Always Yours

My feet were killing me. Jen wasn’t wrong when she said it would pick up. I had been nonstop, but I was really getting the hang of it. Thankfully, Franko had yet to show his face.

I was praying he didn’t show up at all. I didn’t need the stress of him and his friends. I didn’t need them showing up and sitting in my section.

“My feet are killing me”. I groaned leaning against the counter.

A laugh fell from Jen’s lips. “Comfy shoes honey, worn out sneakers are the best”. She winked.

“Noted”. I smiled.

“A cutie has just sat in your section”. She nodded.

Ben.

I hadn’t seen him since our date if you could even call it that. Another thing I felt shitty about. He was a nice guy, and I didn’t give him a chance.

“You know him?”. She asked.

“Yeah”.

“Then are you going to take his order?”.

“Yup”. I made my way towards his table smiling when his eyes landed on mine. “Hey, are you ready to order?”.

“I’m waiting on someone, but I’ll take a cherry coke”.

“Coming right up”. I made a face as I walked away.

Yeah, because that wasn’t awkward. As I was preparing his drink the laughter and chatter caught my attention. I didn’t need to turn round to see who it was. A sigh fell from my lips.

Great just what I needed.

“I’ve got them sweetie you just deal with your cute friend”. Jen winked.

So, I did. I took Ben’s drink to him and went back to taking care of my section until he was ready to order. I noticed Tommy wasn’t with Franko but when he walked in later with Alice tucked under his arm, I wasn’t surprised.

But I was saying nothing and keeping my opinion to myself.

“I’m beat”. I sighed. “Can I have some coffee?”.

“Help yourself sweetheart and maybe take your break?”.

Picking a table in the corner away from everyone I slipped off my shoes and tucked my feet under my bum before tucking into my burger. I was tired tonight and the thought of school in the morning made me want to cry.

I was halfway through my burger when Alice decided to grace me with her presence.

“Hey”. She grinned. “Do you want to come to a party tonight?”.

“Where?”. I had no intention of going but I was curious.

“The lot of the clubhouse. I’m hoping we can sneak inside”.

“I think I’ll pass”.

“Your boring”. She sighed. “Come for a little while please?”.

“I can’t and my mom would freak”.

“Then sneak out”.

The fact that she called me boring annoyed me. Just because I didn’t want to hang out and drink beer didn’t mean I was boring.

“I don’t-…”.

“I’ll swing by around 10 and park down the street. I’ll wait for five and if you don’t appear I’ll know you’re not coming”.

“I’m not coming”.

“Fine Aubrey but don’t say I didn’t ask”.

“Why would I want to go to a party with people I don’t like?”.

“They’re not so bad once you get to know them”.

“They put gum in my hair”. I frowned. “So, I think I’ll pass. I have to get back to work”.

“They what?”.

“Those girls that you claim aren’t so bad put gum in my hair. I’m not hanging around with people like that”.

“Bitches”. She huffed. “Why would they do something like that?”.

I shrugged before getting to my feet and lifting my half-eaten burger. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow if you make it”. I grinned.

“Does Franko know?”.

“Bye Alice”.

Franko was sat at the breakfast counter on his own no doubt with a black coffee in front of him. Why wasn’t he sitting with his friends? A sigh fell from my lips. Franko wasn’t my concern, but this was my job, and he was a customer.

I discarded of my plate before grabbing the coffee pot and topping him up. The diner had quietened down the only noise coming from where his friends sat.

He didn’t say anything didn’t acknowledge me in anyway, but I was okay with that. It had to be this way and I had to suck it up and move on.

“Keep staring princess and people will start talking”. His eyes met mine and instantly my cheeks reddened.

So, he was paying attention.

“I wasn’t”. I cleared my throat and grabbed a dishcloth.

“Still pissed at me?”.

“You’re an idiot”. I couldn’t help myself. It was easy with him. I could be myself around him because for whatever reason he liked me the way I was.

He smirked. “Missed you darling”.

I rolled my eyes. “How come you’re over here and not over there?”.

“Cause they’re bursting my balls about going to the clubhouse”.

“Oh, yeah, the party. I can just imagine your dad’s face when they all rock up”. I grinned.

“Ain’t no fucking party princess”.

I left him to it and went to clean some tables. I only had one couple in my section, and they were almost done. It had slowed right down but I had one hour left and then I was finished, and I couldn’t wait to go home for a shower and jump straight into bed.

I had earned my money tonight that’s for sure.

I cleared away my last table smiling when I noticed the $20 tip. I must be doing something right. Franko was still sat at the counter his friends as noisy as ever.

Big John needed to up his game and throw them out.

“What you smiling at princess?”.

“My last table tipped me $20”. I grinned.

He smirked, shoved his hand into his cut pocket and pulled out a bundle of bills. “Keep smiling like that and all that’s yours”. He placed it in front of him before pushing it towards me.

“Stop being ridiculous and put your money away”.

“Your money”. He corrected.

