I am so sorry for the delay in updating this story. It's just whenever I come to this story to write it - my mind goes blank. It is the worst case of writer's block I've ever had, really. I'm going to try to update this story more often and keep it true to what I originally intended to happen in it. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter. Please, leave me a review of what you think. It is highly appreciated!
Beth pulled into the diner parking lot just as the sun was dipping below the tree line. She shivered as she slid out of her car and hurried across the almost empty parking lot. There were three or four cars – most of them belonging to the staff. The small bell above the door signaled her arrival. The waitress on duty, Caroline, turned and smiled. "Hey, Beth," she smiled, tucking her notepad into the front pocket of her apron. "You're early."
Caroline was a young waitress, still in high school, but she needed the extra money. She was a blonde, just like Beth and blue eyes a shade darker than hers. Beth scooted around the counter, dropping her purse off underneath. "I thought I'd get in a few extra hours. It's the least I can do for leaving early yesterday," Beth explained, tying on her apron.
Popping her gum, Caroline leaned against the counter, gazing at Beth. "Is everything all right? You look kinda tired," she said, blowing another bubble. Beth sighed. She liked Caroline. Didn't work with her often, but she didn't mind her. But on this particular night, she just didn't want to deal with her probing questions.
"I'm fine, Caroline. Thanks for the concern. Why don't yah get going? It's the weekend. Go enjoy it," Beth urged. Caroline wasn't going to pass up the offer of shaving off the last hour of her shift. She gave her a genuine smile, collected her belongings and scooted out the door without another word. Beth sighed, running a hand over her face, before rounding the counter with a coffee pot and sidling up to the only person in the diner.
It was a man, somewhere in his late teens, early twenties. He was reading a book in one hand, a mug of steaming coffee in the other. "Can I get yah a refill?" Beth inquired, painting a bogus smile on her face. The man looked up from his reading, eyes connecting with Beth's. They were dark like chocolate. He glanced to his cup and nodded, sliding it forward for her to fill.
Beth hesitantly took the cup from the table and poured the hot coffee for him. He wasn't the friendliest customer Beth ever encountered. "There yah go," she smiled, setting the mug back down near his hand. The man nodded, returning to the pages of his book. Beth stared at him for a moment, rigging her memory to see if she knew him from anywhere. He did seem familiar… She turned on her heels, making her way back to the counter.
Now all she could really do was wait for another customer to come, which was unlikely, or wait for Daryl to arrive to keep her company and that might not be for a while since Beth arrived early. She grabbed a rag and cleaned the counter of any small coffee spills. She then sat down on her favorite stool, fishing around in her purse for her book of poetry that she was working through.
Beth flipped open to her doggy-eared page, folding the creased triangle back into place. Beth was never really one to use bookmarks. She thought the creases added character to the book. She liked to remember where she stopped, or if other people borrowed the book, they'd know where she paused as well. It was one of the quirks she kept from being a kid. It was a few longer poems later that the small tinkle of the bell caught her attention. Someone had come into the diner. She had missed the headlights skimming across the diner walls. It was Daryl.
Doggy-earing her book again, Beth tucked it back into her purse as she stood. "Hello, handsome," Beth smiled, skirting around the end of the counter, wrapping her arms around Daryl's neck, kissing him gently. "I was wondering when yah were gonna show up." Beth unwrapped her arms from around him, remembering that they weren't alone in the small diner. She wasn't worried about the cook. He usually stayed in the back of the house, snoozing until Beth gave him an order to make. It was the familiar-yet-not-familiar man in the corner booth she was worried about.
She glanced over to him. He was clearly watching the interaction between her and Daryl. Beth averted her gaze quickly, wiping off her palms on her apron. "Can I get yah anything?" She asked, walking back around the counter. She didn't exactly want to get in trouble for displaying affection around her customers even if there was only one in the whole restaurant.
Daryl shrugged off his jacket, lying it across the stool next to him. "You've got chili, right?" He asked. Beth nodded, handing him a menu just in case he needed it. He flipped it open, scanning the laminated pages. "I'll go with a bowl of chili. It's getting colder out there," he said, handing the menu back to Beth. She placed it under the counter and wrote out Daryl's order on her pad. She rung the bell, placing the order slip where the cook would get it.
Beth picked up her stool, placing it on the other side of the counter across from Daryl. "Coffee black again?" Beth asked as a second thought. He nodded, leaning his elbows against the counter, watching as she sauntered over to coffee station. He'd never get tired of seeing her in her waitress uniform. As unappealing visually it was, it made her backside look heavenly. Beth quickly filled a clean mug with hot coffee and handed it to Daryl.
