Lunchbox Friends | Aaron Hull

26

Alexa's Point of View

After we finished our ice cream, I had to go home and get ready for work at the diner. We got in his car, he turned on the radio as he drove.

"When do you get off?" Aaron asked as his car approached my house.

"Probably around eight," I said.

"I can pick you up," He offered.

"No that's fine," I shook my head as I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Well how did you plan on getting home," He asked.

"Walking?" I questioned as I stood up.

"In the dark?" He asked concerned.

"I'll be fine Aaron," I said.

"See you at eight," He smiled as I shut the door to his car.

He drove off as I walked into my house to get ready, with a smile on my face.

***

I turned the corner, eventually making my way towards the diner's doors. I wanted this shift to speed by so I could see Aaron.

As I walked in, I noticed the waiting area piling up, "Really busy today, huh?" I asked Samantha as I walked to the back room to get my apron.

"No," Samantha shook her head. "Just understaffed."

"Understaffed?" I questioned as my neck snapped to face in her direction.

"Yeah," She sighed. "Kathy never came in."

"Seriously?" I asked. "Fuck."

My mind started racing and my nerves started to go haywire. I picked up my phone and dialed her number. I put the phone close to my ear. After thirty seconds of repetitive ringing I was greeted by her voice, "Hey it's-"

"Kathy. Are you okay?" I said.

"-Come to the phone right now. Just leave me a message."

"Huh?" I questioned. "She never picked up?"

I hung up the phone, and went to find my boss.

"Hey," I said peeking into his office. "Kathy was on schedule for today?"

"Yeah," He said nervously.

He ran his hand through his thick black hair. My boss was young probably in his thirties. I wonder how he owned such a popular diner at such a young age.

"Sir I-"

"It's Tarver," He said referring to his name. "Anyways, yes, she was on schedule and she never showed. I thought that maybe you'd know why."

"No," I shook my head. "But doesn't this scare you?" I asked him.

"Yeah," He nodded. "Fuck. We should go check on her. Sorry about my language, my bad."

"Don't worry about that," I said. "I'm thinking the same thing. Let's go."

"The diner is so understaffed though. If you go and I go, how is Samantha and Daniel supposed to handle everything?" Asked Tarver.

"Call in Joyce," I said. "Tell her it's an emergency. Make one of the chefs do it if you have to. We have to go check on Kathy."

"Yeah. You're right. Here's my car keys. Go start the car. I'll catch up with you after I call in Joyce," He said getting nervous.

"Okay," I said grabbing his keys and racing out the diner.

I approached the parking lot, what car was even his. I clicked the button on his car to unlock it and relock it. I clicked the buttons a few times back and forth and followed the sound of the clicking. He drove a Cadillac. It looked super expensive.

I started the car with his keys and sat in the passenger side. I tapped my foot impatiently waiting for my boss to return. As I waited, I called Kathy once again but was sent to voicemail after the ringing.

Soon enough, my boss, Tarver, was joining me in the car. He started to drive, "I don't even know where she lives," He stammered.

"Glenbrook," I said. "The apartments. thirty-four-B I think.. maybe thirty-five..?"

"Okay," He said. "Then I have to do a U-turn."

He whipped the car around and continued to drive. His driving was quite reckless, but under the circumstances it made sense.

"She's been acting weird," I said. "Haven't you noticed?"

"I have," He said. "But I thought maybe it was a part of the whole.. grieving process."

"I don't know," I said softly and shrugged looking out the window.

The trees moved by so fast past me, my vision couldn't keep up.

Soon enough, he sped into the complex's parking lot. We rushed out the car and headed towards the apartment.

"Thirty-four or thirty-five?" Asked Tarver.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Whichever door is at the end of the strip."

"Thirty-four then," He said knocking on the door. "Kathy!"

There was no response.

"Fuck," I whispered as I looked around the small porch.

I lifted a plant pot and there, taped to the bottom, was a spare key, "Spare," I said handing it to Tarver.

*TRIGGER WARNING*

He unlocked the door and we rushed up the stairs in a hurry.

"Kathy?"

He checked the bathroom as I entered her bedroom, "She's not in her room!" I called.

I left her room and rush into Delilah's. Kathy was lying on the ground. She seemed lifeless.

"Oh fuck," I muttered under my breath.

I dropped to my knees as I shook her body, "Kathy?" I was choking on my tears now.

Near her arm, was an empty syringe, "Tarver!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I felt at any passing moment I would just vomit.

"Oh fuck," He said as he rushed into the room. "Call nine-one-one!"

I grabbed my phone. The world felt like it was in slow motion. I dialed nine-one-one. I heard the phone pick up. Without giving the operator the chance the talk, I started to sob into the phone.

"There's been an overdose. The Glenbrook apartments. Apartment thirty-four-B. Please be quick," I was sobbing.

"Okay, I am sending EMT's immediately. What is your name?" Asked the operator.

"Alexa. Alexa Miller. Her name is Kathy. I'm her coworker and her friend. I just.. I found her like this. She was late to work and I had to come see if she was okay," I was crying and hyperventilating.

I looked over to Tarver who was trying to preform CPR on her.

"Fuck," I cried out, completely forgetting I was on the phone with the operator.

Soon, the room was filled with EMT's. They were pushing her into the ambulance on the stretcher.

"Fuck," I kept saying not knowing what else to say.

"Let's go Alexa," Said my boss.

"Where?" I asked.

"We're gonna go meet Kathy at the hospital," He said. "C'mon Alexa."

He helped me up and walked me to his car. Helping me stay steady. I couldn't believe what my eyes had witness just a few moments earlier.