Broken Wing (Arthur Academy Book 1)

by Kathleen Mareé

  I didn’t miss the rise of her brow, or the honest confusion on her face. I know she’s not stupid, but she still doesn’t understand the need for me to earn my own money the old-fashioned way. Yeah, the academy is basically paid for, but what about after that? I’ll need somewhere to live, I’ll need to survive on my own, and I don’t have a rich family that can just hand over stuff like that. I mean, I don’t even have a cell phone, which is why I’m taking a chance just going down to this diner in the first place instead of calling ahead. But I figure, it might be harder to refuse someone a trial for a new job in person. That’s my hope at least, because if it doesn’t work out then it’ll be hell embarrassing being rejected in person.

  “Look, I don’t ask you to understand, but if you are my friend can you just respect my decision at least? Can you do that?” I hold my breath wondering if this is a game of befriending the new girl and she’s over it, even though the last few weeks have told my gut otherwise. But as soon as her sullen face turns alight into a smile and she tosses her arms around me, I can’t deny the breath of relief I let out.

  “Ofcourse I can. I just don’t want you to be too busy to spend time with me, that’s all.”

  “Thank you,” I mutter, awkwardly wrapping my hands around her too. “Oh, and Lucy…. Can I get a ride?”

  It was after five by the time Lucys mini cooper pulled up in the diner carpark. Considering it was still early, I was more than surprised to see the carpark half full when we hopped out of her car. On entry, the faux palm trees and hanging zambrayos totally nailed the Mexican theme, and I was pleasantly surprised at how cool a vibe this place had. There were loads of students already seated along the main bench in the middle of the diner, that had a buffet of tacos loaded across the top. Hanging above it were the words, ‘Taco Tuesdays’ written in hot pink chalk on the board above the main counter; the bell signalling our entry as we continued inside. The rest of place was all timber booths that lined the rest of the room, and a pop playlist bopping in the background.

  “This place is cool,” I mutter, taking everything in before me.

  “Well do you want me to stay with you or…?” Lucy asks as she gazes around the room as I head straight for the main counter. It didn’t go unnoticed that the phone in her hand was going off with messages again, so if she had somewhere to be, that was totally fine with me.

  “No, you go. I’ll sort myself a ride if they don’t want me to work.”

  “Are you sure?” she asks, causing me to nod. “Well, I’ll see you later then. Goodluck!” I get a brief hug from Lucy before she sashays out the door.

  “Welcome to Tizys! Would you like a booth or a seat at the buffet?” A bubbly young girl with a short midnight-bob, asks me as I reach the counter.

  I smile. “I was actually wanting to speak to a Manager about the job advertised?” I pull out the crumpled bit of paper from my pocket, as the young girl tilts her head inquisitively.

  “Oh, did you have an interview with my Papa?”

  “Erm, no, no I didn’t phone ahead, I thought… I was in the area and I wanted to come and ask about the job in person,” I stated semi-confidently; starting to wonder if this was a bad idea after all. But no sooner the concerns rise, the girl skates away through the double kitchen doors.

  “Well, that went well…” I mumble, leaning myself on the counter and glancing at the diner behind me. There were so many people in our Academy uniform, that my pulse rose with the worry I might see Paxton and his friends here. But then on the same note, I did what I needed to do and that was to thank him for getting my glasses back. I didn’t owe him anything else now, and besides, it’s not like we were friends. With any luck I wouldn’t have anything to do with any of them from now on.

  “So, what’s this about a job?”

  I spin around to see an elderly man with a slight accent folding his arms behind the counter, with the young girl beside him. He had the same dark hair and olive skin that she did, and was wearing a red plaid shirt. Despite the obvious age difference and gender, you could tell they were related as the girl had mentioned earlier.

  “I’m Hendrix James sir, and I was wondering if you had filled the position for the waitress you had advertised?” Again, I show him the crumpled paper, and his eyes glanced up at me with suspicion.

  “You saw this in the Arthur Academy paper?”

  “Ah, yes sir.”

