---
Chapter One
“It’s not the end of the world,” Micah murmured comfortingly as he rubbed my back. I swatted at his hand numerous times before giving up and glaring at him. My boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, Peter broke up with me via text message only moments before. Normally I wouldn’t give a damn, but text message? Where has common decency gone?
“Aidan, take deep breaths, everything’s going to be okay.” My glare shifted to Cassie who was sitting across from me with a wicked smile on her face. “Let it out, it’s okay to cry.”
“Lord Almighty,” I groaned, trying once more to keep Micah’s hand from my back. “Guys, I’m not going to cry, I don’t even give a damn.”
Such words had never been truer. When most girls get broken up with they sob and cry to all their friends, but not Aidan O’Connor. You see, when I was born, I was given this special gift. The ability to not give a damn when it came to men, and believe me, I used it every day.
Micah laughed at me and ruffled my hair. “Don’t we know doll. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry over something as stupid as a guy.”
Cassie flicked him in the forehead. “Don’t forget you’re a guy.”
He looked down between his legs and then brought his head back up. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.”
That sent me into a fit of giggles and I punched him in the shoulder. “Please don’t gross us out when we’re having such a nice time in the park.”
He twisted his hand in my hair, I was lucky I didn’t have that much of it, or he’d be doing it more often. My hair only went to an inch below my shoulders and was an insanely boring brown. I reached my hands up to untangle his, but he refused to let go.
“Micah, let go of my hair!”
He grinned at me and then his smile dropped and he put on a serious face. “Aidan, you’re a gorgeous girl. There are more fish in the sea. Your stunning blue eyes could trap any hot young boy.”
I made a face. “I know you think you’re helping, but you’re not.”
He released my hair. “I tried,” he muttered to Cassie who was practically on the ground laughing.
The thing about my friends is they’re crazy. I’ve never encountered anyone who, if the need arose, could take the place of Micah and Cassie.
Micah, with his messed brown hair and dull grey eyes, was the type of boy the popular people made the mistake of over looking. He was smart, handsome and quite possibly insane. However, he was also the little bookworm and pretty perverted at times.
Cassie wasn’t the most stunning girl around, but she was definitely a better person than all the prettier ones. She had really curly hair that covered most of her face at any given time, and the most brilliant green eyes you’d ever seen. Still, she was a teacher’s pet until the end.
“Peter was a jerk anyways,” Cassie bit out when she’d stopped laughing. Her sudden mood change startled me. “He was always telling you what to do Aidan, and you never said no.”
I shrugged. “I sometimes said no.”
“No you didn’t Aidan, and you know it.”
“Well,” I shouted in forced cheerfulness, “It doesn’t matter anymore, does it?”
Cassie and Micah shared a look and then sighed simultaneously.
“Don’t even,” I warned.
Micah placed a hand on my shoulder. “We’re just looking out for you darling.”
I stood up, eager to escape the awkwardness of the conversation forming. “I think it’s time to go to my house and order some food.”
“Maybe we could go out to eat,” Cassie offered up. “There’s this new restaurant down the street that just opened yesterday. It’s supposed to be pretty awesome.”
I reached into my pocket and countered the crumpled bills I found there. “I’ve got thirteen dollars. Is this restaurant cheap?”
Cassie nodded and we began walking.
The thing about me is, I’ve always got money on me. Whether it is fifty dollars, or ten cents, there is always some sort of currency in my pockets. Sometimes I’m not even sure how it gets there, but it’s always there. I guess I should be thankful. My family isn’t very well off, we’ve got debts through the roof, and both my parents work, but they still find little bits of money here and there to give me some when I need it.
Halfway there Cassie jumped on my back and demanded a piggy back ride. I almost crumpled under the weight, but within seconds of hitting the ground I managed to regain my footing. “Can you please warn me when you’re going to pounce?”
“What’s the fun in that?” she questioned patting the top of my head.
I grumbled the rest of the way to the restaurant. I could have asked her to get off, and she probably would have, but I’m pretty sure there’s a rule in the best friend laws that you have to do stuff like this.
“It looks pretty nice,” Micah noted as we reached the restaurant named ‘Get Bent’.
“There are no old people inside,” I hissed quietly. Normally in a quiet town such as the one I reside in there are old people everywhere. You can almost never get a table at four o’clock because all the retired folk are eating their dinner.
“It’s supposed to be more of a teen place, I think.” Cassie opened the door and stepped inside. “Apparently it’s owned by these people who just moved in around the corner from here. They’re supposed to be super rich.”
