But why pretend? (Open)

[daniel christopher johnson]

Daniel was half way through his shift at the restaurant that morning and was currently on his break. Though it didn’t feel like his break. He was currently doing some paperwork that hadn’t been filled out by his co-worker the day before. Which meant that he now had to do it before his manager found out and was going to be very soon if he didn’t finish. It was meant to be due in by 7 that evening and it was drawing in. Half the time throughout this form, he had no idea what he was doing anyway. It wasn’t his to fill out in the first place. “Do I have to do all this paperwork myself?” He muttered, scribbling down something about how many customers the restaurant got daily. How was he supposed to know this stuff? Dan bit down on his lip in anger, nearly screwing up the paper and throwing it in the bin. He had no idea why he was doing it in the first place, he might as well let his co-worker get yelled at for not doing paperwork again. Letting out a angry breath, Dan carried on scribbling away.

Finishing five minutes before his break ended, Dan stood up, folded the sheets in half and placed them where his manager usually checked this stuff. He wasn’t sure what to do now seeing as he’d wasted most of his break sorting out his co-workers business. There wasn’t much he could do now. He plopped himself back in the chair behind the desk again, relaxing in it and closing his eyes. He had working here sometimes. There was way too much hassle. He could’ve gone for something so much simpler, but no, Daniel wanted the waiter’s job. It’s not like he needed a job, he did have money. But whenever he spent it, he felt dirty. Since his parents had nearly ignored him and his little sister for most of their lives, it never really sat right in his mind. Of course, he used it if he had no other choice. Which, while it might not be that often, was more often than he liked to. Daniel heard the chair squeak a little from his weight. He wasn’t all that heavy, the chair was just crap. “They really should get better chairs for in here.” He mumbled, stretching before opening his eyes and standing up. Straightening himself out, Dan walked back through the rear of the restaurant. Checking out the door, he spotted someone who was waiting to be taken to a table.

Walking through the door and towards the person, Daniel put on a smile. Stopping to the right side of the customer, he quickly glanced them over before speaking. “Hey there. I’m Daniel, I’ll be your waiter this evening. Table for one?” Considering his usual attitude was nothing like this, he sometimes had a bit of trouble not retorting to any stupid remarks people made. It hadn’t got him into too much trouble when he did, but Daniel had developed a personality to use when working here. Picking up a menu for one, he waited for the answer. It was obviously a table for one, but there might be someone parking a car or something.

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[rebecca jane grayson]

She was in a somewhat elated mood all day. Her father had actually spared her more than a passing glance last night and had asked her to dinner the next day. Her mother was visiting her great grandmother for the week, Nana had had a fall so she had to go check up on her and get her situated so that left the father daughter duo alone. Her father was constantly away on business, his career was the number one thing in his life and his money was a close second, Bec figured she ranked somewhere under top 5 at least, after his Porshe of course.

He had suggested a restaurant in town for their meal and had promised to meet her there after a meeting at 6:30 in the evening. She had taken care to dress in the way he liked her to, skirt, nice blouse and kitten heels, very lady like, very classy. She had even decided to cut down on her usual snark, if he was making an effort to spend time with her -- no matter how apocalyptic is sounded – she’d make the effort to be tolerable.

She arrived at the restaurant early at 6:20 and waited for twenty minutes for him outside. Her heels began to bother her so she decided to head inside knowing he’d find her. She kept glancing at her phone’s screen as the time ticked on wondering where he could be. By now she was used to his antics, always late due to a meeting or call or some other business matter. She was even used to him bailing on her – though she wouldn’t let her mind go there now .. he was simply late. He’d show. He had to show.

After a few minutes a waiter came by and asked her how many. “Two actually” she told the young man with a tight smile. “I’m waiting on someone” she added and waited to be led to the table. She took one last look at the door hoping to see him.

