Cause Baby, You're My Better Half

I woke up the next morning in a somewhat better mood. I jumped out of Beth’s bed and took a warm shower that lasted about thirty minutes. When I walked back into the bedroom, I found that Beth had left to go get something for breakfast and left a pile of clothes for me to wear on her bed. I quickly dried my hair and dawned the clothes. There was an orange tank top that read ‘Good girl gone bad’, lime green skinny jeans and a zebra printed jacket. I slipped on some black flats, put on some eyeliner and made my way down stairs.

Beth was in the kitchen pulling out a box of toaster strudels. “Eek,” I squealed ripping the box from her hands. I quickly ripped the top of the box off, grabbed a couple of strudels and stuffed them into the toaster, pushing down the little thingy.

“Isn’t it strange that you happen to walk into the kitchen when your favorite food was being taken out of the bag?” asked Beth chuckling a little.

“Yeah, but I’m strange myself so it just fits,” I said grinning. “What time is it?”

“Twelve-thirty in the afternooooooooon time,” she answered taking out a bunch of bananas from the bag and setting then in the fruit basket.

“Hey Bet, when are your parents coming back from Rome?” I asked grabbing the strudels and placing them on a plate.

“Uh, a couple more months I think,” she said. Beth’s parents didn’t spend much time at home; they were usually traveling for work or just traveling for fun, never taking Beth with them. But no matter how much they neglected Beth, they still loved her and did everything to make sure she had everything she needed.

“Hmm,” I mumbled thoughtfully glazing the strudels with the delicious glaze that went over them. “I should probably call mom and ask when she wants us to come to the diner.” She nodded and I took out my cell phone from my pocket and dialed my moms’ number.

“Hello?” my moms’ somewhat frantic voice asked from the other line.

“Hey mom, it’s Roni,” I said taking a small bite of my strudelly goodness. “When do you want me and Beth over there?”

“Now is you don’t mind,” she sighed. “It’s so busy that I don’t think me and the girls will last much longer.”

“Oki doki, we’re on our way.” I hung up the phone and looked at Beth. “Ready to work?” I asked.

She nodded, smiling. “You betcha!”

_

When we got to the diner, it was a total disaster. There were at least twenty costumers and only three waitresses plus my mom.

“Roni, Beth thank God you’re here,” mom sighed coming up to us the minute we walked through the door. “I need you to hurry and change so you can start.”

“Oki doki, where are the uniforms?” Beth asked.

“In my office. You can take ‘em into the bathroom and change,” she added before disappearing into the craziness.

Beth and I looked at each other, smalls grins on our lips. “Well, let’s go change,” Beth said grabbing my hand and leading the way to my moms’ office. The room was small with only a couple of filing cabinets, a desk and a few chairs. We saw the uniforms on the desk and grabbed them. Beth changed first, them me and by the time we got back out into the main diner, some people had gone and more had come.

“Here are your note pads, go knock yourselves out,” mom said handing us little notepads. I took mine and a pencil as did Beth and we scurried off to take ordered.

Eight hours and ten long minutes later, we were coming to the end of our dinner rush. When I thought we were on our last people, the door rang and in walked Paul, Jared, Sam and Embry. They sat down in a booth not far away from me, meaning I was the one who had to take their order.

I sighed, but got off of the stool I had been sitting on and walked over to them, taking my note pad from my apron. “What do y’all want to drink?” I asked, not using the kind friendly smile and voice I had to others.

They all looked up me, Sam looked a little displeased-Loser-, Jared was smirking in Embry’s general direction-Weirdo-, Paul was looking behind me at what I’m sure was Beth-Creepy-, and Embry was staring at me-Creepier.

“I’ll have a Dr pepper,” Sam said.

“Barks,” Jared smiled and they all gave a chuckle like it was an inside joke. Weirdos’s.

“Root bear,” Paul said, still staring at Beth. I rolled my eyes, he always had that. I jotted all three of their orders down, but looked up when Embry didn’t answer. He was staring at me, the creeper.

“Dud, tell me what you want or I’m leaving and your getting nothing,” I told him impatiently tapping my foot against the laminate tiles.

“I want you,” he blurted out. Everyone in the diner turned in his general direction. He blushed when he realized what he said.

“Excuse me?” Paul and I growled at the same time. It’s a brother and I a sister kinda thing, ya know? “What the hell Embry?” Paul looked like he was about to explode.

“I’m sorry Roni, I didn’t mean to say that,” he apologized looking down.

“Whatever, I’ll just give you coke,” I muttered walking away.

“What was that about?” Beth hissed when I walked back behind the counter to get the drinks.

“I have no clue, but I was seriously about to punch the life outta him,” I growled grabbing four cups. “That was probably the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard and I’ve heard some cheesy lines in my time.”

“I actually think it was kinda funny, and the look on his face when he said it was priceless,” she laughed helping me with the drinks.

“Oh yeah, hilarious.” She stuck her tong out at me and I, being the lady I am, stuck mine right back at her. “Loser,” I laughed setting down the last cup on the tray.

“That just makes me all the better,” she smiled skipping away to clean up the table from the group that had just left. I sighed picking up the tray. I lifted up the part in the counter that moved and ducked under it, walking to the table my brother was sitting at.

“Here,” I said setting the cups in front of the people that ordered then. When I set Paul’s in front of him, he still looked pissed. Man, he was taking that older brother stuff a little too seriously, and it wasn’t like I even liked Embry. When I gave Embry his, he was twiddling his thumbs in his lap. What a weirdo.

“Thanks Roni,” Sam nodded.

“Whatever. Alright, I’ll be back in a minute to get your orders.” I turned away and walked back behind the counter to my mom. She looked like she was dead on her feet. “Mom, why don’t you go home and let Beth I and I close up? We’ve only got Paul and his friends left then we’re done,” I suggested rubbing her shoulder.

“Are you sure?” she asked looking at me.

“Yeah I’m sure and if we need any help, we’ll ask poppa Jim,” I smiled at her. “You just go home and get some rest; I’ll be home in a little while.”

“All right then, see you later baby girl.” She grabbed her purse and left, the door swinging behind her. I smiled after her for a moment before turning and walking back to the one table left.

“Okay, what do you want?” I asked taking out my pad again. They all ordered, each ordering a thanksgiving meal only by themselves. It’s safe to say that poppa Jim was tired by the time all the food that was just made. “You can head home now, we’re done with food,” I told him. He didn’t protest and soon left. “Beth, come grab one of these,” I yelled. She popped up outa nowhere and took two of the four trays. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” she smiled. We walked to the table and set the stuff down and walked away, getting things ready to close up. After everything in the kitchen was cleaned up, Beth and I quickly changed back into our clothes.

“You guys better be done because we’re about to close up,” I called walking out of the bathroom and into the room with the tables. There was no one there, though. I walked to the table and found a couple hundred dollars plus tip.

“Sweet,” Beth laughed behind me. I turned and looked at her strange. She was holding a piece of paper in her hand. “It’s from Embry and it says ‘I’m sorry for being an idiot. Embry’.”

“Um okay.” I looked down at the table and sighed, quickly starting to clean it. Beth helped me and soon everything was cleaned up and ready for the next day. After the place was locked up, Beth drove me home. I scurried in side and to my room. I quickly stripped down into my undergarments and through on one of my brothers over sized shirts and booty shorts. I slipped into bed with a sigh and fell asleep instantly.