Escape

The tile floor in Patty's Diner was stone cold. It was supposed to be like that, it was stone. Alie's bare feet walked on the floor, as if the toes did not feel frostbitten. It was an exceptionally cold day that afternoon and people bustled in to the warmth of baking pastries and scalding hot coffee and tea.

She gathered orders from the customers and walked to the counter and to the kitchen with bare feet. The curious looks did not seem to mind her when the customer would look at her pale white feet rather than the menu to buy food. The sudden surge of walking with bare feet excited her. It made her feel the slightest bit un-normal and different in a room of puffy jackets and big snow boots. She remembered when her father made the four-year-old Alie run to her lawn with plastic bags on her feet. Her mother had forgotten to buy her snow boots so her father had to make do with plastic bags over 10 socks and her sneakers. Her mother laughed at the antics of her husband and ran outside to join the two making a snowman. That day was the best memory that her mother joined in the fun. Usually she would be the one spoiling the happy father and daughter, but at that moment, it felt magical, as though Santa had finally made her wish come true. Her mother and father were not fighting.

Alie leaned against the counter waiting for orders to come from the kitchen. The bell dinged as four boys and one young girl walked through the door. Sighing, she waited until they looked like they needed to order. The girl was small, no less than three perhaps. She had her brown hair in two pigtails that curled inwards. Her bangs were wispy and were straight. Her mouth was in a constant smile that tugged her cheeks to either side of her face. Her eyes lit up when one of the boys with black hair tickled her. Her laugh brightened the room and even if they did not know it, everyone smiled just hearing her angelic laugh.

Sammy was busy with other orders, and the orders delivered to the kitchen were still baking, so when the boys looked for a waiter, Alie was the one who walked over.

When Alie had come closer to the table, she could tell that they were from out of town. They were dressed much to light, and even if Alie was barefoot, she was barefoot inside not out in the snow. That would be quite stupid The little girl squealed when she caught sight of Alie approaching the table. She squirmed in her seat wanting whoever was holding her to let go.

"Let go, Fe-Fe! Let go!" The little girl squirmed more when Alie had reached the table.

The boy who was holding let go for a minute to relax his fingers, but by then she was running on top of the table and flung herself at Alie

"Um, hello there." Alie held the little girl in her arms trying to balance herself; the sudden attack left her speechless and quite dazed. Alie did not know how to act around kids, she never had to take care of one in her childhood, but as Alie was, she was willing to give children a chance. She could not completely ignore the chubby cuteness, or the brilliant smile radiating off. She wanted a family one day, but with a man that will support her and love her, not anything like Jeremy.

"You're pretty." She was standing on the table now holding a lock of Alie's hair with big eyes.

"Thank you." She smiled, patting her head. "You're such a cutie-pie."

The little girl gasped with excitement and hugged Alie digging her head into the crook of her neck.

"Ella! Do not jump people!"

The new voice startled Alie; she looked at the four other boys sitting, the person who was talking had dark brown hair. His eyes were an odd shade of brown, they were brighter and caramel colored. His dark eyebrows were arched as he smirked.

"But Uncle Alex you always jump on people, when you go in your room at home. That girl like it, why can't I?"

Another boy with black hair slapped Alex from the back of his head. "You let my sister watch you fu— do it with Sara? You dumb a—artichoke." He looked from Alex to his sister.

Emma looked at her brother with her big eyes. Her head tilted to one side, before she turned to face Alie and hug her once more. The two boys started laughing, and Alie could not help but to smile.
"What can I get you all?" Alie held up a small notepad and a pen, waiting for their answers.

"Why are you barefoot?" A boy with brown hair and blonde highlights said.

"That's not on the menu, sorry." Alie smiled a cheeky smile.

"You still did not answer my question." He dragged the syllables out making him sound like a five year old, and by doing that, Alie's smile turned into a smirk.

"If you order, maybe I'll tell you."

"Fine. I will take pancake. Now tell me."

"What kind of pancakes? There are strawberry pancakes, and blueberry, and grape flavored, and there's also apple flavored, and apple cinnamon which are my favorite by the way, oh and there's Raspberry pancakes too." The boy's face scowled more as Alie named off all the pancakes off the menu with her fingers. "Don't forget Blackberry pan—"

"Strawberry pancakes! Give me strawberry!" He flailed his arms up finally giving up.

"Dude you don't even like strawberries." The little girl's brother said.

His mouth dropped when Alie said, "You don't! Well there are many other too choose from, like apple pancakes, or –"

"No! Just give me the strawberries."

"Okay then." Alie said smiling.

"Now will you tell me?" His eyes held a pleading look as if he was giving up the attempt to find out why Alie was barefoot on the job.

"Well everyone else needs to order, don't they?" Alie looked at the boy with a smirk. This is fun.

The boy slammed his head on the table and let out a fake cry.

Alie looked at the boy in amusement. Ella, who was latched onto Alie, looked at the boy as well, but with fear. Her big green eyes that were similar to her brother's looked terrified, "Cammy! Cammy! Are you okay?"
"Cammy?" Alie said as Ella ran next to Cammy trying to make him stop crying.
"His name's really Cameron." Ella's brother confirmed. He pointed to himself, "I'm Blake." He pointed to another boy who smiled when he was introduced, "He's Felix." Finally pointing to Alex, "And you already know his name, but it's Alex."

"Nice to meet you guys. I am Na— Alie. "Natalie came quickly to her mouth, but she suppressed it. This was not any formal greeting. These were her customers coming for some of Patty's wonderful food. But Alie couldn't help to think about her mother and Jeremy. She was always introduced to as Natalie. Now a different person on the outside, her brain still told her mouth to say Natalie instead of Alie. It was perplexing. How can she truly become another person, when her old self was still showing her colors?

"Alie, that's a nice name." Alex acknowledged.

Blood rushed to her cheeks. The complement made her feel more uncomfortable, yet surprisingly happy. "Thank you." Not that it came from Alex in particular, but for the fact that not once someone had said something nice to her . It was always people who complemented her fantastic, wonderful mother. That fact that someone noticed her out of everyone else in the room, made her feel special.