Colton Valero
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 4:29 am
Original Post Title: "A Side Lesser Shown"
Location: Garfield's Restaurant, Central Mall
"Regina, you've got a couple in your section," the hostess mused quietly as she returned to her stationary position at the podium. A reluctant sigh slipped from the lips of she by the name of Regina as she glanced to the two people who had been seated in her section. Krystle, previously known as the bleach-blonde hostess, shrugged her shoulders lightly at the annoyed look that had plastered itself onto Regina's dark features.
"Pretty sure I'm about to leave," Regina mused in an annoyed manner.
"It's worth hanging around for," Krystle mused, a sly grin slipping across her delicate features, "The guy's a looker."
Despite herself, Regina was suddenly curiously peaking out from behind the wall at the booth in which her two newest customers had just been seated. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she took in the baseball boy facing toward them, but a resigned sigh quickly escaped her lips, "Yeah, Krystle. It looks like he's very, very taken. That girl's probably a trick, too. It's not worth hanging around for the lousy tip."
Before the hostess could speak up to reprimand Regina for her selfish attitude, a voice spoke up from behind the two. "If you don't want the table, I'll take it," the dark-headed boy who had just stepped out of the kitchen mused with a grin.
"Whatever," Regina stated flatly, her arms crossing over her chest as she uttered the word, "You can have it."
"Fantastic," the boy, whose nametag read Colt, mused, "I'm glad you're wealthy Gina, but some of us have bills to pay. You know, if you weren't such an uptight bitch, and if you didn't go around insulting people's girlfriends, you might actually get decent tip money."
The never-faltering smile that remained plastered on Colton's face conveyed the joking manner in which he spoke to his colleague, but the baffled and befuddled look that crossed over Regina's features remained fixated on them as Krystle let out a laugh-turned-snort at the comment. Despite the air of jokingness that Colt had made the remark with, part of him was serious, and part of the words he had uttered had a valid point. Continuing to grin, Colton snatched the check pad from the hands of his fellow waitstaff member and gave her a small salute and a wink.
The rather annoyed look that Regina had expressed only moments prior quickly melted into a giddy smile at this action. Despite the pompous and overbearing manner in which he presented himself, despite the egotistical and smart-mouthed way he spoke to his companions, despite his overall attitude, Colton had a personality that you could only hate in a playful manner. For starters, he had an air of attractiveness about him that you couldn't help but notice, and was friendly and charismatic. His words always held a comical demeanor to them, and despite the nasty and callous words that often spilled freely from his lips, it was almost impossible to take him seriously. He was one of the "veteran" waitstaff at Garfield's, having started as a dishwasher at the age of sixteen. By eighteen, he had made his way out onto the floor and was one of the more popular waiters, driven by his charismatic personality. Colton was good at his job and he knew it.
Attaching the ever-present, never-faked Colton Valero smile to his lips, Colt meandered slowly over to the table where the couple formerly known as Regina's latest clients glanced idly at their menus. Upon discovering who his latest customer was, Colt couldn't help but grin amusedly. Gregg Archer, fellow Franklyn classmate, fellow baseball teammate, and quite frankly, good buddy of his sat seated in the booth. Colt was a little taken aback to see Gregg in a place like Garfield's, he never knowing Gregg to enjoy luxuries like fine cuisine and expensive prices. What Colt was truly curious about, however, was not why Gregg Archer had made an appearance in a restaurant like Garfield's, but who had persuaded him to undergo such a feat. Quite frankly, Colton was rather curious about the dark-haired lady friend who sat across from Gregg, her back turned to Colt.
To Colton's knowledge, Gregg didn't have a girlfriend. If he did, he never talked about her, and even only being able to see the back of the girl's features, Colt noted that she was quite pretty. Most definitely something worth telling others about, if you know what I mean. Colt's curiosity was suddenly overwhelming, as the girl held a sense of familiarity to him, but not because she was a student at Franklyn. In fact, Colt was almost positive he didn't recognize the girl from school, which only baffled him even more. Casually strolling up to the table, he grasped Gregg on the shoulder to get his attention, the grin once again overtaking his features as he greeted his fellow teammate.
"Hey, man!" It wasn't the most polite greeting in the world, and it wasn't etiquette he would normally use on-the-clock, but this was Gregg, and Colt didn't care how much money they paid him, he wouldn't be calling his baseball teammate 'sir' anytime soon. Inconspicuously turning his attention to the lady friend that currently occupied the seat horizontal to Gregg's, Colton's eyebrows raised in mild shock. It wasn't an expression that was noticeable along his features, but one glance at the face of the young lady accompanying his teammate instantaneously made a name click into place. He knew the girl with Gregg, all right.
In the biblical sense.
His head tilted to the side ever so slightly and a smirk came across his features as he looked at the brunette, his head beginning to shake a little bit in dismay and confusion at the awkward situation that he'd unwittingly put himself in. He and Ali Grayston, they knew one another alright -- intimately. Neither one of them were ever really one for relationships, so what they had could best be called a fling. Not even a fling, really. To put it bluntly, for quite a while, he and Ali were what could best be described as "fuck buddies". It wasn't a pretty term, but that was pretty much the gist of it. They'd met at a party a while back -- both of them had been intoxicated at the time, he thought she was hot, she thought he was cute, and they wound up going off in his truck and hooking up later on that night. Not the most romantic story, right?
Things sped up from there, and although neither one of them were looking for a committed relationship, nothing was stopping them from being friends-with-benefits, as it was so often coined. This relationship, if it could truly be called one, had continued for a couple months, and when she had suddenly stopped calling him, Colton had simply gone elsewhere to find that which he'd apparently lost with Ali. He hadn't talked to her since then, though in all actuality it had only been roughly a month since things had come to an abrupt halt with the two of them. Now, the first time he saw her since then, she was here with one of his teammates -- one of his friends. Ali glanced up at him, and although a look of astonishment and surprise overtook her features for a brief instant, it was quickly overtaken by a look of indifference. Obviously, she had no intentions of shining any sort of light on their connections to one another.
