"Willow! Table eight is waiting to be served!" Nicky called as she frantically pointed to the table at the far back of the diner.

I let out a breath as I grabbed a pen and pad and raced over to the table. I took their orders and ran back to the register, serving some new customers as they just walked in.

For the whole day I had been racing up and down the whole diner all on my own. Getting orders, cleaning the tables, taking people's plates, getting their bills and a bunch of other diner maintenances. Clair wasn't in which meant I had to do all of this by myself for the whole entire day with no help. Nicky hadn't helped once because for the first time in a century, she was actually busy doing work in her office. She was actually doing something!

My feet were sore and achy and the sun was lowering further and further down the aqua blue sky. It was almost the end of my shift.

"Willow! Table six needs the bill!" Nicky shouted from her office and I gasped. Everything was way too much today. Not only was I waking up at an unGodly hour of the morning but running on my feet all day, doing all of this all by myself, on one of the most busiest days of the week, that was enough.

I grabbed their bill and walked over in a hurry. There was already some more people coming through the doors. The bold-headed guy entered in his pin and paid for his bill. "That's all done. Have a good day." I said with a smile. My cheeks were aching a lot too because of the amount of times I had been fake smiling to random people.

It was definitely boring.

I walked back over behind the counter and a couple with a child stepped forward. I gestured them to a table and also took over some menu's.

"Can we order now? We already know what we want." Said the lady who was smiling. Her husband was preoccupied with the kid who was being told off for bouncing on the seat.

"Already? Wow, you must have a fast brain." I joked and the kid gasped.

"We searched up the menu's online! Mommy and Daddy wanted me to choose before we came here because-"

"Son. That's quite enough." The man said and pulled the child into his arms. The child erupted into loud giggles that made my heart spark. Why were kids so adorable?

Ding.

The bell at the front went and I looked back. The door opened again and again and more customers were piling through the door and lining up.

I turned back to the family of three and grasped onto the pen and pad. My hands were clammy and shaky. I hadn't eaten since this mornings breakfast.

"What would you like?" I asked, voice trembling as I was well aware that the whole diner was in my hands.

The lady spoke before her husband could. "Please can we have a club sandwich for him, one big cheese hamburger and one steak please. Could we also get a jug of water?"

I nodded, jotting down their order onto the lined paper. "Yes of course. Is that all for you?" I asked, looking up from the notepad. I slipped the pen lid onto the pen and shoved it into my apron.

"That's all. Thank you."

"My name's Sammy!" The child said, jumping in his seat. "My favourite toy is a car! Because if goes vroom vroom vroom!" I laughed at his behaviour whilst his parents had their heads in their hands. Sammy laughed and leant forward, kneeling across his Dad's legs. "Fist pump!"

I laughed and leant forward, my fist hitting his.

"Sammy, dear, let the lovely lady get back to her work. I'm sure she is busy." The Mom said and I mentally agreed. I was busy, but I could always make time for adorable children such as himself!

Sammy huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Then his Dad pulled him into another hug and kissed his head.

I realised I had been staring for too long so I quickly sent them a smile and walked away. I weaved my way through the line of customers and entered the order down on the register.

"Hello, welcome to Al's Diner." I said, my voice cracking. "Table for one?" I asked the young lady who was waiting.

"Two please. My husband's just parking the car." She said.

"You come here often? I feel like I recognise you." I said, eyes narrowing as I try pinpoint if I knew her or not.

She laughed and followed me over to a clean empty table. "I've been here a few times actually. I'm Jessie."

"My name's Willow. I hope you enjoy coming here!" I said and Jessie nodded exaggeratedly.

"I love it here, thank you!"

"Great. Well if you're not new, I'm going to ask you what your favourite dish is."

She thought for a second, tapping her chin. "The steak and chocolate milkshake. Steak doesn't taste rubbery and the shake tastes like it has proper milk in it." I snorted at her words.

"Would you like that today?" I asked, raising the pad of paper and pen up from the apron once again.

"Yes please. My husband would also like the steak and a Diet Coke, if that's okay?" She asked and I nodded.

The door went again and I let out a tight breath of air. My eye's were seriously sore.

"I can tell you have your hands full. Take your time on getting our food here, we don't mind waiting a little while." She said and her words were a breath of relief.

"Thank you. But as a good waitress I'll get you your food right away." I smiled. "Enjoy, Jessie." I walked back over to the register and pressed on the order of food she wanted. I immediately got back to the never ending queue and felt relief when I saw there were only a couple of people left.

I took them over to some spare tables there were left and passed them their menu's. I passed a little kid some colouring pages and some crayons and started to leave. Just as I did, there was an aluminous bright light coming from outside. Then another...and a few more after that. The sky was now pitch black and I really couldn't see anything outside.

