Chapter Text
“And would you like pesto with that ma'am?”
The woman in front of him shook her head and scowled.
“No, I'm a vegan. I told you I was vegan, remember!”
Ricky clenched his jaw and displayed a tight lip smile to the impatient couple that sat before him.
God he hated customers like this. The ones who made things more difficult than they had to be. The kind that somehow managed to find everything wrong with the situation. The type that made Ricky Bowen wish that he hasn't smashed his dad's car into the garage and wasn't forced to get a summer job to pay the damages off. Those were the customers he hated. And of course he had to deal with them at the end of the day when he had virtually no energy to put up a fight. Still he knew that it didn't matter what time of the day ungrateful customers walked through that door because he was still just the 16 almost 17 year old waiter who lived by the rules that " the customer was always right." So ricky swallowed his pride and tried his best to reason with the woman in front of him.
“Yeah, Well you said it so loudly that I just couldn't forget ,but we do I make the pesto vegan free so the options still on the table for you.”
The blonde customer scoffed.
“I honestly dont trust this establishment to make any suitable vegan free pesto.”
Ricky sighed and spoke under his breath while scribbling the obnoxiously difficult order onto his notepad.
“Of course you don't”
The woman looked up at Ricky with an expression that could only be described as offended.
“Excuse me?!”
Ricky exhaled and smiled sarcastically.
“All I said was that I wouldn’t expect you to trust this establishment's pesto. I mean you don't, right?”
The woman with the poorly dyed roots choked out a surprised laugh. As if she couldn't believe that someone was actually tired of her bull shit.
“You are an incredibly rude young man. How would your manager feel if I were to tell him about this less than ideal service?”
Ricky tucked his pen behind his ear and shrugged.
“Probably nothing. I mean have you seen how short staffed we are. I'm basically carrying this whole establishment on my back.”
That last part was a lie but Ricky didn't mind. He was at the end of his shift anyways. And honestly this one woman's bad review wouldn't affect him much. He was known for being the young, charming server at this particular restaurante. Everybody who knew him knew that it was almost impossible to dislike him.
A few seconds of uncomfortable silenced passed and Ricky took it as an opportunity to wrap the couples order up before she started talking again.
“So just to make sure I’m bringing out one serving of chicken nuggets and fries for your man child over here-
Ricky nodded towards who he assumed was this woman's husband. He hadn't said a single word during this whole interaction and was still looking down at his phone with such focus it disturbed him.
“And one thing of pesto noodles without the pesto.”
Ricky said it so matter of factly that the woman couldn't argue with it at all. When a couple more moments of silence passed Ricky clicked his tongue and nodded.
“Ok well I will bring your food out very soon ma’am.
Ricky shoved his notepad into his back pocket and turned on his heel towards the kitchen.
Ricky ducked under another servers tray made the familiar left to the kitchen. Once ricky has made the left he handed the order to the cook/ his boss Mark.
Mark read over the notepad paper and made a face once he had reached the end of it.
“She seriously wants pesto noodles without pesto?”
Ricky nodded nonchalantly with his hands still tucked in his pockets.
“Yup. That's what she said."
Mark looked over at his young employee before cracking a smile. Something that he wasn't known for doing to much. But he was known to have a soft spot for Ricky.
“You were being a smart ass weren't you.”
Ricky threwhis hands up in innocence.
“Me a smartass? Never. I'm offended that you would even think so.”
Mark laughed and shook his head.
“16 year olds are always smartasses.”
Ricky grinned.
“17 in a week Mark."
Mark cocked his eyebrow and frowned.
“Like I said ,always a smartass.”
Ricky laughed and leaned back on his heels. He always did that. He decided that if you were gonna laugh you had to put everything into it.
“Listen kid, cover table 6 and you can clock out early.”
Ricky smirked knowingly.
“Aww, see you do like me.”
Mark tried to feign annoyance but failed. Behind his act there was a genuine fondness.
“Keep standing here and I'll prove you wrong”
Ricky blew an exaggerated kiss to his boss before ducking past another waiter with a tray full of plates and exiting the kitchen.