"... What do you guys want to drink?" Colt asked after a moment.
"Diet coke..." Ali mused.
She'd grown rather silent since the appearance of their waiter, but if asked, could simply blame it on the fact that she'd been browsing through the rather vast menu of foods that Garfield's provided. As Colton took Gregg's drink order and wandered off for the back, Ali couldn't help but curse inwardly at the recent turn of events. She'd been so careful to choose an eatery where she and Gregg wouldn't be bothered by the plebians and urchins that Bathurst High School was known for. She had never once stopped to think about people that she wasn't connected to through Bathurst High. Besides, she had no idea that Colton Valero worked here. Unsurprisingly, throughout the course of their "relationship", his place of employment had never come up. Shaking her head a bit in mental anguish, Ali continued with the plastered facade of nonchalance on the outside.
Within a few moments, she looked up at Gregg, a smile alighting her features as her eyes met with his momentarily. This had to be dealt with immediately, lest it be blown out of proportion and end in a bad scenario for her. The more oblivious Gregg was to the fact that she and Colton knew one another -- and just how close they had been -- the better of the both of them would be, she imagined. Besides, she'd like to think that Gregg didn't know about her "reputation" at Bathurst High. In all actuality, she hadn't been with that many guys. Yes, she'd had her fair share of partners at sixteen years of age, but things get blown out of proportion rather quickly, and she didn't need Gregg thinking that she was a common whore.
"Hey," she mused quietly, "I'll be back in a minute."
Excusing herself in a matter that was rather polite and unbefitting of Ali Grayston, she cast another glance back toward Gregg and smiled once again before exusing herself in the direction of the restrooms -- which just happened to be around a corner and near the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she caught sight of Colton standing in the back, not even having to wave the dark-headed boy down before he came over to her with a bit of a baffled expression on his face. Before he had time to ask, Ali simply held her finger to her lips and shook her head. She didn't owe him any explanation, it was none of his business. Colton seemed to simply shrug this off. It wasn't as if he cared that she was here with someone else, they weren't ever seriously involved anyway. Not committed-wise.
"Listen," Ali stated sharply, her voice hushed so that no one could hear them speaking, "I don't want Gregg to find out about... you know, about us. It just wouldn't be right, you know? Not on my part, not on your part... he is one of your friends, after all. And... look, it'll just cause us all a lot less trouble if you act like you don't know who I am, or like we're just casual acquaintances, or... or something."
Interrupting her before she continued to babble on, Colton placed his hand on her shoulder and offered an encouraging smile, "You read my mind, doll."
And that was that. Nothing else had to be said, nor would it be. Both Colton and Ali were on the same page when it came to avoiding risque situations, and exposing their relationship as ex-lovers to the one guy Ali truly cared about as well as one of the guys Colton was rather close to on the baseball team could only mean turmoil on both their parts. Giving him a curt nod, Ali turned around, slowly making her way back to the booth where Gregg was seated. For all he knew, she had just gone for a short bathroom break. And frankly, if Ali Grayston had her way, that's all Gregg would ever know. A relieved sigh escaped her lips at Colton's cooperation in retaining their secret. Of all the things that had gone wrong today, at least that much was going right. Then again, why would Colton want to expose a dark secret from the past anyway? It wasn't as though either of them were emotionally attached to one another or anything of the sort, neither had ever considered the other anything more than a casual acquaintance at best.
Sliding back into the table across from Gregg, Ali once again smiled. When she was with him, it was one of the few times she actually conveyed a genuine smile, and despite the reputations, the rumors, the high-school drama, and the compulsive need to be on top of the world, the kind smile that she conveyed when she was genuinely happy was very becoming of the brunette. Reopening her menu and continuing to mull over it for a minute, Ali glanced idly at the dozens upon dozens of potential dishes plastered to the menu before once again looking up at Gregg.
"What looks good?" she inquired lightly, silently hoping her companion would remain oblivious to the events going on around him.
Posted by: riserugu Aug 31 2006, 09:58 PM
Focusing his attention downward on to the somewhat small, and lightly fashioned text of the menu placed before him by the waitress that had left some moments before. Gregg eyeing the contents with a slightly withdrawn expression, personally he was never much for food like this true both his parents where really well off, they liked in a great house on the right side of town, and seen he had been adopted he had been offered all the good things in life and then some, though he be damned if he acted like a majority of the kids that where in the same shoes as him. Perhaps it was because he had grown up being on such a different level, being shuffled from one family to the next for so long actually having concerning, loving parents was a bit of a shock for him for lack of a better way of putting it.
Simply put some mac' n' cheese would do him over well, though remembering he was here more or less for Ali he simply allowed himself to smile the thought away.
Flipping over to another side of the menu, Gregg lightly lifted his attention away as the question from Ali came he looking at the younger female for a brief moment before smiling with a shrug and returning his attention downward too the menu. "Not really mostly just working on applications and the like, for college and all. Trying to work out all my classes for next year, least trying to work it all around so I can at least do baseball without it being a burden on anything."
He sighed lightly, flipping the page back; "What about you? You never seem to talk about your school with me?"
For a moment he wondered if the other girl was going to open up and actually talk, or if this was going to turn into a one-sided conversation like it usually did sometimes. Though before Gregg had a chance to think any harder on the subject, a grip on his shoulder and a odd greeting for such a place made him take his attention away from what he had been so focused on and turn to look on the features of one of his fellow classmates and teammates at school, a rather odd expression between shock and confusion spreading across his features. "Colt?"
He knew he probably shouldn't be surprised to see his teammate, because he knew somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered Colt making some mention of his work-place, he knew they pretty much all knew he worked in the at the cinema then again like with making choices remembering bits of information about people, like birthdays and the name of their cat's wasn't something he usually kept on top priority; heck he had a time usually remembering names he wasn't going to bother remembering all this other stuff. Though as he smiled at the other male, he found himself blinking slightly, eyeing the odd glance over he seemed to be giving Ali the shake of his head made the question form at an even faster pace.
