I think I've met her. She's nothing of what I've dreampt she'd be, but maybe that's what's so special, I don't know. What I do know is that she's beautiful, beyond belief. She's snarky and sarcastic, and she's got this tough exterior but is probably the mushiest person I know. Even more than dad. She's so wonderfully weird and her name is, Gail. Gail Peck, photographer, ice queen, and thief of hearts.
She came into the diner in a whirlwind of platinum blonde hair and an icy blue glare that scarred the pants off of Joe, demanding the tallest stack of pancakes, pile of bacon and coffee in the biggest cup. The demand was later softened when the food arrived and she thanked Alice with a slight smile, that was also the first sighting of how nice she is. She was good to her waiters. I of course had my eyes glued to her the second she stormed in, she's just so captivating I got lost, the stare didn't go unnoticed and she called me out. Using it as an invitation to join me, not that I minded, and I found out what the death glares and harsh murmuring was about.
Gail had a massive hangover, couldn't find her aviators so she had to suffer through the beaming sun outside, was stranded at the hotel by her friend and now had no idea how to get home. Luckily her friend, Charlotte, had paid for the room she stayed in, the diner was two blocks from said hotel and she had enough money to get breakfast. We stayed in the booth long after eating, up to lunch prep actually which was when we had to leave. And I got to drive her back into town, not as long as I wanted it to be but it was something, right? Gail left with the promise of coming back, as 'those were the best pancakes of existence. I need them in my life on a regular basis, and I guess seeing you again is kinda cool too.'
I really hope she does.
She woke to the biggest headache of her life, the sun in her eyes didn't help and neither did the queasiness her stomach screamed. Gail knew she shouldn't have had that last bottle but it was calling to her and it had such an enticing song she couldn't say no, so she did as it said and drank. She drank until she threw up, then wiped herself off and drank some more, and ended up being carried to bed by a very nice dude-bro -who kept his hands to himself like a good boy.
Getting up she found herself fully clothed -mental high five- and alone in a hotel room she doesn't even remember getting, which meant her ride, the person who dragged her to the party in the first place, the person she called her closest friend had, A hooked up with some dude, or B ditched her. And this wouldn't be the first time Charlotte had done either.
Gail looked in her wallet and found a whopping $19.17, there's no way she could pay for the room, so Charlotte better be somewhere in the hotel or answer her phone or something, because this wasn't ok. But first she needed water. And aspirin, lots of aspirin and water. Shuffling into the 'kitchen' that was really just a small counter with a coffee machine, paper cups, packets of something, and thank the lords, water bottles, and a couple aspirins. Under said water and aspirin was a note.
Sorry to leave you stranded but I had to go and you wouldn't get up. Hope this helps a bit. I also covered the room, clock out is 11 -Charlie 3
Next on the list was food, pancakes she was thinking, maybe some bacon and coffee, definitely coffee. Gail remembered dude-bro saying something about a diner just around the corner so she decided to trust him one last time and go check it out.
The sun was relentless in it's attempt to kill the blonde, it was always out to get her, if not by burn or over heat, it was to shine so bright it murdered her head. And this morning it was going for all of the above. Stupid sun. Finding the diner did make her feel a tiny bit of relief as she walked in and the smell of breakfast hit her nose.
She must have looked as bad as she felt because all eyes were on her until she glared back, making them cower and go back to their business. Except for one. One smiled amusingly as a light pink dawned her cheeks, before looking back to what she was reading.
Gail was intrigued by the beautiful brunette, she'd never gotten a reaction like that to one of her death glares.
She took a seat at the closest empty table and opened the menu, immediately getting frustrated over the amount of effort had to be put into reading, her pounding head doing nothing to help. So Gail looked to the intriguing brunette and called out.
"Hey! Nerd." The woman's head snapped up at the raised voice, as did a few others. They locked eyes. "Yes, you," the nerd glanced around her, in search of who Gail was yelling at. Then stopped when coming to the conclusion that it was indeed her. "Mhmm still looking and talking to you. What's good here?" Gail barked at her from across the small diner.
The woman opened her mouth, Gail could tell she was forming words, speaking them aloud but she couldn't hear over the ambient noise of the diner. "I can't hear you, hold on."
Gail picked up her jacket and strolled over to where the brunette was sitting.
She'd put the book down in favor of giving Gail her full attention. "You're just inviting yourself to join me? What if I said no?" she raised an eyebrow.
Gail wasn't sure if the turn in her stomach was from hearing the buttery voice of the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen, or if it was part of the hangover she had forgotten about -for a moment. "I have a feeling you don't mind." Gail smirked. "So as you were saying." she waved at her to continue while she settled into the seat across from her.
"I was saying that everything is good, but most tend to go for the breakfast special. But what you want is a stack of pancakes of whatever size you choose, bacon, sausage or hash browns and continuous coffee, known as the hangover cure if you know the right people. And you're in luck as I know the right people."
"Can I get this hangover cure for under ten bucks?" Gail asked from behind her arm. She had maneuvered her way from the sun beaming threw the window to her right, and placed her head to rest on table. It also helped to hide the growing smile the woman across from her was bringing to her lips.
"Yup" the woman chirped and waved a girl over, presumably a waitress. "Alice, we need a hangover cure over here stat."
The small black haired girl nodded with a smile, "bacon, sausage or hash browns?" she asked from behind the counter.
The brunette turned to Gail, silently asking.
"Yes." Gail answered gruffly.
"All apparently." she mused.
This confused Gail, the woman seemed amused by her every move, whether it be by death glares or ordering food, snark or hungover mean streak. She was amused and took all of it as if it rolled off her back. No one had ever taken it as being amused, sure the odd person would let things slide, take it as it was and put up with it, her. Like Charlotte. But there was always a point where it'd be too much for them, that Gail being Gail in all her grump wasn't worth those softer moments. The bitch would always out weigh the nice.
But this girl seemed to enjoy the grump, the snark and the glares that usually sent people for the hills, and not in the way Chris had enjoined it. Chris saw it as a challenge, some obstacle to over turn and that somehow things would change, she would change, if he did and that's why it was doomed from the beginning.
"I'm Holly by the way." the brunette offered with a small smile from over her book. She must have picked it back up while Gail was thinking, but still had a close eye on her.
"Gail." she grumbled.
"Your food is on it's way over." Holly informed her, still not looking up from the pages of the book.
"That was quick, how the hell?"
"I told you, I know the right people, so my orders go to the top and they're usually special. Extra food, half the cost, that sort of thing." she explained through a lopsided smirk, gesturing with one hand.
"I'm gonna do something that I haven't done in forever, so don't make a deal out of it until I'm gone." Gail shot her a warning glance and continued when Holly didn't say anything. "Thank you for the ride and the special food, those were the best pancakes of existence. I need them in my life on a regular basis, and I guess seeing you again would be kinda cool too. But you're gonna have to be there anyway so I get the special service."
"And here I thought I'd be there for the sparkling conversation." Holly's smile reached her eyes and it gave Gail's heart a flutter.
"Not that early in the day nerd." Gail shuffled a bit, suddenly nervous. Their day was coming to an end, and for the first time ever Gail was sad to to see it go. She didn't want it to end, she wanted to invite Holly inside but that'd be way too forward, and send all of the wrong signals.
"I better get going, see you later." She said quickly and was half way out the door when she heard Holly's amused 'see you later Gail' probably coupled with a smirk.
She didn't look back at the car, she couldn't, if she did she'd end up making a fool of herself and now was not the time for that. Right now was the time to play it cool, and let Holly watch her walk up the steps of the cabin she was calling home for the summer.