Cracked & Broken

[Tayssi]

Tying her sun-bleached brown hair into a messy bun at the back of her head, Odette-Rose stared absentmindedly into the mirror in her bathroom before she smoothed the top down and then turned to walk out. She had a shift at the café she worked at, called Café Latte, starting at 8am. And though it was only 5am, the young woman had to take her dogs for an hour run and then she had to actually get ready for work. Sighing, she looked down at her outfit. Simple running gear. A simple light grey t-shirt, black tights and her favourite pair of royal blue and yellow running shoes. She had already done her stretches so she left her bathroom, she walked into the kitchen and looked at the three dogs. A tan and black female German Shepherd named Crystabell, who was laying on her side underneath the dining table, a red and tan male Doberman named Vandal who  was sitting on one of the dog beds, watching her. And then there was her third dog, a black and tan male Doberman named Spencer, who was laying on his back, legs spread wide open and his tiny tail wagging a mile a minute as he turned his head to stare at her, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. She snorted quietly at the crazy dog before she walked towards the front door. She picked up the three dog leads and she heard a scampering of paws and claws as the dogs bounded to their paws and raced over to her. She laughed lightly before she clipped their lads onto their collars before she opened the door and exited, locking it quickly behind her. Looking down at her three dogs, she walked to the pathway and half way down the street, watching her dogs. She could see they were restless to run and almost ran on the spot, though they didn't try and drag her. She had trained them to never put tension on the lead.
Grinning, she started at a slow jog for a good 20 minutes before she picked up her pace to a steady run. Her dogs ran calmly, Spencer out in front and Crystabell and Vandal on either side of her. She hadn't yet trained Spencer to stay by her side, but she'd get there. She had only had him for a couple of weeks. Looking ahead, Odette-Rose smiled and when she could see her house only about 90 metres away, she sped up into a sprint. She let go of Crystabell and vandal's leads, not daring to let Spencer off on his own just yet and she raced them back home. Of course, she lost completely and utterly, but when she stopped at the front door, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. To most girls, the feeling of sweat making your clothes stick to your body would repulse them, but Odette was used to it. After growing up on a farm and having to exercise 3 big, active dogs, sweat didn't bother her. Of course, she wouldn't dream of going anywhere like she was however.. And by now, her neighbours had gotten used to having her around and running her dogs at all strange hours of the night or morning.
Unlocking the house, she let the dogs off their leads, placed them on the coat hook by the door before shutting it behind her. She could hear the dogs drinking their water by the time she had gotten into the bathroom. Peeling off her clothes, she had a lukewarm shower and washed her hair and scrubbed herself clean of sweat before she got out. Drying herself off and blow drying her hair quickly, she checked the time. 6:53am.. Plenty of time. She dressed in her uniform - a lilac purple 1/4 sleeve button down shirt and a black skirt that went half way down her thighs - before she tied her hair back into a neat bun at the back of her head. However, a few strands fell loose t frame her face. Sighing, she turned around and walked into the living room where she put on her shoes - simple black flats and then grabbed her handbag and car keys. "Don't destroy the house whilst I'm gone," she warned the dogs before she left, locking the house behind her. She got into her ute and drove to work. She arrived by 7:42am..
Parking her car and walking inside, she was greeted by the manager, who she smiled at before going out the back and putting her bag in her small locker. After that she got to work. And as usual, she was all smiles and hard work. Just a usual day in the life of Odette-Rose Winters. But around 1:55pm, 5 minutes before her shift ended, she went out and served a young man, dressed in dark clothing, with brown hair and dark eyes. "May I please take your order?" she asked with a smile. She honestly loved her work, but like a normal Saturday, it had been so busy that day that she just wanted to go home and rest before she had to go to her second job at 9pm that night. Odette-Rose looked down at the young man, waiting patiently for him to speak.

[The Blaze]

A muffled groan came from underneath a pillow where Lucas lay, head under the fluffy object, as his blaring alarm went off. His sleepy self tried yelling at the object to make the sound stop, but that didn't work out very well. So with a grunt, the young man sat up, grabbing the iPhone the alarm was coming from and quickly turned it off. He sat there for a moment, staring blankly at the forest green wall in his room. But slowly he actually 'woke up' and he rolled out of bed. Walking straight to his bathroom he turned the shower on, letting the water warm before he turned to the sink. Groaning he splashed some cold water on his face, causing him to blink a bit and take a sharp inhale before he turned and got into the shower. After the refreshing wash, he stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist as he turned back to the sink. He pulled a drawer open and grabbed his razor from it quickly and made his way to shave the stray hairs from his cheeks before slapping some aftershave on he face. After completing all his other things to do in the bathroom, he slipped back to his room and selected his clothes. Which were his usual. A black t-shirt with a pair of dark jeans and his black Converse. Taking a deep breath he popped his fingers, back and his neck a bit before slipping his phone into his pocket and making his way downstairs. Once he got to the bottom of the stairs, he huffed, walking into the lonely kitchen to pour himself some cereal. But he tripped, looking down he saw his old baseball bat that he planned to play with little sibling with. So he just looked at it for a second before tossing it onto the couch. Then he proceeded with eating his breakfast of plain ol' Corn Chex and sugar before walking back to the door, slipping his favorite leather jacket on and pulling the soft cloth hood over his dark hair and walking out the door.