Turning his head away from Colt he glanced toward Ali and nothing other than a look of indifference seemed to don the features of her face, Gregg lightly chewing down on his bottom lip with his teeth a horrid habit he performed when slightly, or in this case, overwhelmingly confused about a situation. Though still it was odd.
But with a shrug he allowed himself to push the thought away and back, returning to his menu though continuing to lightly chew on his lip. By the look on Ali's face they didn't seem to know one another, which was what his mind was telling him was going on. Though if they did they had done a grand job of never mentioning the other around him. Maybe this was something he also didn't know about Ali too add to slightly growing list, a sigh escaping him as he just simply shook his head of the thought, it really wasn't his place to wonder. If Colt and Ali knew one another, they seemed to not care to acknowledge it, or perhaps his thoughts where just getting the better of himself, and things weren't as big as he was portraying them.
He was starting to become convinced, though that life was more difficult to figure out than a majority of his math homework a lot of the time.
Flipping the page of the menu over again, not even sure what he was looking for he hardly understood a majority of it truth be told. It all sounded weird, and looked pricey, too things that never should go together in his humble opinion.
At Ali's voice commenting out on leaving for the bathroom, Gregg tilted his head up nodding lightly and smiling a bit and glancing back downward as Ali wondered away from the table. Sitting there alone now he couldn't help when he began to drum his finger lightly against the table, propping an elbow atop the wooden table and resting his cheek down against an open palm. Eyes wondering over the dishes, upon dishes that this place offered, casting his attention over to his drumming fingers, narrowing them at once again the sight of a spray splatter of paint along his wrist this time.
Really he was going to have to start funding into paint that washes off easier, that or buy a pair of gloves or something. He thought, lifting his head and licking at one of his fingers, scrubbing at the area once more to try and rid it of the reddish hue that was staining the somewhat tanned skin.
By the time the last remnants of the paint left skin was when Ali returned, he glancing up at his friend with a return smile as he lowered his finger away from his wrist. Watching her lightly for a minute as she went back to looking over her own menu, something he had given up quite sometime ago simply going with the easiest thing to understand on there. Least it had chicken in the title, most of these things made no sense what so ever to him and he really didn't feel like playing lucky in order to find out what he could be getting with tonight's meal.
The question allowed the smile to stay as he shrugged, "I really don't know anything that I know what's in it, that's always good for me."
Posted by: Megami Sep 2 2006, 08:10 PM
A noticeable frown, though it more resembled a pout than a full-on disappointed look, formed across the features of the vivacious brunette who sat across from Gregg Archer as he commented vaguely on the large variety of platters offered at the restaurant. More than anything, Gregg seemed more than a little disinterested, if not a bit turned off, by the restaurant she had chosen to eat at, and that more than anything disheartened the bronze complected girl that sat horizontal from him. This was exactly why she had wanted Gregg to pick the restaurant, she hadn't wanted to drag him somewhere he wasn't interested in going and force him to sit through a meal that he didn't even want. Why did boys have to be so difficult?
"Gregg..." Ali stated coyly, her eyes fixated on her companion as she spoke, "Do you not like the restaurant? We can go somewhere else, you know. We don't have to eat here if you don't want to... really."
Although he probably hadn't intentionally conveyed his distaste for the restaurant she had chosen, it was rather noticeable on Gregg's features as he stared idly at the menu that he wasn't all that impressed with this place. Then again, she'd more than given him ample opportunity to select an establishment of his own accord, so now he had more or less gotten stuck with what Ali wanted, and Ali simply wanted a place where she could be rid of the nuisances that plagued her throughout her time in the compulsory education they call high school. Of course, things had taken a potential turn for the worst when she had run into someone who rivaled even the plebians she was forced to share a classroom with here.
Casting her companion a warm smile, she couldn't help but notice the tall, built physique that was once again approaching their table, this time with drinks in hand. Colt smiled awkwardly, the metal braces that encompassed his teeth gleaming in the dim lighting as he did so. Ali couldn't help but smile half-heartedly as well. Although it would probably just come off to everyone else as her vain attempt at being polite, she really did appreciate Colt's cooperation in withholding a certain bit of information concerning her past -- their past -- from the sandy-haired baseball player sitting across the table for him. She really did owe him, though it was a debt Ali wrongly assumed that she would never be forced to repay.
As Colt slid the drinks down on the table in front of the couple, Ali couldn't help but notice the sidelong glance he cast her from the corner of his eye. Choosing to disregard it, she simply gave him a curt nod in thanks, and Colt seemed to take the hint. The tanned boy had found himself in a lot of situations over past relationships and the choices he had made, and truth be told, this was no exception. Things would have been weird, if not completely uncomfortable, if either himself or Ali had chosen to blow things out of the water in front of their third party, and Colt was actually rather grateful that the brunette hadn't verbally assaulted him on sight.
"So Gregg," he mused casually enough, causing Ali's stomach to knot up inwardly in apprehension at the words that might be uttered next. Her fear seemed unnecessary, however, as Colt's next statements were a direct attempt at pulling Gregg into the conversation and thus making the situation less awkward between himself and Ali. "I've got to know, man. Where've you been hidin' this beautiful lady friend of yours? How come you never introduced us to her?"
Inwardly, Ali let out a sigh of relief. She'd been holding her breath since Colt had addressed him directly, feeling apprehensive at the thought of Colton announcing their prior connections on a whim. When he'd actually gone out of his way to ensure that Gregg didn't get the wrong idea about anything, however, she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She'd have to get ahold of him later and thank him for being so cooperative in the matter. She certainly hadn't expected so much from him.
"And you," he addressed Ali casually, as though he'd met her only moments before. Truth be told, Colt's acting at this point in time was Oscar-worthy. Then again, he'd probably found himself in quite awkward situations many times, so he'd probably had a lot of practice at this sort of thing, "What're you doing with this loser here?"