I got back behind the counter and wiped down the surfaces and the coffee machine. Everyone in the diner didn't need any assistance and I felt like this was the only time I could relax. My legs were extremely killing me.

Ding.

I groaned into my hands and bashed my head down onto the counter, the wet cloth still scrunched up in my hand. I tossed the cloth into the sink and washed my hands because I didn't want any disinfectant all over myself and somehow end up in someone's food.

I rubbed my eyes, and most probably smeared my eye makeup, but I didn't care. I just wanted my bed and Zoe and then I'd be okay.

I probably looked like a mess though and this was work. I hoped I didn't look like a zombie. Or worse. "Welcome to Al's Diner-"

I looked up.

There were six eyes all on me.

And one of them were Theo's.

I stood frozen, though my heart was beating at an extreme amount.

Their eyes on me made my skin crawl. They were all tall and it felt like they were setting beady eyes on their next dinner.

It looked like Marcus was here, also a couple of their other friends. Some I didn't notice and wondered if they were from other schools.

Theo was dressed in a black tee and some grey sweatpants. No jacket or jumper. Just a tee.

His arms were exposed and I could see clearly that he was tense, just by the way his muscles, and his jaw, all flexed.

"Willow? What're you doing here?" I heard and moved my head to the side. My brother was pushing passed his friends, moving in front of Theo. But I could still see him because his head popped over the top of Cal's shoulders. From the corner of my eye, I could see Theo's eyes stare down at me. They were dark.

I slightly swayed on my feet. "I work here." I retorted back to my brother. I took notice of Theo rolling his eyes. Though the lighting was too dim to properly accuse that.

"Well no shit." My brother said, rolling his eyes, I could definitely see him do that. "I thought Mom said you were going out?"

My face scrunched up. "Going out? Where?"

Where did she get that from?

Callum shrugged, feasting his eyes on the menu above my head. "I don't know. It's Mom. Can you grab us a table?"

"Okay, fine." I said. There was a big enough table right next to the door, opposite the counter I was at.

I moved out from behind the counter and sprayed down the table. Once the table was clean the boys walked over and sat down. Just before Callum did, I dragged him by his jumper away from the table.

"What the fuck?"

"Shush." I silenced him. "Do you seriously have to bring your idiotic friends here? Can't you go somewhere else?"

He grimaced. "Go where? There's no other diners around that are local, and if you mean the shitty diner where it's full of our arch enemies, then you can kindly fuck off. No way would we be caught dead in there."

"So that's a no?" I asked and could feel the side of my face burning.

Callum looked at me like I was crazy so I just pushed him away. "Fine. Just don't be dicks. Today's already been long and tiring."

He stuck his middle finger up. "Can't promise anything."

I rolled my eyes and went into the staff room.

I took a seat and inhaled a couple deep breaths. My stomach was going crazy.

One, because I was hungry, and two, Theo fucking Willis was here in this diner.

A moment later, I stood back up and walked back into the main diner. I took out my pad and pen, for the hundredth time today, and walked over to my brothers table. "Are you guys ready to order?" I asked, my voice monotone.

"Don't sound too happy." Marcus commented and his friends laughed. I rolled my eyes and noticed Theo's gaze was down on his phone.

My brother punched Marcus' arm. "What? Did I say something?" He said in defence and my brother narrowed his eyes at him. "Fine, fine. I'll behave."

"Can I get a coke and a double cheeseburger?" Some guy said and I quickly scribbled down his order, along with some of the other guys. Marcus sent me a thumbs up as I wrote down his order and I mentally gagged. I know my brother was getting annoyed by him too because he kept nudging him and telling him to lay it off.

But the whole time I wasn't really watching everyone else. My main focus, the stupid, magnetic pull, was towards Theo. He still hadn't looked up from his phone. What ever was on his phone seemed important, the way he was gripping it tightly in his hands.

"Man. Everything' alright?" Callum asked and Theo nodded his head. He immediately shoved his phone into his sweatpants and crossed over his arms. One hand reached out to pick up the menu, not once sparing a glance at me. But I was relieved. I didn't want him to look at me.

The pen from my hand suddenly slipped and fell down onto the floor. I bent down and picked it up. Then I heard a whistle and this time, something stupid, wasn't coming out from Marcus' mouth.

It was one of Callum's random friends.

I stood up straight and glanced at the guy.

His eyes were slowly dragging down my figure and I cleared my throat. He had everyone's attention and I knew none of them were happy.

"What the fuck, man. That's Callum's sister." Marcus said with a weirded-out look.

The guy's eyes widened and glanced at Callum. Callum was blatantly glaring at him and from the corner of my eye I could see Theo gripping the menu rather unusually deathly in his hand. His jaw was even more tense also.

I was stood there whilst Callum and the guy were talking and Theo's eyes were on the table. He almost looked in a trance.

Was he going to order or was I going to continue to stand here looking like a donut?

