Colour

“Okay... After three,” Alexandra began, her fist resting in her palm.

“As in ‘one, two, three, go’ or ‘one, two, go’?” Josh asked and held his hands in the same position.

“As in ‘one, two, three, go,” She explained, “Ready?”

He shook his hands out then returned them before stretching his neck in preparation, “Ready,”

She nodded, “Okay. One, two, three, go,”

They both hit their fists against their palms three times before brandishing their weapons.

Josh threw his free hand up in triumph, “Paper beats rock,” He beamed, wrapping his ‘paper’ around her ‘rock’, “I win!”

“Aw come on!” She groaned, “Best two out of three,” She pouted.

Josh shook his head, “No, I don’t think so,”

“Why not?” She huffed.

“Uh... Because I’m the boss and what I say goes,” He shrugged simply, “Now I’m going to get the most expensive coffee from Starbucks whilst you stay here and clean up after this lot,” He grinned, “Pay up, loser,” He held out his hand.

Alexandra rolled her eyes, “Fine. But the next time I need to go somewhere you better let me go,” She glared, slapping a ten dollar bill into his hand after rummaging in her apron pocket to find it.

“We’ll see what the next game of Rock, Paper, Scissors brings,” He simply replied before removing his apron and leaving it near the cash register.

“I hate you,” She huffed at him.

“You’re just jealous I get to leave,”

“Damn right,” She retorted, “And angry that you’re leaving me to do all the work,”

“’All the work’?” His eyebrow rose at her exaggeration, “Lexie, there are about eight people in here and all of them are eating. All they could possibly want is a refill or to pay,”

“Yeah but more people could come in,” She countered.

He shook his head, “It’s ten in the morning- We’ll be quiet until eleven. And even if people do come in it’s your job to be their waitress. I’m sure you can handle them. I’ll be back in thirty. Please try not to insult, hurt or destroy the dreams of any customers while I’m gone,” He looked like he was almost begging with his bright blue eyes.

“I’ll try,” She smiled innocently.

“Well ‘trying’ isn’t good enough,” He grinned knowingly back at her, “See you in a bit,”

She rolled her eyes and waved at him, “Bye,”

She glanced around at the relatively content remaining customers.

She couldn’t get into any trouble. But being the outspoken girl she was, she could probably unintentionally make some.

Alexandra flipped through a magazine for a few minutes, casually glancing up every few seconds to check on the customers. After five minutes, she glanced up and saw that the group of boys had finished their meals.

She stood up and sauntered over to their table, “You guys all done?” She smiled.

There were a few nods and noises of agreement.

“Great,” She replied, her cheery front being nothing more than a facade. She began to gather their plates up, scraping the remainders all onto one plate so she could stack and carry them easier.

The conversation continued on around her.

“I just can’t believe how stupid he is,” The long, dark-haired boy sighed in disbelief.

“I know,” John agreed.

“How can anyone go back into a relationship with someone who has cheated three times?” The strawberry-blonde shook his head and sipped at his drink.

“Well, he does love her,” The brown-haired boy added in.

Alexandra inconspicuously rolled her eyes. She was trying not to eavesdrop but she could be so nosy at times.

“She loves him too though,” Kennedy spoke up.

“Yeah, so much so she jumps into bed with any Tom, Dick or Harry that comes her way,” John retorted.

“If she really loved him then she’d at least end it,” Strawberry-Blonde shrugged, “She wouldn’t want to hurt him,”

“I suppose,” Kennedy nodded, “I just figure that if you love someone enough, even though you know you hurt them you wouldn’t want to let them go because you wouldn’t want to live without them,” He began.

Alexandra’s brain almost melted at the drivel that was pouring out of this boy’s mouth. He looked intelligent enough but apparently looks deceive.

Suddenly, she realised that there were five pairs of eyes on her. She glanced upwards at them expectantly, “What?” She murmured in confusion.

“Did you just scoff at me?” Kennedy’s eyebrow rose at her, almost offended.

She frowned, “No,”

John nodded in agreement, “Yeah you did, Lex. I heard you,”

The other three boys made noises of agreement.

“I probably just coughed,” She shrugged, picking up the stack of plates. She actually hadn’t realised she’d made any noise whatsoever.

“No you didn’t. You scoffed at what I said,” Kennedy retaliated.

“Honestly, I didn’t mean to. I probably truly did cough. I didn’t even realise I’d made a noise of any sort,” She smiled apologetically although she wasn’t really sorry. If she did actually scoff, she meant it. She’d just have to keep her disapproving noises to herself next time.

Kennedy shook it off and Alexandra wandered off, putting the dirty plates in the kitchen before heading back to the table to collect the cups. She smiled sheepishly as she approached again and began to take their mugs and any dirty napkins that had been discarded on the table.

“I still don’t get how he can take her back after her hurting him like that,” John sighed.

“I suppose when you fall in love you give someone the ability to hurt you but trust them enough that they won’t. She’s just taken advantage of that trust,” Kennedy replied.

This time, Alexandra heard the distasteful scoff that came from her mouth uncontrollably. Her hand shot up to her mouth as the boys looked up at her again. John had an amused grin on his face and Kennedy was frowning slightly. It was only his statements she seemed to disapprove of and he wasn’t pleased.

“Seriously,” Kennedy shook his head, “Do you have a problem with me?”

She copied his gesture, her ponytail swinging from side to side as her head moved, “No, I’m sorry. I’ve just... Sometimes I just can’t control what comes out of my mouth,” She winced, “Really. Ask Josh, he’s had complaints about me because I can’t keep my mouth shut,” She wasn’t entirely sure why she was trying to explain herself when under any other circumstances, even with any of her previous customers, she’d been straight talking and unapologetic.

