Story of a Dancer, Chapter 2: The Waitress

To most people on the few blocks she rode to the dance studio, Blu appeared to be a strange site to see, her ponytail slapping her back, flyaways whipping into her eyes, and her coat flapping in the wind. But to Mickey Asdoreau, Ellesmerella Rodriguez, and Salem Balhon, Blu was a welcome figure to come around the corner.1

"Hey guys! Want to go get something to eat?" she called out as her bike skidded to a stop beside them. "Sure," her friends replied in a chorus. "So did you get the part?" Blu inquired to Mickey, who had auditioned last week for the part of Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream. "Oh, didn't Ellesmerella tell you? Oh well, I guess she forgot... But yes, I nailed it! Rehearsal starts Monday- Wanna come?" Mickey asked. "Nah, I've never seen the play so I want the dialogue to be a surprise on opening night. Besides, I couldn't, I've got to babysit. Where's Kyle? Doesn't he have his lesson today? I bet his mom finally busted him. I told him that having guitar learning books piled high on his shelf and blasting BB King from his stereo wasn't the best way to avoid suspicion! I don't see why he won't just tell his mom he plays guitar. It's not like it's the seventh deadly sin or anyth-" Blu was cut of by being suddenly blinded by two hands covering her eyes.2

"Hey Kyle," she said calmly. "Scootch," Kyle replied and slid in to the booth next to her. "Hey Ky, did you ever-" Ellesmerella piped up, trailing off when he shook his head sharply from side to side. "Did Kyle ever, what?" Salem voiced what he, Mickey, and Blu were all wondering. "Come on, Elle, spill," Mickey put in.3

As Salem and Mickey tried to get Ellesmerella to tell them the secret and Kyle tried his best not to jump out of his chair, Blu zoned out, thinking about how much she'd miss her friends when she left. She thought about how different their personalities were- Her: the mouth of the group, Mickey: the inquisitive actor, Kyle: the bad boy guitarist, Ellesmerella: the sweet but often lethal singer, and of course, Salem: the quiet, intelligent poet. Blu thought she'd miss him the most.4

With a gentle kick from Salem, she withdrew from her thoughts and was surprised to see a waitress looking at her expectantly. Blu realized she was waiting for her order. "Oh, um, I'll have a vanilla milkshake and some fries?" Blu mumbled. "What size?" the waitress, who's nametag identified her as a Jessica, asked in a bored, monotonous voice. Blushing, Blu answered, "A small shake and a medium fry." With a curt nod, Jessica walked off.5

"What?" Blu asked in response to her friends' stares. Salem, who'd been watching at Ellesmerella, Mickey, and Kyle watch Blu, rolled his eyes and said, "Oh jeez... Guys, Blu is not anorexic or depressed! She just doesn't enjoy feeling nauseous." "Why would she feel sick?" Kyle questioned. "Have you ever done ballet on a full stomach? No? That's what I thought," Blu replied coolly. It annoyed her that Kyle talked about her like she was invisible, but she refrained from biting his head off because she knew that'd make Salem upset and she didn't want to do that after he stood up for her.6

Conversation ceased as the waitress, who, Blu had neglected to notice earlier, was very pregnant, brought them their food. "Thank you," Blu murmured, smiling up at the waitress, who looked surprised at the gesture. Blu watched the woman put on her coat and exit the restaurant for a few second before turning back to her friends. "Scootch!" She not-to-gently pushed Kyle out of the booth and stumbled after the young pregnant lady, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be right back!"7

Pushing open the swinging door, Blu spotted her a few yards off. "Jessica! Wait!" Blu cried, running to catch up with the woman. Slowing to a stop beside her, she shoved a twenty dollar into Jessica's hand, saying, "Here, take this. It's not much, but it's all I have on me. I promise, it's not given out of pity. Call it something I wish someone had done for my sister. Maybe she'd still be alive now if they had. I'd have been an aunt." "I... Thank you! This will be lots of help. It's certainly been a hand at lifting my spirits. I'm sorry about your sister. I'm sure she loved you," Jessica thanked her.8

"I know she did. Kay was full of love for everything and everyone. She was the kind you just knew you could count on. She'd believe you if you said the world was square. I think that was her downfall in the end. She trusted that scumbag to take care of us..." Blu trailed off. Jessica smiled, having thought of a way to thank this child for helping her. "Was the baby going to be a boy or a girl?" she inquired. "A girl... Her name was to be Logan, the same as my mother's was," Blu added. "And your name?" Jessica wanted to know. "Oh, sorry! It's Bethany," she informed her. Beaming, Jessica told her, "I was at lost until I heard those names, but that sounds perfect for any child of mine... Bethany Logan Gatsburg." 9

Copyright 2004 © Rebecca Brown10