Ali couldn't help but laugh, a genuine laugh, at Colton's comment. In a way, she couldn't help but contend that many other people had probably asked that question as well -- not that Gregg was a loser by any means -- but the pair just seemed so wrong for one another. They were polar opposites in almost, if not every aspect. Still, Ali couldn't help her growing infatuation with someone who could easily be considered her best friend, but in truth she never knew whether or not her infatuation was requited. Had it been any other boy -- any at all -- she probably wouldn't have been so concerned about it. Around anyone else, Ali didn't just think she was the epitomé of hotness, she knew it. Her unfathomable confidence and entrancing demeanor could have easily won over just about any guy her heart desired... any guy except the one that she truly wanted.
The thought was rather disheartening. Honestly, she didn't know how Gregg felt about her, or if he even thought of her in that way. She secretly hoped that he did, but the signals he threw her were all over the place, and she could never seem to read the other boy's actions or understand his intentions to the fullest. More often than not, trying to understand Gregg simply left Ali confused and frustrated. With anybody else, she probably would have been a lot more assertive and simply came onto them, and for the most part, any of the guys she had dated had reacted very positively to that dominating and somewhat overbearing aspect of her personality. Ali had always remained somewhat placid with Gregg, however. Compliant. The truth was, Ali was almost afraid to assert herself with her counterpart for fear of ruining the deep and trusting friendship that they had established throughout the years.
Better a friend than nothing at all, I guess.
Of course, the thought of using Colton to extract information from her companion only then occurred to the brunette. Of course, the way Colt was poking and prodding now, it could probably be done, and relatively easily. The problem was, Ali wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. For all she knew, Gregg could have a long-time girlfriend at Franklyn or something that he never mentioned around her. Or worse. Girlfriends were one thing, more often than not they were easily removable and simply a minor inconvenience that had to be overcome in order for Ali to get what she wanted. What could possibly be worse than Gregg seeing someone else was the fact that Gregg might honestly be oblivious to her feelings toward him, or, dare she even think it, simply think of her as a kid sister of sorts. That fact in itself would decimate the brunette beyond compare, and Ali wasn't sure if it was something she was willing to find out.
She was quickly burst from her reverie by the sound of Colt's voice ringing out, "So are you guys ready to order yet, or do you need a few more minutes?"
"Oh..." Ali started, shrugging her shoulders lightly, "I'm ready, I suppose... if you are." The last statement was, of course, directed toward the sandy-haired boy who occupied the table alongside her. Having realized that all the tension and nervousness from earlier had erased the majority of her appetite, Ali settled for ordering a small meal consisting of a small steak and a shrimp skewer. As Gregg ordered and Colton retreated from their table and toward the back to give the orders to the chef that awaited in the kitchen, Ali eyed her companion up and down once again.
"Gregg..." she mused quietly, "What do you want to do after this?"
Now was the prime opportunity for the proposition she'd been reiterating in her mind all evening. If all went well, they'd head back to the Grayston household in beautiful Kensington Heights, maybe go swimming in the private pool that sat secluded by a privacy fence behind the Grayston residence, and perhaps hang out and watch movies. Since nobody was at the house aside from her, it wouldn't matter how late Gregg stayed over, or even if he were to crash out on the couch for the evening -- something Ali secretly hoped would come to pass. In her mind, it was the perfect evening... or rather, it would be, if he was up for it. Part of her braced herself for the disappointment that had the possibility of following, but she couldn't help but remain hopeful and optimistic that she would, at the very least, be able to spend the rest of the evening with him.
Colton, meanwhile, had just delivered their orders to the chef. He might have been playing it cool on the outside, but the fact of the matter was the Colt was in a situation where he really didn't feel comfortable. If he'd have had any idea that his classmate was out having dinner with his ex-girlfriend, then he probably would've made Regina wait that table after all. His prayers came in the form of the vivacious blonde who had just clocked in and made her way to the front. She was his ticket out of here, and fast. Colt had had all he could take of this place, and quite frankly, he was tired of putting himself in an awkward situation.
"Kallie baby!" Colt cooed, getting a grin from the blonde-headed girl, "I need a favor."
Kallie's smile turned into a skeptical look as Colt attempted to proposition her. The blonde gave him a bit of a condescending smile before replying, "Colt, you know I have a boyfriend."
Much to her surprise, the dark-headed boy standing before her seemed confused for a moment. Within an instant, though, he burst into a fit of laughter, finally recalling what sort of proposition he'd made for the girl a few weeks prior, "Not that, Kal. I've got a lot of homework to get done babe, I need to split. Think you can take Table 23 for me? I've already taken their order to the back, you'd basically just be on maintenance patrol. You can even have the tip."
"Are you sure?" Kallie inquired lightly, the skeptical look still on her face.
"Yeah babe, I just really gotta go. I've got a big history exam to study for. You know how it is. Truth is, I completely forgot about it 'til my buddy said something."
Okay, so maybe he hadn't completely forgotten about it. He'd never really planned on studying for it anyway, but at the moment, it seemed better than the alternative of continuing to put himself in this awkward situation. Kallie nodded slightly and smiled, even though a puzzled look still remained on her features. Colt smiled lightly and embraced the girl before she ever really had time to respond. At that point, Kallie melted, and the deal was pretty much sealed.
"Thanks hun, I appreciate this. You don't even know," he stated simply, receiving simply another nod from Kallie for his words. Taking that as his cue to exit, Colton hightailed it to the back, clocked out, and made a bee-line for the exit of the restaurant. He'd see Gregg at school, no doubt, and despite himself, he couldn't help but think that he was in store for an interesting conversation. Perhaps it was wrong to lie to his friend, especially for an ex, but it was the easiest way around things. Besides, Gregg probably wouldn't want his left-overs. Smirking at the thought, Colt exited the mall and headed out to the crotchrocket he had taken to riding around town.
