Love or Lust

“Rise and shine twinkle toes!” Hazel shrieked at the sound of someone shouting in her ear, she sat up instantly and saw a smug-looking Garrett sitting on her bed.

“Not the time or the place Nickelsen for morning wake up calls with childhood nicknames”

She groaned and lay back down as the rush of sitting up suddenly with a hangover hit her. It was silent for a moment before she opened her eyes to see Garrett still sitting there.

“Is there something you want?”

“Yes” he answered “you”

“Well I’m flattered” she told him “but honestly Garrett you aren’t my type” This earned her a glare from him before he responded.

“Always the joker” he said “I’m here to take you out for breakfast”

Hazel studied him for a moment; Garrett was always a terrible liar.

“What’s the catch?”

“It’s breakfast with my band, they wanted you to come” he mumbled and for some odd reason did not seem happy about that idea.

“That’s not so bad” she pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed to retrieve her clothes for the day. “You know I love the attention and your band members give me plenty of it” she grinned at him and dashed for the bathroom for he could even reply.

The pair ended up meeting everyone at a diner in downtown Phoenix. The atmosphere in the restaurant was carefree and untroubled. The walls, a vibrant red and yellow, were covered with old posters that paid homage to the 1950’s sweethearts like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and James Dean. It was much like one Hazel and Tori always made late night or early morning calls to near their apartment in New York.

The guys all made a chorus of greeting to their friend and Hazel, who they assured, would be good friends with them too. Hazel slide in next to Garrett and directly across from a rather cheerful looking John. Garrett immediately jumped into a conversation with Jared about a few upcoming shows the band had organised, while Hazel reached for a menu. As she read the menu, deciding on what food she wanted, a tickling sensation on her left leg caused her to jerk her head up. She looked straight into the green eyes of John, who worn an arrogant grin.

“How’s the hangover?” he asked

“How’s your ego?” she shot back returning to the laminated paper in front of her. He had an amused look and no doubt was going to respond with one of his famous comebacks, he was interrupted.

“Hello my name is Kate and I’ll be your waitress this morning” A tall, but very curvy girl with bleached-blonde hair pulled into a messy pony-tail walked up to their table. Hazel was almost jealous of her body, until she saw her outfit. A classic low neckline tank top that revealed a little bit too much and denim shorts that looked two sizes too small, not to mention the amount of make-up packed onto her face. “Can I start you off with some drinks?”

Pat slammed his menu down on the table and looked up at the waitress “four chocolate milkshakes for us” he referred to himself, Jared, Garrett and Kennedy.

“I’ll have a cappuccino thanks”

“Hazel you can’t come here and not try their famous milkshakes especially chocolate” Kennedy informed.

The others nodded in agreement.

“Blame Garrett” she told them “it’s early and I’m hungover, therefore coffee is the answer”

“Anything for you handsome” Kate turned towards John who was still yet to order a drink.

“You’re number?” he said earning himself a smile “I’ll have the same as her” he pointed to Hazel as Kate wrote it down in the little notebook in her hand.

“Shouldn’t be too long” she flashed John another toothy grin before turning on her heel and walking back to wherever she came from. It was quite momentarily until Hazel burst out laughing once Kate was out of earshot.

Kennedy let out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief, “Wow. Someone wants in” the others joined in the laughter while John sat there not saying a word.

“Just when I thought girls around here couldn’t get any trashier” she laughed “If it weren’t for us, she would have jumped you right then and there”

John leant forward and rested his elbows on the table “I bet you couldn’t do any better”

“Are you challenging me O’Callaghan?” this caused Garrett to shake his head and mutter ‘oh brother’.
“You know it”

“I accept” Hazel mirrored his movements earlier so she too was resting her elbows on the table, “but just so you know the local diner is not my playing field, its go big or go home for me”
“Bring it” he smirked “next time we go out”

They all soon returned to their previous conversations – all involving the band. Hazel sat and listened intently, amused by how animated they all got when they talk about practicing their set list for the upcoming shows, new music and of course the labels they so desperately wanted to attract. She noticed Kate on her way back to their table with the drinks, rolling her eyes expecting another flirting session.

“Here we are” Kate set the drinks down in front of them, Hazel watched as everyone dove for their drinks. She took a sip of coffee and was glad for the caffeine, it was definitely needed. “Are you all ready to order?”

Starting with John, she wrote everyone’s order down carefully much like earlier before leaving them once again to place their orders. It wasn’t long before she returned and handed everyone one their food. Again, they all immediately started devouring their food and seemed too busy eating to notice John open a folded up piece of paper, wedged between the two little white cups of ketchup and garlic sauce.

Of course she gave him her number.

John looked up at Hazel, locking eyes with her, before tucking the paper into his pocket and taking a bite out of the breakfast wrap in front of him.

Over the course of the meal, the others all asked Hazel questions about her life back in New York. They all seemed to be quite interested and she was happy to tell them about her dancing and Julliard. During this John excused himself for a smoke while Pat asked her how long she’d been dancing for.

“After I finish at Julliard, I’m hoping to align myself with an agent and set up a professional dancing career” Her phone began to ring from her bag and she sighed as she saw the name that flashed upon the tiny screen.

Dad.

“Sorry I’ve got to take this” she got up from the table and answered the call while exiting the diner.

“So I’m finally worthy enough to be blessed with an actual phone call from you?” was the first thing she said to him.

“Hazel don’t give me that attitude, you know how busy I am”

“So busy that you couldn’t even see your own daughter off at the airport”

“You’re an adult now, you don’t need me to hug you goodbye anymore”

“No” she ran her fingers through her hair frustrated “but it’d be nice to know that I actually exist in your eyes”

“I’m calling to ask how your flight was and how you are going”

“Wow, you finally got some alone time from the whore you call your assistant” she exclaimed “tell me does she know that you’re already in a ‘committed’ relationship with some rich bitch”

“Hazel that is enough!”

“Whatever” she hung up the phone before she could hear his angry protest and let out a sigh. That was the first time she’d had a proper conversation with her dad in a long time and she completely ruined it.

“And I thought I had parent issues” Hazel snapped her to the side to see John standing there with a cigarette in his hand. For a moment she was speechless, unable to explain the situation.

Hazel DeLancey was never one to show her emotions, especially in front of others. The fact that John had just seen her then, without her usual image that she put up made her hate him that much more. He watched her contently as she searched for the perfect lie.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked, dropping the cigarette to the ground and putting it out with the heel of his boot.

“With you, I’d rather not” she said putting up her 'tough' usual front again “I’m never going to fall for your tricks O’Callaghan so you might as well stop trying”.

With that she turned on her heel and made her way back inside but not before hearing him shout after her.

“All the girls do eventually!”