[daniel christopher johnson]

Giving a quick glance around the restaurant Daniel saw another worker serving someone else. Good. He thought. There was someone else here. Apart from the murmur of the other customers, Dan thought he was the only one here. He would’ve thought that there would be more people out here, but apparently two or three people were enough. It wasn’t especially busy this evening, but there was still quite a crowd. Focusing back on the woman, Dan let his eyes wander over her a bit, taking in her features. She was pretty, to say the least. Blonde hair, blue eyes. It wasn’t hard to say she could’ve been a bit of a hit with the male population. But his speculation could be wrong. It was about most people until he got to know them a tiny bit. However, he’d never seen her here before. If she had been in here before, he hadn’t noticed her. Her face would be quite recognisable though if he ever saw her again. His attention snapped back to her when she started speaking again.

Daniel gave a short nod, taking out another menu as he quickly glanced around. “Follow me please, I have the perfect place.” He said, offering her a gentle smile before walking away. Expecting her to follow him, he moved around the tables to a nice little table for two by the window. It wasn’t exactly secluded, but it wasn’t right where everyone could see them. A party of two always seemed to like those sorts of ones from what he’d seen. Placing the two menus down on each side of the table, Daniel pulled the chair away from the table for her to sit down on. Moving to stand by the side of the table, he pulled the notepad from his back pocket and a pen from his shirt. “There’s a small menu inside that one with the list of the specials and deals we have on today. If you need any assistance, just signal and someone will come over and help.” He explained, smiling at the girl. She could repeat all of this to whoever was coming in later. He wasn’t going to bother to stand around and wait for whoever it was. “Until you’re read to order, can I get you or your friend anything to drink to start off with?” He asked, flipping open the notebook to a clean page. He really needed to rip out the old pages from this. Or get a new notepad, this one was getting a big clogged up. Daniel noted down the table number in the corner of the page before looking back up at the female.

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[rebecca jane grayson]

Upon seeing that her father wasn’t at the door yet she gave a sigh. Where is he? She thought to herself. She tried her best to refocus on the waiter talking to her and just caught the last of his words claiming to have the perfect spot for her and her company to sit. She gave a light nod and a “Thanks” Becca followed the young waiter through the maze of tables she wondered where this ‘perfect’ table was, she hoped it’d be by a window.

As the waiter stopped at a table she was pleased to see it was in fact by the window. She thanked his as he pulled out her chair for her and gracefully sat in place scooting her chair in so that she was close to the table. She examined the menu as he spoke telling her of the specials and what not she nodded her understanding. She had been to this restaurant a couple of times she was quite used to the process.

She thought of what she would order to drink and if she should place an order for her father, though he’d probably want a scotch and she doubted she’d be served the liquor unless the older man was here himself. She thought a bit before answering the waiter’s question of what she’d like to drink.

“I’ll have a water with two lemons please” she said politely. She always had to handle herself properly with an air or elegance it was required as a Grayson. She hated it. “I’ll wait until the other half of my party arrives to place his drink” she told him looking up as he was writing in his little order book. “Oh and extra ice with the water please”

[daniel christopher johnson]

Listening to what the woman ordered, Dan nodded and noted down what was required, making a note about the extra person so that he wouldn’t forget. It would also help if the other half turned up and wanted to know if she’d turned up yet. Daniel gave a small smile and walked off to where they got the drinks ready. It was kept separate from the kitchen, like they all were and was visible to most of the people in the room. Shoving the notebook and pen in his top pocket, Dan proceeded to get her water. It didn’t take long, but he did have to chop up some new lemons for her drink. Shovelling some ice into the glass, he entered the right amount so that it wouldn’t overflow. It did turn icy in a matter of seconds though. He had to not flinch when he picked it up and put it on the small tray. It was a useless gesture, but they still have to do it. Making sure he had everything, Daniel made his way back to the young lady’s table. He placed the glass in front of her before speaking. “I’ll come over to get your orders when the other half of your party arrives.” He nodded again slightly before walking off to another table.