“How do you know all this?” I asked Cassie as we followed her inside. She had to be right about it being a teen place. All the tables were stainless steel and there were a lot of colorful chairs located in one corner of the room under a big screen TV. The walls were all multi colored and the lights even looked like they could be in some sort of club. A stage sat at the very front of the restaurant where a band was currently setting up.
“I listen to the gossip.”
“Looks like we’re the only ones here,” Micah noted taking a place at a table near the television. I glanced up to see MTV playing some music video I didn’t recognize.
“I wonder if that’s a good thing.” I sat down in the chair, a little surprised by how comfortable it was. So far the restaurant had my full approval. However, the menu had to be thoroughly scoured. It’s not that I was a picky eater, I just like the basics.
“Oh my god,” Cassie hissed at me, leaning across the table.
“What?” I asked checking my face for something. She shook her head, sat back, and put on a brilliant smile. “Cassie I swear to god, if you don’t tell me-.”
“Here are your menus.”
I looked down and almost fell out of my seat. The smallest child I’d ever seen smiled up at me. “T-Thanks,” I murmured as I reached out to grab the menus.
“Would you like something to drink?” He asked pulling out a pad of paper and a crayon. He licked the tip of the crayon and pressed it to the paper.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
“Hey, Alexander, that’s my job!”
I turned around in my seat to see another young boy barreling toward us.
Out of breath he grinned. “Can I take your drink orders?”
“Mason, I want to do that job. I don’t want to give out menus!”
“Alex, you can’t even write.” Then ignoring the child he pulled out a pad of paper and pen. “Sorry about him, he’s only six.”
“And a half!” Then he started to cry.
“Dang it,” the boy named Mason groaned.
Both boys had the same blonde hair and blue eyes and both boys were positively adorable. I couldn’t help but be amused.
“How about Alex take my order and you can take their orders?” I asked Mason with a smile.
Alex’s eyes lit up and he licked his crayon again. “What are you having?”
I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I started laughing. And it wasn’t just chuckling. No, it was full out, bent over at the waist, grabbing at my stomach laughing.
“Aidan, get a hold of yourself!” Cassie slapped me on the back a few times before I could breathe again.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. A water. Can I have a water?”
Alex nodded seriously and I watched as he scribbled a ‘w’ and then a bunch of nonsense on the pad of paper. “One water coming right up.” Then he dashed back into the kitchen.
Mason took Cassie’s and Micah’s orders and then smiled at me. “Thanks. If Riken caught him crying he’d send him home for sure.”
I watched him disappear through the kitchen door before I turned back to the table. “They’re so cute!”
Cassie sighed. “I wonder if they have an older brother.”
“Is that all you can think about?” Micah groaned, opening up his menu.
Cassie and I did them same and I was pleased to see it was like any other restaurant, filled with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, and my personal favourite, chicken tenders. There was even a small children’s menu at the back which I found adorable.
“Ready to order?”
I looked over the edge of my menu to see Alexander standing in front of me once again.
“Alex! I told you that was my job. Don’t make me tell Riken!” Mason sprinted over, sliding half way across the floor until he stood right behind his brother.
“I’m taking care of my client,” Alex huffed, clutching his pad of paper.
Mason looked at me and then at his brother. “Fine, but this time only.”
“I’ll have chicken tenders,” I said taking once last glance at the menu before closing it.
Alexander put on a serious face and nodded a few times. “Okay, okay, fries with that?”
“Yeah.”
He wrote down a bunch of nonsense before skidding off into the kitchen again.
I turned to Mason. “Do you and your brothers run this place?”
He paused in asking Cassie about her side. “Yeah. My eldest brother manages while the other two older ones cook. It’s my job to wait.”
He finished up and then took all of our menus mumbling something about how Alex should keep to his own job if he wasn’t going to wait properly.
Cassie turned to me as soon as he walked away. “Hear that?”
I looked at Micah who shrugged. “Hear what?”
“Older brothers.”
I just shook my head. “I’m going to try and find the bathroom in this place. If my food comes, don’t eat it,” I warned before standing up.
There was a hallway a little off to the side and I decided to take my chances with it. I was relieved when I saw a neon sign reading ‘bathrooms’ hanging over an alcove. I passed some swinging doors and heard a crash from within. I was going to keep walking, at least until I heard the sobbing of a small child.
“Come on Aidan, none of your business,” I scolded, forcing my feet to continue moving towards the ladies room.
