52. Star

Genre: Drama
Characters:  Cian, Phaedra, Angel
Prompt: 52. Star
Word Count: 936 ish
Rating: R
Type: series
Summary: Cian has a bad day
Warnings:  Language
** Two week time jump


Two weeks later...

Instead of celebrating the gaining of a star and great reviews from the city’s most feared food critics, Cian retreated to the kitchen and proceeded to hand wash the silverware. She’d awakened that morning alone and with a headache that seemed to intensify with everything she encountered. The sounds of everyone clapping, her hair touching her neck, the refection of light shining off the counter and table tops, the smell of Apple Brown Betty that they were severing with every meal as a token of their appreciation for the loyal customers were all agitating. She was irritable over not hearing from Ramone and even more now that she and Will were at odds over the privacy of their relationship. He was tired of being a secret now. Tired of being her friend in public and her lover behind doors. A simple question about telling their parents turned into an argument with Wilson storming out of her apartment and them not speaking. Each time he called to apologize, she ignored it, had been for the last 4 days. There was nothing to say right now. No need to argue over something neither would win. 

“I know what you’re doing!” Phaedra stomped into the kitchen, the hum of the diner’s many conversations followed. Cian took a deep breath, feeling her head throb and her entire body heat up. “You and Ramone!” She added with more attitude. “You’re using him to win Dad over and take this diner from under me and I’m not going to let that happen!  While you were off in la la land painting pretty rainbows and shit, I was in this diner working myself to the bone! If you think you can just waltz in here, change a few things and get us a star and then take over my position, you’ve slipped and bumped that pretty little head of yours cause-”

“Just shut the fuck up, Phaedra!” Cian snapped throwing her hand up to quiet her. Her blood was boiling, her head pounding like a thousand drums. “All you do is bitch and whine about this fucking diner like this is where I want to be! I don’t give a fuck about you or this stupid ass diner, Phaedra! In fact,”  She untied her apron and dropped it on the floor, “I’m done with this shit so I can go paint pretty rainbows and shit!” She brushed past her sister nearly knocking her over, “And you don’t have to pretend like you’re not listening Marissa!” She added on her way out the door. Cian snatched her purse from her locker, ignoring the signals from the tables she waited until one man screamed for her. “Sorry. I no longer work here but if you wait a few minutes, the bitch in the purple shirt will be out to assist you!” She said calmly, shoving her way out of the front door. 

The cool air engulfed her, gave her much needed comfort with each step she took into it. Her body was on fire, the sweat trailing down her back cooled with slight blows from the wind, calming her, inducing a smile she hadn’t been able to form in days. 

“You broke my brother’s heart...” Angel’s voice stopped her just as she made it to her car, “so you know I should break your face for that.”

Cian took another deep breath, turning to face her with her hands firmly on her hips. She wasn’t in the mood for any conversation, let alone one that involves threats that would never be carried out. “The minute I saw you,” Angel began to walk toward her, “I knew you were nothing but a street rat! Nowhere near good enough for my brother and definitely wrong for Wilson!”

Cian laughed, felt as if a switch had been hit, “Am I supposed to be hurt over the opinion of a whore?” She shrugged.

Angel smirked, a little surprised by Cian’s tone and choice of words, “A whore am I? Well this whore had your man.”

“Had, Baby! It’s my name rolling off his tongue now!” Cian retorted, surprising herself with each word.

Angel began to close the gap between them, her eyes burning red with each step. She stopped a few feet in front of Cian, suddenly deciding not to put her hands on her, “Why am I even letting you piss me off? You’re just a sad little black girl in big girl panties! I could have Wilson any day, and way that I want and there is nothing you could do about it! Just remember the next time he fucks you, he learned it with me!” Angel’s angry scowl turned into a smile before she switched away, leaving Cian to fume in the middle of the street. Cian rubbed her face roughly as she yanked open her car door and threw her purse inside. It smacked against the window, the metal zipper connected with the glass cracking it slightly. Cian dropped into the car, pressing her head against the steering wheel. Her phone vibrated violently inside of her purse causing it to move across the floor of the car. She lean over and snatched it out, frowning at Wilson’s name and number. This day had gone from bad to worse, her head was aching out of control and all she wanted now was a hot shower and sleep. Rubbing her finger over the ‘reject’ button she waited for it to stop ringing before dropping the phone into her lap. Everything that could have gone wrong today had gone wrong and she wasn’t going to take that chance with Wilson.