  He sighed. “Look, I don’t know how many times I need to tell you people, but I won’t keep wasting my time. Like I’ve told your friends, I never put the advertisement in there so if this is some kind of a joke, we aren’t interested.”

  He takes a step away whilst I’m silent for a second trying to understand his words, before I call out. “No, sir I think you have it all wrong. This isn’t a joke. I really need the money.”

  He stops and cautiously takes a step back toward me. “Aren’t you a student at the Academy?”

  “Yes, sir I am, but I’m on scholarship.”

  He eyes me up and down curiously, before nodding his head to the booth against the side wall. I follow behind and take a seat opposite him.

  “So, you really need the money huh?” He folds his arms across the table like he still doesn’t believe me.

  “I definitely need the money sir. I come from a smaller town a few hours from here, and am just looking to get a good degree to set myself up. I need the money. I have no family here, and I promise you that I’m a fast learner, I’m smart and I will never be late.”

  “You look young. How old are you?”

  “I’m 17 sir. I graduated a year early, and just started here this semester.” I couldn’t help the tremble in my hands, as I sat and waited for his decision. When the silence continued to drag on, I cleared my throat. “So… the job hasn’t been filled yet?” I asked hopefully.

  He shakes his head with a sigh. “Not yet. Look I’m willing to give you a trial, but any funny business from you or your friends and it’s over. We get all kinds of people here and we don’t discriminate, but if I find out that you’re treating my customers otherwise, then it will go no further.”

  I smiled warmly. “I understand.”

  “Good! Eh Bella!” he calls, as the short girl from earlier comes bounding over. “Grab Hendrix an apron, she’s going to start today.” Bella’s round, dark eyes light up as she nods enthusiastically, before I follow her to the back of the restaurant.

  “I’m so excited to meet you Hendrix! I’ve never worked with anyone before. Well unless you count my papa who you just met. He’s our chef and I run the front counter. But now we’ve added the booths in here, we really need the extra pair of hands.”

  I let Bella show me the basics, like where to put the orders, where the dishes go and where I collect the food to take to the customers. It all seems pretty easy. I only need to serve the booths after they place their orders with Bella, so I’m pretty sure I can handle it.

  “After close we have a cleaner that comes to do the dishes. That’s my mama. So, it’s really just taking the plates to the tables and clearing them when the customers leave. Which means I can stay here at the counter to take the orders.”

  Again, I nod in understanding. “Sounds great.”

  It had been at least an hour by the time I’d had some basic training, and I was standing beside Bella at the counter waiting for the orders to come through for the tables. It seemed pretty simple. I just chatted to Bella in between customers and smiled politely at anyone ordering. Whilst she was a little shy, she was chatty, and so far I’d learned that she was a senior at the local highschool, Armadore Public, and not the private academy that Lucy and her friends came from, and this diner had been in her family for generations. She chatted between customers, which were mostly juniors from school, but they barely noticed me. And I wasn’t sure if it was because I was still a nobody there, being a few years younger, or whether it was because people like them didn’t notice the help at a place like this.

  “Four for tacos ‘cest b
ella’ Bella.”

  I glance up at the laugh and voice of Banks who leans across the counter, smirking at Bella as she rings up his order on the register. Sure enough, it’s three of the Arthur Elite, and I can’t help but wonder where their fourth member is, whilst simultaneously shoving down any feelings of disappointment that he doesn’t appear to be with them.

  “Ah and look who it is. You get around new girl.”

  “Thanks,” I smile tightly.

  “So, does that mean you get to wait on me tonight? Because I’m sure I had this exact dream last night. Except you were wearing this short, little skirt that showed me how ripe your tight a….”

  “And is that all?” Bella questions sweetly, thankfully interrupting whatever the hell Banks was about to say. He laughs. “For now, cutie.”

  He saunters away with River beside him, whilst Austin treks behind slowly, completely immersed in his phone. Again, thoughts of Paxton float to the surface, and of the way he intervened with Amber today. I can’t help but feel like there’s more to him somehow. But I shake my head to rid myself of trying to decipher that puzzle. He’s not my problem to solve.

  “Do you know them?” Bella asks, dragging me from my thoughts.