The doors swung open and I saw Alex sprint out heading in my direction. I flattened myself against the wall just in time for him to speed by me and straight into the women’s bathroom. I glanced from side to side for a moment before shaking my head. I had an obligation to go in after him, after all, I was the only woman around, even though nineteen was more likely to be considered a child than a woman.
I pushed open the door lightly. The sound of sobbing hit my ears causing the motherly instincts, hidden deep within, to come to the surface with a vengeance.
“Alex?” I called lightly. There was no answer, but I followed the crying to the last stall in the bathroom and pushed the door open lightly. Alex was sitting on the back of the toilet, his knees drawn into his chest.
“Alexander, are you okay?” I asked quietly.
He sniffled. “I dropped a tray.”
My heart almost broke at the sadness in his voice. “Well, I’m sure it was an accident. Surely, no one blames you.”
“Riken does. He said I shouldn’t have been waiting, because that’s not my job.”
I had no idea who Riken was, but I could have cared less. There’s that caring thing again, I’m blessed. I opened my mouth to comfort some more when the door to the bathroom flew open, slamming against the wall.
Without warning Alex grabbed my sleeve, yanking me into the stall with him before shutting the door and sliding the lock through. He pressed his pointer finger to his lips and stared at the door.
Footsteps made their way down the aisle until the landed on the shut door.
“Alex, this is the ladies room.”
The voice definitely belonged to a male, and judging by Alex’s reaction I figured it was Riken. The voice sounded exasperated and the hand belonging to the voice began fiddling with the door.
“Come on Alex, I’m sorry I yelled at you. We’ve got customers though, and I can’t be chasing you around.”
“I hate you!” Alex yelled and I jumped, startled.
“Let me in.” The boy was angrier now, shaking the door harshly.
“No, we’re having fun in here.” Alex retorted, kicking the door.
“I don’t care if you’re having fun- wait, who’s we?” The shaking on the door stopped.
“Me and my new friend.” Alex jumped off the toilet and peeked through the crack between the door and then divider.
“Is he real?” Riken asked, skeptical of the chances of a real person being in the bathroom with his little brother.
“Yeah.”
“I hate to be a bother,” I murmured leaning against the door, “But I’d like to point out the fact that I’m a girl.”
“Alex, unlock this door.”
There was a click and before I could react I was falling backwards. I didn’t hit the ground though, instead knocking into Riken, sending us both backwards into the counter.
“What the hell?” he cursed.
Alex ran over and grabbed my hand. “This is my new friend. Her name is-” he paused, unsure.
“My name is Aidan.”
“Her name is Aidan.”
Riken glanced between his younger brother and me. “Alex, you can’t call random strangers your friend, that’s not safe. Now-”
“Wait a second,” I interrupted, “Are you saying that I’m not safe?”
He looked down on me, seeing as how I was quite a bit shorter than him, and sighed as though I weren’t worth his time. “Listen, Adrian.”
“Aidan.” I corrected.
“Whatever. This is between me and my brother. If you could return to your table that would be really helpful.” The moment those words left his mouth I knew I wasn’t going to enjoy his presence.
“I’d like to point out that you’re in the ladies room and I’m a lady, therefore if anyone should be leaving it’s you.”
He thought about that for a moment and then grabbed his little brother’s hand and stalked out of the bathroom.
Finally I was alone. I stared in the mirror for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. That had to of been Riken, because I couldn’t figure out who else it could possibly be. The boy looked at least twenty, had black hair that looked like he’d run his fingers through it one too many times, and grey eyes that looked like they’d seen one too many things.
The remembrance of his voice caused my temper to flare and I ran my own fingers through my hair trying to calm myself.
When I’d decided that I was okay to return to the table I left the bathroom, thankful that Riken and Alex had taken it upon themselves to argue away from the bathroom door.
I managed to get back to my table without further incident. However, there was no shortage of questions shooting from Micah’s and Cassie’s mouths.
“That was almost ten minutes!” Micah hissed across the table. “Are you okay?”
I blushed immediately and groaned. “Alex was crying.”
“Alex?”
“Our waiter.” They continued to look confused and I elaborated. “The short one?”
“Oh,” Cassie groaned in realization, “Why was he crying?”
I glanced toward the kitchen and leaned across the table. “His brother yelled at him for dropping a tray. I saw Alex run into the girl’s bathroom and found him crying. Then his brother barged in and caught me talking to him. He’s a terribly rude person.”
“Is he hot?”
I blinked a few times. “Is that all you can ask?”
She looked offended. “I’m merely asking if he’s attractive or not.”
“Will that change the fact that he’s a horrible person?”
She grinned. “Well, you know.”