((Colt continued elsewhere.))
Location: Garfield's Restaurant, Central Mall
"Regina, you've got a couple in your section," the hostess mused quietly as she returned to her stationary position at the podium. A reluctant sigh slipped from the lips of she by the name of Regina as she glanced to the two people who had been seated in her section. Krystle, previously known as the bleach-blonde hostess, shrugged her shoulders lightly at the annoyed look that had plastered itself onto Regina's dark features.
"Pretty sure I'm about to leave," Regina mused in an annoyed manner.
"It's worth hanging around for," Krystle mused, a sly grin slipping across her delicate features, "The guy's a looker."
Despite herself, Regina was suddenly curiously peaking out from behind the wall at the booth in which her two newest customers had just been seated. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she took in the baseball boy facing toward them, but a resigned sigh quickly escaped her lips, "Yeah, Krystle. It looks like he's very, very taken. That girl's probably a trick, too. It's not worth hanging around for the lousy tip."
Before the hostess could speak up to reprimand Regina for her selfish attitude, a voice spoke up from behind the two. "If you don't want the table, I'll take it," the dark-headed boy who had just stepped out of the kitchen mused with a grin.
"Whatever," Regina stated flatly, her arms crossing over her chest as she uttered the word, "You can have it."
"Fantastic," the boy, whose nametag read Colt, mused, "I'm glad you're wealthy Gina, but some of us have bills to pay. You know, if you weren't such an uptight bitch, and if you didn't go around insulting people's girlfriends, you might actually get decent tip money."
The never-faltering smile that remained plastered on Colton's face conveyed the joking manner in which he spoke to his colleague, but the baffled and befuddled look that crossed over Regina's features remained fixated on them as Krystle let out a laugh-turned-snort at the comment. Despite the air of jokingness that Colt had made the remark with, part of him was serious, and part of the words he had uttered had a valid point. Continuing to grin, Colton snatched the check pad from the hands of his fellow waitstaff member and gave her a small salute and a wink.
The rather annoyed look that Regina had expressed only moments prior quickly melted into a giddy smile at this action. Despite the pompous and overbearing manner in which he presented himself, despite the egotistical and smart-mouthed way he spoke to his companions, despite his overall attitude, Colton had a personality that you could only hate in a playful manner. For starters, he had an air of attractiveness about him that you couldn't help but notice, and was friendly and charismatic. His words always held a comical demeanor to them, and despite the nasty and callous words that often spilled freely from his lips, it was almost impossible to take him seriously. He was one of the "veteran" waitstaff at Garfield's, having started as a dishwasher at the age of sixteen. By eighteen, he had made his way out onto the floor and was one of the more popular waiters, driven by his charismatic personality. Colton was good at his job and he knew it.
Attaching the ever-present, never-faked Colton Valero smile to his lips, Colt meandered slowly over to the table where the couple formerly known as Regina's latest clients glanced idly at their menus. Upon discovering who his latest customer was, Colt couldn't help but grin amusedly. Gregg Archer, fellow Franklyn classmate, fellow baseball teammate, and quite frankly, good buddy of his sat seated in the booth. Colt was a little taken aback to see Gregg in a place like Garfield's, he never knowing Gregg to enjoy luxuries like fine cuisine and expensive prices. What Colt was truly curious about, however, was not why Gregg Archer had made an appearance in a restaurant like Garfield's, but who had persuaded him to undergo such a feat. Quite frankly, Colton was rather curious about the dark-haired lady friend who sat across from Gregg, her back turned to Colt.
To Colton's knowledge, Gregg didn't have a girlfriend. If he did, he never talked about her, and even only being able to see the back of the girl's features, Colt noted that she was quite pretty. Most definitely something worth telling others about, if you know what I mean. Colt's curiosity was suddenly overwhelming, as the girl held a sense of familiarity to him, but not because she was a student at Franklyn. In fact, Colt was almost positive he didn't recognize the girl from school, which only baffled him even more. Casually strolling up to the table, he grasped Gregg on the shoulder to get his attention, the grin once again overtaking his features as he greeted his fellow teammate.
"Hey, man!" It wasn't the most polite greeting in the world, and it wasn't etiquette he would normally use on-the-clock, but this was Gregg, and Colt didn't care how much money they paid him, he wouldn't be calling his baseball teammate 'sir' anytime soon. Inconspicuously turning his attention to the lady friend that currently occupied the seat horizontal to Gregg's, Colton's eyebrows raised in mild shock. It wasn't an expression that was noticeable along his features, but one glance at the face of the young lady accompanying his teammate instantaneously made a name click into place. He knew the girl with Gregg, all right.
In the biblical sense.
His head tilted to the side ever so slightly and a smirk came across his features as he looked at the brunette, his head beginning to shake a little bit in dismay and confusion at the awkward situation that he'd unwittingly put himself in. He and Ali Grayston, they knew one another alright -- intimately. Neither one of them were ever really one for relationships, so what they had could best be called a fling. Not even a fling, really. To put it bluntly, for quite a while, he and Ali were what could best be described as "fuck buddies". It wasn't a pretty term, but that was pretty much the gist of it. They'd met at a party a while back -- both of them had been intoxicated at the time, he thought she was hot, she thought he was cute, and they wound up going off in his truck and hooking up later on that night. Not the most romantic story, right?
Things sped up from there, and although neither one of them were looking for a committed relationship, nothing was stopping them from being friends-with-benefits, as it was so often coined. This relationship, if it could truly be called one, had continued for a couple months, and when she had suddenly stopped calling him, Colton had simply gone elsewhere to find that which he'd apparently lost with Ali. He hadn't talked to her since then, though in all actuality it had only been roughly a month since things had come to an abrupt halt with the two of them. Now, the first time he saw her since then, she was here with one of his teammates -- one of his friends. Ali glanced up at him, and although a look of astonishment and surprise overtook her features for a brief instant, it was quickly overtaken by a look of indifference. Obviously, she had no intentions of shining any sort of light on their connections to one another.
