That night, when Lyla returned to the diner Frank greeted her. "So how was the beach?"

"It was okay," she said, tying the apron around her waist.

"You stay out of trouble?"

"Nobody had to bail me out of jail."

Frank chuckled. "I shoulda told you to stay home tonight. Slow night. Hardly been enough customers for Aubrey."

Aubrey dropped off a check at a nearby booth.

Noah and three other boys entered with "trouble" written all over them. Lyla grabbed menus and walked to the booth by the front window. Noah smirked as she handed out the menus.

"Hey, guys, did you know Jersey has topless beaches?"

Freddie, a red-faced kid with a beard of acne, chortled.

"Ha, ha." She glared at Noah. "You ready to order?"

"Aw, Freddie." Noah pulled him into a headlock. "You're my breast friend." Freddie and the other two guys giggled like grade-schoolers.

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I should have brought kids' menus. You guys need sippy cups?"

"Sorry," said Noah insincerely. "I'll have the double cheeseburger and fries." He stared at her boobs.

Lyla growled, "Do you mind not doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Just fries for me." Freddie closed his menu.

She could hear them cackling as she took their orders to the kitchen. She picked up a turkey and mashed potatoes dinner and a club sandwich then carried them to a booth.

"Looks good," said a bushy-haired guy in a flannel shirt as he armed himself with a knife and fork.

"Another Coke?" she asked.

"I'm good," he replied, slicing into this turkey.

A short time later, Lyla brought the orders to Noah's booth. "Double cheeseburger and fries and another order of fries." She set the plates on the table. You guys need anything else?"

Noah grinned. "Yeah, how 'bout giving me your number?"

"Why? For what?"

"So maybe we could just hang out sometime. You know."

Freddie and the other guys grinned like imbeciles.

"That's not gonna happen." She ripped the check from her pad, placed it on the table, and headed for the kitchen.

Noah looked at the check. "Hey. You forgot to write down your number."

She could hear the laughter as she slipped into the kitchen.

Aubrey watched Frank, who worked the griddle, scoop a grilled cheese sandwich onto one plate, and a tuna melt onto another.

"What's the matter?" Aubrey asked grabbing two plates of hot food.

"Noah's being a total buttmunch."

"Hey. Did you hear about Carissa and Jack?"

Lyla shook her head.

"Big fight," said Aubrey. "I heard that one of her brother's college friends was at their house and apparently, Carissa and the guy... you know?"

"They hooked up?"

Aubrey shrugged. "She's such a slut, I wouldn't doubt it."

"When did this happen?"

"I don't know, but Jack found out. This afternoon they got really loud outside of Mr. Heyward's class. I think Carissa gave him his ring back and everything."

"Food's getting cold," Frank growled.

Lyla followed Aubrey out of the kitchen and watched Noah, Freddie, and the guys exiting the diner, giggling and snorting.

Aubrey served her customers at the counter.

Lyla walked back to the booth, all the while thinking about the Jack and Carissa break-up story. How did she miss the big fight? How did Darcy miss it? Darcy usually knew everything that was going on at school. Maybe it wasn't true or maybe it was an exaggeration. That's the way rumors get started.

But what if it was true? What if Jack and Carissa were no longer a couple? She couldn't imagine it. They had been together for as long as she could remember and, as much as she hated to admit it, they were one true pairing. They were both so gorgeous, that if they ever had a baby, it would be too cute to look at without causing permanent eye damage.

She wiped the vinyl seats. The guys were such slobs, especially Noah. His seat looked as though a cheeseburger had exploded in his lap. The globs of milkshake on the Formica surface grossed her out. Waitressing wasn't so bad, except for this. She could deal with rude customers, busy nights, and wrong orders but cleaning up after people was just gross. She tried not to think about it and went about the task as quickly as possible. She gathered the few coins left as a tip.

"Wow. A whole thirty-eight cents," she sighed.

As Lyla finished cleaning the booth, she felt someone watching her. It was as though someone was staring a hole through the top of her head.

She looked up and froze.

Keenan stood on the sidewalk just outside the window.