Waiting On It.

It was Tuesday. It was one of those Tuesdays when you wake up thinking it’s Thursday and that the week is almost over, but in fact, it has just begun and yet it is already so long and agonizing. Southern summer, sun soaring high in the sky. Days like this were meant to be spent lounging by the pool enjoying all that Texas summer had to offer. Penelope sat in her car outside the diner where she worked, eyeing the building, working up the will to go in. After a few deep breaths, she braced for the day ahead of her.

Pulling open the door in haste with only seven minutes to spare as there would always be at least one party insisting on being sat five minutes before opening. Every day it was hard for Penelope to pull herself together and pretend to care about whether table twenty-three got their gravy on the side or any other trivial matters that would come up in the restaurant. It was true she needed the money, but at times she couldn’t help but wonder if the ends justified the means. The money wasn’t always good, it was it was a thirty-minute commute and she couldn’t help but think she was stuck here. Even with all of the gripes, Penelope could at least be secure in the fact that she had a job. 

Upon entering Penelope was greeted with enthusiastic smiles and waves from her serving peers, she returned the greetings with half-hearted waves and ‘good-mornings’ as she scanned the faces of her team for the morning. Annoyance washed over her face as her eye landed on Dylan, he had gotten hired about a month after she did and had made it his mission to get under Penelope’s skin at least once per shift. As their eyes met it was as if you could see whatever nonsensical remark Dylan was about to make cooking up in his head and getting ready to roll off his tongue. 

“Shut up,” She sneered sashaying past him. 

“I didn’t even say anything yet,” He replied as a mischievous grin tugged at the corners of his mouth and he moved in the same direction as Penelope. 

“Exactly, yet,” Penelope said as they both made it to the host's podium where it was laid out who was assigned to what section. 

‘Finally,’ Penelope thought to herself as she studied the floor chart. After a week and a half of melting on the patio and going home with no more than seventy-five each shift. Just as she thought she had found the silver lining of the day, she noticed that the person taking the section next to her was Dylan. She let out a sigh as she remembered just how irritating he had been the day prior. Sometimes his off-the-wall remarks amused Penelope, he certainly had a way of making the day interesting and keeping Penelope on her toes. It wasn’t every day she met someone who could hold their own against her in a battle of wits. More impressed by him than she would ever let on, her grand displays of annoyance were put on to maintain a level of mystery.

“It’s been so slow lately,” A coworker groaned to the group.

“It's the morning, it's way more popping at night.” 

“Yeah, and the lunch menu sucks, no one's bill is higher than fifteen bucks.” Each of Penelope's coworkers added their frustrations with the dry season they were experiencing. 

“I made some pretty good money yesterday, but it has been hit or miss,” Penelope added. 

“How much did you make yesterday?” Dylan questioned as most of the group dispersed to tend to their tables. 

“I made like one-eighty.” Penelope gloated. 

Dylan and the other coworker who remained in the pod widened their eyes in disbelief at the number. That was an exceptional amount for a weekday morning shift, especially on a Monday. They both wanted to know how she managed to make that much on the slowest day of the week. Dylan lamented over how he hadn’t even come close to making that much on a morning shift yet. Penelope saw her opening and quickly swooped in to claim it. 

“Maybe, I’m just a better server than you.” She teasted, only half joking. She couldn’t help but grin as she reveled in her wit. The other coworker instigated her dig with a dramatic ‘ooo’. 

“Oh yeah?” Dylan raised his eyebrow. “Let’s make a bet. Whoever makes the most money today wins.” 

“Bet.” 

“I like this,” The coworker commented, causing Penelope and Dyaln to snap their gazes in his direction. “What you two have going on here.” He finished before exiting the conversation. 

Penelope and Dylan shared a gaze before parting ways themselves, and the bet was on. Penelope knew that she had this competition in the bag. Guests were always complimenting her service and on looks as well. She did have a winning simile after all. As the day went on Penelope and Dyan teasted each other, all while Penelope maintained a small lead.

All day the pair seemed to stalk one another around the restaurant. Just over each other's shoulders, they were teasing about how they’d be the victorious one. After the lunch pop died down Dylan found Penelope leaning against a counter in the kitchen lost in her phone, he asked her what the winner would be the prize for the bet winner. Overheard by yet another nosey coworker, they were intrigued and invited themselves into the conversation. 

“What are you talking about?” The coworker leaned in as if they were trying to be let in on a secret. They both went on to explain the bet and fill the coworker in on their respective sections as well as what they had already made. At this check-in, Dylan just so happened to be in the lead. He took the opportunity to boast and Penelope rolled her eyes. The coworker took note of this interaction as she smiled looking between the two, who were so enthralled in their banter that hadn’t noticed.  Penelope noticed the onlooker and went on to explain the competition and its stakes.

As the day neared its end, Penelope stepped away from attending her tables to step outside for some air. She ran into two other servers who seemed to have had the same idea. The two were giggling passing back and forth a single cigarette when Penelope approached. She was immediately brought into their conversation as they were discussing the looks of their fellow servers. 

“You know who has a nice ass?”  Penelope grinned goofily.

“Landon?” Her short, curly-haired server friend chuckled.

“You know who who else is cute?”  Her other friend said and both girls raised their eyebrows to listen. “Dylan.” A lump immediately formed in Peneople’s throat as she pressed her lips together. She suddenly felt her ears begin to tingle however, she remained silent. The heat turned up as the attention was directed at her once again. “What about you two? I saw a spark there earlier.”  Penelope’s nostrils flared as her face twisted. 

“No definitely not.” she choked out a laugh. 

“No? You don’t think so? I thought I saw a spark there.” 

Penelope shook her head, praying that they would just stop talking about him. She exited the conversation by saying that she needed to go check on her tables inside. Walking fast while keeping her eyes on the floor, distracting herself by offering her table-to-go drinks and pushing them to do surveys until the majority of the lunch guests had left and the diner was mostly empty. It was time to tally up the winner. 

“So how much did you make?” Dylan asked as he strolled up to the spot she rested in. 

“One seventy-three,” Penelope answered confidently. “What about you?”

“Let’s see.” He said pulling out his checkbook and quickly combing through his neatly organized stack of bills. A second of silence fell over the two as Dylan thumbed through the last of his bills. “One forty-eight.” He surrendered. Penelope's mouth pulled into a satisfied grin as she reveled in her victory. Penelope went on to gloat about how she’d known what the outcome would be from the beginning. 

“See I told you I was the better server.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Dylan rolled his eyes. “Write down your coffee order.” 

“Or you just take my number and I’ll send it to you.” She squinted her eyes playfully. Smiling ear to ear Dylan pulled out his phone and took down Penelpe’s number. 

“I’ll text you. When is the next time you work?”

“Friday.”

“I’ll see you Friday.” 

Dylan got home later that night. He settled into his favorite spot, pulling out his computer and starting on his homework. This was a part of his daily routine as he was taking a few classes through the summer and his chemistry class had a particularly rigorous course load. Dylan was having a hard time focusing on his assignments. The events of the day played over and over in his mind, he grinned to himself as he reminisced over his playful banter with Penelope earlier in the day. Picking up his phone he stared at the fresh text thread the two of them created earlier in the day, his thumb hovered over the small keyboard as he began to chew his lower lip.

Penelope went straight home after work as she normally did. Outside of work, she didn’t have many things going on. This evening she opted to keep herself occupied by rewatching one of her most cherished sit-coms while painting her nails. She picked up her phone, thumbing through and replying to a few texts. She clicked into her and Dylan’s message thread fixated on the four text bubbles on the screen. Shutting her phone off she tossed it to the other side of the bed.