ruin | guy germaine

35 | confessions

LANEY ROSE MCKINLEY

I had recently got a job at Goldberg's family diner. It was a great job. I loved it and it was fun working with Goldberg. If he was working the same shift as me after school, I'd usually drive him.

Today was one of those days. Charlie needed to get to the diner his mom worked at which was right down the street from Goldbergs Deli, so he asked if I could take him and I agreed.

He sat beside me in the passenger seat while Goldberg sat in the back. Something was up with Goldberg, I knew it, but he wouldn't speak.

    "Laney?" I heard Charlie ask. I glanced over at him real quick before turning my eyes back to the road.

   "Yeah?" I responded. I heard the boy sigh and shift in his seat.

   "Can I get some advice?" He questioned. I nodded my head.

   "Yeah, of course. What's up?"

   He stayed silent for a moment like he was trying to think of what to say. Something was wrong with him too. I felt bad.

"How do you and Guy keep your relationship going? I mean, I know you guys have only been together for around two months, but it seems like you've been together for years," he told me.

I bit my lip. I reach for the volume knob and turned the music down.

"Well," I started, "we do the dumbest things with each other," I said, "small things usually, but it's the smallest things that count, you know?"

I saw Charlie nod in the corner of my eye. He gazed down at his hands on his lap with a frown stuck on his face.

"It's just, I'm not the happiest with Linda like I used to be. We've been dating for a year and a few months now, but things are completely different now. It's like she never has time for me and that is what hurts the most because I'm always trying to plan things for us but she blows me off," he sadly spoke. I felt myself frown too.

"Well Charlie, if you're not happy, you have to do something about it," I said, "you need to talk to her. You can't be in an unhappy relationship like that. And knowing you guys, I'm sure if y'all talk you'll work things out."

He sent me a small smile, "thank you, that means a lot."

I nodded my head.

I pulled up to Mickey's Diner a few moments later. Charlie got out and thanked me for driving him. Goldberg moved to the front where Charlie had previously been sitting. I kept the car in park. Him and I were going to talk. Something was clearly wrong.

"Goldberg, what's going on?" I asked him in all seriousness. He heard him sigh. He didn't answer me, "Goldberg," I said again. He rolled his eyes.

"Can you stop talking to Bentley Holbrook please?" He suddenly snapped, "I can't stand him!"

I furrowed my eyebrows yet nodded my head.

"I mean, yeah, if it makes you feel comfortable," I said confused. He looked away from me, clearly upset, "what's wrong. There's clearly something about him that's bothering you."

He kept his lips sealed shut. I figured he didn't want to talk about it, but as soon as I was about to say something, he spoke up.

"Promise you can't tell your brother or Ryan or any of your other friends? The team already knows," he requested. I nodded my head, "last year, in the boys bathroom, him and some of his friends that graduated last year, assaulted me. They beat the life out of me. Knocked me unconscious, you could hardly recognize me..," his voice died down, but anger struck and he rose his voice, "all because of my weight. You know, I don't really care how I look. I truly don't. I'm happy the way I am, but I will never forget how much he hurt me."

I felt myself tear up, but I held back the tears. I felt terrible. I wouldn't have spoke a word to Bentley if I knew that.

"Goldberg, I'm so sorry," I sympathetically said. I could relate in a way. I don't know how many times I ended up in the hospital in Texas because of jerks like that. I looked down at my hands, "Goldberg, that's only makes you a survivor. Not a victim. You're strong, and you can never let anyone tear you down like that again, alright?"

The car became quite. Goldberg nodded his head. He looked back at me with a small smile like he was trying to force it on.

"Can we just go make some cheese steak hoagies now?" He laughed. My smile started to grow. I nodded my head.

"Think we're going to make a lot of tips today?" I grinned while starting to drive again.

"Nah, I don't think so," he responded. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What? Come on! It's a Tuesday. Those older ladies always come in and they tip us greatly!" I exclaimed. I heard the boy laugh.

"You're lucky they don't pinch your cheeks and call you adorable," he fired at me. I felt myself laugh.

"They really pinch your cheeks?" I chuckled. He nodded his head.

"Both of them."