You Took My Hand

"Can I get a diet Pepsi?"

Yea, like that diets going to help anything. She already wolfed down half the menu, with an extra side of bacon.

"Sure, can I get anyone else anything?"

They all said no, probably ready to go and get on with their lives. I worked in a small French cafe downtown called le Doux. It's pretty strange for a small North Carolina town to have, but that's probably why I liked it. I hated everything about living in Wilson, mostly the people. The only person I really liked was Melissa.

She, of course, wasn't from Wilson, she wasn't even from North Carolina. She moved here from Boston like five years ago. When she first walked into my eighth grade Geometry class I could immediately tell she was different, there was a seat open next to mine and the rest is history.

I brought the lady her diet Pepsi and started wiping tables when I heard the bell above the door ring. I turned around and saw it was my best friend, in tears.

"Mel! Whats wrong?!"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine, really." She said, wiping her eyes.

"Yea, I can see that. Hold on one second."

I ran to the back, pulling of my apron at the same time, which isn't as easy as it sounds. I turned the corner and immediately spotted my boss roasting something. Does he do anything else?

"Mr. Newton, I have to take off. Somethings come up, it's an emergency."

"Sure thing kid, take the rest of the day off if you need it!"

Ok so, I officially have the coolest boss in the world. I don't know how he is my boss though. He doesn't own or manage the place, actually I don't know what he does besides roast beans.. But anyway!

"Thanks Mr. Newton! I'll stay late tomorrow or something."

So I left him to his roasting and grabbed a cookie for Melissa and made my way back to the front room. That lady was still sitting there sipping on her diet Pepsi. Everybody at her table was eying their silverware pretty suspiciously. Why did they hang out with that woman? Maybe she's paying them.. I laughed to myself and instantly remembered what was going on. "Ok, lets go." I held the door open for Melissa and she quietly accepted. We began walking down the sidewalk. "So, what's wrong?"

"Everything."

"I see.. Want to be a little more specific?"

"Am I boring?"

"No! Of course not! Now tell me what happened."

"Greg.."

"Oh, i see. What did he do now?"

She began describing the events that took place earlier and I found myself completely hating this character. What right did he have to do and say all that! It was all i could do to hold my composure for Melissa.

"What a loser! So your completely done with him?"

"Yea, completely."

"Good, he doesn't deserve you."

"Yea I guess, lets go to your house. I don't want my mom to see me like this."

"Okay no problem, my parents should be at work."