Ricky once again made the familiar left turn and made an effort to look over at the table he had just covered. There was the woman silently yelling at her husband as he struggled to not look down at his phone every other second. Ricky shook his head. Maybe he could understand where she was coming from. He would be pissed to if his husband were incapable of having a conversation with another person. Ricky tore his eyes away from the table and made his was to table 6.
Table 6 was his favorite table. Actually it was everyone's favorite table. It was tucked away near the back of the restaurant beside the biggest window in the restaurant. The table was round and in the perfect position for a candlelight dinner. He usually gave the table to couples who he could tell were on a first date. He understood how awkward and nerve wracking first dates could be so he decided to help the couple out by giving them the nicest spot in the restaurant. It sometimes made the night go smoother. He sort of thought of it as pushing them in the right direction.
That being said though he had no idea who was occupying the space tonight so he was somewhat curious as to which people were trying their luck at love tonight.
Ricky pulled his notepad out of his pocket ready to make this an enjoyable experience depending on who it was.
However When Ricky finally did make it to the infamous table he did not see a couple deeply immersed in their conversation but instead a single girl poking at her plate of chicken alfredo.
Ricky moved his head slightly in an attempt to get a better look at the single customer and when he did god he couldn't look away.
Ricky didn't usually take the time to notice the appearances of the people he was waiting on but this one was hard to miss. She had long brown and golden braids that reached down her back. She had on a short yellow sundress ( very fitting for the weather ) and white converse to match. Her eyelashes were long and her lips were tinted with a soft blush color.
Ricky cleared his throat and as a result the girl looked up at him. She smiled at him and he swore his heart skipped a beat.
He glanced down at her plate and nodded towards the plate.
“Not a fan of the chicken Alfredo huh?”
The girl looked down at her plate and shook her head.
“No no! It's good. It's great actually.”
She said it in a way as if she were scared of offending Ricky by not eating it.
She grabbed a forkful and ate it to further prove her point.
This got a laugh out of Ricky. One of his really genuine ones too. Not the kind that he made to move small talk along with customers.
“You can be honest if you don't like it. It won't hurt my feelings. I didn't make it.”
The girl looked around laughing a little awkwardly as she did.
“No I promise you that it's good I just uh-
She looked up at him with almost a sad smile on her face.
“I didn't plan on eating it alone.”
Ricky's mouth made a perfect “o” shape.
When he made the joke he was expecting her to say something like "Yeah not a huge fan of pasta" not " I'm alone when I'm not supposed to be."
The girl must’ve noticed his surprise because she quickly waved off his reaction.
“You don't have to feel bad for me, I promise. I think I might of scared him off.”
She laughed it off and Ricky guessed that that was her way of playing down the disappointment that was thick in her voice.
Ricky moved closer to the table while also giving her her the opportunity to politely tell him to fuck off. Though he didn't take her as the type he didn't know her. And he could understand if she wouldn't be in the mood to talk to her server. She had just been stood up and now her nosey but charming ( might he add) waiter wouldn't leave her alone.
But she never did.
“You can sit down if you want.”
Ricky pulled out the chair before sitting down.
“You sure?”
She smiled sweetly.
“Yeah I mean I already forced you into conversation with me. Would be rude to refuse you a seat.”
Ricky moved in the chair closer to the table while shaking his head.
“I asked you didn't I?”
“Yeah but it's your job isn't it?”
Ricky leaned forward.Hoping to make their new conversation a little more personal.
“My job is to take your order and ask if you're enjoying your night.”
The girl across from him grinned.
“Well you're making my night more enjoyable.”
Ricky smirked, pleasantly surprised with her answer.
"Well I'm glad. But um... if you don't mind me asking how'd you scare your date off?”
The girl looked taken aback but quickly recovered. He was about to apologize for being so invasive but he didn't see the point. Etiquette kind of got thrown out the window when you started conversation with a total stranger.
“Well I think I might've told him a bit too much about myself too soon.”
Ricky's brows furrowed.