"... What do you guys want to drink?" Colt asked after a moment.
"Diet coke..." Ali mused.
She'd grown rather silent since the appearance of their waiter, but if asked, could simply blame it on the fact that she'd been browsing through the rather vast menu of foods that Garfield's provided. As Colton took Gregg's drink order and wandered off for the back, Ali couldn't help but curse inwardly at the recent turn of events. She'd been so careful to choose an eatery where she and Gregg wouldn't be bothered by the plebians and urchins that Bathurst High School was known for. She had never once stopped to think about people that she wasn't connected to through Bathurst High. Besides, she had no idea that Colton Valero worked here. Unsurprisingly, throughout the course of their "relationship", his place of employment had never come up. Shaking her head a bit in mental anguish, Ali continued with the plastered facade of nonchalance on the outside.
Within a few moments, she looked up at Gregg, a smile alighting her features as her eyes met with his momentarily. This had to be dealt with immediately, lest it be blown out of proportion and end in a bad scenario for her. The more oblivious Gregg was to the fact that she and Colton knew one another -- and just how close they had been -- the better of the both of them would be, she imagined. Besides, she'd like to think that Gregg didn't know about her "reputation" at Bathurst High. In all actuality, she hadn't been with that many guys. Yes, she'd had her fair share of partners at sixteen years of age, but things get blown out of proportion rather quickly, and she didn't need Gregg thinking that she was a common whore.
"Hey," she mused quietly, "I'll be back in a minute."
Excusing herself in a matter that was rather polite and unbefitting of Ali Grayston, she cast another glance back toward Gregg and smiled once again before exusing herself in the direction of the restrooms -- which just happened to be around a corner and near the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she caught sight of Colton standing in the back, not even having to wave the dark-headed boy down before he came over to her with a bit of a baffled expression on his face. Before he had time to ask, Ali simply held her finger to her lips and shook her head. She didn't owe him any explanation, it was none of his business. Colton seemed to simply shrug this off. It wasn't as if he cared that she was here with someone else, they weren't ever seriously involved anyway. Not committed-wise.
"Listen," Ali stated sharply, her voice hushed so that no one could hear them speaking, "I don't want Gregg to find out about... you know, about us. It just wouldn't be right, you know? Not on my part, not on your part... he is one of your friends, after all. And... look, it'll just cause us all a lot less trouble if you act like you don't know who I am, or like we're just casual acquaintances, or... or something."
Interrupting her before she continued to babble on, Colton placed his hand on her shoulder and offered an encouraging smile, "You read my mind, doll."
And that was that. Nothing else had to be said, nor would it be. Both Colton and Ali were on the same page when it came to avoiding risque situations, and exposing their relationship as ex-lovers to the one guy Ali truly cared about as well as one of the guys Colton was rather close to on the baseball team could only mean turmoil on both their parts. Giving him a curt nod, Ali turned around, slowly making her way back to the booth where Gregg was seated. For all he knew, she had just gone for a short bathroom break. And frankly, if Ali Grayston had her way, that's all Gregg would ever know. A relieved sigh escaped her lips at Colton's cooperation in retaining their secret. Of all the things that had gone wrong today, at least that much was going right. Then again, why would Colton want to expose a dark secret from the past anyway? It wasn't as though either of them were emotionally attached to one another or anything of the sort, neither had ever considered the other anything more than a casual acquaintance at best.
Sliding back into the table across from Gregg, Ali once again smiled. When she was with him, it was one of the few times she actually conveyed a genuine smile, and despite the reputations, the rumors, the high-school drama, and the compulsive need to be on top of the world, the kind smile that she conveyed when she was genuinely happy was very becoming of the brunette. Reopening her menu and continuing to mull over it for a minute, Ali glanced idly at the dozens upon dozens of potential dishes plastered to the menu before once again looking up at Gregg.
"What looks good?" she inquired lightly, silently hoping her companion would remain oblivious to the events going on around him.
Posted by: riserugu Aug 31 2006, 09:58 PM
Focusing his attention downward on to the somewhat small, and lightly fashioned text of the menu placed before him by the waitress that had left some moments before. Gregg eyeing the contents with a slightly withdrawn expression, personally he was never much for food like this true both his parents where really well off, they liked in a great house on the right side of town, and seen he had been adopted he had been offered all the good things in life and then some, though he be damned if he acted like a majority of the kids that where in the same shoes as him. Perhaps it was because he had grown up being on such a different level, being shuffled from one family to the next for so long actually having concerning, loving parents was a bit of a shock for him for lack of a better way of putting it.
Simply put some mac' n' cheese would do him over well, though remembering he was here more or less for Ali he simply allowed himself to smile the thought away.
Flipping over to another side of the menu, Gregg lightly lifted his attention away as the question from Ali came he looking at the younger female for a brief moment before smiling with a shrug and returning his attention downward too the menu. "Not really mostly just working on applications and the like, for college and all. Trying to work out all my classes for next year, least trying to work it all around so I can at least do baseball without it being a burden on anything."
He sighed lightly, flipping the page back; "What about you? You never seem to talk about your school with me?"
For a moment he wondered if the other girl was going to open up and actually talk, or if this was going to turn into a one-sided conversation like it usually did sometimes. Though before Gregg had a chance to think any harder on the subject, a grip on his shoulder and a odd greeting for such a place made him take his attention away from what he had been so focused on and turn to look on the features of one of his fellow classmates and teammates at school, a rather odd expression between shock and confusion spreading across his features. "Colt?"
He knew he probably shouldn't be surprised to see his teammate, because he knew somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered Colt making some mention of his work-place, he knew they pretty much all knew he worked in the at the cinema then again like with making choices remembering bits of information about people, like birthdays and the name of their cat's wasn't something he usually kept on top priority; heck he had a time usually remembering names he wasn't going to bother remembering all this other stuff. Though as he smiled at the other male, he found himself blinking slightly, eyeing the odd glance over he seemed to be giving Ali the shake of his head made the question form at an even faster pace.
