How to Stay Afloat

~4: Where She Lets Him in on a Secret~

CHAPTER 4:

Where She Lets Him in on a Secret

~~**~~

|Fallon|

"So, how'd it go with that dude you've been stalking?" Peyton asked as she took a sip of her chocolate shake.

"I'm not stalking him!" I snap before I let out a sigh. "And it's not going so great. He still refuses to help me."

We were at 'Antonio's Sweet Haven' a chic dessert café I'd been working part-time at for the past six months.

Peyton studied me for a while. "You know, you could-" she started but I cut her off before she even got a chance to finish that sentence.

"Absolutely not Peyton."

She scoffed. "You didn't even hear what I had to say!"

"I'm not taking money from you," I told her pointedly.

"I could lend it to you." She tried again.

Peyton was a friend in the truest sense. I knew that she would give me all of her savings in a heartbeat and not ask for anything in return if I asked her to.

"You've been saving up for college for years. I know how hard you've worked for it, that money is countless days of pizza deliveries and night shifts at gas stations. I can't possibly take it from you." I told her gently.

I knew her life wasn't easy, her dad had passed away when she was a baby and her mother was a housekeeper. She lived with her mother and younger sister in a small two-bedroom apartment. I knew how badly Peyton wanted to turn their life around. She dreamed of going to college and becoming an aeronautical engineer.

She opened her mouth, trying to argue again but I made a show of looking at my wristwatch and letting out an exaggerated sigh.

"Oh, look at that, my break is over." I stood up and blew her a kiss.

The truth was, I still had fifteen minutes till my break ended but I didn't want to argue with her over this again.

She gave me a look that said 'I know exactly what you're doing but she gave me a little wave. "See you later Fal." Before she turned to leave.

"You know I love you, right?" I called out.

She turned around and gave me a wink. "Not as much as I love you."

I laughed as I went back to put my apron on and pick up the small notebook I used to take orders.

"Hey, Fallon." My manager Sofia called out. "Diane called in sick today, would you be a darling and cover her tables for today?"

"Sure," I answered, giving her a bright smile.

"Great. Customers are waiting at table six, take their order first."

I gave her a nod before heading towards the table she mentioned.

I recognized the two girls immediately. Caroline Williams and Bianca Harris from school. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't hear me approach.

I was suddenly reminded of the last time I'd run into Caroline, I had been with Archer at that time. His reaction to Caroline's sweet greeting had been interesting, to say the least. I smiled when I recalled how the tips of his ears had turned red and how his body language had suddenly changed from cold and closed-off to almost shy. It had been endearing to witness. It seemed like Archer Hastings was harboring a huge crush on Avalon High's golden girl/head cheerleader.