Just Say Yes

Friday's were always busy at work for Erin, people from California, and other nearby states came to Vegas for the weekend to relax, but before they did that they usually passed through the diner. Erin had spent most of her morning running back and forth between the tables and the kitchen, and when she wasn't doing that she was clearing a table and cleaning it for another set of customers.

By eleven, the diner had somewhat calmed down, but they expected their next rush by twelve thirty or so. Currently there were only three tables of customers, and they were all in her co-worker Nina's side. Erin stood behind the counter, filling ketchup bottles. It wasn't the most exciting job but after running around for three and a half hours, she would take it.

“Hey!” She heard a familiar feminine voice shout at her. She looked up to see Lisa, dressed in uniform ready to start her day of work.

“Good morning.” Erin smiled, glancing up from her ketchup filling, but was careful not to look away too long.

Lisa sat on the stool directly in front of Erin. She propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin on her clenched fists. “So, what happened?” She gave Erin a bright smile.

Erin gave her an odd look. “What do you mean?”

“The guy! The phone!” Lisa exclaimed loudly, causing the customers to look over at her as if she were crazy.

Erin laughed. “He's coming to pick it up today.”

“Exciting!” Erin didn't quite understand why Lisa was so excited over the guy returning, she didn't want anything to do with him last night yet today she was thrilled?

“Why are you excited over this?”

“Cause I thought he was cute and you're single so...” Lisa wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Did you forget the fact that he has a girlfriend?” Erin decided to keep the fact that Zacky had basically said 'Gates' and his girlfriend were over to herself. She knew Lisa too well. “Besides, I'm not looking for anything right now.” Erin wiped the ketchup bottle she just finished filling with a cloth then returned the lid to the top.

Lisa groaned. “You say that all the time.” Erin ignored Lisa, and paid attention to the next bottle she had to fill. Lisa noticed and grabbed Erin's arm causing her to spill a significant amount of ketchup onto the counter. “You can't keep hiding yourself from people.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “I'm not --”

“Lisa, get to work!” The manager yelled, sticking his head through the window between the the kitchen and the dining area.

“We're going out for drinks tonight, don't forget.” Lisa flashed a bright smile before she skipped off to the backroom to put her stuff away.

Erin couldn't help but look up from her ketchup bottles to glance out the window and see if 'Gates' had shown up yet. She didn't get to look very long since her manager began to tell her to prepare for the next rush coming.

The rest of the afternoon went by pretty fast, the rush came around twelve-thirty as expected and lasted til about three. All the while she found herself occasionally glancing out the nearest window to the parking lot to see if he had arrived yet. Each time she did and he wasn't there, she was a little disheartened. Lisa had decided not to press about him coming, even when the minutes remaining on her shift were getting shorter and shorter.

- - - - - - - - -

Brian felt like an idiot, he was currently stealthily walking down the hotel hallway to Matt's room, hoping and praying that neither Michelle or Val were around. He really didn't need that right now. He stopped when he reached the right room number, he held his hand in a fist just an inch away from the door, debating whether he should even bother doing this or just call Matt later.

He felt bad just up and taking off last night, he knew how much Matt loved Vegas and everytime they came they had a blast hanging out together but with everything regarding Michelle, he couldn't be fake anymore. Hopefully Matt would understand.

Brian decided to just do it and knocked on the door three times, then heard Matt yell something, Brian listened closely for another voice but heard none. He felt a little more relieved. An even bigger sense of relief over came him when Matt answered the door, neither Michelle or Val in sight.

“Hey.” Brian said uneasily, not sure if Matt was mad or not.

“Syn, get in here.” Matt opened the door wider, allowing Brian to step in. Matt closed the door and turned to him, waiting for Brian to talk.

“I'm sorry I bailed last night. I just couldn't fucking pretend anymore.”

“Nah Syn, I'm not mad.” Matt smiled, flashing his signature dimples that all the girls went crazy for. “If you weren't happy, you weren't happy.”

“I'm glad you're taking this well, how about Val?” Brian nervously rubbed the back of his neck, Matt shrugged.

“She's supporting her sister, right now. But she's willing to listen to your side too.”

“I didn't know there were sides. It's not like either one of us cheated and there's sides to take.” Brian pointed out, slightly annoyed Michelle made it seem like people had to choose.

Matt shrugged. “You know Michelle. She's a bit of a drama queen.”

“Are we gonna celebrate just the guys tonight?” Brian asked, hoping for excuse to get drunk, not that he really needed one but he would rather not do it alone, it was less pathetic that way.

“Val wants to go to dinner and a show. Tomorrow night is guys night, I already promised Jimmy.” Brian nodded, he could understand Matt and Val wanting to spend sometime one on one. “He says you better fucking show or else he'll kill you.”

Brian laughed. “I believe it.” Then something hit him. “Hey, what time is it?”

Matt glanced back at the clock on the nightstand. “Three.”

“Shit, I gotta go.” Brian headed towards the door

“You got somewhere to be?”

“I'll tell you later!” Brian dashed out of the room before Matt could say anything else.

