I'll Be Your Girl

“Remy, uh… table seven is asking for you.”

I raise my eyebrows as Calista stands in the doorway that separates the kitchen from the main café area. She’s got a weird look on her face, and doesn’t even question why I’m back there in the first place. I’m a waitress so I really should be out front serving tables with her, but I’d only come back here for five minutes to steal a mini sausage off one of the chefs - I’m starving, and I haven’t eaten since lunch, at school.

“Any particular reason?” I ask, swallowing the food in my mouth and wiping my greasy fingertips on my apron.

She shrugs. “Nope. They just asked if Remy worked here, and asked me to come get you.”

“Okay…” I say slowly, fishing my notepad and pen from my back pocket. As I walk back into the café I see three teens sitting at table seven: two girls and a guy, none of which I recognise. “What can I get you guys?” I ask, pen at the ready.

“Are you Remy?” one of the girls asks, and the other nudges her in the side. The boy just looks away, bored.

“Of course she’s Remy,” the second girl whispers, thinking that I can’t hear her. “Unless she has a twin.” The two of them send me suspicious looks and I pop my hip, folding my arms across my chest.

“Yes, I’m Remy and no, I do not have a twin,” I tell them. “Are you ready to order, or shall I come back?”

“Can we get your picture?” the first girl blurts out.

I feel my shoulders tense up. “Okay, who are you?” I question, narrowing my eyes.

“Oh, sorry,” she says. “I’m, um, Bella and this is… Rosalie.” And just by the way she speaks I know she’s faking it.

“Yeah… and that’s Edward, right?” I say disbelievingly, pointing the end of my pen at the boy, who’s now propping his chin up with his hand, watching the girls apathetically.

“Whatever,” ‘Rosalie’ says, shooting ‘Bella’ a look of annoyance. “You’re the one dating Nick, right?”

“Are you ready to order yet?” I quip, ignoring their questions now. Honestly, who do they think they are? (Aside from lame-ass Twilight characters.)

“Is he a good kisser?”

“Where does he live?”

My jaw drops and I stand there in shock for a long moment, just glaring at them. Would it be so bad if I just slapped them once, simply to put them in their place? I guess so. I grit my teeth and drag my eyes to the notebook in my hand, refusing to look at them. “Are you going to order anything at all, or are you just going to sit there and pretend Nick wouldn’t be pissed about you delving into his personal life?”

There’s a tense silence, until ‘Bella’ breaks it. “Does he ever come here?”

“That’s it; get out,” I say, pointing to the door. As if sensing my rage, Calista is at my side within a second.

“Problem here?” she asks, looking between me and the kids at table seven.

“She’s the rudest waitress I’ve ever had,” ‘Rosalie’ grumbles before I can get a word in. Then the three of them stand up and push past me, both girls sending me dirty looks while the boy continues to look disinterested. Calista and I watch them leave with utter shock, but then she turns on me.

“The kitchen, Remy. Now,” she orders. I trudge out to the back then turn quickly, a pleading look on my face.

“Before you start yelling, hear me out,” I say, my words coming in a rush.

She places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, an understanding look taking over her features. “It’s okay, doll. I’m not going to freak out. I’m just worried about you.”

I frown in confusion, trying to catch up with what’s going on. “I’m fine. What- why?”

“People have been coming in here asking for you all weekend,” she sighs, still with a concerned expression on her face. “You’re dating a Jonas brother or something?” I nod, at once guilty that I can’t tell Calista, one of my closest work friends about what’s actually going on. She continues. “I want to know if you’re okay. I mean, all this attention can’t be easy to deal with, and after what just happened…”

“I appreciate the concern, Cal,” I tell her, giving a small smile, “but I’m fine. Really,” I add when she looks sceptical. “It takes some getting used to, but it’s a sacrifice that I’m willing to make.”

“Willing to or having to?” she questions, watching me closely.

I heave a sigh. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re probably right. It is a huge pressure sometimes, but it’s not so bad. Those kids before, well, that wasn’t great. But truthfully Calista, not everyone’s like that. Sure, I’ll get a bad photo now and then, but since when have you known me to give a damn?”

She cracks a smile at that. “Good point,” she chuckles, squeezing my shoulder. “If anyone can face up to crazy fans and paparazzi, it’s you.” Then she goes back to serious mode. “But Rem, if you do need to escape it at any time, I’m here for you. You know that, right?”

I nod appreciatively. “Yeah, I know. Thanks Cal.” I pull her into a tight hug, then she grins and jabs a thumb towards the café.

“Good, now get back to work.”

My heart’s feeling a lot lighter as I walk out to the front. I’ve always admired Calista, and to have her as such a close friend is definitely a virtue. I smile to myself, but then stop as I see the boy from table seven. ‘Edward’. He walks straight over to me once he’s caught my eye, then holds up his hands at my suspicious look.

“This has nothing to do with the girls,” he says quickly, and I relax. “Hi, I’m Ryan.” He offers a smile, which I return. “I’m sorry about the way they acted. They dragged me along, thinking they’d look cooler if they were with a dude.”

“Right…” I say slowly, never really having understood that idea. Girls can be so weird.

“So anyway,” Ryan says after a short silence. “I actually think that Nick dude’s a bit of a moron.”

I smirk, bemused. “Yeah, he’s a total loser,” I agree, wondering where he’s going with this.

“D’you reckon when you two break up, you and I…?” he begins, but then my smirk turns right to a frown.

“That’s the reason you came back in here?” I ask incredulously and he grins smugly, giving me the cocky nod that guys seem to think girls go wild over. “What are you, twelve?”

“I’m fifteen,” he replies, slightly wounded.

I roll my eyes. “Just leave. Go play Spin the Bottle with your girlfriends, or something.”

“But I--”

“Out of my sight, freaky whore child!” I demand, shooing him towards the doors.

“Worth a try,” he mutters before disappearing, and I clap a hand to my forehead. Seriously? These people are beginning to creep me out.