coffe dear?-open-

[charlie haleck.]

&& she works the days away like prisoners tally mark the cell walls...

Charlie Haleck stood behind the counter of Dina's Diner wearing a pair of jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and a pale pink apron bearing the words 'Dina's Diner' is swirly, girlish handwriting. Her mess of blonde locks were pulled back into a pony tail and her expression was one of mild boredom. It was six AM and she'd had to open that morning. This meant that she was now standing behind the counter wondering hwo many really came into the diner that early.

Her deliacate hands grasped the coffee pot carefully. A classic restraunt style coffee cup was held lightly in her other hands and her sleepy look was not quite as welcoming as her boss would've wanted. Her black Converse had left a scuff mark on the floor too just to add to her bad morning luck.

If there were little things people could learn of Charlie it was that she she was a little clumsy and full of bad luck. Her job at the diner was surly an amusing one, but full of a lot of broken dishes. She was just waiting for the day her boss might fire her for another plate shattered. Charlie's luck was so poor.

She glanced up at the clock. 6:03, it was going to be a long morning. She set the coffee pot down and slipped the cup behind the counter. She pulled out her sketchbook and sat herself down on the floor behind the counter. The bell would ring should the door open. Charlie's eyes drooped in exhaustion and she begged herself not to smudge her entire book.

[Alexander Davies]

&&does my face say morning person to you

Alex hit the snooze button for the second time in a row, cursing his idiocy in agreeing to go and photograph some nocturnal animals last night with Sav, only to find the forest empty. At Sav's insistence, they stayed for two whole hours in hopeful silence, or a freezing one in Alex's case. They finally called it quits at about three in the morning, and only than as Alex remembered his early shift at the diner tomorrow. He finally sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes angrily, knowing he was at least fifteen minutes behind schedule. Alex set his feet on the floor firmly, than standing up to switch on the lights. A glance at the clock proved him right;it was already 5.45 _AM

A quick shower awaiting for the water to turn warm, a hope that left him disappointed set him into a pair of jeans and a collared, neat blue tee shirt. Alex forced down a glass of orange juice before heading outside with a piece of toast. He started up the second hand car he had saved up from himself, and sped through the quiet town with an eye preoccupied on his watch.

Today of all days to have the earliest shift, just his luck. He had to arrive there by six o'clock to open up the place-if anyone was mad enough to wake up that early in the first place. His annoyance was heightened by his sleepiness, but despite that he admitted the job was fair. The pay was good and he barely had to do anything, just serve up coffee while another person handle the cash register. The shifts keep changing, so you'd never get the same person in a row. Usually he got on well with everyone-usually.

The ring of a bell announced his arrival in the diner, and he was not surprised to see that the place was empty. He walked up to the counter, checking his watch to see that it was already 6.12. Well, once a year wasn't too bad of a record. He was constantly known for his responsibility and manners, well favored by the manager.

Tossing his bag behind the counter, Alex turned to see whom he would be with for the next couple of hours. A grin crossed his face as he saw Charlie still working away on her sketchbook;some things never changed. He watched her, not caring to alert her of his presence. A thoughtful, yet impassive look crossed his face as he fondly looked the blond girl over. He loved her, he really did. They had been friends since just about forever, and the change was enormous. It was like he had just woken up one day to find that Haleck was the absolute most brilliant girl in the world. The timing couldn't have been worse: he felt that change right after he started going out with Charlie's best friend, Kallie.

But that story was over now, and a new one was waiting to take its place. Too bad the beginning, as well as the end was still clouded from him.

[charlie haleck.]

Charlie's gaze remained transfixed on the spiraling lines her charcoal pencil graced the pages with. Her eyes drooped a tad bit more until the bell rang. She thought to jump up in case it was the manager but, then she heard the sound of those footsteps. Theose footfalls could belong to no one other than Alexander Davies. He'd never guess that Charlie knew it was him just by the sound of his walking. Could she help it if she just knew him that well? Charlie loved keeping her tiny secrets, the ones that made her love Alex even more. It was just those little things, the things everyone else seemed to take for granted in life. The sound of someone breathing, the way their feet paced across the floor to get to you, the way their hand felt in yours when you walked together. How could Charlie explain it though?

She smiled and let him watch a moment. She knew it would kill the moment if she reacted too fast and any moment spent with Alex was worth her time. Suddenly, work was looking far better if it meant spending time with one of her best friends and the one person she possibly loved most. She then turned, dropping her sketchbook in the act by accident. It clattered to the black and white tiled floor with a light noise as her shoes made yet another scuff. She'd have to work over-time for sure that day.

"Well, it it isn't Alex Davies? Hey, you look more than tired this morning." She couldn't wipe that smile from her face. Her eyes suddenly wore more life than a morning could ever suggest. Alex did look genuinely tired though. Charlie was usually exhausted due to her inability to just sleep. She spent her late hours of the night doing random podcasts and web cam recordings of her just sketching and talking. What else was she supposed to do as insomnia over-whelmed her life?

"Come sit with me till this place gets hoppin'?" She asked. She hid the strong desire to have him near from entering her tone. After Alex had dated Kallie, Charlie had become an expert at hiding those feelings toward him in case he didn't like her. That was possibly one of Charlie's greatest fears. What if Alex didn't want to be with her? He was the only person Charlie would ever consider marrying some day. He was the only person she'd ever think of being with for a long term amount of time. Normally, she was just the party type, hanging out with Kallie wearing the cheerleader persona gradually until people doubted her ability to think like a normal human being. Luckily, Alex had never seen Charlie as that person. Apparently, he'd never seen Kallie that way either. Charlie could hardly dwell on her friendship with Kallie Burke in that moment though. They were best friends yet, the thing with Alex had really shaken it up a bit. Charlie couldn't help but feel a little hurt by it. Okay, a lot hurt.