Chapter 3 Ch 3

Sitting across from her, not saying a word sat Robert, the six-foot-two German dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and a pair of flip-flops; another project for Kayla although she would probably have more luck with him than she's had with me. His broody silence made him a wildcard which, for some strange reason, kept the vultures at bay. It's not as if he'd suddenly attack and break someone's neck or something.

Robert and Violet smiled at us as we sat down.

"So, we heard you had a fiery start." Violet teased, stealing the piece of chocolate cake which had been placed on my tray.

I showed her the bandage on my arm. "And I have battle scars to prove it."

Kayla and Violet ooh-ed and aah-ed as I told them the story, ending in how I had felt sorry for Ricky so had covered for him.

"Well that was nice of you." Robert's German heritage was evident in his speech.

"Could you imagine what a reception I would have got from the jocks and cheerleaders if I had let him get detention? Ouch! That would have been painful."

We all winced at the thought. I'd probably be strung up like a piñata and beaten to death, slowly and agonisingly.

"So what are the plans for the weekend?" Violet changed the topic. "I'm going to be helping with the planning of this year's haunted house so we're meeting tomorrow. It's going to be awesome! I was even thinking of suggesting a haunted hayride... but I doubt they'll go along with it."

I couldn't help but grin at Vi's enthusiasm when it came to planning the blood and gore which went along with Halloween.

"This Sunday is the remembrance day of those who died in the Holocaust from my home town - my family will be celebrating their legacy." in one rather depressing revelation, Robert made our plans seem trivial in comparison.

We sat for a moment in silence, not too sure what to say. Luckily Kayla broke the ice with a comment on how great it was that the Holocaust victims would be remembered in such a nice way. Kay always one to see the brighter side of life.

"My dad's organised for Callie and I to work at the hospital as volunteers so hopefully we can start this weekend." Kayla looked at me for confirmation.

I nodded briefly.

"Well, I'm working at the restaurant this afternoon, but tomorrow should be fine."

Conversation soon turned to a charity concert which was being held at the Town Hall at the end of the month to raise money for the hospital. None of us were invited – being underage – but that didn't stop us from fantasising about it. It was supposed to be this grand affair. Kay and I had often watched her mother get ready for the event when we were children, making us yearn for when we were old enough to dress up and tag along. That yearning hadn't dulled all these years later.

The rest of the school day flew by in a blur of insults and angry comments, but I never saw Ricky after I had left him with the nurse. I was rather glad. He's probably find a way to blame me for the incident, just to make himself look good in front of all of his worshipers.

My mother picked me up from school in the restaurant's delivery van (shoot me now) and was horrified to hear about the drama of the day.

"Where on earth was your teacher while this Ricky was attempting to blow you up?" she demanded, more angry with Mr Porter than she was with Ricky. "The supervision in the schools these days is just shocking."

I left her to rant about the education system as I plaited my hair for work; long hair was a pain when it came to dealing with food. We pulled up outside Aphrodite's Haven, the restaurant my parents had owned and run since before my birth, and I made my way to the kitchen. Mikael, my cousin and the head chef of the Haven since as long as I could remember, greeted me with a kiss on the cheek.

"I got a call from you brother this morning, Callie. He said to tell you that he misses you and will have to organize a skype chat soon." he grinned, obviously amused that Nik had called him before he had called me.

Mikael's wife shuffled into the kitchen and sat down on a vacant chair. Being eight months pregnant with their third child, Stella had an excuse to be constantly tired however, no matter how tired she was, she refused to not be at work. I stood behind her and massaged her shoulders, trying to talk her into going home since I had arrived.

"No, there isn't enough staff for tonight. One of the waitresses called in sick so you're going to have to take her place. I'll just sit here and chop veggies and whatever else comes my way." she winked at me and grabbed a knife as her husband placed a bowl of carrots in front of her.

I went to the locker room and changed into the black, knee-length dress which all the waitresses wore. The hem and straps were decorated with gold embroidery in patters symbolic of ancient Greece, something which my father insisted on to bring the feel of Greece into the restaurant. The restaurant itself was covered in murals of ancient Greece and Greek gods and some random plastic potted trees which stood in strategic positions.

By the time five o'clock came the restaurant was buzzing, filled with both the local regulars and the random tourist who made their way to Carmel to get away from the bustling cities of California. As always, there were the few diners who were ignorant enough to be fascinated by their discovery of a Greek restaurant with a Greek waitress who could speak Greek (I mean seriously? What are the odds?).

I was carrying my tray of drinks to a table when my eye caught a family who had just walked through the door and were being seated by my mother – none other than Ricky with his mother and his little sister. I was just glad that I didn't have to serve them tonight. My good deed for the day had given me nothing but trouble. I had been verbally and physically attacked the whole day and I didn't feel like facing the cause just yet. Instead I dropped the drinks off at the table which had ordered them and made a detour toward the kitchen.

"Callista?"

I turned around and came face to face with the guy I'd tried to avoid.

"Umm, hi." I replied, trying to sound casual while attempting to suppress an urge to whack the jerk over the head with my tray.

"Listen, I heard what you did for me today. You know, saying that what happened in Chemistry today was your fault and all that. I know you did it so I wouldn't get kicked off the team , Nurse said so, so I guess I owe you one." His voice sounded unsteady. "And I'm sorry I was such a prick this morning."

His eyes fell to the gauze bandage on my arm.

"Nurse didn't tell me you had been burned too."

The look of remorse on his face seemed genuine.

"Just a small burn, I can't even feel it." I lied.

"Ok, I'm glad." he said and began to turn around and head back to his family. "Oh, Callie?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

With that I watched as he walked back to join his family.