Authors Note: This chapter is kinda short. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do with this story so just bear with me. Please read and review and let me know what you think.

Chapter 1

Haley leaned on the counter trying to stay awake. It was a slow night and she was having trouble not falling asleep. She had ran some errands that day and hadn't been able to sleep as long as she usually did. Her thoughts kept drifting back to one customer.

His name was Nathan and he had come in about a week ago. It had been another fairly slow night so she had gotten to talk with him for a while. After waiting tables for as long as she had, you knew when someone needed to talk or be left alone. She had found out he had just gotten dumped, hence the visit to a shoddy 24 hour diner. She could sympathize with him and they two had talked for a good three hours before he had to leave. Haley was busy when he left but when she went over to clean up his space she had found three $100 bills on the counter. Needless to say she was shocked and happy. It had made her rent and she was going to actually have some extra money this month to do with what she pleased.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the bells above the door ringing and she was happy for the interruption. "Hi welcome to Oven-"

"Hey Haley."

"Hey stranger. Didn't expect to see you in here." Nathan had returned, probably to get his $300 too, Haley thought. He probably realized what he had done and was now back to get it.

"Well I hear you guys have the best chocolate milk shakes." Haley beamed at the complement. She always liked to be acknowledged for her hard work.

"Well yes we do. Can I get one for you?" Nathan nodded and Haley left to go make it. He looked around the place and noticed it hadn't changed any in the week since he'd been there, not that he expected it to. He hadn't expected to come back, but something about this place drew him in. Maybe Haley put something in his milkshake or maybe it was just her. One thing he did know though, talking with Haley last week had been more fun than sitting around moping in his apartment.

At that point Haley came back and put the milkshake down. In her head she made a mental note not to say anything about the money. Hopefully if she didn't say anything neither would he. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Nathan took a sip of it and the two stared at each other awkwardly for a minute or so. "So thanks for talking with me last week. It really helped a lot."

"No problem, that's what I'm paid to do."

"So you're a waitress and a therapist I see."

"What can I say? After spending years of school becoming a psychiatrist I decided I'd rather give out help for free as the graveyard waitress in a shitty little diner." Nathan laughed.

"You're funny."

"I try. So what's the problem tonight? Drug addiction, you don't know who your baby's daddy is, or did you find out you have 24 hours to live?"

"None of the above. I really have no idea why I'm back. I think I came to see you. So last week I talked and you listened, this week it's your turn." Haley blushed.

"There's really not much to say. I'm 23, single, work the graveyard shift, and play the guitar. I'm from Midland, Texas and graduated from the University of Texas."

"So what brings you out here?" Haley hated that question, her answer always sounded so cliché.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise."

"Well, you know how I said I play the guitar?" Nathan nodded. "I came out here to pursue a music career." Instead of laughing Nathan nodded his head.

"So how's that working out?"

"Not so great. In college I lived in Austin, the live music capital of the world. I would play a gig or two here and there but nothing ever happened. So after graduation a friend of mine got a real job in California and said I should come along. Well English majors don't have many job offers thrown their way so I said okay. And here I am, broke with no music career."

"That's cool. It's good that you're trying to do what you love."

"Yeah well, let's not start patting me on the back just yet. So what about you, what's your story? All I got to hear last week was how your girlfriend dumped you." And also to find out what you do for a living that allows you to hand out $300 tips, Haley thought to herself.

Nathan hated to tell people he just met what he did for a living. It had so many preconceived notions with it that they immediately thought one thing or another. "I'm in the sports industry."

"Oh, so are you an agent, manager?"

"Something like that."

"How mysterious of you."

"It's not that. I just don't like talking about work. Work shouldn't define who you are as a person."

"How very deep of you." The two sat around bantering for the rest of the night/morning. Finally at around four a.m. Nathan decided it was late enough and left with promises to return.

"You probably thought I came back to get that tip I left you?" Haley stumbled for a minute. "It's okay, I wanted you to have it. I'm not that big an ass."

"Well now that we're friends, I'll feel bad accepting them."

"Even every once in awhile?"

"Every once in awhile is okay." She responded, she'd have to be an idiot not to take $300 when it was given to her freely.

"Good. Have a good night Haley."

"You too Nathan."