Charlie was good at remembering things. She could remember phone numbers, street names, faces -- all of the important information one person could need, & usually this was a fact she took pride in. She couldn't remember the last time she'd forgotten an order at her job, or lost a trivia game, but today was different. Never had she wished she could forget more than she did now.

Leaning against the counter, Charlie let her bright blue orbs cast over to the table he was sitting at. He had changed so much since she'd last seen him, & not psychically (though he did look a bit older than he had eight years ago), but in a deeper sense. She had yet to stride over to the table he & his four friends occupied, but she knew he'd change from just observing him for a few minutes. His voice didn't sound the same as it had when she knew him well, & his eyes had lost that...that life that used to reside in them.

"Can you believe it?" her co-worker, Amy whispered coming up next to her with a tray full of empty beer bottles. She sat it on the counter, before leaning over it just as Charlie was doing "John Lennon's in the building. We've got a Beatle in our building. Harry Nilsson too, but he doesn't really amount to what John does, does he?"

Charlie let out a muted laugh, before nodding her head. "He's something, but he's not something I care for -- neither of them are," Charlie commented, peeling her eyes away from John. She didn't want to look away, quite honestly, but she feared that Amy would tease her if she didn't. Plus, she didn't want it to get awkward if John just so happened to let his eyes fall onto her. It probably wouldn't happen & even if it did, she wasn't sure he'd even know who she was. She'd made some changes of her own in the six years since they'd last encountered each other. "Are you going to go do their table, or do--"

Amy cut her off, shaking her head profusely. "You do it," she said, handing her a tablet & a pen to write with out of her green pouch. "I'm too nervous & you just said that you don't care for them, so it shouldn't be a trouble."

"Amy, no. I don't want to go over there," Charlie said, shaking her head just as profusely as Amy had done moments before. This was quickly becoming her worst nightmare. This morning she never even imagined seeing that man again, even with the knowledge that he was recording in L.A. (the place she'd made her home when they parted ways). John always used to keep out of public areas like this one because he'd grown far too famous to be left alone long enough to enjoy them, so she had just assumed she was safe in her workplace. When he came waltzing in the restaurant doors five minutes earlier, Charlie knew herself to be mistaken then. She thought that was the worst of her nightmare.

It seemed every second of the day she seemed to be getting more & more wrong.

Amy didn't let in. Instead, she placed the tablet & pen in Charlie's own green pouch & gave her a little push towards the booth. Charlie had a chance to go back, for none of the boy's had seen her yet, but she knew Amy would just tell her to stop being silly. There was no way of getting out of this.

Letting out a deep breathe, Charlie started moving closer to John's table. As she got close, her hands started to get clammy & she felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to do this, she didn't want to face the man who had single-handedly broke her heart years ago, even if he probably wouldn't notice her. Just the thought of making contact with him again was enough to make her cry, but she couldn't do that either. Amy would ask what was so wrong & John would surely have his attention drawn to her then, if she broke down crying right there.

"Hi, I'm Charlie. I'll be your wait-waitress," she stammered as she reached the table, pressing a big, fake cheeky grin onto her red stained lips. Manicured digits dug into her green pouch for the pen & tablet, & once she got them, she shifted her weight to her left foot. "What would you guy's like tonight?"

She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't dare look at him. If she did, she wasn't sure how she'd react. It'd been years since she last faced him, and she thought all of her anger and all the pain he'd caused her had vanished, but she knew it hadn't at this moment. She still felt just as angry as she did the day he told her that they couldn't be anymore, & her heart still hurt just as much as it did that day, too. Charlie absolutely despised it; she swore to herself she'd never let a man have this much control over her feelings again, but yet here she was, on the verge on breaking down just because he was in her presence.

"Charli-" John's voiced punctured the air, but it was cut off by the tall, dark blond known as Harry Nilsson beside him. Never had she been more thankful of a man.

"I'll take a cheeseburger & some fries with a coke & a beer. John'll have -- John what do you want?" he asked him, shifting his gaze over at the man. Charlie didn't follow it, but instead she began scribbling the order on the pink sheet in front of her.

"Fish & chips, &...two beers. One for me and one for you," he answered, & Charlie knew when he said 'you' he was talking to her. That caused her for her to finally look at him directly, & when she did she was greeted with kind chocolate orbs & a small, knowing grin. She couldn't stand him.

"I don't drink, Sir," she replied coldly, before writing his order down. All her nerves had gone now & been replaced with fresh anger. Removing her eyes from the paper again, she looked at the other two men who sat left of John in the booth. "What would you two like?" she asked, her tone sweet now. She was doing it just to spite John now.

"Um, same as Harry," they replied both replied, looking dumbfounded. They probably had never seen John get rejected in such a way, but she couldn't help it. She had to be mean to him, because that's how he was to her when he broke up with her. John deserved her rejection as much as she deserved the apology she never received. She waited & waited for that, too because she was certain he would have changed his mind. She told herself over & over again that John wasn't that cruel, but she'd been wrong. Now it was her turn to be equally as cruel.

Slipping the pen in her pocket, Charlie smiled up at the men. "I'll back with it soon," she told them, before making her way back over to Amy. Once she turned around, she could see Amy sitting there, her arm supporting her head on the counter, & her brown orbs wide & her mouth agape a little.

