The President's Son

Flesh-Eating People

You can't believe your eyes. You don't think anyone has ever done something like this

for you. Then you feel something else in the box. It's a phone. You hold the phone in

your hand and then it lights up. "Hope you like the package ☺"

You send a text back. "Jason?"

"Yeah, it's me. Hope I'm not too forward with the gift?"

"No, it's kind of perfect. Thank you. What's the idea behind the phone?"

"Well, like I said last night, I really wanted to talk to you....and well, I thought maybe we could text for a little while? If you would want to? ☺"

(He would do all this just to talk to me?)

"Earth to Jennifer! The orders are not going to take themselves?" Lucy pats you on the shoulder. You snap out of your little bubble of fantasy you created for yourself and realize that a few angry customers are waiting for their food.

"Oh! I'm so so sorry! I'm coming!" You put the phone back in the box and put it under the counter. You run around to satisfy all the customers. Before you know it, it's closing time. You're so exhausted.

You walk to the front door and there he stands with his hoodie. He's breathing heavily. "Are you okay??"

"Yeah? and hey to you too"

"I'm sorry...I just.....I was worried about you. You didn't answer my texts and calls and I thought....well, I thought something was wrong..."

"Oh! I actually forgot about that, we got really busy and-" He holds up a hand.

"Don't say another word. I feel kind of stupid now...I should've known. You work in a diner after all. Constantly working...I feel like a fool" He slaps a hand against his head.

"No, it's kind of sweet that you care enough to come all the way here" He looks down and fidgets with his fingers. You walk closer to him but he keeps retreating.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" He keeps moving back. "You keep walking away from me? Don't you want me close to you?" Suddenly he stops. You see his piercing blue eyes staring straight at you. It feels as if

he's looking into your soul.

"I really DO want you close to me..." Your breath catches. He opens the door and he's gone again.

(What is he doing to me?)

You wake up the next morning not having slept a lot. Jason has been on your mind.

"Someone needs coffee! Who raffled your feathers?" Lucy comments on your appearance.

"Urgh....just give me the coffee and stop nagging" You sit and lean your head against your palm. You hear a sound under the counter.

(Shit!!!! I forgot about the phone!) You take out the phone and find two missed calls from yesterday and a lot of texts:

"This is too forward, right?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have sent you the phone"

"I'm too forward, aren't I?"

"Are you okay?"

And then one this morning:

"Shit! Please tell me you didn't read the texts of yesterday?"

You laugh (It's so cute that he cares)

"Unfortunately, I had no choice but to have read it to read the text of this morning...but thank you. I think you have fulfilled your "care" quota and we're even now?"

"Sure, we're even now. I got to go now but I would really like to chat with you later on if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, I'll like that. Take care of yourself?"

"I will. You too please" You smile and realize that you could fall hard for this guy that has no face...

"Jennifer! Order's up!" Lucy shouts from the counter. "Coming!" You go to the counter and start to serve the incoming rush. Then the terrible two walk in and take a seat in the corner booth. You hesitantly walk up to them to talk about their order. "What can I get you?"

Stacey comments "Hmmm...that's the question, isn't it? What CAN you get me??"

Arizona smiles "Maybe she could get herself a life?" They look at each other and laugh.

"You know, you really do get funnier by the day" These girls are the cream of the crop. They're part of the famous sorority on campus. They come every week to the diner, order only drinks and make fun of you.

"Oh Jennifer, don't be such a downer, you know we love all of the failures you are" They laugh again. You don't have much to say back to them because in a way you are a failure. You couldn't even start with your degree.

"Okay, fun's over! Do you want to order something or not?"

"Just get us coffees to go and make quick work of it " You take a deep breath and turn around, trying not to flip out. They laugh and whisper, no doubt about you.

Lucy whispers "Don't let them get to you. They're not worth it"

"Yeah....it's just....maybe they're right"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I am a failure because I couldn't study and follow my dream"

"I don't want to get too personal but why is it that you couldn't study for your degree?" You suddenly feel very uncomfortable and keep yourself busy cleaning the counter.

"Oh...I...I just, couldn't. Nevermind, forget about it" You go to the kitchen and get the coffees. You are close to their booth when Stacey shouts. "Walking fries incoming! Watch out for the ketchup!"

She squirts a line on the floor. You slip on the floor and spill the hot coffee all over your uniform.

"Whoa!"

"Oh no! If she weren't so clumsy, we could have had some coffee now. Oh well, I'm sure the diner on the corner has better service" They flip their hair and step over you as if you're going to infect them with some dreadful disease. You get up slowly and it feels as if the weight of the world is on your

shoulders.

"Urgh!"

"You okay honey? Go clean up yourself, I'll clean this mess" You go to the restroom and sit on the floor. You want to cry but you know it's useless and won't make you feel better. Then your phone gets a text from Jason.

"Hey, I was just thinking about you, hope I'm not bothering you?" This is just what you need.

"Hey, it's good to get a message from you, good timing"

"Oh? and why is that?"

(Oh shit!) "Let's just say, I need a pick me up"

"What's going on?"

"Just people that think the entire world revolves around them"

"Oh, I know what you mean. Power-hungry-flesh-eating people. Very nice people, indeed"

"Wow! Sounds like you deal with them daily?"

"I'm sorry, maybe I got carried away there for a moment...let's get back to you. What was so bad?"

"I don't know if I'm ready to share this yet. I don't even know you"

"We can fix that problem. Let's get to know each other?"

"Okay, let's start with why you don't want to show your face to me?"

"Whoa! Hold your horses, baby steps...."

"Okay...What do you do for a living?"

"That's better, let's just say I'm an apprentice of some sort"

"Well, that's not vague at all..." Just then Lucy knocks on the door. "Honey, you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine" You stand up and send a last text before you get back to work.

"I got to go. Thanks for the chat, really needed that"

"Glad I could be of assistance and hey, don't let those flesh-eating people get to you" You feel the warmth through his words. You don't know him but if he carries on like this, you won't mind getting to know him better. The day carries on and you run around like a crazy woman. It's the end of the day and you help your Dad clean up in the kitchen.

"Dad, I think we should get someone to help us. It's too much for just me and Lucy and someone should help you in the kitchen too?"

"I think you're making a good point. Let's start with interviews tomorrow?"

"Ah! Thank you, Daddy! You kiss him on the cheek."