“What exactly are you scoffing so contemptuously at?” He raised his eyebrows at her.

“She doesn’t believe in love,” John answered for her, resting his head on his fist whilst his elbow leaned on the table. He was watching the scene unfold in front of them and somewhat fanning the flames that were sure to fire up between the pair. He knew exactly how much of a cynic Alexandra was and exactly how much of a hopelessly romantic optimist Kennedy was. The rest of the group was just as intrigued as John was, even more so because they didn’t know much about Alexandra.

Kennedy’s frown deepened the second the words came out of John’s mouth, “What?” He looked back up at Alexandra’s brown eyes for confirmation.

“Love doesn’t exist. I’m scoffing- subconsciously, mind you- because everything you just said was a load of my ass,” She shrugged simply.

“Excuse me?” His eyebrows shot high up his forehead, ignoring John’s quiet chuckle.

“It’s just my view- It’s true but it’s still only my opinion,” Alexandra responded, “Anyway, can I get you guys anything else?” She smiled, reinstating her cheery waitress facade again.

“I’d like the opportunity to at least have a go at arguing my side of this debate,” Kennedy said pointedly.

She faked a remorseful look, “Sorry sweetie, that’s not on the menu,” She glanced around the table, “Anything for you guys?”

There were shakes of heads and quiet noises of refusal.

“Okay, I’ll just get your bill,” She turned on her heel, heading back to the counter. She drew up the receipt and gave it to the boys before settling down to read her magazine.

She heard the door to the café open but didn’t bother to look up.

“I can’t believe I hired such a slacker,” Josh’s voice made Alexandra chuckle.

“I’m entertaining myself whilst there’s nothing to do,” She responded, flipping the page over.

“You could do some work- Tidy up a bit, clean the coffee machine; you know, something productive,” He hinted, placing down a caramel latte beside her.

She smiled gratefully before retaliating, “This coming from the man who played table tennis with a bread roll and two menus on a quiet day,” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m allowed to do that- I pay you lot to do the work for me,” He beamed.

“Well I’m only following the slacker example set by you, Boss-Man,” She shrugged simply, flipping the page when Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s relationship failed to grasp her attention.

“I resent that- I’m much more creative than that when it comes to slacking off,” He retorted.

Alexandra laughed, scanned Paris Hilton’s poor excuse for a dress that looked more like a mouldy flannel and flipped the page again.

“Why do you even read that drivel?” Josh sighed, “Can’t you at least look intelligent and read a book?”

“Sorry, I left my Complete Works of Freud at home,” She replied sarcastically.

“You’ll melt your brain reading that crap,” He advised dramatically.

“Only what’s left of it that wasn’t melted by your soppy lecture on love,” She smiled innocently at him, “At least what I’m reading about is real,” She added as her attention returned to the glossy pages of the tabloid.

“It’s media, the chances are it’s all bullshit,”

“No swearing on the clock,” She smirked before looking over at the presence she felt in front of her. She smiled at John, “Hey, all ready to pay?”

He nodded and handed her the money, “You’ve actually almost messed up Kennedy’s entire belief system you know,” He murmured.

Josh groaned from behind Alexandra, “God, not again Lexie, what did I tell you before I left?” He chastised.

“I barely said anything!” She exclaimed as she held her hands up defensively.

John chuckled, “She was just sticking up for what she believed in Josh,” He came to her defence, “It was just because Kenny believes the exact opposite, they just butted heads for a second. They’re both opinionated and stubborn,” He shrugged.

Josh nodded and then turned back to what he was doing. Alexandra handed John his change.

“He’s astounded, you know,” John smiled with amusement.

“Many people who believe the crap I heard him coming out with usually are when I tell them what I believe,” She shrugged.

He nodded, “I can imagine,”

“Are you going to be back here tomorrow for breakfast again?” She asked.

“Possibly. Why- Are you working tomorrow morning too?”

She shook her head, “No I was just making sure I’d be missing out on another head to head with Soppy Romancy-Pants over there,” She beamed at him.

John chuckled, “I might just be really evil and ask Josh to give me a copy of your rota so I can send Soppy Romancy-Pants down to debate with you over the existence of love,”

“Don’t be mean,” She pouted.

He laughed, “Listen, we’re going out on Friday night if you fancy it?” He offered, leaning on the counter so he was eye level with her.

“Is Soppy going?” She jolted her head in Kennedy’s direction.

John’s amused smile came back, “Yeah,”

“I think I’ll give it a miss- Nothing to put a downer on a night than ending up smashing a bottle over someone’s head after a heated debate. It’s a waste of perfectly good alcohol,” She joked.

“Fair enough,” He shrugged, “But if you change your mind then you know where I am,” He took her hand and pressed a chaste kiss to the back of it, “See you later, Lex,”

“See you,” She replied with a smile and a blush creeping onto her cheeks. It was impossible to be unresponsive to gestures like that from a boy as handsome as John. They were charming and she just couldn’t help herself- She was only human.

“Oh,” John paused in his movement and spun around after only one step away, “By the way, I can tell you now that this isn’t going to be the last you see of Soppy Romancy-Pants,” He mentioned, “You shake the foundations of someone’s beliefs like that and you can’t expect no consequences from it,”

She smirked and, with a stubborn shrug, simply replied, “Your consequences don’t frighten me,”

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'It's Endearing How I Can't Work You Out At All'

The Mascara Story