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My throat ached and my vision was getting blurry. I was tired of holding in my tears.
Apparently my eyes were too, because once I looked down at the table, two large droplets fell onto the table’s molasses brown wood.
Where was Jatt? He was supposed to show up. Well, truthfully, I hoped he’d show up.
“M’am.”
I looked up, tears and all. No use trying to wipe my eyes on a pink leather jacket.
“Oh-are you okay?” The waitress whispered to me. “You seem-”
I quickly nodded. “Fine. Just getting over a tragedy. I’ll have the chicken strips and fries.”
“Alright. Feel better, ‘kay?” She said, handing out the menu. I nodded again and she left. I took a napkin out of the dispenser and began to wipe my eyes.
Fate made me look straight ahead to see two dark brown eyes staring at me.
The man laughed. “Sorry. It’s just ordered the exact same thing. I think it’s funny we were feelin’ to eat the same thing.”
I laughed. “Yep. It’s a small world…” I trailed off and pulled out my phone.
I texted Jatt.
Where r u?
No response.
“You have to fix things, Rosa.” Mom had told me when I told her Jatt was leaving. “You messed things up and now you’ve gotta try and fix your mistakes.”
“He’s really mad Mama,” I had wailed to her between tears. “If only I hadn’t been so-”
I checked the time. It’s been like thirty minutes. Where were those chicken and fries!?
I sighed. I looked at that man again. He looked funny, a completely round head, skinny neck and big, brown eyes the color of rich wet compost.
Right now he seemed to be reading the back of a ketchup jar, his eyes sliding left to right over and over.
I laughed.
He looked up. “What?”
“Nothing. Just waiting for someone who’s taking forever to get here,”
“Oh, you’ve got a blind date too?” He asked.
“No… my case is kind of different.” I told him.
His mouth hung open. “What is it?”
“Uh, That’s my business! How am I supposed to tell a total stranger!? I don’t even know your name!”
“Bert. Now, what are you here for again?”
“Nunya. Where is that waitress with the food?” I slid out of my seat and walked away.
When I found the waitress I asked her what the hold up was, and she told me there had been a shortage of fried chicken. She was about to announce that to everyone. I’d have to order something else.
A shortage of fried chicken!? They're going to drive me crazy! I thought in my head. How does a fried chicken spot run out of fried chicken!?
When I got back I sat at Bert's table. “You won’t believe what shortage the restaurant’s having,” I told him.
“What, fried chicken?”
“Bingo.”
His eyes widened.
“But that’s what this place is freakn’ known for!”
“I know! Guess we’ll have to order fries and well, fries!” I burst out laughing.
“This is ridiculous! Wait here,” He said, and he got up and left the table. He came back with four packs of orange, waffle fries.
“Woah, do you wanna have a sodium overload? ‘Cause that’s where you’re headed with all those fries,” I said.
“Well, these aren’t all for me, these-” He plopped two of the fry bags in front of me “-are for you.”
“Ew! Sweet potato fries!? I don’t eat no sweet potato fries!” I yelled at him.
“Really, why not?”
“They look nasty.”
“O-so you haven’t tried them, but chu’ gon’ judge ‘em.” he looked at me with his face tilted and his lips pressed together.
Woo, this man was funny.
“Alright, alright. I’ll try theese stupid sweet-potato fries. But what if I don’t like them?”
“Then you can give ‘em right over to me, and I’ll eat them.” He said between chews. “After all, I bought ‘em.”
I took one of the sweet potato fries and just stared at it for a second before closing my eyes and taking a bite.
It was…sweet… and good!
“MMMM! These are better than I expected!” I smiled.
“See, I told you it would be good!”
I smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
We then began to talk about stuff, like last night’s rainstorm, or silly things we’ve done as children.
Then I got a text from Jatt.
My eyes widened. “It’s Jatt! Yes! Finally! I rose my first in the air.
“Who’s Jatt?” asked Bert.
“One second,” I told him quickly, but then I thought deeply. Not putting people first is what got me into this mess. I put my phone down and looked Bert in the eye.
“Jatt is my husband. I haven't seen him in two days because he’s really angry at me. I was always going to the store and overspending, or telling him about my joys and troubles, but never listening to his. Then one day he yelled at me and told me that I never listened, and that it was too late to fix things because he was leaving. He’s been at some hotel for the past couple of days and he hasn’t come back for his stuff yet, so I tried to arrange for us to meet at this chicken spot so maybe he’ll come back to me, and listen to what I have to say.”
Bert sat quiet. “Hm.” Was all he ended up saying, then he got up from the table.
Looks like he was leaving me too, trash and all. Well, I could understand. Kinda hard to get close to a woman who already has a man in her life.
I looked at the text.
Hubby: Just went home to get my clothes. You can have everything else.
My eyes teared up. He didn’t want to come to our meet up spot, but he’d text me about getting his things!? He wanted me to be sad, didn’t he?
Y did u text me this?
Hubby: So you dont think think a robber came in the house. Bye.
Tears came to my eyes, but I wouldn’t let them fall. No one was gonna make me feel like trash and get away with it.
No. u dont get 2 text me about leaving and then not answer me about coming to our date. I wanted to change. To grow. I know I was in the wrong. If youre gonna leave, leave but please, tell me y u didnt show up.
No answer. No answer for two minutes. A tear spilled down my face, but I wiped it away. He’s wronging me right now. I’m not doing him wrong.
Bert came back to the table and smiled. “I think my date’s finally showed up.”
I smiled. “Good for you, Bert. Hope you have a fun night.”
His smile grew. “Take care Rosa.”
“You too, Bert.”
I turned on my phone again. Jatt hadn’t replied. He wouldn’t. Time for me to get up outta here.
I ordered a smoothie and left the place feeling full. The sweet potato fries got me nice and full.
My car chirped twice once I clicked my keychain. Just as I had my hand on the door, I heard:
“Rosa!”
I turned and smiled.
My name is Shila Williams. I am 16 years old and I have been passionate about writing and drawing since I knew how to spell. I grew up in North Carolina, as well as living and traveling abroad. I write to inspire children's minds to imagine and take them on a fun and adventurous journey.
I'm now a published author! Please support my debut book! Check it out here on Amazon! Imagination by Shila Williams
Check out my NFT's!
Meet the girls of Algo Green! Love for the planet and all its inhabitants, big or small. There will only be 50 green girls: https://t.co/yrwWL9ZJZI
my Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/restcity
my read.cash: https://read.cash/@restcity
Hello restcity;
This piece is heavily reliant on the dialogue between the pair; and while I get that you're reporting the conversation, I did wonder if it was a little bit too heavy. The humour of the chicken was fine and the piece came to what felt like an appropriate conclusion. I do wonder though, how by embracing indirect speech at times may have contributed to this piece. What do you think?
I didn't think about that actually. Thanks for the different perspective and thanks for reading!
Who called out to Rosa then? 😔 What I like about this story is the ordinariness of it. There is no conflict the size of seismic activity, just a woman dealing with breakup which was caused by actions and inactions.
Will Bert and Nunya begin a new friendship? At one time, I had a feeling like Bert would turn out to be a stalker or something worse maybe because like Nunya, I judged Bert's physical features in the same manner with which she judged those sweet potato chips.
Keep up the good work and congratulations on your book.
Thanks for reading! I'm glad you liked the story!
You write with a youthful slant. The dialogue is firmly in the realm of “today” and sparks with vitality. The interaction between your characters is an electric slow-burn and we’re warned that they might end up together. Despite being concise, your story has a strong arc and you hold the reader with its progression. Nicely done!
Thank you for engaging with other writers in the community.
Thanks for reading!
Your content has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
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This is such a beautiful sad story with a hopeful ending.
Hopefully Jatt and Rosa get to reunite.
Thanks for reading!
It was my pleasure.