Fire and water, fire and ice—
I ripped my failed attempt at poetry from the book and pulled my iPod from my pocket, turning up the volume to full before replacing the hunk of outdated metal in my jeans. Scrunching up the confusing, hardly inked page, I threw it at my bin. Who was I kidding? I was a try-hard painter and photographer at best. Not a poet. I snorted at my idiocy and looked at the silver, palm-sized clock on my desk across the room, ticking away, frustrating as possible. 9:15am, forty five minutes until I actually needed to be up. I flopped back on the bed, relieving the growing ache in my back and rolled over, stretching out my muscles on the cold, messed up bed, I put my chin on my hands and started to register the lyrics blasting through my ears.
And you can keep your change,
I wouldn't spend it anyway,
I wouldn't know where to start,
Girl I can see your pain—
I clicked next on the wheel and grinned at the song of choice. I started to mouth the lyrics when my phone went off. I could feel it buzz in my back pocket. With a frown, I took it out and continued to tap the beat with my middle finger on the back of the phone.
...And the zipping white light beam's disregarding bomb's and satellites.
That was the turning point.
That was one lonely night.
I clicked okay and waited for the stupidly-slow phone to respond, it took three attempts before the message finally opened.
You working today? – Tyler 6:15am
I cursed at the slow phone and frowned, after I'd been diagnosed with a mild case of amnesia, I tried to forget the flashbacks I'd experienced, without much avail. I still didn't particularly enjoy being in Caleb's company, but Tyler and Pogue were alright. Reid was a dick. And what I'd heard from my rumour dependant classmates had done him no justice. The amnesia had apparently made me more mature, which made me question my sanity in the beginning. But I still found amusement in being a smart-ass, even though I didn't swear as much and I was only myself around... myself, I guess. It was hard, the rumours about me and what had happened. Aaron Abbott, who I'd been told was a complete prick, acted as expected. He took it upon himself to make my life as miserable as he possibly could, and, unfortunately, my indifference on the subject is only partially feigned.
Kate told me not to worry about it. But I couldn't help it, Skyler was avoiding me constantly because I hadn't remembered her straight away and I still didn't have all of my memories. I had a feeling I was meant to know something when it came to Caleb, and my brother treated me like a four year old. I sighed and pulled myself off the bed, throwing my journal at the wall, I ran my hands through my hair and stretched, checking the clock again. Around five minutes had passed since I last looked. I groaned and walked slowly over to my cupboard, pulling out my usual for work. Dark blue jeans, black polo embellished with the restaurant logo, converse. Being a waitress wasn't exactly my dream, but then again, I had no memory of what that actually was. I scraped my newly re-died dark brown hair into a neat, high ponytail and picked up my messenger bag on the way out. My ear-buds remained firmly in my ears as I passed Reid, Tyler, Caleb and Pogue in the kitchen, grabbing an apple, I shoved it in my bag and kept walking. Not bothering to meet anyone's eyes. I'd left my keys on the side-table the night before, but just before I could pick them up, they rose into the air and dangled in front of my face before flying over to the kitchen. I gritted my teeth. Reid.
I turned, pulled out an ear-bud and looked at him with my hands on my hips.
"What?" I asked, no particular emotion other than annoyance clear in my voice.
"What's up with you?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. I rolled my eyes and let my eyes fade completely black, de-materialising the offending object before making it reappear in my own hand before I walked out the front door to my car, pushing the wrecked, discarded ear-phone back into my ear on the way. Glad my power was one of the few thing's I'd remembered.
What. An. Idiot. I scowled and clicked a button on the key, my car replying with a flash of the headlights. I yanked the door open and dropped into the front seat. Letting my head fall back against the head-rest, I checked the time and plugged my key into the ignition and my iPod into it's dock, letting it run but not doing anything. I closed my eyes and waited for the usual memories to surface. After a while they came and my head flicked up at the number.
-Running-
-Airport-
-Marcus-
-Italy-
-Georgia-
-Sarah-
-Michael-
-Marcus-
I practically choked on the last picture and fell forward. Marcus. The name triggered too many memories. Bad memories. I let the rest of them rush through my head before it finally stopped. I took a deep breath and shivered, putting my seat-belt on I drove down the driveway. But looking in my rear-view mirror wasn't the best thing I could've done. I saw his face in the back-seat. I spun around and slammed on the brakes to see... nothing.
Shit.