  “Oh, those guys are Juniors at the Academy. Thankfully they aren’t in any of my classes, but I do need to put up with them in the cafeteria unfortunately.”

  “Why are the hot ones always jerks?” She asks dreamily, glancing at Banks as he plonks himself down at the end of the buffet. I couldn’t help but feel relief that they were choosing to sit there, as it meant I wouldn’t have to serve them at all tonight. A tiny bit of information I was more than happy to keep to myself.

  A few hours later, the place was packed. The buffet in the middle was overcrowded, as most of the people were here for the ‘Taco Tuesday’ thing that was going on, but I was kept busy enough with the booths that were filling as well. Thankfully, most of them seemed like middle-class families and some seniors from school. If my shifts here were like this all the time, this job was going to be too easy to balance with my class schedule and papers.

  On my way back from the kitchen, I jumped at the holler from Lucy at the counter. “Look at you all dressed up. I gotta’ say Hendrix you kinda’ look hot in that apron. I mean, a girl could turn for you.”

  “Ha-ha,” I mock, wiping my hands down the front and strolling over. “What are you guys doing here?” I ask with a smile, glancing at her with Mercedes and Gabe chatting animatedly beside her.

  “We came to support you!”

  “But how did you know I even had the job?”

  Lucy’s eyes widened at first, but she brushed it off nervously adding, “As if they wouldn’t have hired you. I knew they would. And we just had to be here for your first day.”

  “Well, that and she threatened to reveal all of our dark and nasty secrets if we didn’t show up,” Gabe muttered, causing Lucy to give him a playful nudge. He laughed, whilst Mercedes glanced toward the buffet shuddering.

  “As long as I’m nowhere near those jerks. I’m good.”

  I couldn’t help but glance to the table that had her attention, to see it’s where Banks, Austin and River were still sitting. They seemed to be distracted chatting to some seniors from school but when I glanced back to my friends, it wasn’t only Mercedes giving them an evil eye – but Lucy as well.

  “If you guys go and sit in a booth, I’ll serve you. Go on, I’ll bring you guys your order.” I watched as they sat in the booth near the entrance, before the kitchen bell rung to signal I had another order to take out, effectively shutting off my thoughts.

  Back to work I guess.

  “So, do you guys want anything else?” I ask as I find myself back at the booth where Lucy, Gabe and Mercedes were still eating some time later.

  “Yeah, can you tell me how many calories are in this meal, because I’ll definitely need to workout tomorrow. I ate way too much. Who knew Mexican was my weakness.”

  “Are you sure it’s only Mexican that’s your weakness honey?” Gabe bites playfully at Mercedes, earning the biggest dagger from her.

  “Oh no. She definitely has a thing for bad boys too. Remember that seedy guy outside the club last Spring? I’m telling you Hendrix if you can imagine Russell Brand without a shower and the funnies – he became Mercedes toy boy after her drunk eyes couldn’t see straight,” Lucy remarked tossing a taco chip at her playfully.

  Mercedes smiled, but there was an uneasy squirm to her as well. It was uncomfortable to watch, so I began stacking their plates to give me something else to focus on. When the bell to the main door rang, I automatically glanced toward it and had the breath sucked from my lungs when Paxton Reed strutted inside. He was like an inferno, tense yet demanding and even I couldn’t deny how insanely hot he was. Like Bella said earlier, why are the hot ones always jerks. He briefly glances my way, but it’s like he doesn’t really see me when he turns away instantly and keeps walking toward the buffet where his friends were still seated. I wasn’t sure if he had seen me or not, but I couldn’t deny the disappointment I felt that he all but ignored me. What was that even about….?

  I turn back to Gabe, who was still trash talking Mercedes bad taste in guys. A grin may be plastered on my face, but my ears were barely listening. It’s like I became too aware of the person seated behind me. Like his very presence was somehow stifling the air pressure or something. Was it hot in here? And what happened to the intense stare-offs he’d given me since I arrived? I didn’t want to admit it, but the fact that he barely glanced at me - had bothered me. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t.

