Chapter 26 Arlo and friends
MIDNIGHT PACK
Jovy stretched her back a bit as she stiffened a smile at the customer in front of her. It was rush hour at the diner on a weekend and one thing she didn’t like about Saturdays was the pressure of orders that comes with it. Ol’Joe’s diner was nothing fancy, but it made its customers feel important and at home. Also it has been serving a whole lot of them for years and that was enough to make anyone keep coming back.
Joe, a petite wolf man in his sixties has the kindest of heart. Sometimes, Jovy wished she had been birthed by someone like Old Joe. He is very compassionate and conscious of people’s emotions. For every moment she has had to spend in the diner they meant a whole lot of deal to her.
Jovy looked up from the cup she was cleaning and the gasp that emitted from her was totally unexpected. Arlo was walking towards her with a wide smile on his face and with a couple of his friends.
Jovy wasn’t expecting to see him today even though she had shared the diner’s address to him. Jovy dropped the cup in her hand and placed it back in its place. “You are here?” She arched her brows.
Arlo spread out his arms as he turned around. His movements earned a fit of chuckled from his friends. “I told you I would drop by sometime, didn’t I?” He grinned too widely.
“But I never told you the time I would be here.”
“Well, I figured your closing time at school so I thought to come check on you with a hope that my intuition will be right. And I am right after all.” Arlo nodded towards his friends. “Say hello guys. Meet Jovy.”
“Hello Jovy.” The three of them chorused as they obviously checked her out.
Jovy didn’t see any of these guys at the picnic the last time. “Hey. It’s really nice to meet you all.”
“So, what do you have on the menu?” One of his friends asked.
Arlo threw him a side glance before turning back his attention to Jovy. “We would go settle and we would have your best offers. Whatever you feel is best for us to have.”
Jovy shook her head. “Hmm okay.” She responded although feeling uncertain about what might be best for them.
Jovy stared at them as they all settled into the available seats. She still didn’t know what exactly she was meant to do. Having such guests in her work place, or coming in contact with anyone who seem to take interest in her personal life aside Alice was a bit awkward.
Jovy jolted herself back to reality as she got to work by checking for their special burger. She was certain they would love it. Getting their order ready, she moved towards them with a large tray filled with burgers and a big sized coke
When Arlo sighted her, he stood up almost immediately and rushed towards her. “Hey, let me help with that.”
Jovy handed the tray to him. “Thank you.” She smiled.
“You are welcome.” Arlo took the tray but his hand lingered over hers for a while which sent a shiver down his spine.
“I hope you enjoy it.” Jovy excused herself immediately when another customer walked in.
One of his friends named Jordan stared at the big tray with an uncertain look on his face. “You have got to be kidding me man, this looks scary!” He whispered.
“Relax bro…it might taste heavenly. Let’s give it a try…” Peter the food lover commented and they all picked the burger grudgingly with a trusting look at Peter.
“Hmm…not bad.” Jordan commented.
“Wow! This is great!” Peter added.
“I would have regretted saying no to coming here with you, Arlo.” James said.
Arlo smiled as they all enjoyed the burger. At first, he had been worried they would judge Jovy due to the condition of the place she worked. Also, the thought of how the food might taste like made him more conscious because this wasn’t their type of place to be at. He and his friend has more expensive and classy taste.
However, since the picnic he couldn’t get his mind off Jovy and the need to see her again was so strong that he couldn’t help it. After affirming from Alice that it was actually her work day, to keep from looking extremely desperate, he had asked a few of his friends to accompany him and they had obliged with a condition of giving their honest opinion. And judging by their reaction it seems like they were on the same page.
Arlo smirked when he could feel a pair of eyes watching him from afar. Suddenly, he turned round to catch Jovy’s eyes on him but she was quick to focus on something else.
Jovy tried looking away when she noticed Arlo tried to look back at her and it felt really weird to have someone who seem really interested in her. She wanted to call Alice so bad but didn’t want to flop and embarrass herself. He might just be around as a friend and has nothing more in mind.
Jovy’s heart still went out to Logan with a hope that he would reach out to her soon and apologize for keeping her waiting. Staring at Arlo again, she wasn’t so swayed by his presence but just the mere fact of someone taking an interest in her.
Jovy and Arlo both held on to the stealing glances competition, she was busy with work and him waiting patiently for her to finish. Few minutes to her closing time, Arlo’s friends took their leave after bidding her goodbye.
Jovy packed up her things sometime later and said her goodbyes to Ol’Joe only for her to meet Arlo waiting outside.
“Arlo! I can’t believe you waited all through the end.” Jovy noted in a surprised tone as she held onto her backpack like her life depended on it.
“I just couldn’t think of you walking yourself back home alone when I could accompany you.” Arlo smiled.
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Arlo blurted out after some minutes of silence of them walking side by side. He was surprised at his own outburst. Although Arlo didn’t want to appear desperate but he had been curious to know if there was anyone who had her in mind or has an interest in her like he does.
Jovy stopped on track as she stared at him with a wide eye. No one, absolutely no one had ever asked her such question.
From the look on her face, Arlo almost regretted asking her such a question. “I am really sorry, Jovy. You don’t have to respond to that.” He told her.
Jovy face palmed herself for giving off too much of her expression. She let out a soft laugh. “No…no…it’s okay. I don’t have a boyfriend.”
They resumed walking. “Oh, that’s a good thing. I don’t have a girlfriend either.”
“Why are you telling me?”
Arlo scratched the back of his head as he tried to figure out the right thing to say. “I am just trying to get to know you better.”
“Hmm.” Jovy shook her head slowly as she bit on her lip. She already knows what he was driving at.
As they walked side to side, their hands brushed each other and she looked up at him. Arlo locked eyes with her and held on to her free hand. Jovy felt good. She had never had a guy walk her home since the incident with Farrell who always did his best at avoiding coming close to house. Having Arlo this close to her felt pleasant.
Just as they neared the house, Jovy had been so lost in the moment that she forgot the condition she lived in. When she jolted back to reality, right in front of them just few steps away from the house was Amelia.
Jovy quickly turned her attention towards Arlo. “You can leave now, Arlo. Call me later.” She rushed out her words.
Arlo looked perplexed. He could see the panic in her eyes. The frantic search her eyes went on made him worried. Arlo looked ahead, he could see a lone figure standing with a stern look few feet away from them. His eyes returned to that of Jovy’s and seeing that she wasn’t trying to play him, Arlo rubbed at her right upper arm not wanting to pester her.
“No problem, I would call you. You take care.” Arlo told her.
“Get home safe too.” Jovy muttered.
Arlo turned around after pecking her briefly on the cheek. Just as he walked about ten feet away from her, he looked back to see Jovy already moving towards the house. Arlo felt happy. He had never had such feeling in a long while and it felt good. He needed to let this out to someone so badly and only two people would love to hear the reason for his happiness.
Arlo pulled out his phone to dial his two favorite men in the world.
Jovy took in counted breaths as she walked towards Amelia who looked like she would love to brew trouble.
“I see you are going around and moving with different men now.” Amelia stated with a vicious stare and her arms crossed over her chest.
Jovy let out a snort. “Whatever it is you intend to do or say, it is your choice to make. I really don’t care.” She moved passed her.
And that being said, Jovy walked away without sparing Amelia a glance but she could feel her boring holes to her receding back.