If I Never Knew You (If I Never Knew You Series) (2 page)

"Just a minute, please." He looked at the menu and I waited patiently. "It's still early; I'll just have a coffee, black.

"Alrighty, I'll be back in a minute." I smiled genuinely this time and retreated back to the kitchen.

"He's so cute!" Jen said.

"Jen!" I implored her.

"Oh, not for me, princess."

"I'm dating someone, remember?" I reminded Jen, who just gave me a look. I shrugged my shoulders and got the guy his drink, after which I took his order.

After a while, I had a few more customers and the restaurant quickly became quite full. I got to talk to the first guy whenever I stopped by his table. When I brought him his check and he paid, he told me that he'd be back later, as long as I gave him a big smile, and I did, because he was so nice.

"So how much did he tip you?" Jen asked.

"Five bucks," I said, still not really believing it.

"He likes you," Jen reasoned. I just nodded, but felt a little uncomfortable.

I made sure to tell Jen when Andy was due to arrive and when I did, the biggest smile crossed her face. Like I said, she loves my brother.

"MADISON, YOUR BROTHER is here!" one of the other servers informed me, which took me by surprise, considering the time of day. Unless Andy skipped some classes, or something similar to that, he shouldn't be here by now.

"He's here already?" Jen asked. She looked at me and I just shrugged as I looked out front to find Andy sitting at the same table the punk guy was at earlier that day. Someone else was with him, but I couldn't tell who it was because I only saw the back of his head. "Hey!" Jen got my attention and handed me a banana milkshake. "Tell him his food will be right there."

"Uh, okay," I said. I went out front and over to the table. "Hey, bro, you're here early." I put the shake in front of him.

"Yeah, Orion drove me!" Andy explained. I blinked and looked at his companion. Sure enough, it was the same guy from this morning.

"How's it goin'," Orion greeted me, in the same laid-back tone he had that morning. "I told you I would be back," he boasted.

"So,
you're
Orion," I asked, "as in my brother's best friend-the guy he idolizes?"

"Madison!" Andy whined.

"That would be me," Orion replied with a laugh.

"I don't idolize you!" Andy protested, looking embarrassed.

"That is true, he doesn't," Orion corrected me. "He's good company, however."

I shook my head, trying to process the situation.

"Jen says your burger and fries will be done in a minute," I told Andy, tearing my eyes off Orion for a moment.

"That's okay, we have time; I can wait a while," Andy said. "Tell Jen I say 'hi and thanks', okay?"

"Will do. Orion, do you want anything before I go back there?" I asked, looking back at Andy's awfully cute friend.

"Yeah, I'll have a root beer and I think I'll try the Wayside club sandwich, toasted on whole wheat," Orion said. This triple decker club was named after our restaurant, the Wayside, and was our most popular lunch order.

I nodded, went to the back, told Jen Andy's message, got Orion's drink, told Jen what Orion wanted, then got myself a strawberry milkshake before putting my jacket on-I was going on my lunch break and since I was going to be sitting out front, I had to wear my jacket over my uniform.

Jen came with me so that she could give Andy his lunch herself. I put Orion's club sandwich in front of him, then sat in the other seat at the table.

"So, Andy, why are you here so early?" I probed.

Andy looked sheepish, but replied, "During my free period, I called Orion and he said that he was coming over here, so I decided to skip Chemistry. You both know how much Chemistry and I don't mix, just like it didn't for you. Orion picked me up at the school and here we are."

I looked back and forth at Andy and Orion, wondering how long they had been friends and how they got to know each other. So I asked Orion these questions and he told me that they met about two months ago at a jam session in Carson's house, who was the bassist in the band. A good friend of Andy, Selena, is Carson's sister. She invited Andy over for this jam session, as she knew how much Andy was interested in being in a rock band. I only really found out about Orion about a week ago, when Andy was blaring one of his songs.

"Want a French fry, Madison?" Andy asked me.

"No, thanks anyway, kid," I said.

"It ain't gonna hurt you," Orion teased. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You know, Orion, Madison will normally eat just about anything," Andy informed Orion, which irritated me.

"Andy!" I shot at my brother and turned to Orion. "Yeah, doesn't really matter what I do, I don't ever get much bigger," I said, more to cover up my embarrassment than anything else.

"And if she does, she just dances it off," Andy said. "Oh yeah, another thing-you should hear her sing; she's amazing!"

"Let me remind you that I only sing in the shower, Andrew," I countered.

"Alright, let's get you a shower then," Orion said, smirking. I was so glad that Damian wasn't there at that moment, because I knew Orion would be dead within seconds with his obvious attempts at flirting.

"Uh huh, how about we don't...and say we didn't?" I suggested. Orion just smiled. I looked at Andy. "I've got to get back to work, kiddo. I'll see you tonight. Better find out what you missed in Chemistry. Mom would be so mad if she found out you skipped class!"

"Didn't you start working at this morning?" Orion asked me.

"Yes," I said. "Why?"

"Well, wouldn't the normal quitting time be after lunch? That's still considered the afternoon is it not?"

"I'm working a double shift today," I said. "Times are...tough...so I do double shifts whenever I can." I got up and took the glasses and plates. "See you later, Andy."

