18 {Jess MarianoxOC}

09

BECKY POV

I made my way towards the diner, apricot leaves crunching under my worn-out Converse. The familiar bell rang over my head and I stopped in my tracks, eyes widening at what I was seeing.

The diner was filled to the brim with people. Luke was rushing around, frantically trying to serve everyone. I quickly hung my bag, tied an apron around my waist, and hoped the vein on Luke's forehead wouldn't pop.

"I was supposed to have help, but I don't," I hear Luke tell Lorelai as he poured coffee into her mug. Jess had mentioned that he didn't like working shifts with his uncle. Something about Luke being on his ass about things and the lack of entertainment. I roll my eyes at his antics, we had only started working 3 weeks ago and he was already ditching.

"Luke, I can go get him if you want," I offered. Luke sent me an appreciative smile and I made my way up to stairs. I banged on the door, but the music playing was so loud it blocked the sound out. Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair and decided to just barge in.

Hijo de la chingada. Como no existen cajones ni roperos, ahi dejan su cochinero in el suelo. ("Son of a bitch. Since drawers and closets don't exist, they just leave their mess on the floor.")

In the midst of scattered clothes, I saw Jess sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. I walk over to the black stereo and turn the knob, muting the music. As the volume lowers, Jess looks up with a scowl on his face.

"Hey!" he snapped

"Hey!" I mock. Jess stares at me as if he was processing that I was the person who walked and turned his music off. After a few seconds, his face softened.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, now in a much softer tone.

"I came to see my favorite coworker," I sang. "Come on, let's go." Swiftly, I take his hand in mine and interlock our fingers. I walk down the stairs and into the crowded diner with Jess dragging his feet behind me.

"Jess you were supposed to be down here-" Luke cuts himself off and stares at Jess. Well, more like his shirt. He's wearing a black Metallica t-shirt that's a bit too harsh on the eyes of a child.

It's still a cool t-shirt though.

"What the hell is that?" Luke asks.

"What?"

"That," he repeats.

Jess looks down at his chest. "That is a shirt," he replies as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I try to stifle a laugh as I continue to serve customers. All within earshot of the squabbling duo of course.

"Change"

"What?"

"Go upstairs and change your shirt," Luke orders.

"I like this shirt,"

"How can you like it?"

"It brings out my eyes." Jess retorts. "Hey Beck, don't you think this shirt brings out my eyes?" he asks as I walk past him, a plate of hot pancakes in hand.

I serve the customer their food and turn to face Jess and his uncle. Trying to really sell the act, I walk around Jess in a circle. "Oh yeah, it brings out these golden specks in your eyes," I replied.

Luke shoos me away and then turns his attention toward his nephew, "Part of the deal is that you work here. And when you work here, you'll wear proper work attire and that is not proper work attire. Now go upstairs and change into something that won't scare my customers."