Tris pov
Jason opens the glass door for us and I walk to the girl at the desk, she's writing something in a binder and it takes a while for her to notice me, she looks up when I tap the desk with my nail. She glares for a second but hides it with a false smile "Hi, welcome to Ihop how many?"
"Just three," I say and she nods and jots down the details,
"Inside or outside?" She asks looking up,
"Uh," I look back to the boys and at the sky behind them, it looks grey and stormy, "Inside please," I say to her. She nods and grabs our menus, gesturing for us to follow her. She sways her hips with each step and some of the taken guys from tables she's passing keep staring, earning a scolding from their girlfriends. We got situated at a corner booth, I caught her name tag under her curly black hair. "Thank you Harley," I said softly.
"Your waiter will be with you in a moment," she said dully and walked away. Caleb and Jason gave eachother a look. We sniggered to each other and started looking through the menus. I finished first and set it down, checking the time on my phone,we've been waiting for 10 minutes. I stood up "I'll be right back," I say and walk back to the front, Harley was flirting with a boy from the staff, when he saw me his eyes widened a bit and he nodded his goodbye to her. She turned with an annoyed look on her face, "What?" she asked,
"Hi," I said awkwardly, "Uh, can I have one of the kids menus?" I pointed to them behind her,
"What are you? Twelve?" She scoffed and got me one,
"No, I'm eighteen, and very very bored, because your service here sucks, we've been waiting close to ten minutes, and I'd like to occupy myself to keep from leaving and you loosing a customer," I say confident, I won't lie, she was pissing me off. She frowned at me and I gave her a fake preppy smile then spun on heel and walked back. Jason and Caleb were smiling about something and talking quietly, I sat back down and organized my crayons. "So," Caleb started "What took you so long?"
"She was flirting with some guy and I wanted to draw because I'm bored," I say not looking up, Caleb grabs the blue one and draws an 'x' in one of the corners of the tic-tak-toe game. I smile and draw a circle in the middle, long story short, he won, all seven games. I'm groaning and giggling when a guy about my age walks up to the side of the table, I look up and meet dark chocolate eyes. He's tall, and like a mountain, big, but not gross, built. He has shaggy brown hair that falls in front of his eyes, and he's pale, but everything about him looks strong. "Hi," He says lowly, he's the boy who was talking to Harley.
"We're ready to order," I say a bit harsh, Caleb gives me a look,
"Oh, uhm, my name's Al, I'll be taking your orders today," He fumbled with his notepad, I looked at his tag, 'NEWBIE' oohhh. I sighed and he blushed from embarrassment "Slow down, it's fine," Jason said kindly, Al shot him a grateful look. He readied his pen and glanced at us, "A glass of oj and an omelet please, with a side of toast," Caleb says softly.
"I'll have the buttermilk waffles with bacon and hash brown and waters good for me," Jason says organizing the menus. "I'll have a blt on sourdough to-go, and a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, with toast as well," I say looking at him. He nods, "Oh, and a hot chocolate please, extra cream on top," I say childishly. He smiles a little and finishes, then he takes our menus and leaves. Jason smiles at me, I narrow my eyes at him. "He's cute," He says playfully, I laugh rather loudly.
"Wh-What?" I get out, holding my stomach as the air rushes out,
"He kept looking at you," He puts his elbows on the table and laces his fingers together, raising his eyebrows. He looks like a detective giving me an interview. "Yeah, so what?"
"You have a secret admirer," He says.
"Oh please, he was flirting up a storm with ex-secretary girl."
"I don't know, he seems like a good boy for you," he shrugs and puts his arm around Caleb's shoulder,
"He works here, and I don't even know him," I say wrinkling my nose a bit,
"You say that now," Jason plays,
"Ask for his number Beatrice, if he's not for you then he could be a friend," Caleb says, typing something into his phone. Not my brother too, I sigh and give in, "Fine, when he comes back I'll give him mine," Caleb smiles a proud one and Jason grins showing his perfect teeth, "So, Tris, how's life?" I giggle at him, "Uh, it's okay so far, a bit bumpy recently, but as you know Christina and I moved in together, and she's going to school to be a bartender," I say and smile.
"Well what about you?" Caleb asks,
"I'm looking for a job actually," I say doodling on the paper,
"Are you attending the local college?" Him and school I swear,
"No, but I'm thinking about it, there were some boy's that moved in a few blocks from us, they're college students."
"Ohh! Are they cute?" Jason smiles and buts in, Caleb looks at him in shock and mock hurt, he pouts and pats his heart, I can't help but laugh as Jason tries to reassure him. I calm down a bit but giggle "Yeah, they're not hard on the eyes," Jason raises an eyebrow,
"Anyone catching your eye?" I stop and think, the first face that pops into mind is Four, but looks is all he's really got going for him, so far he has the crappiest attitude ever. But maybe he'd let me say he's my crush, I'm sure he wouldn't mind, he's already got so many other girls. But then again, I don't really like him or have a crush on him, "No," I say softly shaking my head a little "There's no one of interest," Jason frowns,
"Tris, are you a lesbian?" Caleb and I crack up, but he manages to get out "You don't… know how many times… she's… been asked that," Caleb and I calm down as soon as the food arrives. He sets the plates down as if they'll break, he sets the mug of chocolatey goodness in front of me and I immediately reach for it. Someones rough hand touches mine and holds it to the table before I can, I look up and see Al blushing "C-Careful, it's very hot," I nod slowly and he hesitantly removes his hand. He nods his head and walks back to where he came from.