"Why'd you snap at him like that?" Amy whispered/yelled, following Charlie back into the kitchen. Charlie laughed as she sat the order down next to the chief. "Make it quick if you can, Nina. They're high maintenance men out there," she told the woman playfully, causing the cook to furrow her eyebrows. Charlie didn't elaborate, though.

"I told you I didn't care much for him." Charlie shrugged going over to the kitchen's fridge & taking out five beers. She handed one to Amy. "That's on John."

"I can't take this, he gave it to you! Besides, you rejected him so he doesn't think anyone's taking it," Amy replied, sitting the beer aside. She picked up a glass & began to pour the cokes the men had ordered.

"He's rich enough to be out two dollars for another beer."

Charlie sat the beers on a brown tray, before propping herself up on the counter. Her converse covered feet dangled as she waited for Amy to finish with the cokes.

As she poured the last coke, Amy looked up at Charlie. "Why don't you like him, Char?" she asked.

Charlie shrugged. "I think he's a hypocrite, you know? And he's got a big mouth. He sure talks a lot about peace & love but I don't really think he's for it." She looked down at her feet, thinking for a moment. She wasn't really lying to Amy, those were some of the reasons she doesn't like John, but they were more validated for her than what she was letting on. It probably sounded silly to Amy, but she had to make up something without telling her the whole truth.

Amy placed the cokes on the tray next to the beer, and she gave Charlie a gentle grin. "You think you can be nicer now?" she questioned, raising a perfectly arched brow.

"No," Charlie grinned, swiping up the tray carefully & pushing open the door with her butt. She moved slowly over to the table, being careful not to spill anything. Once she got there, she sat the tray on the edge, allowing half of it rest on the table and the other half on her hip.

"A coke and a beer for you, a coke and a beer for you, a coke and a beer for you," she said, placing the drinks in front of Harry and the two men next to John. When she got around to John, she didn't say anything. She just sat his beer down, retracting her hand as quickly as possible because she didn't even want that to be near him.

"Thank you," he mumbled, but she ignored him. Charlie made her way back to the kitchen, where she found Amy sitting on the counter splitting the beer from John in between three glasses.

"Thought you weren't going to drink that?" Charlie asked, causing for Amy to look up. She grinned, before handing Charlie a cup.

"Thought you didn't drink?" Amy quipped and Charlie rolled her eyes, before bringing the cup up to her lips. "You could've just told him you didn't want it, you know? You didn't have to lie."

"I know. I just clammed up there for a minute."

"You said you didn't care much for them, though."

"Just because I don't care for them doesn't mean I don't get nervous still," Charlie lied. Amy handed her another cup, and she passed it over to Nina who was watching the two woman with a quizzical look etched into her features/

"What are you talking about?" she asked, flipping the burgers. The sound of sizzles exploded throughout the room as Amy and Charlie shared a look. "Nothing, Nina, nothing," Charlie replied simply.

After that, the woman sat in comfortable silence, drinking their beers and waiting for the food to finish. Charlie picked away at the decorative design on the cup as she thought about John. It was a nervous tick of her's that she had never bothered to try & get rid of. Amy knew about this tick too, & she sat there & watched Charlie do it, she wondered what was wrong. She didn't ask though, deciding she pressed her enough that night.

"Alright," Nina clapped her hands together, "They're ready to be served."

Charlie looked at Amy, giving her a weak, pleading smile. "You want to give it a try now?"

Amy let out a groan before slidding off the counter, & grabbing another tray. She placed the food on it & made her way back out there. Charlie followed behind her, but stopped at the counter.

She watched Amy serve the men, sitting each plate down in front of the man who'd order it as a big grin took up her features. When she got to the fish & chips, she placed it in front of an empty seat. John wasn't there now.

Amy came back to Charlie, stifled laughs escaping her shut mouth. "You made him leave!" Charlie said, trying to scold her but not being able to do it.

"No...no, I didn't. He didn't leave," Charlie said, looking around the room. As if he knew they were talking about him, John exited the bathroom and entered the room once more. He wore a smirk & upon his forehead was a pad. This caused for laughter to erupt from his table, but the rest of the costumers (an old couple in the back) didn't seem too happy with the boys. Charlie wasn't too happy either.

"Look at him," she whispered to Amy. "What a fucking child."

Amy laughed. "I told the boss we needed boy & girl bathrooms for this reason exactly. Men are too immature."

"That's not a man Amy, that's a boy," Charlie replied. She looked at John once more & he looked back at her. They shared this look for a moment before she pulled her eyes away. "I don't know why so many idolize him, he's worthless."

"Stop talking about him, he's coming," Amy warned. This caused for Charlie to begin to panic. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to him, especially in front of Amy. She feared he'd let the secret she'd been holding in ever since she moved to L.A. out, because that's something he'd do. She just wanted to run, fast and far, but it was too late now. He was already at the counter, a shit eating grin placed upon his lips.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked her. Charlie rolled her eyes.

"An asshole with a pad on your head," she snapped. His smile dropped and almost magically, so did the pad. With that, Charlie marched back into the kitchen. She refused to be around him.