The afternoon was spent running again. Not as bad as the night before but there was still little downtime. When there was downtime, Paris chose to keep me busy by showing me how to make pizzas and laughed hysterically at me when I flat out refused to touch the anchovies. There is just something about fuzzy fish that freaks me out, not as bad as the sight of blood but bad enough.

As my shift ended Mr. Brock came to see me again. That man hustles all day long. I can see where his daughter gets her work ethic from as they both run a tight ship. "Finn, I know I hired you as a driver but there's a flu going around and two of my servers have called out sick on Sunday. Is there any chance..."

"Yeah, no problem Mr. Brock. I mean I don't know exactly what I'm doing but I'd be happy to help you out." The truth was when I was busy I couldn't think and right now not thinking was good. I'm actually in a halfway decent mood at the moment.

"Paris can show you the ropes. I'll need you from 3 until close, which is 11 pm. I know it's a school night so if you need to cut out early..."

"That really should be fine, Mr. Brock. When I get home today I should be able to tackle any schoolwork I have to get done. So, it really shouldn't be a problem."

Mr. Brock looks so relieved. "You're a Godsend, Finn," he said patting my shoulder and he handed me another $50.00 over my tips.

"What's this for?" I ask.

"Consider it a bonus for all the help you've been giving me."

"Thank you!"

"No, thank you! Get here around 10 so Paris can go over everything with you. Khakis and a white button down shirt will be fine for serving on the floor."

"Got it."

Mr. Brock leaves to handle another crisis somewhere else.

"See you in the a.m., Paris," I say as I'm about to head out the door.

Paris smiles at me. "Hey, Stretch!?"

I stop and turn to look at her. "Be sure to shower and use a comb before coming here tomorrow. You'll do better in tips that way."

I laugh out loud. "Duly noted," I say. "See ya, Short Stack." I'm not entirely certain but I'm pretty sure I heard something hit the door as I walked through it and I chuckle.

I get home and my Mom is a little disappointed that I needed to jump right into my schoolwork now that I don't have Sunday off.

"I worry about you working so hard. Mr. Brock seems to be taking advantage of you, Finn. You know it's okay to say, no if it all becomes too much, right?"

"I want to help, Mom. I like the job. It's... fun." I say with a shrug.

"So a waiter, huh?"

"Just for tomorrow night."

"Okay, we'll talk more at dinner?"

"Definitely," I tell her giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs.

I had quite a bit of work to do so I didn't linger too long after dinner with the family because I needed to get everything done before Sunday and I seriously needed to catch up on some sleep if I wished to be lucid for tomorrow night.

I foolishly check my phone and email and of course, there are no messages from Brynn. I didn't really expect there to be but a part of me hoped that perhaps, given a day to think about things she might reconsider, or reach out. Then again, Brynn's still busy too with the play being this weekend. Not that she needs that excuse not to reach out to me.

Thankfully, I'm too exhausted to give it much more thought and sleep claims me. I wake up, shower, and dress in my new "uniform" truthfully it feels very much like going to school with the khakis and a white shirt but hey at least I didn't have to invest in new clothes to help out.

My mom sends me off with a good breakfast and I'm on time for work, things are going well. I come around the back, as I know the restaurant part of the shop isn't open yet and I see Paris right away.

She grins at me. "Lookin' good, Stretch. Much better than yesterday."

"Stop with all the flattery already. You're going to make me blush," I tease.

"Oh, that I would love to see. I'm sure it would be a big eye anime level of adorable. I may just die from overexposure to cuteness."

"You know it amazes me how you are NEVER at a loss for words," I tell her and she just chuckles.

"What can I say... it's a gift." Paris walks over to me, holding a black apron in her hand. "Put this on." She tosses it to me and I tie it around my waist and she starts laughing at me immediately.

"Not like that," she says and turns me around and undoes the bow I made in the back. She stands close behind me and reaches around with the strings to tie them in the front. It sort of feels like she's hugging me from behind and I feel the heat burn my cheeks.

Paris turns me back around and says, "Oh," and immediately feigns death upon seeing my face. She actually collapses on the floor. I laugh at her dramatic flair and fan her with a pizza box. "Don't die on me, yet," I said, though her actions cause me to blush even harder, knowing that she noticed. "I still need to get trained." I reason.

She peeks at me with one eye and props herself up on her elbows. "Your concern for my well being is overwhelming."

I give her a hand up and she brushes herself off. "Fine then," she takes a black towel and tucks it through the strings. "This is for carrying the hot stuff. Don't ever take a plate from under the heat lamps without it unless you want 3rd-degree burns."

"Okay."

She hands me a book that has slips that I've seen her write orders on. "This goes in here and she puts in one of the front pockets in the apron. Book on the right, money on the left, try not to switch them up as it's really easy to pull out your cash and drop it on the floor when pulling out the book if you keep them on the same side."

She takes me out onto the floor where there are red upholstered booths and brown wood tables. "See here?" She points to a small number on the side of the table I've never noticed before. "This number is how you know what goes where and to whom so be sure to write it at the top of the check to keep your orders straight."

"Got it."

"Now if you open the book. You'll see on the left-hand side I made a cheat sheet of the codes we put into the computer, to tell the cooks what they need to make."

I pull out the book and take a look. This must have cost her a considerable amount of time to write all this out for me.

"Most of the waiters or waitress would have this memorized before they started working on their own, but it's all there is to know so it should be pretty easy for you figure it out."

"Thanks."

Paris smiles at me again and I can't help but smile back.

"Now you'll be in charge of keeping your station stocked throughout the night too. The busser will take care of clearing your tables and stock your ice for water but glasses, forks, knives, spoons are all on you, napkins are on the tables so you won't have to worry about restocking those. Or the salt, pepper, pepper flakes, parm cheese, garlic powder, and ketchup until the end of the night."

