How It Rolls by Lila Felix Page A

Nellie said you’re off today.  Do you…Do you want to meet me for breakfast somewhere?”
                  I wanted to, I did and I was certainly hungry again.  But I still wore the same clothes from last night and I could use a sink and a toothbrush, pronto. 
                  “Um, how about an hour?” 
                  “Yeah, anywhere you want.” I could tell that casual dating was not his forte.  He could barely choke it out.
                  “At Theo’s, you know where that’s at?”
                  “Yeah, see you then.” I hung up and looked at the time.  It was only eight.  But when you had to beg and borrow to get ready for lunch, one hour sometimes wasn’t enough.
                  The other day I found a misplaced youth safehouse.  I registered with them and though I refused their offer to stay there, it gained me access to shower and do laundry using their facilities.  They told me it would be a couple of days before they approved me and as I made my way to it, I hoped their days and mine were the same. 
                  I walked into the building, which looked more like a warehouse with painted over cinder blocks as walls.  Some people were playing ice hockey, some people were on the computers.  I walked up to the desk, signed my name in and the lady gave me a key to the bathroom.  They even provided the soap and shampoo; that was a Godsend.  I cleaned up and changed into a jean skirt that had seen better days and a pink t shirt from my old derby team.  I threw on some flip flops that I was saving for when my other ones finally bit the dust.  I packed my stuff back up and just in time, someone else was knocking on the door for their turn. 
                  I pulled in at Theo’s a couple minutes early, his truck already in the parking lot.  I chose a cheap place on purpose, just in case I had to pay for my own meal but I doubted with a guy like Falcon that I would.  For them it was normal, but for me it was weird.  Families didn’t get along that well, did they?  Not any family that I’d ever been in.  The ones that I’d been in were nice enough to get their paychecks from the government to house me, but not nice enough to want me to stay for any length of time.  And let’s face it, some of them… I was the one who misbehaved in order to get moved. 
                  I walked in and Falcon was already seated and the waitress had her hip planted on the booth beside him and was a little overly smiley for my taste.  His hair was spiked up and despite the flirty waitress; his eyes didn’t leave the menu for one second.               
                  I slid into the booth across from him after sweeping some crumbs away with my hand. 
                  “Good morning.” He said like we were old friends.
                  “Hi.”
                  He put the menu down and squinted his eyes at me. 
                  “You gonna order something real or am I gonna have to double up again?” He smiled while he tried to sound so serious.
                  “Truth?” I sad and then began to twist my rosebud earring.
                  “Duh.”
                  “I’m a little short on cash.  I’m waiting until I get my first paycheck.  But it’s fine.  I’ve had to make money stretch before.” 
                  “You get paid Saturday.  So you’ve got two days to last.  I can help you until then.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
                  “I don’t take handouts Falcon.”
                  “Who’s giving you handouts?  I’m talking about working for it.”
                  My eyebrow bowed up at that response and he snickered. “At my mom’s restaurant, gutter brain.”