"I'll have a bacon cheeseburger." Theo said tossing the menu onto the table.

I nodded and looked at him. "Would you like a drink?" I asked. For some reason I felt so nervous around him.

He slouched in the seat, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Then he looked up at me but I looked away from him and down at the paper, pretending it was the most amazing thing ever. "Lemonade." Lemonade. Like the time he was here with his friends and the soda machine overspilt making me seem like a clumsy idiot.

"Okay." I muttered under my breath, way too quiet for him to hear me.

I turned and walked away over to the register. I tapped their large order down and Max, one of the new chefs, who I loved, gave me a double thumbs up.

I smiled to him and scanned around the diner for anyone who may need me. The diner only had two other people, beside Callum's lot, left. Seeing it was quiet, I poured myself a drink and took a couple of bites from the food I had previously ordered for myself not that long ago.

I wasn't getting off my shift until ten, and it was nine forty.

I managed to finish my food before the bell rang and I had to bring them their food and drinks. I cracked my back, and my neck, and picked up two dishes. I took them over to the table. The weird guy who not long ago whistled at me, winked and I sent him a harsh glare. He weirded me out to the max.

The last dish I had to take was in fact, Theo's. Of course his had to be last.

I picked up his dish and carefully took it over to the table. I slid the dish in front of him and he instantly sat up. He spread out his legs and cracked his knuckles. I watched as his large hands gripped the burger, bringing it up to his mouth.

"Is that everything for you guys?" I asked, turning my attention away from him. Callum smiled partially. He had changed and wasn't acting weird around me anymore. Had he found out something?

"No, actually." The guy said — the weird one, let's not forget.

I looked at him. I didn't miss anything did I? Sauces, food, drinks, cutler- "Your number."

From beside me, I heard someone cough. Or choke. "My what?"

"Your number." He repeated.

"Man. She's my sister."

"So?"

"So? Didn't you hear what I just said? She's my sister!"

I chewed on my nail.

"So? Sister or not. I'm sure she can give me her number. Can't you sweet?"

Was he being serious?

A greasy guy such as himself?

"Give my number to someone like you?" I asked and he was just about to speak. I cut in before another snarky, gross comment could slip out from his mouth. "No thanks. I have standards."

As soon as the words left my mouth I slapped my

hand over it.

Did I just say that?

Holy shit.

There was a choir of chuckles around the table and the guy's face went pale.

I felt bad.

But I knew I shouldn't.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes.

I very quickly disappeared in the back and into the bathroom, dying of embarrassment.

I checked myself out in the mirror and I looked like a mess.

My hair was frazzled. My makeup was smudged. I also had bags under my eyes.

Then there was a bang at the door and I groaned in annoyance. I swung open the door. "Just leave me alone! What part of I don't want your number, do you not get- I'm so sorry." I cupped my mouth.

"I just needed the bathroom." He said. Theo sucked in his cheeks and stared at me. His eyes were glancing at me and then behind me.

I suddenly realised what it was that he needed me to do. I stepped to the side and squeezed passed him.

"Thanks." I heard behind me before the door locked shut.

I cleared my throat and wiped down my uniform. I patted my hair and dragged my fingers through the strands. In the hope to tame it at least. I wetted my finger and got rid of the smudge marks. But there was no way I could get rid of the eye bags as quick as everything else.

My worn uniform really needed a wash and an iron.

I was ready to dive into some pyjama's and cozy up in bed with a load of snacks. Me and Betty had even scheduled a FaceTime cool tonight. But who knew of that was really going to happen or not.

All of a sudden, someone cleared their throat and I jumped back. I turned around and set my eyes upon Theo who was leant against the door frame.

I swallowed and interlocked my hands together. It was silent and we were the only two who were back here. "Can I help you?" I asked him and he grunted.

"Yeah, you can." He said. He gestured to something in his hand. It looked like a lighter and a cigarette. "Is there some place I can go for a smoke?"

I tilted my head. "Out the front."

He lightly chuckled. "If I wanted to, I would've gone out the front. Wouldn't you think?"

I shrugged, uncertainly. "I suppose so, yeah."

"Very well, then." He muttered lowly.

I cleared my throat and waved him to follow behind me. I saw him push himself off the wall and I made sure that I was ahead in front of him.

"Here you go." I said, pointing to a door that took you straight out to the dark alleyway out the back. It had nothing but shitty dumpsters and drains. The diner had been having major draining problems recently, making the outside smell like absolute shit.

He manoeuvred himself passed me and his arms pushed open the door. He stepped out and his hand held the door open, though his body was facing away from me.

Not seeing me make any move, he turned around, pulling the door wide open. "What time are you off?"

"Erm- ten."

Theo grabbed my wrist and looked at the watch I had on. "Nine fifty six. You coming or not?"

A/N: