Hay-Lin's grandmother was sick... Grandmothers actually...
It was still a little freaky for Will to stay in the presents of the two old women for too long. Yan-Lin and Mira-Lin had a habit of finishing each other sentences... a lot. Like more than any set of twins she has ever met in her life.
They talked the same, acted the same, yet Hay-Lin swears she can tell the difference between the two.
And right now they were both home sick with the flu. So Hay-Lin had enlisted the help of her friends to run the Sliver Dragon for the weekend.
Which was why only Will stood in the middle of the busy restaurant.
Irma's little brother had caught the flu as well and was needed at home to watch him while her mother ran errands and such. Taranee and her brother Peter had left a few day's ago to visit family out of town.
Cornelia claimed that her date with Caleb was too important to blow off since this was the first time they would see each other in a week and their first date for a month (he was spending more time in Meridian helping Elyon). Matt had to cover her shift at the pet shop (he had the choice between dealing with people and their foods or dealing with animals and their droppings. He made a smart choice in Will's opinion). And Hay-Lin was sent home by her parents to take care of the two old 'twins'.
Which left Will and Hay-Lin's mom and dad. Her jittery dad and strict mom. Fun!
"Will, are you sure you can carry all that?" Chen-Lin hovered over her as she pick up a large tray with table's six order on it. The smell of fish from the Dou Ban Yu, the chicken from the Begger's Chicken, and the pork from the Ant Climbing Trees was all mixing together and threw her for a second as she once again held back a twitch.
"Yes." For the hundredth time! "Don't worry Mr. Lin, I'm stronger than I look."
"Just yell if you-"
"I know Mr. Lin. Don't worry."
"Okay, but if-"
"I know-"
"Yes of course- ah don't balance it like that! Keep your hand flat."
"I am-"
"Yes like that. Hurry the food's getting cold."
Oh Hay-Lin owed her big time for this. BIG TIME.
Walking away with a very frustrated sigh she nearly threw the tray at some women who was yelling at her for a refill of her drink.
After running the food to the table and refilling the drinks she made a quick trip to all the other occupied tables and was relived to find everyone was fine for the moment. As she turned to head to the back to sit for a second she hear the sound she hand come to dread for the last four hours; the bell chimed as someone walked in to the Sliver Dragon.
Turning around a sense of relief filled Will as Cornelia and Caleb walked into the restaurant. She smiles at the couple.
"Don't look to happy there. We're customers, not servants." More fun!
"The Sliver Dragon does not serve your kind." Will was now forcing the smile.
"Our kind? Upper class?"
"No, freeloaders."
"Where is your manger young lady? You have some nerve!" She huffed and stuck her nose in the air.
Will laughed as her bad mood faded.
Cornelia looked around, "Hey, where's Hay-Lin? Thought ya were in this hell together?"
"Her dad sent her to take care of Yan-Lin and Mira-Lin."
"Oh, sucks to be you." She laughed.
"So its bitch mood today?" Will snapped.
"Whoa, what's up your ass boss lady?"
"Chen-Lin..." Will sighed as she glanced around the restaurant checking on the status of the customers. "Just go sit down. I'll be over in a minute."
It was then she noticed how quiet Caleb was being since the sound of his voice gave her a start. "Fine."
Will stared at the back of his head for a moment as he and Cornelia went to the very back of the restaurant, to the most secluded area of the place. Will had been avoiding placing anyone there, oping for area's she could get too quickly and see easily.
He sounded on edge.
A feeling washed over her. She knew that this was one of those moments. The ones where everything changes. For the good or bad she couldn't tell.
Will jumped as a voice called for the waitress and it took a second for her to remember that it was her.
It took her longer than she liked to deal with everyone's needs. So it was a whole ten minutes before she headed to the back table. Will was amazed that Cornelia wasn't yelling across the room for her by now.
Will tighten her hold on the round small tray in her hands as the feeling from before came back in full force. A great sadness lingered behind the wall that was currently hiding them from view. The closer she got the louder the harsh whispers became. Soon she was at the corner. One more step would make her presents known, but her foot suddenly felt like boulders at the bottom of the sea; nearly impossible to move.
"You're just over reacting! Lots of couples don't see each other everyday." The pleading tone in Cornelia's voice told her the she had forgotten Will was even coming back. The conversation going on was an intimate one. One she had no right to hear. But the fear of moving and making any sound to bring attention to herself kept her frozen.
"Cornelia..." pain was laced in his words, "This is for the best." He sounded so much older than them. It was easy to forget how awful his life use to be when he acted like any other teenage boy.
"The best!" She hissed the word with vehement. "Leaving me is for the best!"
The pause was heavy, filled with anger and confusion and sadness that all bit strangely and harshly at her skin.
"My place is on Meridian."
"So is mine! I'm a Guardian! I protect the damn place!"
"Yes you do!" The rise in his voice didn't surprise her. "You put down your school books, sneak away from your family, and fight. Then you leave. Leave. This peaceful place is your world. Your home. Not mine."
"Then I'll just move in with Elyon-"
"And leave your family? Would you really leave your life behind?"
"I love you! My life is with you! Why are you doing this!" She said in a anguished cry.
"I love you too Cornelia-"
"No you don't-"
"Yes I do! This is why I doing this! I can't stand being away from you! It hurts every time I walk away. Every time I have to put Meridian or the Queen before you!"
"So your cutting me out of the picture instead of trying to make this work? Some man you are." With a snap of a chair Will's breath hitched.
Cornelia was about to turn that corner any second and find her there listening in on the most heartbreaking moment of her life!
Will pressed her back to the wall and her hand moved the tray she was hugging to her body to cover her face.
'Cornelia is actually going to freaking kill me!'
Will felt terror as she sensed a body round the corner only to stop in front of her. Time seemed to freeze as Will held her breathe.
"Let go of me."
Huh?
"No."
Moving the tray slowly down Will honestly couldn't place what was going on.
Cornelia stood in front of Will, only facing the area off to her right, while Caleb had a hold on her wrist while staring at the back of her blond head.
"Please, just let go." She sounded so broken.
"I won't let it end like this." His eyes were pleading even thought Cornelia wasn't looking.
...
Should she be insulted right now? They were acting like she wasn't even there! How rude! (Ya like spying on them wasn't...) They could at least make eye contact with her or move on because it was getting a little awkward for her now...
"End. Why does it matter how it ends? As long as it does."
"Corn-"
"Don't say my name!" She hissed. "Don't say it like that! Like I'm the one hurting you! That's not fair!"
With that she twisted out of his grip and ran from the restaurant. Caleb hesitated only for a second before he took off after her.
The sighted of two teenager running out of the Sliver Dragon must had caught Mr. Lin's attention because he walked over to her.
To her surprise he walked right past her to stare at the fallen chair around the corner.
"I hope Will didn't let them skip out on the check..." he sighed as he rubbed his head.
Will nearly dropped the tray as her mouth hung open. You had to be kidding!
"They didn't order anything." She said, amazed at the older man's nerve to have said that in front of her.
Chen-Lin jumped and spun to look at her wide eyed. He said something in Chinese. Something she has heard Hay-Lin mutter in situations that warrant anything but nice words.
"You're pretty sneaky! I didn't even hear you!"
That was the last straw! Hay-Lin's father was officially on her list of 'People Never to Deal with Again Unless She Had Back Up'.
Now how the hell was she going to break it to Hay-Lin that her dad was crazy?
"Oh, by the way, as a thank you for helping tonight we decided to let you keep half you tips you make tonight! Isn't that nice?"
Hay-Lin.
Owed.
Her.
"Table three needs a refill Will. Hop to it."
Big.
"Are you sure you can carry the tray?"
TIME.
