Chapter One | Night Out at the Club
I woke up to the bright light of the sun coming through my half open curtains. I sat up in my bed and smelled breakfast coming from the restaurant. Before I could get out of my bed, mom walked into the room.
“Hey hun! Your finally awake.” She smiled at me. “Your sister is making breakfast downstairs, remember that you have a shift this morning.”
I got up out of the bed and got dressed in my uniform and then walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
“Hey Lan! I made eggs and toast.”
I sat down to the plate of food and began to eat. Alicia was always the best cook, she was one of the main reasons that we can get so many people into this restaurant. One of the reasons that we are still living here, ever since dad died. This restaurant was his dream, he wanted to become one of the greatest chefs in New Orleans.
Alicia sat down in the chair across from me. She was taught by dad ever since she was adopted when I was 10 and she was 12. We’ve been friends ever since she came home one day and she hid in a closet to scare me as I came home from school the next day. She was always so nice to me, and she was the first one that I told.
“How long have you been up? It looks like you cleaned the kitchen.” I looked at my watch as I said it, 7:30, half an hour till opening time.
“Oh, I’ve been up since like 6:30, I had trouble sleeping last night.”
“Again? I’m starting to think that maybe....” I was interrupted as quickly as I started, “No, Landon. We both know that we don’t have the money for me to go to a doctor. Plus, I can handle it. Look, I’m a fully functioning human being.”
“Fine.” I finally said, defeated. “I’m going to go get ready for people to walk in.”
I got up from the table and went through the door to see the small group of people that were already forming over at the doors. I got a pile of menus and then flipped the sign of the front. I then watched a dozen of people rush in through the small door and sit down at there usual tables. Of course I liked to wait on people, so my job was fun. But despite that, I felt like it was going to be a long day.
I checked my watch, it was now 6:30. About 2 hours until closing time. I sat down for a second until I saw Anna come into the restaurant.
“Hey, go ahead and sit down where you’d like.”
She walked over to a table and then I gave her a menu.
“Sorry I took such a large table, Bailey and Chris should be here soon. And we were all wondering if you wanted to go to...” she leaned in, nd whispered “TCEN”
My eyes widened, “Your kidding, right? Haven’t you heard the rumors?”
She smiled,”Yep! It’s going to be so much fun!”
“Okay, when are you going?”
“9”
“Okay, I’ll have to ask Alicia. She’ll convince my mom to let me go out. But I’m going to have to lie about the location, she’ll never let me go to The Club of Eternal Night.”
“Shhh, don’t say it so loud. But okay, we’re meeting at Chris’s apartment.”
I nodded and then Chris and Bailey walked into the restaurant and sat down in the two empty chairs. I gave them menus and then took their orders. I walked into the kitchen and then looked at Alicia for a minute.
“Uh oh, you want to go somewhere don’t you? I knew that you and Anna weren’t just whispering for no reason.”
“Uh, yah. Anna’s invited me to go with her, Bailey, and Chris.”
“To?”
“TCEN”
“Haha! This must be some sort of joke. Where’s the camera.” I stayed silent for a minute and just looked at her.
“Your actually wanting to go to TCEN? Wow. Your insane.”
“Come on, I’m going to be with people, everyone will be staying together so we can’t get kidnapped. We’ll be fine.”
She thought about it for a second and then sighed, “I’ll tell mom, you need to go before she can say no, be back him by at least 1 or I am going to kill you.”
“Okay!” I said as I took of my apron and ran to the table that they were sitting at.
“Okay I can go.” I said as they were getting up from eating, “but I have to go now, or my mom might catch me.”
They all then smiled at me and then we walked to Chris’s car and drove to Chris’s apartment.
