Heaven // Ryan Tedder

Chapter Twenty-One; It's A Shame

That night, the restaurant was more packed than usual. Once again, they were short on staff, so Janelle was running all over, doing various different jobs that wouldn't get done unless she did them. By the time eight came around, people were beginning to leave, and only a couple of patrons remained.

Janelle made her way into the kitchen, looking at the sink, which was overflowing with dirty dishes that weren't being washed by anyone.

I swear, sometimes it feels like I'm the only one working here, she thought, huffing as she walked over to the sink, reaching over and grabbing the pair of yellow rubber gloves that sat beside it. She turned on the sink, beginning to wash some of the plates that rested atop of the piles of dishes. She decided that washing these dishes would be how she spent the next hour until Joshua got there. Surely some of the other waitresses or waiters could pick up the slack and do the jobs that Janelle typically did, such as cleaning the floors and tables.

For the next hour, Janelle cleaned every plate, bowl, and piece of silverware in the sink, as well as dry and put them away. Only, she realised that more than an hour had passed, and it was already nine-thirty.

She looked at the clock confusedly. How could that be? Joshua would've come to get her by now, like he always did. Where was he?

She decided that the clock had to be fast; Joshua was never late, especially for her. She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her apron, and much to her dismay, it was in fact, past nine-thirty.

"No.." she mumbled to herself as she tore off her apron, kicking off the high heels that had made her feet sore all day. She made her way to the break room, quickly going over and opening her locker, which she kept her uniforms in. She tossed the apron and high heels in, before grabbing her sneakers, slipping them on. Afterwords, She grabbed her purse and closed the door to her locker.

She slid her phone into the pocket of her jeans as she jogged out of the break room, making her way outside. She looked around, praying that she'd spot Joshua waiting for her in his parked Mustang. However he was nowhere to be seen.

She swallowed, letting out a long sigh.

It's okay, she told herself. He's probably only fallen asleep. You can walk home, no big deal.

She looked around, biting her lip. It was dark, but she'd have to walk home by herself, anyway. She pretended that it didn't bother her. Joshua was allowed to be late for once in his life, wasn't he?

She began to walk home, hugging her purse to her side nervously as as she made her way through the dark. This was one of the times that she was glad she wasn't too far from work.

She began to let her mind wander as she walked, Remembering how Ryan had given her a ride to work earlier. Perhaps if she had called him he would've driven her home, too?

No, she thought to herself. Then Joshua would find out about him. He wouldn't be happy about it, either.

Besides, Ryan was probably busy, or asleep, for all she knew. He'd be going out of his way to drive her down only a few miles.

By the time Janelle finally made it to her apartment complex, she was tired, a little chilled, and her feet were sore; Not to mention how she was jumpy from being alone in the dark.

She ran up to the door, opening it and quickly heading inside as if someone was chasing her, before composing herself, stepping up the stairs to the second level. She walked over to the door to their apartment, grabbing her keys which hung on a keychain on her purse. She unlocked the door, before opening it up, stepping inside. She tossed her purse down, immediately toeing off her sneakers by the door.