  “Ugh, look who’s joined the pack. Let’s hope his princess bride doesn’t show,” Lucy mutters, whilst simultaneously widening her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, as I reach for the last plate.

  “Anyway, what time do you finish? I can wait and give you a ride?”

  I glanced at the quiet counter where a bored-looking Bella slumped her hip. “I’m not sure. I can’t even get into my dorm now anyway given the curfew. Hey, who do I need to speak to about lifting that? If I’m working now, I’m going to need to get into my room after 9pm?”

  Gabe laughs. “Goodluck with that one honey. You’re on the scholarship floor which means you have no chance of getting the rules changed. You may just need to find a bunk buddy to help you out in those sticky situations.” He waggles his brows suggestively, until thankfully, Lucy intervenes. “You can crash with me Hendrix. No sweat. But you need to get yourself a cell phone so we can at least keep in touch with you.”

  I nodded. As soon as I had a pay check, it was definitely first on my list, which is what I muttered as I balanced the stacked plates in my overfilled arms.

  “Well, we should go shopping this weekend. Mercedes and I will take you to the Springs Mall. Girls day!”

  “Hell yeah,” Gabe shrieked, causing Lucy to raise her eyes at him questionably.

  “What? I’m all for girls’ day? I’m the token gay, it’s my right!”

  “I thought you didn’t do labels?” Mercedes questions.

  “Only when it suits me,” he shrugs.

  I feel a pair of hands covering my eyes, before a voice whispers, “Guess who?”

  Tucker.

  I didn’t understand why he felt so comfortable touching me all the time. It was a little unsettling, so I wiggled from out of his grasp, careful not to drop my stack. But my occupied hands meant his own had fallen from my eyes to my hips instead. Great.

  “You’re late!” Gabe states, brow raised.

  “I know, I had some family stuff to take care of,” he dismisses, before moving his eyes to me. “I didn’t want to miss your first day. How did it go?”

  I nodded. “Pretty well, I think. I’m just going to clean up and find out when I can leave.”

  “I can give you a ride?” he offers instantly.

  “Oh, thanks, but Lucy already offered. Besides, I’m crashing with her tonight so….” I muttered, wanting
this conversation to be over. I liked Tucker, I did, he seemed like a sweet guy, but he’d already tried asking me out and I wasn’t feeling that way about him. He was kind, and thoughtful and had become a good friend, but I didn’t really want to date anyone. Which is why I found it odd that a pair of brown eyes seemed to flash in mind at that thought, along with the same shiver that caressed my spine.

  “Luce, I can take her, I haven’t eaten yet anyway.”

  I glanced at Lucy, my eyes pleading with hers and hoping that she understood. Unfortunately, she took that as an opportunity to try and hook me up instead.

  “Oh, how sweet of you to offer Tucker,” she smiles, winking at me happily. “That’s great too because I have a tonne of Finance notes to finish anyway so…..” I stood silently as Mercedes, Gabe and Lucy all slid from the booth, air kissing me as they passed and then exited the diner. I turned to see Tucker staring right at me like the kitten who just caught the canary.

  “Umm, I’ll just go and take these to the kitchen.” I shuffled away, doing my best not to look back, or look over to a pair of brooding eyes that I could now feel burning right through me.

  Right when I least expected them to.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Paxton

  I took a long drive after I left my fathers house, as I was in no mood to sit at the diner and listen to Banks talk shit all night. I couldn’t help the anger that just kept burning inside. The fucking nerve of my father to think I’ll just marry that slut. I hated Amber and everything her and her family stood for. It was one thing to tolerate her antics at school, but an entirely different thing for me to be fucking tied to her forever. This was the one time I was going to have to fight my father on something. And that, was going to be hard to navigate it itself. He had an unorthodox way of getting me to do things I never wanted to. And it usually involved him hurting my mother. But as I pulled my vintage mustang into the parking lot, the image of my broken mother wouldn’t stop haunting me. What would that mean for her if I didn’t go through with what he wants? How could I be sure that she would be safe from him if I just refused? And like the depths of hell – I wanted to refuse.