CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: ATHENA
After what happened in the cafeteria yesterday, I decided not to go today because I couldn't face Leo just yet after he saw that video of me. It was so difficult to predict how he would respond, so I hoped he wouldn't side with them. I haven't had my first kiss, but after that video was taken, rumours started spreading and I started getting called a while after
We just met, so why should I even care what he thinks? 'Maybe because you like him and want him to stick by your side', my subconscious thought suggested. I just feel so frustrated not knowing so it's best I take my mind off it by doing other things. Sophia left early for work, leaving me home alone, so I decided to clean the house.
After I finished cleaning, I headed over to Rudy's for lunch while still considering what I could do for Sophia's birthday, which was the following day. As I walked inside the diner, I waved at Tina, who frequents the diner regularly.
"How are you, Tina?" I said hello as I took a seat in one of the booths, and Sarah, one of Rudy's oldest employees, came over to take my order.
"I'm doing great, Athena," Tina asked "And you?".
"I'm great Tina, thanks"
"Hey Athena, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school Missy?" she asked playfully.
"I'm not just up for school today, Sarah; I just came in for lunch, Sophia is at work, and I got bored staying at home by myself," I replied, a small smile on my face.
"All right, love, Barney is cooking your favourite special today; should I get that for you?" she asked.
"You know me so well, I would love the pancake surprise, thank you, Sarah."
"No problem, dear; I'll have your order here in no time; before you leave, say hello to Rudy; she's in the office working on some bills; it'll make her day if you drop by."
"I'll see her before I leave; I need to ask if I can bring Sophia here for lunch tomorrow for her birthday," I explained.
"She'd love it, Rudy loves the two of you like her daughters," Sophia said as she turned to walk away and attend to other customers.
When Sarah walked into the kitchen, I noticed her talking to Barney and then pointing in my direction. Barney turned to face me with a huge grin.
"Hey Barney," I yelled from my booth, waving frantically at him.
"How's my little red riding hood?" he inquired.
"I'm fine, Barney, how's Sam?" I asked, Sam is his wife, and they'd been married for twenty years; I'd love to have what they have one day.
"Sam is great; she's always asking if you could come visit again because it's been a while since she's seen you."
"Maybe one day, Barney, your little red is hungry, and she wants food in her stomach." I joked, giving him my happiest grin ever.
"We don't want that, I will make yours with extra love," Barney smiled as he tossed one burger patty in the air and caught it with his spatula.
"What about me, Barney?" Tina asked, batting her eyelashes at Barney.
"Woman, drink your damn coffee, nosy old lady."
"You know you love this old lady Barney"
"Nope not really"
"You are hurting my feelings, Barney, Rudy will hear about this"
"Rudy loves me too much to fire her favourite person in the world."
"I think that would be her husband Barney" I added
"You need to back me up, Red; you're my person, and we have to stick together."
"Go back to work and stop harassing the poor girl, Barney," Tina added with a small smile, we all love Barney even if he sometimes acts like a crazy person, he is like the crazy but funny grandpa everyone loves.
Sarah brought my food a few minutes later, the dinner was noisy as usual, but it quieted down when two guys from the Eastwood gang walked in, they were into drugs, illegal fighting, and whatever else illegal you could think of, Ben and Randy were regulars, but the only waitress who could handle them and not look scared was Rose, and she wasn't here today because she was sick and they don't usually come in today.
As I watched Sarah put on a brave face and walk over to take their orders, another guy entered the room who I didn't recognize. He was close in age to me. He moved to take a seat at the counter and began playing with a small combat knife, but he wasn't important at this moment, so I turned my attention back to Sarah, who looked terrified
"What do you want to order?" Sarah asked, her voice shaking with fear.
Ben, who can be a real pervert when he wants to be, said, "If you are on the menu, we would love a piece of you." Sarah gave him a small smile in an effort to not unnerve him because he had a short fuse, and Randy smacked him across the head.
"Please forgive my friend; he says stupid things when he's hungry," Randy said, with a small smile, maybe he had noticed Sarah was scared and was attempting to make her feel safe, he was a far better guy than his friend Ben
"No problem, what do you two want?" Sarah asked Randy who still had a smile on his face.
