned, "Why didn't you tell me!?" That made her laugh even more, "I was too happy that you're going to even notice your face."
I went to the bathroom, fixed myself up, making a big heavy sigh, looked at myself one last time and walked out of the bathroom. "Time to get to work," I told myself.
Later that evening when I arrived home, I said hi to everyone and went up to my room to shower, change, and get ready for whatever Mira had planned for me. I took off my work clothes and looked myself in the tall mirror I had hanging behind my door. I wasn't too tall, about 5'4, slim body, almost no fat on my stomach, alright 34D breasts, long brown hair, and green eyes. I didn't know if I was beautiful or not. Although my friends had said that I was pretty. I never had a boyfriend, no guy has ever approached me. I didn't care much for any guys anyways. I was attracted to some but they didn't pay much attention to me during my high school years. Nothing changed when I went to college. I only got more friends, most of them girls. I frowned at myself, looking myself over and wondering what was wrong with me while thinking about why no guy has paid attention to me. Who cares. I didn't care before so why would I start now? I stepped away and went to my closet and pulled open the sliding door. I searched through all my clothes but didn't know what to wear. This depended on the type of gathering I was going to. Not trusting Mira's words, I finally decided on a pair of black dressy pants and a red blouse with ruffles, that gave some cleavage away but not so much that would be overbearing. I reapplied my makeup. I walked to the mirror and checked myself. Yes, that was a safe outfit for whatever Mira had planned.
"Good." I said to my reflection, turning this way and that. Mira was already waiting for me outside when I walked downstairs. I could see though the open curtain that she was waiting patiently in her car. I strode to our shoe closet and opened it up. I looked over the stacks of my shoes in one of the corners and decided on red high heels with straps.
"Wow, look at you!" Said my friend Sarah when I walked out, she was sitting on the couch with Sophie, my other friend.