Turning his head away from Colt he glanced toward Ali and nothing other than a look of indifference seemed to don the features of her face, Gregg lightly chewing down on his bottom lip with his teeth a horrid habit he performed when slightly, or in this case, overwhelmingly confused about a situation. Though still it was odd.
But with a shrug he allowed himself to push the thought away and back, returning to his menu though continuing to lightly chew on his lip. By the look on Ali's face they didn't seem to know one another, which was what his mind was telling him was going on. Though if they did they had done a grand job of never mentioning the other around him. Maybe this was something he also didn't know about Ali too add to slightly growing list, a sigh escaping him as he just simply shook his head of the thought, it really wasn't his place to wonder. If Colt and Ali knew one another, they seemed to not care to acknowledge it, or perhaps his thoughts where just getting the better of himself, and things weren't as big as he was portraying them.
He was starting to become convinced, though that life was more difficult to figure out than a majority of his math homework a lot of the time.
Flipping the page of the menu over again, not even sure what he was looking for he hardly understood a majority of it truth be told. It all sounded weird, and looked pricey, too things that never should go together in his humble opinion.
At Ali's voice commenting out on leaving for the bathroom, Gregg tilted his head up nodding lightly and smiling a bit and glancing back downward as Ali wondered away from the table. Sitting there alone now he couldn't help when he began to drum his finger lightly against the table, propping an elbow atop the wooden table and resting his cheek down against an open palm. Eyes wondering over the dishes, upon dishes that this place offered, casting his attention over to his drumming fingers, narrowing them at once again the sight of a spray splatter of paint along his wrist this time.
Really he was going to have to start funding into paint that washes off easier, that or buy a pair of gloves or something. He thought, lifting his head and licking at one of his fingers, scrubbing at the area once more to try and rid it of the reddish hue that was staining the somewhat tanned skin.
By the time the last remnants of the paint left skin was when Ali returned, he glancing up at his friend with a return smile as he lowered his finger away from his wrist. Watching her lightly for a minute as she went back to looking over her own menu, something he had given up quite sometime ago simply going with the easiest thing to understand on there. Least it had chicken in the title, most of these things made no sense what so ever to him and he really didn't feel like playing lucky in order to find out what he could be getting with tonight's meal.
The question allowed the smile to stay as he shrugged, "I really don't know anything that I know what's in it, that's always good for me."
Posted by: Megami Sep 2 2006, 08:10 PM
A noticeable frown, though it more resembled a pout than a full-on disappointed look, formed across the features of the vivacious brunette who sat across from Gregg Archer as he commented vaguely on the large variety of platters offered at the restaurant. More than anything, Gregg seemed more than a little disinterested, if not a bit turned off, by the restaurant she had chosen to eat at, and that more than anything disheartened the bronze complected girl that sat horizontal from him. This was exactly why she had wanted Gregg to pick the restaurant, she hadn't wanted to drag him somewhere he wasn't interested in going and force him to sit through a meal that he didn't even want. Why did boys have to be so difficult?
"Gregg..." Ali stated coyly, her eyes fixated on her companion as she spoke, "Do you not like the restaurant? We can go somewhere else, you know. We don't have to eat here if you don't want to... really."
Although he probably hadn't intentionally conveyed his distaste for the restaurant she had chosen, it was rather noticeable on Gregg's features as he stared idly at the menu that he wasn't all that impressed with this place. Then again, she'd more than given him ample opportunity to select an establishment of his own accord, so now he had more or less gotten stuck with what Ali wanted, and Ali simply wanted a place where she could be rid of the nuisances that plagued her throughout her time in the compulsory education they call high school. Of course, things had taken a potential turn for the worst when she had run into someone who rivaled even the plebians she was forced to share a classroom with here.
Casting her companion a warm smile, she couldn't help but notice the tall, built physique that was once again approaching their table, this time with drinks in hand. Colt smiled awkwardly, the metal braces that encompassed his teeth gleaming in the dim lighting as he did so. Ali couldn't help but smile half-heartedly as well. Although it would probably just come off to everyone else as her vain attempt at being polite, she really did appreciate Colt's cooperation in withholding a certain bit of information concerning her past -- their past -- from the sandy-haired baseball player sitting across the table for him. She really did owe him, though it was a debt Ali wrongly assumed that she would never be forced to repay.
As Colt slid the drinks down on the table in front of the couple, Ali couldn't help but notice the sidelong glance he cast her from the corner of his eye. Choosing to disregard it, she simply gave him a curt nod in thanks, and Colt seemed to take the hint. The tanned boy had found himself in a lot of situations over past relationships and the choices he had made, and truth be told, this was no exception. Things would have been weird, if not completely uncomfortable, if either himself or Ali had chosen to blow things out of the water in front of their third party, and Colt was actually rather grateful that the brunette hadn't verbally assaulted him on sight.
"So Gregg," he mused casually enough, causing Ali's stomach to knot up inwardly in apprehension at the words that might be uttered next. Her fear seemed unnecessary, however, as Colt's next statements were a direct attempt at pulling Gregg into the conversation and thus making the situation less awkward between himself and Ali. "I've got to know, man. Where've you been hidin' this beautiful lady friend of yours? How come you never introduced us to her?"
Inwardly, Ali let out a sigh of relief. She'd been holding her breath since Colt had addressed him directly, feeling apprehensive at the thought of Colton announcing their prior connections on a whim. When he'd actually gone out of his way to ensure that Gregg didn't get the wrong idea about anything, however, she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She'd have to get ahold of him later and thank him for being so cooperative in the matter. She certainly hadn't expected so much from him.
"And you," he addressed Ali casually, as though he'd met her only moments before. Truth be told, Colt's acting at this point in time was Oscar-worthy. Then again, he'd probably found himself in quite awkward situations many times, so he'd probably had a lot of practice at this sort of thing, "What're you doing with this loser here?"
