Runaways (Orphans 5)

"Where were you? You saw how busy we were,

Danny. Why did you leave the restaurant?" Patsy

called after him.

"I hate the restaurant," he screamed back at her. Her shoulders sank as she raised her head to

hold back her tears. No one said anything. We all

went back to work, helping Charlie clean up. Before

we were finished, Taylor showed up for Raven. He'd

asked her out for a second day in a row.

"Maybe you shouldn't go with him tonight,

Raven," I said. She wore a pained expression. "Brooke, I can take care of myself. Besides,"

her eyes got that dreamy look again, "no one has ever

been as nice to me as Taylor's been. He really likes

me, I know he does."

"I'm sure you're right, Raven. We just don't

want to see you get hurt." From the look on her face,

it was clear that Raven didn't hear anything I had to

say.

Crystal tried to break through Raven's loveinduced haze. "C'mon Raven, why don't you stick

around tonight. Butterfly could use some cheering

up."

"Would you guys please stop worrying. I'll be

fine. Besides, even you said yourself, Crystal, I

shouldn't get too close to Butterfly in case I never had

the measles." And with that she grabbed her sweater

from behind the counter and headed for Taylor's table. Crystal and I just shrugged at each other in

defeat and wished the lovebirds a good time as we

made our way out of the diner and over to our cottage. When I awoke the next morning I found Crystal

sitting at the tiny kitchen table counting our tips. I

groggily made my way to the table and asked where

everyone was.