"We'd like two cheeseburgers and two bottles of beer". Randy answered
"I'm sorry, we're all out of beer. We only have juice left," she murmured.
"You sound dumb, get Rose for us, at least she is better to look at, not some scar-faced freak like you". Ben said and l felt like punching him in the face for being so fucking rude to her
Sarah had a scar on her face because her ex-husband had done a number on her before he was arrested for abuse.
"Ben, what the fuck, show some respect," Randy yelled as he turned to face his friend, who showed no remorse for what he had said.
"What's the truth, she's ugly as fuck but she has a nice body," he added before groping her ass, Sarah jumped back in shock at what he'd done, that son of a bitch.
I was about to yell at him when the guy who took his seat at the counter walked over to their table with a smirk.
"Didn't your mama teach you how to treat women, first you insulted this lady, and then you put your hands on her, just because people are afraid of you doesn't give you the right to treat people badly, you fucker," the stranger said irritation evident in his tone.
"Who are you talking to, boy? Do you know who I am?" Ben asked as he rose to his feet. He is shorter than the stranger but still frightening due to his reputation.
"You are obviously too stupid to read the room, but I will let this go if you apologize to the nice lady and leave."
"Acting tough will only get you hurt badly boy, so walk away while you still can," Ben suggested as he placed his hand on his gun concealed in his pants.
"I can take you no problem, but I don't want to cause any trouble for this lady or the owner, I know how gangs can be," he said, flashing Ben a tattoo on his arm, and I saw a fearful glint in his eyes.
"Dude, we don't want any trouble, Ben just apologize so we can fucking leave, if you cause any trouble here, the boss will be pissed"
"I'm sorry for insulting you," Ben mumbled as they both ran out of the diner.
"Sorry about that Ma, men can be real pricks, don't listen to him," the Stranger said giving Sarah a small smile.
"Thank you for your assistance; your meal is on me," Sarah said, returning his smile.
"Oh, no problem, but I won't say no to free food," he said as he took his food and walked out of the diner but that was before he made sure she was okay. I abandoned my meal and ran up to Sarah, who was slumped on a chair.
"Are you okay, Sarah?"
"Athena I was so terrified, if not for that boy I would've had a panic attack," Sarah explained.
"You're safe now, he's gone, and the way that guy handled it, I don't think they'll be back anytime soon, go inside and take your time, I'll take over, let me just pack up my meal"
"You don't have to do that love," Sarah said with a guilty expression as she stared up at me.
"I want to Sarah, it's not a problem"
"Thank you, dear, I just need a few minutes then I will be back"
"No problem Sarah, take your time"
Sarah walked through the kitchen door and headed for the staff room, so I packed my lunch and went to attend to the diner's remaining customers. Thirty minutes later, Sarah returned and took over, so I ate my lunch in the kitchen with Barney and I told him everything that happened when he went out for a smoke.
"Sarah, how are you doing? Athena just told me what happened." When Sarah walked into the kitchen, Barney asked with a worried expression.
"I'm fine, Barney; it's fine," Sarah responded with a small smile as she took her order and walked away, leaving me with Barney.
Before I left the diner, I went into the office to say hello to Rudy. I knocked on the door and heard a faint 'come in'; when I walked in, Rudy smiled and said, "hey love, what are you doing here, you don't have a shift today."
"I just came in for some lunch and I came to say hello and ask how you are doing?"
"Everything is okay, I'm just working on some bills for the diner"
"Do you need help?"
"Nah I'm almost done, tell Sarah to give you a couple of slices of chocolate cake, I know they are your favourite"
"And this is why I love you, Rudy"
"Is that the only reason, because I give you free food"
"You know I love you for so many reasons," I smiled, then remembered why I came here: "before I forget, I wanted to ask you if I could bring Sophia here for lunch tomorrow for her birthday."
"That's true, her birthday is tomorrow, of course, you can, and we'll even throw her a little party."
"Thank you so much, Rudy; she's going to love it."
"No problem, dear."
"I'll leave you so you can get back to work."
"Bye love, take care and say hello to Sophia for me"
"Bye Rudy, I will take care"
I said my goodbyes to the rest of the guys before going back home. I put the chocolate cake Sarah gave me before I left into the fridge and went into my bedroom to take a short nap before I faced the pile of homework I had to do.