Forever and Always ✔️

Chapter fourteen - Penelope.

About six text messages reached my phone and they were all from Molly. She was a nice girl and I was glad she was my friend, but there was no way I was going to a party.

Reasons why I shouldn't attend the party:
1) Because I had bad experiences at parties and I didn't want to go back to rehab again.
2) Zack would be there.
3) Over my dads dead body.

My dad also wouldn't let me go because he somehow knew everything that happened back in Texas. Thanks to Sean. Well, my mom died and the last memory I had of her was when she tried to kill me so yeah, I rebelled and drinking was my only escape. You couldn't blame me, but I probably could have handled it better. Stayed in my room 24/7, never leaving the house but no, I had to drink and that led to a major problem.

Dad was working tonight at the bar and I was tempted to go and visit him, but he would just tell me to go home. It looked like a nice quiet night in.

I mentally sighed, realizing that I had a shift tomorrow night, but I was not complaining because I got paid. Another message popped up on my phone, it was from Molly again. She was asking me if I was coming at all and I replied that I was busy with homework.

The oldest lie in the book, but I hoped she bought it. I was not ready to tell anyone my past and I didn't think I ever would. Especially if Molly was once close with Zack Adams.

*

The next morning, my phone woke me up. Only, it was not a text message. Before I answered it, my eyes landed on my alarm clock. It was seven in the morning.

I answered it in a groggy voice, rubbing my eyes. "Hello?"

"Penelope, hi. It's Iris from the diner." She said in a perky voice, making me want her energy for seven in the bloody morning.

"Oh, hi." I sat up and looked out the window to see the sun coming up and the beach looking beautiful as it always did.

"Sorry to wake you this early but Mel can't make it today because she had a family emergency, can you come in? I know you're working another shift tonight but I'll give you double as always." She finished with a stressful sigh.

Well, I've got nothing better to do.

"Sure, I'd be happy to. I'll be in at eight." I replied.

"You are a life saver!" She said with a laugh and we hung up.

I forced myself out of bed, annoyed that I didn't get a proper sleep in but who needs sleep anyway? It was not like I slept much nowadays. Heading towards the bathroom, I headed for a quick shower and I got changed as fast as I could, wearing the uniform that was given to me as part of the job.

Grabbing my keys and phone off of my nightstand, I raced out of my bedroom and headed downstairs knowing that dad had already gone to the bar to get a head start.

I skipped breakfast, not feeling hungry but I knew I would pay for it later and I headed out the door to my car and towards to the diner.

I rushed in to only see two waitresses, one cook and Iris. "Where is everyone?" I asked, placing an apron around myself and placing my keys and phone in my apron pocket.

"People called in sick," she sighed, "I'm pretty sure they all wanted to sleep in on a Saturday morning." She looked stressed out and the diner would be opening any second. "Thank you for coming in Penelope." She also said, making me smile as I got the coffee pot ready.

"Anything to help."

She sighed heavily as it was time to open the diner, which she did and she painted a smile on her face as customers started piling in. "Alright, get to it." She said to us as people started ordering and she began serving coffee to the people who were sat at the counter.