Bittersweet Symphony

J

Jovian

Guest
Original poster
Mark Reynolds was a good guy, all around Boy Scout type. He helped out those who were struggling, carried groceries for the elderly, helped out at the shelters in town. He actually was an Eagle Scout before he graduated high school. He ran fingers through scruffy light brown hair and sighed as he gazed out over the traffic from the diner he was sitting at. He worked there as a waiter, and it was so dead at the moment that his boss didn't bat an eye at him just sitting there. Mark let his mind wander, going over the different things he could be doing instead today, but it was his turn to work the afternoon shift since only one person needed to work during this time frame. Bright blue eyes glanced at the clock. Three o'clock. He didn't get off until five.
 
The bells above the door jingled as Isabelle, an old class mate that was just some what of an acquaintance with you emerges from the hot weather outside. she and her friends have posters with them, they don't see your boss at first so they all crowd around you she smiles warmly sitting across from you remembering your face. "Hey you" she says pushing her long blonde locks back behind her ears. "i didn't know you worked here, i was wondering do you think your boss would be upset if we hung these posters on the outside walls? we are having a car wash to fund next years cheer leading trip to Europe. im so excited we are almost there.. one more car wash should do it..i don't know if you even remember me.. im Isabelle fields.. i graduated with you.
 
Mark smiles and looks at a flyer. He glances over at the boss and calls back, "Hey, we're putting some flyers up out here, you cool with that?" before turning back to Isabelle. "I remember you. It's been some time hasn't it?"

"Yeah, go ahead!" his boss called back.

Mark waved them towards the windows. "Pick your spot. The window is up for grabs." He watched as a couple of the girls moved to put a flyer and he looked at Isabelle. "How have you been?"
 
she smiles and shrugs "as good as i can be i guess... getting ready to start working soon.. and register for college too. ive been so busy lately it seems i have no time for fun like we all used to. i miss those days but i guess everyone has to grow up some time right?" she says glancing at the girls posting flyers then back at you "and how about you? how have you been? havent seen you since graduation" she says twirling the mood ring on here sun kissed finger.
 
Mark laughed. "I work all the time. I gave up on the idea of college my senior year, and have been working at the diner ever since."

Smiling, Mark looked at back at the flyers. "What's the car wash for? It can't be to get money for cheer camp or something." Granted, Mark didn't remember if Isabella ever was a cheerleader or not. They had a couple of clsses together so I knew her vaguely but no as well as some of his other high school acquaintances.
 
Isabelle giggles a little "actually yes it is mark.. we are trying to go to a competition in europe and the grand prize is something like 50,000 but im not doing it for the money.. i just want to go to europe. i want to travel the world and i think europe is a good place to start meet new people and all that.. of course you would know that about me.." she said blinking at him twice, her big blue eyes gleaming a little in the sunlight. "if you ever payed attention to me. which you didnt" she said smirking and getting up with the posters "do you care to join us? or do you have something better to do? "she says looking around at the empty diner
 
Mark winced, his mind catching up to him as he remembered she had mentioned the trip already. He sighed, again, and looked around the diner as well. He didn't really have to be there, but since he was the only server available until five he couldn't really leave.

"Unfortunately I will have to decline. I still have a couple hours left of my shift," he said sadly. He would have gladly left at this point, but there was always the chance of someone coming in for an early dinner or very late lunch at this hour. He smiled at Isabella. "I'm sorry. Maybe when I'm finished here? I'm sure you'll be coming to a close, but it would be fun to see you again later on. Maybe even catch up some more?"
 
Isabelle blushed a little at this "sure we can catch up later.. just not too late. if you want we can go for ice cream later ive been craving it all day in this hot ass weather" she says laughing a little trying to hide the fact she was thrilled he wanted to spend time with her. "how about we meet at the ice cream shack around 6.. that okay for you?" she handnt seen him for a while.. he looked more mature now. he was cute she had to admit alot had changed these short months.
 
Mark nodded. "Six is great. It will give me time to change out of this uniform." He motioned to the black slacks and checkered shirt. He smiled at Isabella, actually happy that he would be able to get to do something after work for once. Helps she's cute, he told himself, inwardly chuckling. He wasn't one to care about that sort of thing, never worrying about relationships and similar things. He had work to go to and never any real time for it. But ice cream with Isabella sounded like a fun evening.
 
