tablecloth covered bistro tables and matching chairs. The vintage arcade games in the back corner next to the jukebox that doesn’t play any music newer than 1990.
But my favorite thing of all time is the chalkboard wall. The entire east wall used to be an exposed brick wall that gave Mozzarella a very hip, chic look. The problem was that kids used their silverware to carve their initials into the aging brick and mortar, causing a mess. No matter what the Parson’s did to try and discourage the graffiti artists, they would always end the night cleaning up mortar dust. Defeated, they had someone drywall over the brick then paint the entire wall with chalkboard paint. Boxes of colored chalk are scattered around the room and the pastime that was once taboo is now the thing that Mozzarella is famous for.
They’ve had proposals, pregnancy announcements, makeups, breakups, and some insanely incredible artwork splashed across this wall. Right now, our school mascot, the trout, is swimming around in a chalk-created lake planked by lyrics to a popular song on one side, and someone’s phone number on the other. A tiny heart near the bottom of the wall catches my eye. I grip my tray to my side and walk over toward the wall.
I bend down to get a closer look, wondering why someone would hide this all the way down by people’s feet when I see the initials inside the heart. K + R. Adrenaline shoots through my body as I glance around to make sure Natalie isn’t back. I can hear her laughing from a safe distance so I pull out my cell phone and take a picture of the heart. Then, I spit on my hand and wipe it away, not willing to search around for an eraser.
Only when I’m sure that our secret is safe do I allow myself to smile, knowing that Knox put that there for my eyes only and that I’ll be able to look at the picture of it later when I’m snuggled in my bed. I know secrets are supposed to be bad but carrying this one makes my insides glow.
I manage to make it through my first night without dumping anything on anyone. I did serve two tables the wrong pizza a few times but it all got worked out and everyone was understanding. I have a feeling people are cutting me some slack because of Mom. Normally, I’d be pissed about the special treatment but this time I’ll take it.
All night, I kept thinking that Knox might pop in, just to see me, but he was a no show. I guess it is for the best. At least one of us is keeping up our end of the bargain with the exception of the chalkboard wall PDA.
“You did really great tonight, Ripley,” Mr. Parsons says, wiping up a table next to the one I’m cleaning.
“Thank you, Mr. Parsons. I really appreciate you giving me a job here.”
“Sweetie, call me Chad. And we love having you. You’ve always been such a good influence on our Natalie,” he says, smiling sweetly. I’ve always loved Natalie’s dad. He reminds me of a giant teddy bear.
“I hope you know if you need anything, anything at all,” he trails off, meeting my eyes. He rushes back to the kitchen but I could swear I almost saw tears in his eyes before he fled.
I smile and go back to cleaning my tables and wonder if anyone will ever look at me without feeling pity again. Maybe that is one of the reasons I feel so alive with Knox because I know when he looks at me he isn’t just seeing some girl who lost her mother.
I shake off the self-pity and help Natalie close up as best I can. I see Mr. Parsons watching me with a funny look on his face and I worry that I screwed something up after all.
“Is everything okay, Dad?” Natalie asks, noticing him staring at me.
He finishes tying up the trash and mumbles something about me doing a good job then disappears out the back door.
“See how weird he’s being?” she whispers. “I think his girlfriend broke up with him.”
I elbow Natalie in the arm. There is no way her dad would cheat on her mom, even if I don’t understand how they ever got together in the first
But my favorite thing of all time is the chalkboard wall. The entire east wall used to be an exposed brick wall that gave Mozzarella a very hip, chic look. The problem was that kids used their silverware to carve their initials into the aging brick and mortar, causing a mess. No matter what the Parson’s did to try and discourage the graffiti artists, they would always end the night cleaning up mortar dust. Defeated, they had someone drywall over the brick then paint the entire wall with chalkboard paint. Boxes of colored chalk are scattered around the room and the pastime that was once taboo is now the thing that Mozzarella is famous for.
They’ve had proposals, pregnancy announcements, makeups, breakups, and some insanely incredible artwork splashed across this wall. Right now, our school mascot, the trout, is swimming around in a chalk-created lake planked by lyrics to a popular song on one side, and someone’s phone number on the other. A tiny heart near the bottom of the wall catches my eye. I grip my tray to my side and walk over toward the wall.
I bend down to get a closer look, wondering why someone would hide this all the way down by people’s feet when I see the initials inside the heart. K + R. Adrenaline shoots through my body as I glance around to make sure Natalie isn’t back. I can hear her laughing from a safe distance so I pull out my cell phone and take a picture of the heart. Then, I spit on my hand and wipe it away, not willing to search around for an eraser.
Only when I’m sure that our secret is safe do I allow myself to smile, knowing that Knox put that there for my eyes only and that I’ll be able to look at the picture of it later when I’m snuggled in my bed. I know secrets are supposed to be bad but carrying this one makes my insides glow.
I manage to make it through my first night without dumping anything on anyone. I did serve two tables the wrong pizza a few times but it all got worked out and everyone was understanding. I have a feeling people are cutting me some slack because of Mom. Normally, I’d be pissed about the special treatment but this time I’ll take it.
All night, I kept thinking that Knox might pop in, just to see me, but he was a no show. I guess it is for the best. At least one of us is keeping up our end of the bargain with the exception of the chalkboard wall PDA.
“You did really great tonight, Ripley,” Mr. Parsons says, wiping up a table next to the one I’m cleaning.
“Thank you, Mr. Parsons. I really appreciate you giving me a job here.”
“Sweetie, call me Chad. And we love having you. You’ve always been such a good influence on our Natalie,” he says, smiling sweetly. I’ve always loved Natalie’s dad. He reminds me of a giant teddy bear.
“I hope you know if you need anything, anything at all,” he trails off, meeting my eyes. He rushes back to the kitchen but I could swear I almost saw tears in his eyes before he fled.
I smile and go back to cleaning my tables and wonder if anyone will ever look at me without feeling pity again. Maybe that is one of the reasons I feel so alive with Knox because I know when he looks at me he isn’t just seeing some girl who lost her mother.
I shake off the self-pity and help Natalie close up as best I can. I see Mr. Parsons watching me with a funny look on his face and I worry that I screwed something up after all.
“Is everything okay, Dad?” Natalie asks, noticing him staring at me.
He finishes tying up the trash and mumbles something about me doing a good job then disappears out the back door.
“See how weird he’s being?” she whispers. “I think his girlfriend broke up with him.”
I elbow Natalie in the arm. There is no way her dad would cheat on her mom, even if I don’t understand how they ever got together in the first
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