- - - - - - - - -

By the time it hit three forty-five, Erin was convinced he forgot or he just wasn't going to show up. She was busy tending to a young couple who couldn't keep their hands to themselves and proceeded to kiss and giggle every few minutes. Erin was trying to get their orders when she heard the bell on the door ring lightly, she glanced over her shoulder not wanting to watch the couple make out a minute longer then she needed to. Luckily she did, because in walked 'Gates' and a friend with black hair and several facial piercings.

He looked different than last night, he didn't look as sad, and his bandana/hat combination was no more, he just had his short black hair pointing every which way and aviator glasses covering his eyes. He was in a white sleeveless shirt, which showcased his tattoos fairly nicely, and Erin wasn't a tattoo kind of girl.

He took his glasses off and spotted her. He gave her a casual wave that looked more like a salute, she smiled in response, while his friend simply blushed and looked to the ground. They took a table on her side of the diner, she impatiently waited for the couple to detach their lips from each other so she could get their orders. Finally after clearing her throat loudly and looking at them annoyed, they got the hint.

After getting the orders and putting them into the kitchen, she went to the backroom and grabbed the cellphone from her purse. She hurriedly walked over to 'Gates'' table.

“Here you go.” She held out the phone to him.

“No hello? How are you today?” He joked smiling at her, then reached out for the phone. She pulled the phone out of his reach.

“Hello, how are you today?” She smiled at him sweetly.

“Great, and you?” She held out the phone to him again, and he took it from her.

“Good.” She answered, trying not to sound sarcastic. “I thought you weren't gonna show.”

“I'm almost never on time.” He said honestly. “You should consider yourself a lucky lady.” He almost sounded like he was flirting with her.

“Ignore his lame attempts at flirting.” Zacky interjected, while Brian looked somewhat annoyed. Zacky held up the menu. “Can I get some food?”

Erin laughed, at both of them. “Sure, Zacky right?” Erin held out her hand. “Erin.”

Zacky shook her hand, kind of surprised how formal and well mannered she seemed to be.
“Nice to meet you. Sorry about my drunken rambling. But I was right, you are cute.” Erin blushed, but hoped they didn't notice.

“Can you just order and stop with your lame flirting?” Brian uttered sarcastically, using Zacky's words against him.

“I wasn't flirting,” He defended. “I was complimenting the lady.” Zacky flashed her a smile, she thanked him and he gave her his order. Erin turned to 'Gates' expectantly.

“Brian.” He answered, holding out his hand to her, as he did she could see the tattoos on his knuckles. She shook his hand, glancing at both of his hands and the tattoos spelled out 'Marlboro'. He was a smoker, she wasn't sure how she felt about that. After getting away with staring at his tattoos for a few seconds, Erin was able to get his order written down.

“I'll take your orders in.” She walked away from the table, as she did she could feel both of them staring at her. She went to the window and dropped off the ticket. Lisa practically ran over to her, almost knocking her over in the process.

“He showed!” Lisa squealed in excitement.

“First of all, calm down.” Erin grabbed two empty plastic cups, then grabbed the pitcher of ice water and began filling them. “Second of all, yes I can see that. Thank you though.”

Lisa scoffed and mumbled a playful “bitch” under her breath.

“Who's his friend?” Lisa asked, catching a glance at Zacky. Erin simply shook her head and took the two cups of ice water to Brian's and Zacky's table. She made a quick exit before either one got a chance to say anything. She spotted the young couple's order was done, she hurriedly grabbed the plates and took it over to them. As she served them, she had another two tables filled in her section. She turned to go back to the bar and grab some water for her new tables, as she did she could see Brian staring at her as Zacky was talking to him, or trying to.

The next twenty minutes for Erin were quite busy, she got the drinks for the new tables, got their orders and then had to serve some of the customers sitting themselves at the bar since Lisa had gone on her break.

“Order up!” Erin turned around and spotted the order for Brian and Zacky, she told her current customer at the bar that she'd be right back and rushed over to their table, hot plates in hand.

“Enjoy, your meals.” She said with a bright smile and was about to leave.

“Can I ask you a question?” She froze in place. Brian ignored his food completely and waited on her reply.

“Sure.” She answered honestly, expecting something important.

“This town has a bar right?” He hoped for a yes.

“Yeah, about three blocks into town.” She explained and was about to leave again.

“Great, can I buy you a drink to thank you?” Erin wasn't sure what to say, she stood there thinking. Thank god Lisa wasn't here, or else she'd say yes for Erin, then invite them to go to the bar with them tonight. “Come on,” He urged. “just say yes.”

Erin decided on giving a vague answer, that way he couldn't hold her to anything. “Maybe.” Lisa walked back into the diner just as Erin was walking away from their table.

“You're so lucky you're off.” Erin looked around for a clock.

“It's four thirty already?” Lisa nodded, Erin sighed a breath of relief and removed her white apron from around her waist.

“Call me when you're off.” Erin said, heading to the backroom to grab her things. When she had everything she had come in with that morning, she went back out to the dining area and waved to Lisa. She took one last look at Brian and Zacky, Zacky was playing with the food on his plate and Brian was busy on his phone, his back turned to her. Zacky caught her looking at them, he nodded his head towards Brian then did a talking motion with his hand while rolling his eyes. Erin laughed, he was quite the character. She waved to him as she started towards the door.

Little did Erin know that Lisa had a plan brewing in her head and as soon as Erin was out the door, it went into effect.