“care to elaborate?”
“Well he was the first guy I've talked to since I've moved here( so that's why he didn't recognize her. She was new. He knew that he couldn't miss a face like hers even if he tried.) and instead of just telling him the basics like my favorite song or movie I gave him my whole life story in the span of a month.Yeah... bad move on my end. I know.”
Ricky frowned.
“So he didn't want to get to know you? He sounds like a waste of space.”
“Well you don't know me.”
She leaned closer with her words. He followed.
“I'd like to.”
The girl pulled back and pushed her hand forward.
“Well, I’m Gina. Gina porter.”
Ricky took her hand in his and shook it.
“Nice to meet you Gina. I'm Ricky.”
The two of them held hands longer than two strangers would've but he guessed neither one of them was really to bothered.
“Well Gina I'd like to be the first to welcome you to Salt Lake City Utah.”
Gina smiled in a way that displayed both her dimples he was now just noticing.
“ Hate to break it to you but you're not the first to welcome me Ricky”
Ricjy shrugged.
“I’d like to be your favorite person to welcome you though.”
Gina tapped her chin before grinning.
“Sounds doable.”
______________________
______________________
So you crashed his car!
It was an accident!
Gina leaned back and laughed.
He had only known her for an hour and was already in love with her laugh. He had learned over the past hour that there were a lot of things he liked about her. She was a dancer, star student, and had a similar love for music. Yeah Ricky Bowen really liked Gina Porter.
Gina wiped a tear from her eye and shook her head.
“You are definitely crazy Ricky."
Ricky bowed his head dramatically.
“ Why Thank you Gina. I try.”
Gina followed his movement.
“You're welcome Ricky.”
Ricky nodded and took a bite of his breadstick.
He had his coworker and best friend Big Red bring him a round of breadsticks in return for taking his closing shift.
As of right now they were the only ones in the restaurant. Like he said he was closing tonight. The reason he gave to his boss was that he didn't have anywhere to be and red deserved a break. The real reason though was obvious.
“So Gina,where are you starting your sophomore year?”
Gina opened her mouth to respond but before she could Ricky slammed his hands on the table.
“Before you speak please don't say north high.”
Gina shook her head.
“No, I'm going to be going to east high this year.”
Ricky beamed. Quite literally beamed. He smiled so wide the sides of his mouth hurt a bit.
“So you'll be a fellow wildcat this year huh?”
Gina scrunched her nose in a way that could only be described as adorable.
“Now you get to see me all the time.”
“Lucky me.”
The two stared at one another from across the table. Gina had big brown eyes and freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose. Ricky took the time to count them.
Gina was the first to pull away. She glanced down at her phone.
“Shoot, I got to go.”
Ricky looked down at his watch. He didn't realize how late it had gotten. Gina stood up and pulled a 20 out of her purse.
“Thanks Ricky, I had a lot of fun tonight.”
“So did I.”
Ricky grabbed the 20 and tried to pass it back to her.
“This ones on me.”
Gina shook her head.
“I can't let you do that Ricky.”
“I promise you it's ok.”
Gina put her hands up to avoid the bill.
“I'm not taking it.”
Ricky sighed knowing he had been defeated.
“You win this time.”
Gina smiled sweetly.
“Nice to know there's gonna be a next time.”
Gina turned on her heel and waved.
“Bye Ricky.”
Ricky waved back with a goofy smile playing on his lips. He waited until he saw Gina step into her car and drive off.
Ricky turned away from the door and opened his hand. He looked at the 20 dollar bill she had left him and saw that there was a little piece of paper under it.
It didn't take him long to realize she had left him her number.
"Hmm, he thought, she's classy."
Ricky exhaled breathlessly and reached for his phone.
He held the phone to his ear until the rining ceased.
“Hello?”
Ricky could hear video games in the background.
“Red you're never going to believe the girl I met.”
Red laughed at his friend's excitement.
“Who did you meet this time?”
Ricky looked down at the number in his hand and his heart ached at her absence.
“Dude… I think I found the girl