Daniel cleared away a few tables as people left and took a few more orders. All the while, he was glancing over the female who was waiting for someone. It had seemed a little odd that over the course he’d been gone; they hadn’t shown up and was fair to say he was getting a little worried. The restaurant didn’t really deal with these sorts of things often and Dan was certainly awkward around people if it happened. He didn’t really care most of the time. As long as it didn’t directly involve him, then he didn’t give it the time of day. Yet there was something odd about her. Placing down the last plate for another table, he’d decided he was going to go back. “Excuse me, but is the other part of your party going to be here any time soon?” He asked, his features slightly confused. It didn’t seem like they would, but maybe they’d been delayed. It was always a good thing to check just in case. “It’s been a while and I was just wondering.” Dan then added, biting the inside of his cheek. Cue awkwardness from him.

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[rebecca jane grayson]

Rebecca waited for both her drink and her father. At least the drink was certain to come, her father on the other hand was less and less likely to arrive as the time ticked on. She sighed for what felt to be the hundredth time that evening. He could have at least called. Could have at least had his whore of a secretary call or text her. Her water soon arrived carrying the perfect amount of ice, again she thanked the waiter and began to sip on her drink as he walked away.

She sat fiddling with a napkin often glancing for the door. This was ridiculous. Really how was it that she still had hope for the man to show up. He had been disappointing her for eighteen years she should be used to it by now. She hated her parents but most of all she hated herself for not holding their actions against them and the infinite amount of second chances she gave them.

The waiter came back to her after a good amount of time of her sitting there alone. He asked the dreaded question, was her party joining her? It had been a while ”No” she told him unable to hold the bitter tone out of her voice I suppose something of greater importance than a dinner with his only child came up. The words escaped her before she could stop them. Normally she didn’t voice her frustrations to strangers much less anyone, she didn’t complain, she never showed her pain. She ripped the napkin in her hand in half angrily as she felt mortified for her slip in words.

I might as well place an order she then told him trying to regain some semblance of not being pathetic a grilled chicken Caesar saladshe handed him the menus very light on the dressing she avoided looking at the waiter not wanting to see in his eyes any sort of pity. She hated pity.

[daniel christopher johnson]

Daniel bit his tongue to keep the satisfied smirk off his face. He’d thought so. It has seemed very unlikely that her company was going to turn up and what she’d said proved that thought. However, her next remark took him off guard ever so slightly. That took the smirk that he wanted to show completely off his mind. Dan, however, chose to ignore it as there didn’t seem to be any fitting remark for this sort of situation in his mind. Pulling out his note-book and pen, he set his mouth into a thin line. If there was no-one else coming she was going to either have put an order in or walk out. Watching her rip up the napkin, Dan then resisted raising an eyebrow in her direction. Deep within his mind, the little voice told him to cut her some slack. A small pang of guilt twinged within his soul. He’d seen this happen before. But, this was Daniel; he was some sort of a cocky, sarcastic bastard most of the time.

Thankfully, before some sort of comment could fly out of his mouth, Daniel heard her order. Noting down the order and the additions, he shoved the things back into his pocket quickly before taking the menus. “You’re meal will be along shortly.” He said, a small smug tone caught in his voice at the last words. He really ought to try to keep these sorts of feelings to himself, but they came out sooner or later. Walking back over to where the menus where situated, Dan placed them back into their holder. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked over to the female. As long as she didn’t start bawling, then the awkwardness would ease a little. There would still be some where no doubt, but he didn’t want to mop up a crying woman. He could barely stand crying himself, there was no way he was able to try and calm a woman down. Finally managing to make his way over to the kitchen, he called out the order and went to sit down a little. Everyone on his end was fine and only his other co-worker was still walking about. Rubbing his forehead, Daniel sighed. He’d never thought this would happen to him. Stand-ups were always the worst to deal with.

Soon enough he heard the ding from the kitchen, which meant he’d have to walk over to the table again. Daniel placed the plate onto the tray again and made his way over to the woman. Placing the place down in front of her, Dan gulped a little bit. “Would you like another drink? Or are you alright for now?”