It Takes a Little Push to Pull on Through

Chapter 3.

Cara gathered the plates full of food and carried them out to the men that were sat at table ten. She smiled again as she placed the plates down in front of them and kindly asked if they would like to have their drinks refilled. They all nodded and said yes. Cara gathered the cups from the table, walked in to the kitchen to refill them and brought them back.

"Cara Roberts!" Cara almost dropped the tray of drinks on the table as she heard her name be yelled but Alex grabbed a hold and helped her put it down.
"Oh god" she mumbled, "its the evil stepmother"
She turned around and looked at her stepmother who stood by the door for a moment before making her way over to Cara.

"You have some explaining to do!" Jane yelled
"Jane, I'm working right now!" Cara whispered harshly at her stepmother before walking past her to continue her Job.
"I don't care what the hell you are doing right now!" Jane grabbed Cara by the arm and yanked her back, turning her around to face her as she pulled the object out of her pocket, "explain this" she yelled
Cara stared in disbelief and embarrassment as she stared at her step-mom and what she was holding in her hands. She wanted to run. To run and never look back. She was terrified. Even more so than she was before. She looked at the guys at table ten who were watching the whole thing go down. In fact, everyone in the diner was staring, even her co-workers and manager. Cara felt the tears begin to slip from her eyes. She ripped off her apron thing that held her notepad and pen and threw it in to an empty booth before quickly making her way outside the diner.

Alex, Jack, Matt, Rian and Zack as well as everyone else in the diner, watched as all the commotion went down. They all stayed quiet as they now knew why the young waitress held a fake smile to her face. They felt bad for her.
They all watched as woman who was yelling at her followed her outside. Jack was the first to awkwardly start eating his food again, followed by the rest of the guys. Alex placed his fork down, took a quick sip of his soda before making his way out of the diner.

"You can never do anything right! You're a god damn burden to everyone around" Jane screamed
"I'm a fuck up. I know. What the hell were you even doing in my room?"
"I had to do the laundry before I left seeing as you never do anything I ask you to do as usual and I found it in your damn sweatpants. You think you can keep things like this from me? You dirty fucking slut!"
"Hey!" Alex jumped in, "You have no right talking to her like that!"

Cara jumped a little at the sound of the man's voice and turned around to see that it was the guy with sandy brown hair from table ten. She wasn't even going to bother wiping the tears from her face seeing as they would just continue to fall.
"And who the hell are you?" Jane yelled at the young man, "are you the man who got her pregnant? Are you the man who slept with my slut of a stepdaughter?"
"I'm Alex, no and she is not a slut! She is a beautiful young woman who deserves a hell of a lot more respect from someone who is supposed to be her stepmother!"
"Why don't you do us all a favor, Alex, and stay out of our damn business then" Jane spat out every word like fiery venom as she stepped closer to Cara and Alex.

Alex didn't care that this woman was now pretty much two inches in front of him but Cara did.
"A-Alex" she was sure that's what he said his name was, "it's okay, just go back inside, it will be okay"
But Alex wasn't having any of it. He kept his attention on this woman and his feet firmly planted on the ground.

Jane just laughed at both of their actions, "You aren't worth my time. You want to be a hero? Then be a fucking 'Hero' for all I care" she used air quotations on "hero" and turned her attention to Cara, "As for you? You're just a worthless, dirty, no good slut and I don't want you in my house or around my kids any longer"

Cara and Alex both stared in disbelief as they watched Jane storm off and get in to her car. It was when Jane's car was out of sight that Cara yelled in frustration and sat down on the curb.
"I'm such a fuck up!" She cried in to her hands
"No you are not" Alex said as he sat down beside her on the curb and put his arm around her to comfort her, "We may not know each other, but I can tell that you are not the one who is a fuck up. That woman is"
"I am though. I fuck up everything"
"Okay. Tell me, why do you think you are a fuck up"
"I just am okay. You don't know me. I fuck everything up. I fuck up at school, I fuck up at home and I cant even stay a virgin. One time. One fucking time and I get pregnant. I fucked up on that to because I don't even know who the damn father is because I was to drunk and stupid!" She sighed and dropped her head on to her knees and the tears continued to fall, "oh and I probably just lost my job that I have had for the past four years. That's why I'm a fuck up. So to answer your question from earlier again, it's been a long loong day already"
Alex smiled at the girl and did his best to wipe away her tears, "So you messed up, you made a few mistakes in life but don't we all? I could go on about all the mistakes and mess ups that I have made in my life because I have made quite a few but that doesn't make me a fuck up. Just because you have messed up a few times doesn't make you a fuck up. We all mess up and make mistakes but that is a part of life. What would life be without them? We have to learn somehow, don't we?"
Cara looked the man in the eyes and for the first time that day she genuinly smiled without having to force it. He was right. People make mistakes all the time. Everyone messes up every now and then in their lifetime no matter how young or old they are.
"I guess you're right" she sighed for the millionth time that day and looked out at the busy street beyond the parking lot of the diner, "I just wish I didn't mess up so much or so according to that evil stepmother of mine. I don't know what I ever did to make her hate me so much. She's hated me since the beginning and my dad is away so much for work that he never really see's that or what is going on."
"So, kind of like Cinderella in a way but without the evil stepsisters and your dad is still alive"
"Oh my god. Yes. Thank you. Finally someone understands what I'm saying. And trust me, I got evil stepsisters alright. Always have to have things their way and throw a fit if they don't. Just like their mom. I don't know what my dad see's in her. But anyways" she turned to face alex again as she stood up, "Sorry for spilling my problems on to you. I'm sure you are hungry and want to go back inside to eat"
"I actually really don't mind, it's okay" he smiled, also standing up, "Hey look, i know we just met but are you going to be okay? Do you need a place to crash seeing as you have been kicked out?"
"I'll be okay and thanks for the offer but I'll probably end up going to my friend Nikki's house or getting a hotel or something. I'll be fine though"
Alex reached in to his pocket, pulling out a pen and piece of paper, writing his name and cell number down on it before handing it over to Cara. "Here's my number. If you ever want to talk or just hangout, don't hesitate to call"
She took the piece of paper from him and smiled, "Thanks" she said just as his friends came around the corner

"Sorry to interrupt," Zack said as he and the rest of the guys found alex around the side of the diner talking to the young waitress, "But Alex, we have to go. We have an interview in less than an hour. We got your lunch packed to go"
Jack looked at the girl and smiled, "Are you okay?" He asked kindly
Cara looked up at him and half smiled, "I will be." She turned back to Alex, "Thanks again"
"Any time"
"Well" she said, looking around awkwardly at the rest of the guys, "It was nice meeting you all. Again, I'm Cara by the way and I think it's time I get back in their and see if I'm fired or not"

"Good luck" They all said in unison, truly meaning it, and Alex stepped forward

"You have my number, ring me any time if you want to talk or hangout. It was nice meeting you Cara and I wish you the best of luck"
"I just might have to do that. It was nice meeting you to. Sorry it had to be this way but hey. Any ways, I gotta go" She smiled and gave a quick wave and smile before walking back in to the diner.