See You in Hell

12

Midway through Louise's first shift back with Logan, Ollie had shown up unexpectedly. Louise was grateful to see a friendly face. The atmosphere in the restaurant had been beyond icy since they'd both clocked in. A small part of her had held onto the hope that Logan would still show some interest. She'd fantasized about all the ways she could reject him, but from the first moments of their shift he'd treated her with complete disinterest. The mortification of this left Louise enraged. She'd known he was an asshole, but this complete one-eighty was still shocking. The message was clear; if she wasn't going to put out, he had no further use for her. On the outside she had been able to maintain a mutual apathy and coldness, but inside her blood was boiling.

She had been so relieved to have any excuse to get out of the building for even a few minutes, that she didn't think twice when Ollie had asked if she could step outside to talk. Out front he'd anxiously stumbled his way through inviting her on a movie date. Her mind had been so preoccupied with Logan and the kiss that she had almost forgotten about Ollie. Now the problem was right in front of her, she couldn't avoid it any longer.

He wanted to take her to a showing of 'American Graffiti' at the indie playhouse in King's Head. It was admirable that he had tried to pick an activity that combined their interests, cars + old movies, but Louise was less than thrilled at the prospect of watching it again. It wasn't really her type of film, too 'art-house-y'. She preferred Lucas' later works, the ones that focused more on space and laser sword fights.

"So what do you think?"

An ugly petty thought had come to Louise during his pitch. Going on the date would be a gain. If she was now going out with Ollie, it somehow softened the blow of the shameful events of a few nights ago. Her disappearing act had been so pathetic, but hopefully this would show exactly how much she didn't care.

"Okay yeah, sure. But I'm working tomorrow night so it might have to be another time."
"I actually asked Logan already, he said he'd be down to cover for you."
Ollie already told him - Louise couldn't have planned this better if she'd tried.
"In that case, yeah lets do it." Ollie's whole face lit up at this, Louise was smiling too, although her reasons were much less innocent.

Later in their shift, Logan approached her.
"So, you need me to cover tomorrow?" It was the first thing he had said to her, since the black out that wasn't food related.
"Yea, if you can."
Logan silently walked over to the calendar by the stove and crossed out Louise's name replacing it with his own. Then he went back to whipping menus on the front counter.

Louise stood for a while where he'd left her, watching the kitchen door slowly swing to a stop before turning back to finish filling a drink order for one of her tables. She slid open the ice bin and plunged the metal scoop in without even looking. There was a clang as the scoop bounced off the empty basin. This was how it was between them now. She glared down at the stainless steel bottom resentfully. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had to fill it. Louise grabbed the ice bucket and made her way down to the walk-in.

The date was just as awkward as Louise had feared. At Least being in the theater meant they hadn't been required to talk to each other much. The only thing more excruciating than the unending film had been their dud conversation on the ride there. Things between them had become so uncomfortable since Ollie had made his confession. All the years of easy friendship seemed to topple under the stress of this extreme change in course.

Now they were sitting in the car, having just gotten out of the theater. Both their phones went off in unison, breaking the awkward silence that was threatening to drag them under again. It was a text in their group chat from Andy telling them they should come check out a house party.

"We should go!" Ollie was less than enthusiastic.
"It's pretty far from here, and the ferries don't run as often at night. By the time we get there it might be over.."
"It's only nine thirty." Normally Louise would prefer cleaning the grease trap to going to a party, but she figured the more people they were around the less intimate this 'date' would be.
"I made reservations at a nice place near here for after the movie.." He sounded slightly disappointed, but Louise didn't give up.
"Come on, it might be one of our last chances to see everyone before the end of the summer. Besides, I'm not really that hungry." She prayed he wouldn't hear her stomach growling from his side of the car.
"Ok. I guess I can still call to cancel."