When stars collide

Chapter 16 - Flashback

September 11th 2010

Archie was walking along a dark road trying to clear his head. It was around eleven, so he would have been in complete darkness if it wasn't for the street lamps dotted along the side of the road like life lines. And the heavens had opened up to release a downpour of rain like nothing he had felt before. He was enjoying it combined with the warm late summer air, it was helping him think more clearly.

Despite the tropical weather though, he knew after almost a week in Wayward he wasn't going to like it here. It wasn't the town so much, but more the people in it. Namely one person, his Father. They had gotten into their fourth fight of the week tonight, and Archie knew it would only get worse. He wished he could be the better person and brush him off but he couldn't control his anger whenever his Father brought someone knew home. He imagined it was exactly what he did to his Mom, and despite the fact that his Mom had all but jumped at the chance of leaving him behind he still felt a sense of responsibility and loyalty towards her. His Father's polygamist ways combined with his filthy rich lifestyle left Archie seething, he couldn't understand why his Father would put him and his Mother through all of the debt and court dates after the divorce when he clearly already had millions in his bank account. Not that he wanted an explanation, all he wanted now was to make his life hell, give him a taste of what he had been through.

Eventually he stumbled across a diner he hadn't seen before, he realised he had wandered into south side territory and he knew his Father would have been furious, which only fuelled him on to keep going further. Archie pulled his hood over his face, partly because he didn't want to be recognised in the south side of town and get jumped, but also because his Father had managed to split his brow bone when he punched him and he thought the blood would have rang alarm bells for any witnesses.

Eventually he pushed the door open, cringing at the cheap bells above it that rang out loud to announce his arrival. He didn't like the attention it aimed at him, especially when everyone on this side of town probably hated him for his blood relation to the head of the town council. If only they knew they could never hate his father as much as he did. Thankful that he had covered the majority of his face previously, he quickly made his way to a booth in the far corner and grabbed a menu, pretending he was reading over it whilst he took a few reassuring breaths to calm himself down.

Natalie had been working since one in the afternoon and she was exhausted, she was also pretty sure that it wasn't legal for a sixteen year old to be working almost eleven hours without a break but she didn't bring it up with Jerry, she needed the money.

"You've really saved my ass today Nat, I appreciate it." Natalie was leaning against the register, twisting her ankles to try and get the constant ache to subside. She just wanted a hot shower, a cuddle from Nathan and then her bed.

"Don't mention it, but I really need to leave at half past, Nathan has school tomorrow and he won't sleep until he knows I'm in the house." Jerry nodded his head in agreement and she felt her shoulders relaxing. Usually Jerry made her close up, which again, she wasn't sure was legal for someone under 18 to work so late, but never mentioned. However, she figured since she had covered another girls shift today that she could leave a little earlier and luckily Jerry was feeling generous.

"Looks like you've got a customer." Just as Jerry finished speaking the bells rang, announcing a new guest. Natalie turned to see who had entered, relieved It was only one person to serve but instantly startled when she realised the stranger had his hood almost entirely covering his face. He quickly took a seat in the corner of the diner and hid his face with the menu, she let out a disgruntled moan and grabbed one of the knives from the spare set of cutlery on the counter.

"I swear if this is another junkie I'm quitting Jer." Jerry only laughed, shaking his head but keeping a keen eye on the new customer. They were on the south side after all, and despite how she hated the stereotypes that surrounded that label, sometimes it was true. Both Natalie and Jerry had been attacked by a junkie trying to get cash out of the register before and so whenever they served someone who looked a little off they armed themselves with a butter knife.