I turned back around, my heart beating a million miles an hour and let my elbows lock on the steering wheel before I folded my arms on top of the wheel and let my forehead rest on my arm. Still gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles were white. Then there was a knock on my window and I freaked. Jumping in my seat, I looked to the window, wide eyed and scared beyond imagination to lock eyes with Caleb. I closed my eyes and swallowed, just a memory. I was calm again, aside from my heart, which had only slowed a few paces. I wound down the window,
"What?" I asked calmly,
"Nothing. You just... Uh, I came out to get my car, but—" he started but I cut him off,
"I'm moving." I snapped and started to close the window when he put his hand on top of the glass, I thought about pressing the button again but decided against it. I wanted him to go away. Not lose a hand. "What?" I asked again and he seemed to be fighting a mental battle, I rolled my head around and flicked my fringe out of my eyes. "I have to go." I reminded him and he snapped out of it,
"Yeah. Sorry, I know, I just... never mind." he muttered, a surprising amount of hostility in his voice, he took his hand out and stepped away from the car. I immediately rolled the windows back up and stomped on the gas. What was up with him? In the short time I'd remembered about Caleb, he never really seemed like the homicidal type... but then again. I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the mental image of Caleb with a gun. Maybe I was imagining the wrong expression. He looked a little unsure, I thought about it for a second and stopped smiling. From the look I'd gotten just a few minutes ago, homicidal tendencies shouldn't have been ruled out straight away just because I'd seen him look like a ten year old. I pressed my lips into a tight line and focused on the road. I was almost at the restaurant. Great. I slowed down a little to keep from looking too eager. But I was in the employee parking lot only seconds later. I cursed at myself for leaving early and checked the time.
9:42am, oh joy. A full eighteen minutes early. That went fast. I sighed and pulled into my regulation parking spot. Turning off the car, I turned up the volume on my iPod from the car base and resumed my head on arm position on the steering wheel. No memories came this time so I pulled my notebook from my bag, I didn't even know I had this here. I smirked and flipped it open to the most recent page before checking the width of the remaining unused pages I had left. Oops. I frowned, I was going to have to get a new book tonight. There were four pages left, how had I not noticed that earlier? I sighed but pulled the pen from the spiral, tapping my page thoughtfully. I scribbled down a few sentences before I realised I had five minutes before my shift started. I swore and flipped the book closed, pulled my apron from my bag and got out of the car, taking said bag with me, I put it in the boot of my Nissan and slammed the boot closed. Locking it as I walked towards the building. I tied my apron around my waist as I walked. I never took my bag into the locker-rooms. Everyone knew everyone else's combinations and we all believed that if we left our stuff in the lockers we'd never see it again. So everyone left everything in their cars. I shoved my key in my pocket and pulled the back door to the restaurant open to almost collide with Jason.
"Holy shit!" I jumped back and he grinned,
"Nice to see you too. Cigarette?" he asked and held up the pack,
"I'm... good." I eyed the packet, "My shift starts now." I added and he moved to the side, gesturing down the hall. I shook my head as he bowed in what I think he thought was a regal way and stuck a cigarette in his mouth, stepping outside. Idiot. Jason was a dark haired, six foot tall, built, twenty year old, who was studying to be an architect and working in the restaurant part time. It didn't make sense in my mind. Especially with his "fuck you" attitude, reputation worse than Reid's and constant supply of cigarettes and alcohol. He should have been shot a long time ago. I walked into the kitchen and nodded at Kyle, he was standing against the counter, also waiting for the clock to hit ten before he took a step outside the kitchen. He was like Jason, but less in your face and more… "touch me and die". He was also much, much taller than my five seven and the only reason he worked here was so his parents wouldn't demand him back into the house. Like Jason, he was also studying, but to be a graphic designer. He was also kind of emo, and very antisocial... I walked over to Hannah, Olive and Dan. They were all on the opposite side of the kitchen to Kyle, which was understood, he was scary as hell, Hannah and Olive were the only people I could actually relate to... Dan was just there to make us feel uncomfortable.
"Hi." I mumbled and all but fell against the wall.
"Rough morning?" Olive asked cheerily and I nodded,
"My brother's a dick and I got less than four hours of sleep last night." I sighed and Dan laughed, "What?"
"You're an idiot. Why didn't you call in sick?" he asked as if he was stating the obvious.
"I dunno." I muttered and he rolled his eyes, "You on this shift?" I asked and Hannah and Olive nodded, Dan narrowed his eyes,
"Yes."
"Jeez, no need to get hostile." I raised my eyebrows and he raised his glare from the floor to me.
"He has to work from ten till ten today." Hannah smirked, and I bit back a laugh,
"It's fucking horrible." He groaned and Olive rolled her eyes,
"No worries Danny, I'm working to six. You'll only be alone for around four hours." I patted him on the shoulder mockingly and he glared at me, but before he could give a response, Anna and Fiona walked through the swinging doors and we all had to press up against the wall to avoid being seen by Tilly, who was working on the desk. She was also our manager and forced anyone she could into an extra three hour shift. It didn't help that you couldn't say no to her. Ever for fear of losing your job. The doors clicked shut and I glared at Anna. She rolled her eyes and looked down her nose at me.
"It's ten." She said and I nodded,
"Sure is." I said and Fiona joined in,
"It's your shift. Not ours."
I sighed dramatically and pushed off the wall. Walking towards the bench that held our fate for the next eight hours, and Dan's twelve. Too bad it had to be so boring.