I see Jason give me a look from the corner of my eye and shrug it off. Of course, I'm an idiot and I sip on my cocoa and burn my tongue making me yelp. Caleb laughs and Jason shakes his head at me. We eat in a comfortable almost silence, occasional jokes being tossed across the table, talking about music and the entertainment industry. By the time we're all done I have covered the blank back side of the kids menu in different colored doodles. Al comes back and asks if we need any boxes and I shake my head, Caleb and Jason look at me expectantly, I look at Al with the nicest smile I can handle at the moment and say "Uh, hi, I'm Tris," He looks at me a moment before smiling,
"Would you like to talk to me in a few at the back?" He asks, I glance at Jason, who's grinning.
"Yeah, sure. That'd be nice," What, in the world, am I doing? He smiles and nods at me, setting the bill on the table and clearing plates. After a fight over who's paying Jason ends up doing so, being a gentleman and an ass at the same time. We rise and Caleb beams at me, I give him this weird look but he's contagious like Christina, so I end up smiling too. I glare at the desk girl Harley and she scoffs back, I wanna Sashay out, but that would be rude. Plus when you're flat both ways it doesn't help. So we just leave, we're halfway to the car when Jason stops and gives me a pointed look, I groan and turn on heel, walking to the back of the restaurant. Al is already there, out of uniform. I'll give him credit he looks much nicer in his normal attire. "Hey, Tris," He notices me before I can do anything. I wave sorta awkwardly and smile, "So what's up?" I ask, brilliant Tris.
"Well, I just met you and, I'd like to get to know you?" He says it like a question, like I'll reject him first chance I get, and I would have. If Jason wasn't a prissy girl. "You realize this isn't how normal people meet right?" I say amused. He chuckles and looks at his feet,
"Yeah that's making this really difficult," he mumbled shyly,
"Well, where do you usually hang out? Maybe we can make some chance around to meet again, and exchange numbers?" I offer, even if its ridiculous. He looks up at me and smiles, "Yeah, that sounds nice. I'm usually at the mall, in the software store. I fix computers," He explains, I nod.
"Then we'll see each other sooner or later because my best friend loves shopping."
"Cool, I gotta get back to work," he points to the door behind him,
"Part time?"
"Yeah, for college tuition," I make a small 'o' with my mouth then nod.
"In electronics?"
"You guessed it," he smiles, I nod and wave once,
"See you around Al," I start to turn and walk away,
"Bye Tris," I hear the door open and close as I round the corner. Caleb and Jason are against the car talking, I strut up to them and Caleb smiles at me. "Not cool bro," I send a playful glare at him and he smiles wider. "So," Jason looks at me, "Numbers?"
"Well since you scared him off we're going to meet at the mall to try again," Jason laughs and we soon join him, Caleb runs a hand through his hair and calms down saying "Well hello," Jacey and I follow his gaze and see two boys. I crease my eyebrows and squint, Four and Zeke? "Heeyy," Jason frowns and slaps Calebs arm with the back of his hand. I bring my hands to my mouth and yell, "Heeyyyy! Four!" He stops in his tracks and looks around, I giggle a little, stupid. Zeke is the first to see me waving and punches Fours shoulder. He looks over and I swear the biggest smile finds his face.
They make their way over and Four tenses up when he sees Caleb and Jason up close, "Trissy!" Zeke hugs me waaaay too tight, "Air!" I squeek and he lets me go,
"Trissy?" Caleb asks,
"Caleb this is Zeke and Four, the new neighbors I was telling you about," I point to them,
"Ohh!" Jason gasps, "You're the hot college boys!" I feel my face get hot,
"Jason!" I yell,
"You think I'm hot Tris?" Four asks while Zeke strikes a pose, I don't know if it's possible but I blush more. "Uh," I stutter "Well, I d-didn't say you weren't, uhm," his grin only grows until Jason puts his arm on my shoulders, I notice Caleb is sitting on the trunk. "So who are they?" Four asks sending them both a glare. Jason puts a hand on his chest in mock hurt, "Four, this is Jason, my old friend, and my brothers boyfriend," I gesture to Caleb, who is working on a secret handshake with Zeke. Four nods, and looks at me, then it hits me when I see the faded bruise above his eye. "Did Lauren get home okay?"
"Yeah, Christina went home with William, and Zeke has a new girlfriend," Four puts his hands in his pockets, is he nervous?
"Shauna?" I guess, he nods and I can't help but smile, "What about Marmar and Uri?"
"They were still at the house when we left," Jason whistles,
"Wow Tris making friends without me? Cute ones too? Uhg I can not believe you!" I smirk and he pouts, "Four how's your face?"
"Better now, thanks," He says a bit harsh, I bite my tongue to not be that way back. Jason squishes me into his chest "Come on, lets go back to the hotel eh?" his chest makes a rumbly sound when he speaks. "Yeah I'm ready to go home, and I'm sure Caleb wants to finish that session you two were having," I look up at the somewhat scratchy face of Jace and see the tips of his ears a bit pink. I grin and giggle, victory. My eyes find Four and Zeke, who has stopped being childish with my brother, "See you soon guys," I say and unlock the car, I get into the drivers seat and turn the engine, they stand back while Jason and Caleb get in. I see Zeke say something to Four, earning a punch in the arm, and Zeke rubbing it like he did it hard. On the way driving home Jason smirks and says "So, that Four guy seemed like good eye candy."
"Yep," I say keeping my eyes on the road,
"You and him gonna be a thing because the flirt level was off the chart."
"Jason!"
"What? He looks good for you, that Al person can shove it and be a friend, I personally would like some sugar from number boy."
"Jason!" Caleb yells, I send a glare his way at a red light and say "Jason Deshaun Blaqlav. You're worse than Christina."
A/n: I'm sorry I haven't updated this in a while, but it was my birthday and people are being annoying so I didn't have time to do much, but! I needs new ideas, I have one for the later, like, way later chapters but need your help. Please? Ideas? :p and Fluff is soon!