"Late again Maya…" My manager muttered as I rushed into the dot.

"I'm sorry Candy it won't happen again!" I said wrapping an apron around my waist hastily.

"It better not. You know the rules, one more time and you're out. Now tables 1 and 2 need their drinks and 4 is ready to place their order." She paused looking around the room. "And clear off 7 and 8 while you're at it." She added just to make my life miserable.

I ran around trying to keep my job. By the time I got to tables 7 and 8, which were outside, I was already feeling flustered.

To my surprise however they were already cleared. I took a step back, a little irritated, just to run into someone.

I whirled around to see a familiar face.

Zig was standing there holding a tray full of empty dishes. "Whoa, sorry Maya!"

I looked him up and down. We hadn't talked since freshman year and now he was standing in front of me, smiling like we were lifelong friends.
"What are you doing? Did you…?" I looked over to the two tables I was supposed to clean.

"Yeah, it's my first day. I thought I'd help you out." He told me simply.

"Your first day? You work here now?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to save up some cash for college."

"We already graduated and you're just now thinking about college money?" I laughed at him but I really didn't have room to talk. As of now I was working here the rest of my life.

Zig looked down "Yeah I didn't have enough for the fall semester. But with this job hopefully I can get in for spring." He laughed bitterly "Or at least be able to afford a text book."

"Better get back to work then." I said looking up to see Candy eyeing us from inside.

Zig looked almost disappointed as he nodded in agreement.

I looked at him for a minute. I hadn't realized how much I had missed the cute rock star I had left behind.

"But hey maybe after our shifts we can get a coffee or something, catch up a little." I suggested.

His eyes lit up "That sounds awesome."

I smiled and brushed past him before Candy could get the chance to yell at me again.

"After freshman year I started going to parties with this guy I knew," Zig told me. Our conversation had turned deep very quickly. After I asked how he'd been Zig launched right into the story of his dark high school years. "At first I just went along and stood in the corner and drank a little, but never enough to get drunk. I didn't get into the heavier stuff until junior year." He grimaced as the memories resurfaced. "After that there was no going back. I made my mom cry Maya… she was so worried about me. And I didn't even care. It wasn't until prom night that my eyes opened. A bunch of us went down to the ravine after getting kicked out of the dance for having alcohol. At first we were just having some fun… but then this kid Jamie brought the heroine… I had done drugs before, marijuana mostly… maybe a little crack here and there. But nothing like this… I ended up overdosing…" He took a deep breath "And I think I did it on purpose… I can't remember much about that night but I do know one thing. As soon as things got bad all the people I considered my friends just left me there. I had a seizure and they just walked away and left me in the bushes. If my mom wouldn't have come looking for me… I could've died."

I was at a loss for words. All this time I had thought I had it hard but I didn't realize Zig was going through that kind of hell. I felt guilty and sad for him.

"I spent a month in rehab after that… I missed graduation. They sent my diploma in the mail. It's a miracle I graduated at all. My mom can't even look at me anymore. I can hardly bare to look in the mirror. And I just keep thinking about freshman year and what I said to Cam and how I hurt you. I'm so sorry Maya…" he looked deep into my eyes.

I lowered mine and took a sip of my drink. "I'm sorry that happened to you." I whispered genuinely.

"Yeah, me too." He responded.

Silence washed over us. "How's Dylan?" He finally asked.

I looked up at him surprised he knew my son's name. "He's good," I said with a smile "He'll be 4 in October, it's kinda crazy! I'm not sure if I'm ready for him to go to kindergarten yet. I might wait until next year."

Zig smiled at me. "I really missed you Maya."
I looked up into his broken puppy dog eyes and realized how similar we were. "I missed you too Zig."

And just like that Zigmund Novak had come back into my life like a firefly. Lighting me up inside and out. He was different yeah, but so was I. We had grown up and things had changed. But there was one thing that would always stay the same between us; and that was the comfort we found in each other.

AN: Hey guys! Short and sweet. I know I said before that I hate Zig but I don't know now! Please keep reading!