“No, I’m not-…”.

“Franko, baby, are we leaving soon?”. Cass placed her hand on his arm. “It’s boring in here”.

I hated that she looked at me when she said boring, but I said nothing and went and poured myself a cup of coffee. I didn’t care what Cass thought or any of those other girls. I wasn’t boring.

“Aubrey”. Jen called nodding her head towards the back area.

I frowned but went to see what she wanted.

“Your moms on the phone”.

“What?”. I made a face as I took the phone from her. “Hello?”.

“Hey sweetheart dads having to work later than expected and I’ve had a couple of glasses of wine. Do you think Alice would give you a lift home?”.

“How late is he working?”. I asked.

“Too late for you to be waiting especially when you’ve got school in the morning. Will Alice give you a lift?”.

“Yeah, mom it’s fine. I have to get back to work”.

“Everything okay?”. Jen asked.

I nodded while handing her the phone. I didn’t want to ask Alice but what other choice did I have?

“Are you sure?”.

“My dad’s working late and my mom’s had a drink. My dad was my ride home”.

“What about asking Franko?”. She suggested.

“No, he’s with his friends and I don’t want to be a burden”.

“They aren’t his friends’ sweetheart and I’m sure he’d love to give you a ride home”.

“Maybe”. I shrugged. “I better get back to work”.

Franko was gone and so were his friends. Alice was nowhere to be seen either. I guess I was here until my dad finished work. I went about the rest of my shift serving the few customers that I had.

It didn’t really get any busier than a few people here and there. I was ringing up my last order when the door to the diner opened.

He came back.

“Franko will you drop Aubrey off home. She’s almost done”. Jen asked.

“What, no, it’s okay”. I made a face at Jen. What the hell was she doing? Granted I needed a lift, but I would have figured something out.

“Trucks out back meet me there when you’re done”.

I guess he was taking me home then.

“You are aware that boy would do anything you ask right?”.

“I didn’t ask you did”.

A laugh fell from her lips. “Remember your uniform and I’ll see you tomorrow”.

“Thanks Jen”.

“Aubrey?”.

“Yeah?”.

“You like him, don’t you?”.

“It’s complicated”.

“For you or your parents?”. She frowned.

Wow.

“Franko is a nice boy, and he would treat you with nothing but respect. Sometimes we have to take a leap of faith and grab that chance because before you know it it’s gone”.

“I can’t”. I didn’t like how small I sounded, my voice barely a whisper.

“That boy out there might just be the best thing that could happen to you. Take the chance sweetheart before it’s too late”.

My head was fried. I didn’t utter a word to him the whole ride home.

“Aubrey?”.

“Yeah?”. A yawn escaped my mouth as I turned my head to look at him.

“If there was a party tonight, would you have come?”.

“I don’t go to parties”.

“Right”.

“It’s not easy for me to go and do as I please. My parents-…”. I paused. He didn’t need to know any of this. Maybe I was boring. Come to think of it all I did was go to school, study and hang out with Alice on the occasion she wasn’t hanging off Tommy.

“They hard on you?”. He asked.

“They just want what’s best for me”.

“That’s not what I asked”.

“Yeah, well I didn’t ask you to ask anything”.

“You confuse the fucking life out of me. One minute I think we’re getting on and the next you turn into a complete bitch”.

Ouch.

He was right. I turn into a bitch to avoid talking about it. But talking to Franko wasn’t like talking to Alice. He listened he didn’t judge, and he didn’t try and turn the conversation into talking about himself.

“Yes”. I whispered. “Do you know how exhausting it is trying to live up to their standards, their expectations. Straight As are a must, no parties, no boys, no social life. I literally live my life to please my mom”.

I felt the lump appear in the back of my throat. But what was the point in shedding tears? I was used to it all by now.

“Fuck babe”.

“I don’t have a bad life Franko and I don’t go without. Do I wish they were different, sometimes, but I can’t change who they are. I know it all comes from a good place”.

“That’s bullshit darling, and you know it”.

I shrugged. “Guess I’m just used to it”.

“Nah babe it shouldn’t be like that.

“They just worry about me. Could say they’re overprotective”.

“Stop trying to defend them. Your meant to make mistakes, you’re meant to go out with your friends, you’re meant to have boyfriends. It’s all part of the process of growing up. Fuck you’re meant to be a fucking teenager”.

“Like you”. I gave him a small smile.

“They should be supporting you, loving you. You’re their fucking kid”.

He seemed angry, his grip on the steering wheel tightened as he pulled into a side street and cut the engine.

“I care about you Aubrey in fact I can’t stop fucking thinking about you. Every damn day you pop into my head. I want you darling, I want you on the back of my bike, I want you in my bed. I just want you”.

I was shaking on the inside. My stomach filled with nerves or butterflies I wasn’t sure, but I believed every word.

“Franko I-…”.

“Aye darling I already fucking know”.

“No”. I reached over grabbing a hold of his hand. “I like you to”.