He also told me when I’m on my break at work, I need to call him and tell him when it starts, and again when I go back to work. He says he doesn’t want to be worried about me. I guess that’s pretty sweet.
Shayne and I have become good friends. She’s still trying to plan a night out with me, Trent, and herself, but that hasn’t worked out yet. It’s nearing my break and today Shayne and I are going to the park to have lunch.
“Hey,” I say over my shoulder, as the new customer loads up the conveyor belt. “I’m buying lunch.”
“No way, girl. You have college to save for, I’m buying.”
“I still owe you from the first time.”
“You don’t owe me nothing.” I really want to tell her it’s ‘you don’t owe me anything’, but she once told me she feels dumb when she talks to me. And I’m the last person in the world who wants her to feel anything other than what she is – a beautiful person and an amazing friend. “Five minutes, and I’ve got something to tell you,” she whispers.
Five minutes seem to go on forever, but our break finally comes and Shayne and I start walking out. “Hang on, I just need to call Trent.”
“Okay.” She walks ahead into the deli.
I dial Trent’s number and it goes to voicemail. “Hey, it’s me. Shayne and I are just going on our break. We’re going to the park. I’ll call you just before my shift starts again.” I hang up, putting the phone back in my pocket and jogging into the deli.
“I ordered for you. You’re usual. Pastrami on rye with extra mustard. I’m getting a soda, do you want one?”
“Just water, thanks.”
Delores, the older lady behind the counter smiles at me. “Hi there, Lily. You getting excited? You’ll be going to college soon and leaving this place behind.”
“I’ll never leave it behind, I’m just migrating for the season,” I say, she laughs. Delores has been so kind, and she always gives me extra pastrami, telling me I’m too skinny. Trent recently told me I’m starting to put on weight and he doesn’t want to be known as the guy with the fat girlfriend. When I’m at home, he dishes up my dinner, and I just eat that. But Delores always gives me extra food.
“You’re a good girl, Lily. You’ll make it far.”
“And she’s super smart,” Shayne pipes up.
“Thank you,” I reply, but I know they’re just trying to be nice, nothing more.
Shayne grabs our lunches and goes to hand over the money to pay for both, but I beat her to it and pay with my money. It makes me feel so proud I can do that. I got that money through working hard for it, and it’s mine to spend. A huge sense of achievement and accomplishment washes over me. It’s something so trivial to most, because they haven’t had to eat rotten fruit, or go days without anything more than water and maybe someone else’s discarded leftovers. To them this is so small. To me, it’s a massive confidence booster that I, Lily Anderson, can do it.
“Guess what I heard?” Shayne says once we’re out of the deli.
“What?”
“I heard Stacey talking on the phone and saying if he doesn’t leave his wife, she’s going to tell everyone they’re having an affair.”
My very first reaction is to say, “Who was she talking to?” But the moment the words left my mouth, I immediately backtracked. “You know, never mind. It really has nothing to do with me. I don’t want to know.”
“Doesn’t matter anyway, she was on her cell talking to whoever.”
“I told you, I don’t want to know.”
“You’re funny.” She laughs and runs ahead to our table at the park. It’s nearing the end of the summer and the temperature has begun to cool slightly during the days. “Come on,” Shayne happily encourages me to hurry up. “Come on.” From a distance she looks so happy and carefree. But the real Shayne has a story to tell, just like everyone else in the world.
“I’m here already.” I sit at the table and unwrap my extra plump sandwich.
“So, we have to go out before you go to college and forget all about me.” She bites into her lunch.
“How can I forget about you? You’re really the only friend I’ve ever had. Unless you can count Delores and the ladies at the thrift shop I used to go to.”
“What?” Shayne looks up at me, her eyes bursting with wonder.
I’ve never really told her about my past, it’s embarrassing and beyond humiliating. “I used to go to this thrift shop sometimes. The ladies there were really nice.”