"Bye," Andy said. I started walking to the back of the restaurant. "Hey, you have a girlfriend. What were you doing, coming on to my sister?" I couldn't help but smile as I heard Andy's whispered objection to Orion's behavior.

Technically, my second shift started an hour before my first shift ended. My manager assured me that I'd still be getting paid for sixteen hours, not just fifteen. He did ask me why I willingly took so much work all the time. I explained to him that my mother was trying to keep us in our family home, despite the fact that she was a single mom and could only find part-time work for now. As her eldest child, I felt an obligation to help out my mom, at least until Andy was on his own. My boss, Bruce, was a great guy, and I appreciated his concern.

"Madison, please go home!" Maggie, one of the second shift girls said. "You're so close to falling asleep, it's not even funny. And you have to be here tomorrow at seven! That's barely six hours of sleep, if you go home at eleven!" It was almost ten o'clock now.

"Don't worry," I reassured Maggie.

"I swear if I see you tomorrow after three, I'm gonna kick your ass!" she warned me playfully.

"My shift is over at three-thirty," I reminded her.

"Okay, fine. If I see you after that and you're still working-I'll escort you out the door," Maggie said. "For tonight, please go home early. I'll clock you out at eleven, but make sure you just go home."

"She's right," Emma, one of the other girls said. "You're here like all the time. No wonder most of the regulars know you. Go home, Madison. Spend some time with your mom and Andy."

"Am I being mentioned again?" My eyes went to the front door. Sure enough, it was Andy who said that as he walked into the restaurant.

"What the hell!" I said, going over to him. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come and keep you company for the last hour, then we can go home together," Andy explained.

"Did you get a transfer?" Maggie asked.

"Um, yeah," Andy said.

"Good, so you can take your sis and get on the next bus," she told him, coming over to us with my jacket and bag.

"You're going home early?" Andy asked. He looked hopeful. I just sighed and nodded. "Cool!"

I put my stuff into my bag and did up my jacket. After a quick good-bye to the staff, Andy and I left. We were about to cross the parking lot, when a car stopped in front of us.

I felt Andy stiffen slightly as the owner of the car stepped out. I felt somewhat the same, but had to stay calm as my boyfriend Damian walked around the car to us.

"I thought you had another hour left," Damian said, standing in front of me. I was about a foot shorter than him, at five foot four. He was taller than most guys, at six foot three.

"Everyone convinced me to leave early because I was falling asleep," I said, shrugging.

"Okay," Damian said. "Well, want a ride home?" He glanced at Andy. Neither of them liked each other very much. Andy was only a little taller than me, maybe only two inches. So, he wasn't very intimidating compared to Damian, but that didn't mean my brother was scared of him. Andy was quicker on his feet and could outsmart Damian any day.

To stay on the safe side, I stepped forward and spoke, before Andy could do anything.

"Yes, thanks," I answered, while Damian just smiled. I got into the front seat, while Andy took the rear. Damian pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the main street of the town of Knightsbridge, where we lived.

"So, I'm going to be leaving tomorrow for that business trip I told you about," Damian told me. "It's only for a few weeks, maybe a month. I'm sure you can do some stuff while I'm gone."

I was glad it was dark, so that he couldn't see the look of disappointment on my face. I looked back at Andy, but he was staring intently out the window. I looked at his hands, to see them clenched into fists on his knees. I took a deep breath, looked back out the front window and said that my time would be spent working and hanging out with my family.

As soon as the car stopped, Andy jumped out, said thanks and good-bye, and all but ran into the house. I frowned.

"So," Damian said.

"I really wish we could spend more time together now," I said. "But I've got to get to work at seven tomorrow morning."

"Alright," Damian said with a sigh. Then he gave me a long fervent kiss.

Sad to leave him, I shrugged and gave him a look that, I hope, seemed extremely apologetic, before getting out of the car and walking into the house. Mom was in the living room watching TV, while Andy was sitting on the stairs leading up to the second floor.

"Hi, honey. You must be exhausted!" Mom said to me. I told her a bit about my day, listened to her account of a funny incident at work, then gave her a hug and went up the stairs to bed.

I lay in bed for a while thinking about everything-especially about Orion and Damian. Andy's room was right next to mine and I knew he wasn't asleep either, because I could hear him get up for a glass of water. Then, he put on a CD of Orion's band, Horizon. Andy said that Orion had come up with the name Horizon himself.

His voice floated through the wall and into my room.

I sighed and rolled over, facing away from the wall separating my room from Andy's room. I closed my eyes and allowed Orion' voice to drift around me.

I fell asleep as the song ended, with images of Orion on a stage singing that song in my head.

THE NEXT DAY, after work I walked from the bus stop to my house, totally exhausted. The lack of sleep wasn't good and Fridays were especially tiring because everyone seemed to want to come eat at Wayside. I wound up having to work until four, because there were a few people who just didn't seem to want to leave my section.

I was feeling so lethargic, I didn't even stop and try to figure out who the car in my driveway belonged to; I just opened up the front door and walked in.

"No way! You are so not passing me!" Andy shouted.

I looked into the living room to see him and Orion sitting on the floor, Orion leaning against the couch and playing some war simulation video game. I was kind of surprised that Orion was here, because Andy hardly ever invited his friends over-unlike me, whose friends came over regularly, especially Lindsay.

"Looks like I am, bro," Orion said.