“Ben, get that table over there,” Chris called to me as he took someone’s order. “I’ll get it when I finish wiping this one down,” I called back.

                Chris despised working at his dad’s restaurant because he had to be so friendly to everyone. I quickly washed the table and set it before moving on to the one Chris had told me to clean. I brought the dirty silverware to the kitchen and went back out, washing it and setting it back up.

                I went over to a family waiting to be seated and led them to one of the tables I had just cleaned. “Hi, I’m Ben, I’ll be your waiter for tonight. May I get you drinks to start off with?” I asked, slapping a happy smile on my face.

                Man, Chris and I used to be bastards to waiters when we were younger. We once left a 3 cent tip and hurried out before the guy came back.

                I took their drink orders before going back into the kitchen to get them. “Damn dude I fucking hate this job!” Chris hissed to me as he set food on a tray. “That old couple out there is bitching to me about my piercings and I just have to stand there with a friendly smile!”

                “God I just want to spit in their fucking food. But my dad would murder me if I ever did,” he grumbled. I rolled my eyes at him. “It’s just until you leave for college Chris.” “Ben, that’s , like, 2 more months! That’s a long time,” he whined.

                He waited until I had the drinks before we walked out together. “Dude, Ima fucking quit soon,” he grumbled. I laughed. “I think you’ll live,” I said to him as I got to the table. He glared. “I beg to differ BJ,” he said before heading back over to the elderly couple as I laughed again.

                I handed them their drinks and took their orders. “Oh, BJ, can you cover my shift tomorrow night? I have to go out and buy college stuff,” Chris said, coming over to me as I scribbled down the lady’s order.

                “I’ll see if Ali can watch the boys,” I said before turning to the guy and taking his order. “Why couldn’t she? She never does anything anyways. She wants you guys to have money, she can watch the kids for a night,” he said in annoyance.

                I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be right back with some bread,” I said with a smile before walking away. “Can you not insult my girlfriend while I’m trying to act happy for work?” I asked in annoyance.

                “Tell me I’m wrong BJ. Tell me she does anything really useful. She doesn’t make any money at all. She expects you to do all the work.” “Shut up Chris. Someone has to watch the kids while I’m at work,” I snapped. “Yea, your grandma can. Dude she can get a job at some fast food place or some shit.”

                I ignored him and walked out with the bread. I handed  it to the family before heading over to clean a table after I had given their order. I went back to the kitchen after and picked up the family’s food. I walked out with it on a tray and passed it out to them.

                I walked over to a family waiting to be seated. I mentally groaned. It was Jenny and her family. I could’ve shot myself. But Chris was going to get himself fired if he had to seat them.

                Jenny grinned at me as I led them to a table. “Hi, I’m Ben and I’ll be your waiter for tonight. May I get you something to drink?” I asked politely, cursing my life.

                “Coke,” Jenny said with a smirk when I got to her. I hurried into the kitchen. “JENNY’S OUT THERE!” Chris whispered in my ear furiously as he came in the kitchen a second later.

                “I know. I’m her waiter,” I said miserably. “Oh shit Ben,” he groaned. “It’s alright Chris. I can handle it,” I said, hoping to god it was true.

                I went back out and handed them their drinks. “What can I get you all to eat?” I asked pleasantly. They read out what they wanted and I wrote it down. “So Ben, how are your kids?” she asked with a pleasant smile as I was writing down her order.

                Her parents stared at me with distaste. I mentally sighed. I was so used to getting that look for being a teen father. “The boys are good, thanks for asking,” I said, forcing myself to remain calm and pleasant.

                Her mom gave me her long ass order and I began to write it down. “Yea mom and dad, Ben has two kids. You guys remember him right? He was the smart one from high school,” she said. Jesus why did she want her parents to hate me? Not that I cared. It’s not like they were going to be my in laws or anything.

                I left and went into the kitchen. I grabbed them bread. Chris glared at me. He was loading drinks on a tray. “Let me spit it in. Please let me spit in it,” he begged. I shook my head. “No Chris. That bitch is not costing you your job,” I said before heading back out to their table.

                I set the bread down and turned to leave. “So Ben, I heard one of your kids was making quite a scene in a restaurant the other night,” Jenny said, trying to hide her smirk. I mentally sighed. “Yea. Shawn hadn’t napped that day so he was really cranky,” I lied. Shawn was just a brat. He had been acting really bad lately.

                “Hope he doesn’t have your anger issues,” she said with a sad sigh. Fuck her. I bit my lip against the nasty reply rising in me. I just shrugged. “I’ve got it all under control,” I lied casually. She grinned. Oh god. “I saw your step dad yesterday.”

                Oh shit. I froze. “Did you?” I asked, working hard to keep the smile on my face. “Yea. Wasn’t that the one you got in a fight with?” I shook my head. “No, I never got in a fight with my step dad.” She laughed. “Oh yea! Wasn’t he in jail for something?” I gulped but kept the smile on.

                “Yea. He was in jail.” “For what?” For leaving me half dead on the floor for my 6 year old sister to find. That’s what for you sorry bitch.

                “I need to go check on your food,” I said, smile in place before hurrying to the kitchen. “How’s it going?” Chris asked. “She’s talking about Derik,” I said, hearing the desperation in my voice.

                “Who’s Derik?” Amy, a girl I had become close to through work, asked curiously. I just couldn’t find my voice anymore. “His step dad,” Chris said. “Douche of a step dad?” Amy asked with a sympathetic look. “He went to jail for beating Ben 3 years ago. After everything he did to Ben, he deserves to go to hell,” Chris growled.

                Amy went silent. “Oh god Ben,” she whispered as she loaded food onto a tray. “He’s a sick monster. He put my sister through so much,” I said quietly. “Your sister?! Ben he put you in the hospital!” Chris cried. Amy gasped in horror.

                I shook my head. “I don’t care what he does to me Chris. You know how much I love my sister. He hurt her. No one hurts my baby sister,” I said quietly, putting the food on the tray before hurrying to leave.

                Eventually, Jenny’s family left. I sighed and made my way home to my family when my shift was over. I stopped and picked up a little surprise for the boys. I got home and they ran to greet me like always.

                “Hey boys! I’ve got presents for you guys!” I said with a wide smile as I hugged them. “What is it daddy?!” they cried eagerly as Ali smiled at us.

                I reached into the bag I had from the store and pulled out a plushie SpongeBob. I handed it to Shawn with a smile and kissed his forehead. “For you.” I pulled out a toy Stitch and handed it to Shane. I kissed his forehead. “And for you.”

                “Thank you daddy,” Shane said eagerly and kissed my cheek before tightly hugging Stitch. He absolutely loved Stitch. Shawn ignored me as he began to play with his SpongeBob. “Say thank you Shawn,” Ali said, frowning at him. But he ignored her too.

                “I want that too!” Shawn cried and plucked the Stitch from Shane’s arms. “NO!” I snapped, snagging it out of his arms and gently placing it back in Shane’s. “Come on. You’re going in time out you brat,” I snapped and picked him up.

                He screamed as I dragged him up towards his room. I mentally sighed for the millionth time that night. Sometimes being a parent was so fucking hard.

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A.N.- Okay guys so, I either want to do a time skip and make the boys older in this story, or end this story soon and start another sequel with the boys being older. Which do you guys want? :p