Later on that day when they finally met for ice cream walking on the pier she playfully pushed him a little "so.. do you have any goals besides you know... working in that shop? do you plan to go anywhere? see anything? or do you plan to stay in this little town forever?" she said pushing her spoon in and out of her ice cream. she had become more interested in him then the ice cream she had been craving for days but never had the time to go get.
 
Mark frowned and took a bite of ice cream while he thought. He didn't really, because he hadn't seen any other future for himself. He gave up on the idea of college, because although he was smart he couldn't financially afford it. Sure he could take out student loans, but it seemed a little helpless.

"Not really. I just plan on working at the diner," he admitted after a moment. "What about you, what are your plans?" He watched her play around with her ice cream and wondered for a moment why she wasn't eating it. He took another bite of ice cream.
 
Isabelle exhaled softly "well.. i have to stay a while and take care of my grandmother thats whu im doing college here and not abroad. bur after that i plan to leave this city. and go somewhere else.. and do something like nursing.. something that involves helping other people and traveling" she nodded as if just comming to this conclusion herself, "so...anything keeping you here besides the obvious, not wanting to go to college? family.. maybe a girlfriend? " she said taking the first bite of her ice cream.
 
Mark laughed. "My family thinks I'm wasting my life and talents working at the diner, so we don't talk much," he admitted. "And no, definitely no girlfriend. I'm lucky I have time to go home most days. I pick up all the hours I can get, which is easy when there aren't many who want to work at the diner.

"That's great that you want to help people. Nursing is a wonderful opportunity to that," he added.
 
i nodd and smile "yea.. i know i wont regret it.. but i have to kinda agree with your mom i think you should go off to college.. dont waste all your time here." she says as the keep walking along the pier chatting.
 
Layla Duncan was a recent graduate who had already began taking summer college cources at the local university. She had dreams of becoming famous, so she was going to school for dance. She was also taking courses to become an English teacher just incase her dance dreams fell through. She still lived at home with her parents who drove her crazy, but with there support and money, she couldn't really complain. She was wondering around the pier to get away from her family for a little while, even though she didn't see them much through the week, she still felt the need to get away. She got in line to get some vanilla ice cream and then once she had it in her possession, she charished every bite. Sense she was becoming a dancer she had to work hard to keep up on her figure. She was a very thin young woman with an amazing body, but everytime she would eat something that was "unhealthy" her mother would freak out. So it was nice to be able to indulge every once in a while.

She turned the corner to see two of her former classmates sitting on a bench together. She knew them both but in high school she didn't associate with them much. Not because she didn't like them, but she was always too busy and couldn't get to know everyone. She walked over to them. "Hello, it is nice to see you guys again. Layla Duncan. Just incase you didn't remember me. You are Mark Reynolds and Isabelle Fields, right?" She remembered their names and there faces but she didn't remember Mark being that good looking. She smiled at the two of them even though she couldn't help but check Mark out, she only hoped that he didn't notice.
 
Isabelle looked up at the gorgeous girl in front of her. Normally, when Isabelle walked in the room and everyone would stare and envy her... its crazy how karma works. She examined her.. how polite she was and inviting... she almost felt threatened? but what for? not because of mark, no she barely knew the guy.. she dismissed these feelings right away and returned the girls smile "yes thats right.." she felt bad she hadnt remembered the girls name. She quickly rephrased the question "your.. your doing good i see. its good to know that" she continued

...nice save


she didnt want to look over at mark, already visioning the look on his face.
 
Mark smiled politely. "Yes that's me. Ah, how have you been?" he asked, surprised to run into two of his old classmates in the same day. He glanced at Isabelle and then at Layla. "Would you like to join us? We're just catching up ourselves." He, of course, was oblivious to any checking out of his person.
 
Layla shook herself out of her inner thoughts and smiled back at them. "Sure, I would love to hang out for a little while." She noticed that Mark was sitting on the edge of the bench and she didn't really want to sit beside Isabelle so she took a seat along the wall behind the bench closer to Mark. "So how have your summers been? Good I hope."
 
Isabelle didnt notice what layla had done.. she pushed her spoon into her ice cream once more.. slowly loosing her appetite. "my summer was great" she said in a nonchalant manner "listen.. i have to go.. its getting pretty late bye mark... bye layla" she said almost forgetting the girls name

whoa.. why did she feel the need to get out of there so fast? it was just too wierd, she would catch up with mark later
 
Mark stood as Isabelle started to leave and offered a hand for shaking.

"It was good to see you again, Isabelle. You know where I work, so drop by anytime," he said with a smile.