Burning Secrets

Chapter 6: New Girlfriend

Zack's POV:

I wiped down the counter as a few people started to leave. They handed me the money and put some money in the tip jar. I smiled and waved them goodbye.

Rachel took another drink. I'm surprised that she wasn't even slurring her words yet.

"So you're friend, Hayley?" She asked questioningly. I nodded. She continued, "you said she had amnesia, so what exactly does she remember?"

I had to think about this for a moment. "Well, she's never actually told me anything about it. I could just tell." I said. I know Hayley. Maybe not fully but she doesn't know herself fully either. We both don't know her past but I have a feeling it's connected to her nightmares that she has every night. I just don't know why she wouldn't tell me herself.

Rachel taps her finger on the counter before saying, "So how do you know she has amnesia?"

I give her a sad smile. "She gave herself the name 'Hayley Stonefield' it couldn't have been that long since she forgot who she was when we met a little more than a month ago. She came into this bar and the look of loneliness and lost was the only thing I could see when I looked into her eyes. You get good at reading people with a job like mine. I could just tell she didn't know who she was."

Rachel looked towards the kitchen where Hayley was being forced to take a break. I could see the sympathy in her eyes.

"You really care for her." I nodded. "Which is a bummer for me." I looked at her confused as she fidgeted with her empty glass. Kinda like how Hayley fidgeted with her bracelet to avoid talking more.

The awkward silence settled over us and a few minutes later Hayley walked out of the kitchen. I could tell she was just itching to get back to work. She cleared more tables. I caught her gaze a few times and I could tell that my whole face was radiating worried. I could also tell that her smiles were forced.

I sighed and Rachel gave me a forced smile. I gave a forced smile back. I looked up to check on Hayley and I saw her staring at the scary guy in the dark corner. Then as if a switch was turned on she ignored him. I could see it on her face that she wanted to turn around again but she didn't. Wierdo. What was even weirder was that the man had the same cold and emotionless look in his eyes as her stared at her for a second longer before looking back at his table.

A few minutes later Rachel takes out some money from her pocket and gives a tip and hands me the rest of the money. "Hey, uh do you happen to have a pen?" She asks as she fidgets with her napkin.

I nod and look around me, grabbing a pen from the counter. I hand it to her and she makes sure it works by drawing a little smiley face at the corner of her napkin. She then leans over and starts writing something down. I take her empty glass and put it in the tub for dirty dishes.

Rachel clicks the pen and hands it back to me. I place it back on the counter behind me as I feel a tiny tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see Rachel standing up and holding out her napkin.

I take it and she walks away. I look down and it says "Just in case, Rachel." With her phone number beneath it. I look up to see her smiling and wink before she heads out the door.

My face went nuclear and a few people sitting by the bar counter teasingly laughed at me, I chuckled with them lightly.

Hayley's POV:

I kept glancing at Zack talking with a very cute girl. Then she was gone and a couple of guys close by started to laugh as Zack's face went very red holding a napkin. I smiled to myself before clearing and wiping another table down.

*A while later*

It was the end of my shift and I sat waiting for Zack to finish his. He only had a few minutes left so I just sat thrumming my fingers on the table I sat at.

I glanced towards the dark corner, noting that the man had left. Dang you stupid voice in my head.

Whatever.

Wait. They replied! And here I was thinking you only talked when you had to keep me calm, and even that didn't work very well earlier. What was with that anyways.

It's not something you need to focus on right now.

I grumble under my breath.

Zack's POV:

I was just finishing up my shift. I said bye to Katie, Quin, Daniel, and Leon. I grabbed my jacket from the hook in the kitchen and put up my work apron.

I walked towards a grinning Hayley that sat at a table drumming her fingers against the table. When I got near enough she looked at me and got up. We walked out into the cold night. I pulled my jacket around me tighter as we walked in silence.

"So I uh- met this girl." I said breaking the silence, which I mean I am the one who always does that since Hayley doesn't really speak much. She nodded for me to continue.

"Well her name is Rachel. She's really funny, I think you two would get along. Anyways before she left she gave me a napkin with-with her number on it." I said, stumbling over my words towards the end.

Hayley had stopped which made me stop and look at her. I was worried that maybe she was hurt by the idea but instead she had a huge smile across her face and she pointed to me. I roll my eyes at her.

"Yes I know. Big shock." I tease back. Her face is serious for moment as she points to me again and then to her heart.

She was trying to ask if I liked her. I nodded and her huge grin got bigger. She held up both her hands into a heart shape and I playfully nudged her as we both laughed.

We continued walking and this time I wasn't the one who broke the silence. As we stopped in front of the main entrance she grabbed my arm to stop me. I looked back at her again. "I'm happy for you Zack." She said before pulling me into a hug. I smiled against her.

"Now you have to introduce me to your new girlfriend." She said and I pushed her away from the sweet moment and stuck my tongue out at her. She returned the childish gesture and we were both grinning at each other as we walked inside.