She wished every night would end like this – just her and Daryl. That was all she really wanted. But the spectator in the corner booth was starting to creep her out. It almost looked as if he hadn't touched his coffee since she last filled it. Beth pushed the invading thoughts out of her mind and sat down across from Daryl. "How're yah holding up?" Daryl asked, taking a tentative sip from his mug.
Beth shrugged. She was doing all right. "Could be better," she admitted. "I think once this all blows over, I'll be all right." She flicked her gaze up to meet his. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He knew that this was only going to be the beginning of it. Jimmy… he seemed persistent to say the least. He went as far as shattering Daryl's windows, he could tell this wasn't going to be the only thing Jimmy was going to pull.
"The best thing to do is just ignore him. He wants a reaction, Beth. He wants to see you cry, to see you in pain. You can't give him that," Daryl finally murmured. He reached across the small space between them and folded her small hands between his. If only he could shield her from the whole world.
Beth smiled. She was glad that she had met Daryl. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. She honestly didn't know how she would have handled this if he wasn't here, or Andrea, or anyone at the diner for that matter. When it came to Jimmy, she was a scared puppy dog. He had controlled her whole life before, beat her, she was scared it was just going to happen all over again. "Thank you," she whispered.
Just then, another bell rang, from the cook this time. Daryl's bowl of chili was ready. Beth reluctantly withdrew her hands from Daryl's and got up to retrieve his meal. She sat it back down in front of him with silverware wrapped in a cheap napkin. He quickly unwrapped the spoon and delved into the steaming chili. He nodded as he chewed, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'll be right back," Beth said, remembering that she had to check up on the other customer, though she really didn't want to whether Daryl was here or not.
She made her way towards the corner booth, the man still indulged in his book. It was a book Beth had never seen before, the cover seemingly having no title either. It was odd. "Can I get yah anything else?" Beth asked, rolling up onto her tiptoes, trying to get a better look at his face. The man shook his head once, lifting the book a tad higher, trying to make it look unintentional to Beth. But she wasn't a fool. He was trying to hide his face. "Ready for the check then?" She asked, glancing to the mug of coffee. It was still full. Beth glanced over to Daryl who was already watching the interaction between Beth and the mysterious man. He nodded once, turning the page of his book as if to dismiss her.
Beth fought the urge to roll her eyes but sauntered away and back around the counter. She rung up his cup of coffee and printed out the bill. When Beth made her way back to his booth, the exact change was already laid out on the table, his dark eyes peering out over the cover of his book. Beth furrowed her brow at the situation unfolding in front of her. She slid the check towards him. "Have a good night, okay?" Beth said, her statement hanging unanswered.
Seeing as she wasn't getting anywhere with him, she turned and made her way back to the counter and the safety of Daryl. "That was odd," she said, taking her seat again. She looked to the man again, but his back was to her. He was gathering his belongings. But the hoodie that he was wearing was enough to give him away. The logo was the from the same bull riding club that Jimmy came from.
When he left for Texas to become a bull rider, he wasn't the only one from town to go with him. She knew exactly who he was now. His name was Dakota Bennett. Him, Jimmy and Beth had all gone to the same high school. He, along with Jimmy both wanted to be bull riders and road tripped all the way to Texas to pursue it. Anger boiled within her. He was spying on her.
Before she could say anything, he was already out the door – probably headed to wherever Jimmy was to tell him what he was observing. Whatever he could observe. It was just she and Daryl. And that was probably enough to enrage Jimmy even more that she was still hanging around Daryl and not sulking about his shattered windows. "Beth, what is it?" Daryl urged, trying to catch her attention. Beth hadn't noticed that her eyes had glazed over.
She snapped back into reality. "I know who that was. It was Dakota; he went to Texas with Jimmy. He probably doesn't think I'd recognize him after all this time," Beth shook her head. "He was watching me even before you got here." Whatever she would do, she wouldn't cry. Daryl abandoned his spoon upon the realization that Jimmy was having his friends follow Beth around. He was serious about all this.
"C'mere," Daryl said, standing. Beth made her way around the counter and into Daryl's arm. He cradled the back of her head as her arms snaked around his waist. He wanted to keep her safe, to keep her away from all the horrors that Jimmy brought along with him. He wanted to preserve this moment, no matter the circumstances. He wanted Beth to be happy. But he knew with everything that was going on, that wouldn't be happening for awhile – but he would do everything in his power to make it happen sooner.