Ali couldn't help but laugh, a genuine laugh, at Colton's comment. In a way, she couldn't help but contend that many other people had probably asked that question as well -- not that Gregg was a loser by any means -- but the pair just seemed so wrong for one another. They were polar opposites in almost, if not every aspect. Still, Ali couldn't help her growing infatuation with someone who could easily be considered her best friend, but in truth she never knew whether or not her infatuation was requited. Had it been any other boy -- any at all -- she probably wouldn't have been so concerned about it. Around anyone else, Ali didn't just think she was the epitomé of hotness, she knew it. Her unfathomable confidence and entrancing demeanor could have easily won over just about any guy her heart desired... any guy except the one that she truly wanted.
The thought was rather disheartening. Honestly, she didn't know how Gregg felt about her, or if he even thought of her in that way. She secretly hoped that he did, but the signals he threw her were all over the place, and she could never seem to read the other boy's actions or understand his intentions to the fullest. More often than not, trying to understand Gregg simply left Ali confused and frustrated. With anybody else, she probably would have been a lot more assertive and simply came onto them, and for the most part, any of the guys she had dated had reacted very positively to that dominating and somewhat overbearing aspect of her personality. Ali had always remained somewhat placid with Gregg, however. Compliant. The truth was, Ali was almost afraid to assert herself with her counterpart for fear of ruining the deep and trusting friendship that they had established throughout the years.
Better a friend than nothing at all, I guess.
Of course, the thought of using Colton to extract information from her companion only then occurred to the brunette. Of course, the way Colt was poking and prodding now, it could probably be done, and relatively easily. The problem was, Ali wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. For all she knew, Gregg could have a long-time girlfriend at Franklyn or something that he never mentioned around her. Or worse. Girlfriends were one thing, more often than not they were easily removable and simply a minor inconvenience that had to be overcome in order for Ali to get what she wanted. What could possibly be worse than Gregg seeing someone else was the fact that Gregg might honestly be oblivious to her feelings toward him, or, dare she even think it, simply think of her as a kid sister of sorts. That fact in itself would decimate the brunette beyond compare, and Ali wasn't sure if it was something she was willing to find out.
She was quickly burst from her reverie by the sound of Colt's voice ringing out, "So are you guys ready to order yet, or do you need a few more minutes?"
"Oh..." Ali started, shrugging her shoulders lightly, "I'm ready, I suppose... if you are." The last statement was, of course, directed toward the sandy-haired boy who occupied the table alongside her. Having realized that all the tension and nervousness from earlier had erased the majority of her appetite, Ali settled for ordering a small meal consisting of a small steak and a shrimp skewer. As Gregg ordered and Colton retreated from their table and toward the back to give the orders to the chef that awaited in the kitchen, Ali eyed her companion up and down once again.
"Gregg..." she mused quietly, "What do you want to do after this?"
Now was the prime opportunity for the proposition she'd been reiterating in her mind all evening. If all went well, they'd head back to the Grayston household in beautiful Kensington Heights, maybe go swimming in the private pool that sat secluded by a privacy fence behind the Grayston residence, and perhaps hang out and watch movies. Since nobody was at the house aside from her, it wouldn't matter how late Gregg stayed over, or even if he were to crash out on the couch for the evening -- something Ali secretly hoped would come to pass. In her mind, it was the perfect evening... or rather, it would be, if he was up for it. Part of her braced herself for the disappointment that had the possibility of following, but she couldn't help but remain hopeful and optimistic that she would, at the very least, be able to spend the rest of the evening with him.
Colton, meanwhile, had just delivered their orders to the chef. He might have been playing it cool on the outside, but the fact of the matter was the Colt was in a situation where he really didn't feel comfortable. If he'd have had any idea that his classmate was out having dinner with his ex-girlfriend, then he probably would've made Regina wait that table after all. His prayers came in the form of the vivacious blonde who had just clocked in and made her way to the front. She was his ticket out of here, and fast. Colt had had all he could take of this place, and quite frankly, he was tired of putting himself in an awkward situation.
"Kallie baby!" Colt cooed, getting a grin from the blonde-headed girl, "I need a favor."
Kallie's smile turned into a skeptical look as Colt attempted to proposition her. The blonde gave him a bit of a condescending smile before replying, "Colt, you know I have a boyfriend."
Much to her surprise, the dark-headed boy standing before her seemed confused for a moment. Within an instant, though, he burst into a fit of laughter, finally recalling what sort of proposition he'd made for the girl a few weeks prior, "Not that, Kal. I've got a lot of homework to get done babe, I need to split. Think you can take Table 23 for me? I've already taken their order to the back, you'd basically just be on maintenance patrol. You can even have the tip."
"Are you sure?" Kallie inquired lightly, the skeptical look still on her face.
"Yeah babe, I just really gotta go. I've got a big history exam to study for. You know how it is. Truth is, I completely forgot about it 'til my buddy said something."
Okay, so maybe he hadn't completely forgotten about it. He'd never really planned on studying for it anyway, but at the moment, it seemed better than the alternative of continuing to put himself in this awkward situation. Kallie nodded slightly and smiled, even though a puzzled look still remained on her features. Colt smiled lightly and embraced the girl before she ever really had time to respond. At that point, Kallie melted, and the deal was pretty much sealed.
"Thanks hun, I appreciate this. You don't even know," he stated simply, receiving simply another nod from Kallie for his words. Taking that as his cue to exit, Colton hightailed it to the back, clocked out, and made a bee-line for the exit of the restaurant. He'd see Gregg at school, no doubt, and despite himself, he couldn't help but think that he was in store for an interesting conversation. Perhaps it was wrong to lie to his friend, especially for an ex, but it was the easiest way around things. Besides, Gregg probably wouldn't want his left-overs. Smirking at the thought, Colt exited the mall and headed out to the crotchrocket he had taken to riding around town.
((Colt continued elsewhere.))