Telepathic Heart (GxG)

6. I Want Pancakes

I wasn't ready for it. I don't know how many mistakes I made that evening. I placed plates at the wrong tables; I even lost one on the floor in the kitchen. Willow wasn't sure how to react; she didn't know if she should laugh or not. The good part is that I got many tips, so I guess I wasn't so bad, at least for the customers.

I think they liked me because they kept smiling at me and I tried to be as nice and polite as I could. Grace gave me many compliments, telling me that I was good at it, but still, I feel like I failed maybe, because I kept making a fool out of myself in front of Willow.

Alissa asked me if I wanted to go to a party with her today, but I declined because I am too tired for a party and I don't want to. I decided to take my brother to Haven for dinner, actually. Dad is not home, and honestly, I am not good at making food, and I love Willow's food. It's so good, and now I can afford it since I got some money yesterday.

Jake is sitting next to me, excitedly. It's been a while since he has been out of the house. He struggles at school, with no friends, and not much of the schoolwork he understands. I'm his only friend.

"Are you hungry?" I ask him as I stop the car in the parking spot.

"Yeah." He smiles.

"Me too," I say to him and get out of the car. We walk next to each other in the cold autumn wind and then get inside to the warmth again. Willow has set fire in the fireplace. The flames are blazing, spreading out warmth to everyone in here. It is crowded, but still, some seats are available for my brother and me.

"What are you doing here?" Grace asks, and I turn around to her.

"Hey, I am taking my brother out for dinner," I say and mess up his brown hair.

"Okay, find yourself a seat, and I get the menu for you." She smiles, and both of us find a nice place close to the fireplace.

"I like it here," Jake tells me.

"Why?" I ask, curious because I noticed how happy he is when he comes here. It's not the way he usually is.

"Because it's all," He stops, and I know that look on his face when he looks up. It means he is thinking very hard.

"Joyful." He finishes.

"Joyful?" I ask him.

"Yeah, the colors are nice and warm. It's dark, but not too dark." I look around, trying to understand what he is talking about. I am not very good to notice these kinds of things.

The seats are brand new, soft, with a nice gray color. The tables decorated with a small orange tablecloth on it is a bowl with a candle in it, which is on fire. Willow must have known what she wanted when she decorated her restaurant, or maybe someone else did it, like her mother, for example.

"Here." Grace hands each of us a menu, but then I see Willow walk past us in a hurry.

"Is she okay?" I ask my coworker.

"I don't know she has been quiet today. Honestly, she has been acting strangely for weeks now." Grace tells me.

"What?" I wonder as I look at her; she seems worried.

"I don't know, but she has been looking stressed out lately." She informs me, which makes me worried because I haven't noticed. It seems like I am blind to everything, but then again, I only met her weeks ago. Grace steps away from some customers that just came in.

Willow comes back down, but when she meets my eyes, she stops. Then she turns from where she came from.

"Wait here, okay? If Grace comes back, then tell her what you want and order a burger for me, okay?" I ask him, and he nods as he looks through the menu. I find my way to the office, but as I was about to go up the stairs, I met Willow's mother on the way. She smiles at me and walks past me.

"Willow?" I knock on the door before I enter. She is sitting in the chair behind the desk, rubbing her face with her hands.

"Are you okay?" I ask which made her almost fall out of the chair.

"Yeah, I am okay." She smiles with her sweet smile, but I know it's not real. She is not fine; it's so clear. I sit down on the chair in front of her.

"No, you are not. You seem exhausted and stressed out." I tell her, but she shakes her head.

"You need to take a break from work, probably," I recommend, and still, she shakes her head.

"No, I can't, Harley." She sighs and rubs her forehead.

"I'm sorry," She apologizes.

"You should go back downstairs to your brother." She smiles at me now.

"Join us?" I ask her, and she narrows her eyes, all confused.

"You want me to come and eat with the two of you?" She wonders, and I nod.

"I can't, Harley." She says sadly.

"Of course you can." I smile at her.

"Harley, I can't; I am working." She shrugs.

"I bet your mom has it under control, Willow. You need to relax." I tell, and she takes a deep breath as she thinks about it.

"Okay, I will join you." She nods, and I smile as I take her hand in mine and drag her after me downstairs. I didn't really mean to grab her hand, but I was scared she would change her mind. She sits down beside me and takes a deep breath.

"Here," I hand her the menu even though I know she has it memorized, but so she understands that I am serious that she needs to eat and take a moment to get her back self together.

Grace comes back with an amused smile on her face when she sees Willow sitting next to me.

"Okay, have you decided?" She wonders, and I watch my brother nodded.

"I want pancakes." Grace and Willow crack up with laughter while I shake my head and roll my eyes.

"That is not dinner, Jake," I tell him, but he pouts as he crosses his arms over his chest and looks the other way, all grumpy.

"Okay, fine, it's your choice." I sigh, and the smile comes back to his face.

"What do you two want?" Grace asks as she writes down my brother's wish.

"Burger." We both say that I feel my cheeks on fire as Willow turns to me.

"Okay." Grace notes it down so amused and then finds her way to the kitchen.

Now it's an awkward silence, and I am thinking about what to say or talk about.

"When did you open this place?" I ask nervously.

"Almost a year ago." She answers, and I nod, now it all just more uncomfortable.

"Why did you name it, Haven?" I wonder, she seems a bit lost now, stunned by my question. Her mouth is open, but she can't form words.

"Is that what you tattooed on your arm?" I ask, which makes her hold her hand over her arm, which her shirt is already covered.

"Sorry, just curious." I apologize for my actions, for being so nosy as I said. I hate that part of me but can't hide it.

"It's okay," She actually smiles; usually, people get mad at me for asking too much. I guess that is why I don't have many friends.

"Just can't answer you." She says sorry, and I nod, respecting her privacy.

"Okay." I smile at her.