"Okay," I said hesitantly as this is a lot to remember. "If you know all this stuff wouldn't it be easier if YOU came out here?" I asked.

"Can't. I'm underage. Have to be 18 to be out on the floor, because customers can buy alcohol here."

"Ah," I say, I forgot that Paris is younger than me. She's so darn responsible that it's easy to forget.

"Don't get nervous, Stretch. You'll do fine and I'll be behind the counter if you need any help. Okay?"

I take a deep breath. "Am I that obvious?"

"You look like you just walked in to take the SAT's and realized you forgot to crack open a book." She giggles.

I laugh. "That bad, huh?"

Paris nods her head. "Honestly, Finn you'll do great. Being a good waitress or waiter is all about personality and...well... you got that in spades."

"Thanks," I say, feeling slightly better.

"No prob. Now, always start off with drinks first. Bring them water but then ask what they would like to drink. After you take care of that, they should be ready to order. I would start clockwise just so you know who went first. It'll help you remember who to hand the food to when it's ready."

"Anything else?"

"Not really. I promise not to abandon you. You'll do just fine."

"Okay," I say trying to mentally psych myself up like I would before a big game.

The night gets started and I thought deliveries were busy. I swear I'm never leaving less than a 15% tip again when I go out to eat. I don't care how bad the waiter or waitress is, they deserve it just for showing up for work that day.

The dinner rush had arrived and I am crazy busy. I screwed up a few things but luckily Paris was checking my orders before they got to the cooks and caught most of them. The others I just had to apologize for and let them know that it was my first night and most people were cool with that. The others just left their change as a tip and I was okay with that too.

I got a 15-minute break and I hung out back just wanting to have no noise for like ten seconds. Paris opens the door and hands me a slice of pizza.

"Do you screw these up on purpose just so you have something to eat?" I ask her with a grin.

"I didn't have to tonight. You did it for me."

And I groan.

"Hey, you're doing great, but eat up. You'll need to keep up your strength if you want to finish out the night."

"Thanks, Paris." She smiles almost shyly at me and it throws me. She's so outgoing that it looks out of place on her.

The phone rings and she points behind her. "Duty calls," and she heads back inside.

I eat the pizza and pick up a crate of clean glasses to restock the station on my way back to the floor. I nearly drop them when I see who just walked in the door.

Brynn and about half of stage crew just showed up and the hostess was sitting them...No, no, no, no, no... not my section!!!

I head on over to Angie, the older waitress on with me. "Hey Ange a big party just came in, and I got sat with them and being new and all I thought perhaps..."

"I'd love to help you out, hun but..." she waves her hand to include her already full section. "I'm mobbed."

"Yeah...okay," I say and head on over to my side, and spy on the group as I restock the glasses.

Brynn is sitting next to Adam, his arm is casually resting across the back the booth behind her and I instantly want to break it. Across from them is Shawna and another girl I don't remember the name of. I look at the clock. Obviously, the play is over and they've decided to come here of all places to celebrate.

I exhale a slow breath. You can do this, Finn. Just go over there and take their order. I fill four glasses with water and carry them over to the table. I walk over very carefully trying not to spill anything and place them in the middle of the table.

I don't make eye contact with anyone as I pull out my book and pen. "So what can I get you to drink?"

"No freaking way! Finn?" Shawna says, grinning ear to ear at me.

"Hey Shawna," I say and try not to notice that Adam has slid a little closer to Brynn I'm guessing in a show of support or to shove it in my face, not sure which but I find it highly irritating either way. I have such a tight grip on my pen my knuckles are white.

"Drinks?" I prompt again.

"When did you get a job here?" Shawna looked over at Brynn. "Did you know he worked here?"

Brynn forces a smile. "I thought you worked on Saturday?"

"They needed my help," I inform her. So, that's why she came, she thought I wouldn't be here.

"So you're a waiter here now?" Shawna said drawing my attention back to her.

"Well actually I was hired to do deliveries but they had two of their wait staff call out due to the flu so..." I shrug.

"Cool," Shawna says, still looking over at Brynn, I'm guessing hoping for a bigger reaction and frowned slightly when Brynn didn't appear to have any reaction to my standing there what so ever.

"Can I get a milkshake?" Shawna asked.

"Ooo, me too?" declared the other girl.

"What kind?" I asked.

"Vanilla! Strawberry!" They call out and I wrote it down.

"Adam?" I asked my pen poised.

"I'm good with the water," he said. Probably afraid I'd poison anything else I gave him.

"Okay. Brynn?"

I'm looking down at her and praying that fact that my heart is currently locked in my throat is not apparent.

"I'll take a milkshake too," she said quietly.

"Cookies and Cream?" I suppose knowing it's her favorite.

She shakes her head no. "Vanilla is fine."

"Vanilla, got it," I say writing it down and as I walk away I hear Alex say, "You want me to take you home so you don't have to be around that jerk?" To which, Brynn responds with, "I'm fine Adam. Really."

Really? No... he's not a jerk. Don't talk about him like that. He just made the mistake of being wholeheartedly in love with me. Nothing? WOW!

I take the rest of the stage crew's orders and hurry to the back. I'm nearly vibrating with anger when Paris comes back to help me with the shakes.

"Whoa! What's a matter? What's going on out there?"

I open my mouth but then shut it again. I can't, I can't talk without something vile wanting to come flying out.

"Somebody being rude to you?" she asks, concerned.

"Paris, I can't..."

Her eyes get wide as she stares at me. "Oh my God! She's out there isn't she?"