With a huff he slipped himself into the leather seat of his classic '64 Dodge Challenger and stuck the keys in the ignition, radio blasting on. It almost startled him as the music blared, but he chuckled and slipped a AC/DC cassette tape into the slot. Yes, his car still had cassette tapes, call it old-school. He called it classic. So he backed out of the garage, slipping into the foggy morning. Along the way, he saw a woman, running with her dogs. This made him smile a bit, a sense of normality in his life. Then he drove past and made his way to his classes, ready to start the day. His hand tapped, no slammed, out drumming to AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell', yelling out the lyrics in a way he could still drive. The Challenger rumbling below him as if it were going along to the song as well, but he shut it off as he pulled into the parking lot of the college. Quickly he put his keys in his pocket and swung his backpack out from the backseat and onto his back. His day began.

Along with all his boring classes, homework came with them. So he sat on a bench, reading a bit from his chemistry book while trying to avoid getting looked at my anyone. Especially girls. He got looks all the damn time, and he didn't know why. All he was, was a college guy with dark hair and eyes who liked to sit in the corner and not talk to anyone. Why in the world would that be seen as attractive? Finally, after a final look from a girl sent him throwing his book into his bag and standing up abruptly. Then he threw it on his back and made way for the diner just a couple blocks from the college, his head tilted downward so he wouldn't draw much attention. Or he hoped. As he arrived at the diner, his stomach growled, making him bring his watch up to his view. 1:50, already? Dang, time flies. Then he shook his head a bit, popping his knuckles before walking into the diner.

Once inside he pushed his hood back, swishing his hair back over to the side as he walked to a booth and waited to be served. While to waited he took out the chemistry book he had been reading and flipped to the page he had left off, exhaling a deep breath as he read. Suddenly, a female voice startled him jus a bit, making him look up abruptly then faked a chuckle, "Sorry ma'am. Studying." Then he paused for a second, then almost smacked himself in the forehead. This was a waitress, and that he just might need to give her his order. So he made a sigh, 'tsk', sound and sighed, "I'm so sorry, I had a dumb moment. Can I have just a burger and a Coke?" As he ordered he looked up at her, not having to very much though.  Then he awaited her answer with silence, trying not to have a weird look to him.

[The Blaze]

((bump?))

[Tayssi]

Odette-Rose looked down at the young man, tilting her head to the side slightly as she waited for his reply. A moment after she had spoken though, he seemed to jump in surprise as he looked up at her sharply before he apologised and told her he was studying. Her brow creased slightly, about to tell him he would have to go somewhere else if he wasn't buying anything - rules had to be followed. But he seemed to realise his mistake and she pressed her lips together in amusement for a moment before she smoothed her features as he sighed and 'tsk'ed before he spoke, looking up at her.  She was slightly taken aback by the gorgeous chocolate  brown colouring of his eyes before she realized she was still working and quickly scribbled down his order, smiling. "Just a burger and a coke?" she asked, glancing back at him with a bright smile before she said, "coming right up!" and then she walked to the counter, handing them the slip of paper before she went and served a couple other people. Though her dark emerald coloured eyes kept sliding to look over at the darkly dressed young man by himself. Maybe it was because he was different compared to everyone else in the room, she didn't know. But she did know one thing.. His eyes had been gorgeous.. Okay, admittedly, that was because Odette-Rose loved dark eyes but his.. She hadn't seen eyes that colour before.. She could only describe them as chocolate. Somewhere between dark and milk chocolate.
She went to the counter and handed over another slip with an order on it before she was handed the order of the young man. She took it and went over to him, placing it down gently on the table. "One burger and a coke," she confirmed with a smile. Suddenly a voice behind her called, "Odette!" she straightened and turned around. The manager, a tall man at 6'1'' compared to her 5'4'' with greying black hair, greyish eyes and wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. "You can go home now," he told her with a nod before going back into the kitchen. She turned back to the young man for a moment, "enjoy the rest of your day," she told him before she went and said good bye to her co-workers as she grabbed her bag from the back room before she went outside and moved towards her car. She unlocked it and slid into the seat before she tried to start it. However, it wouldn't start. "Oh come on," she groaned, trying over and over again. But the damned thing wouldn't start. She got out and opened the bonnet, but unfortunately, she knew next to nothing about cars except how to drive them. Shutting the bonnet, she slid into the drivers seat once more and tried again, but it sputtered, choked and died. "Not now..." she muttered, leaning forward and resting her forehead on the steering wheel. She groaned loudly before she straightened and got out once again and fished her phone out of her bag and called a tow truck. She'd get it towed to a car repair place then.. Sure, she'd have to fork out money she couldn't afford, but she'd figure it out.. She called the mechanics and told them it would be coming in before she leaned against her car and waited.
Odette-Rose waited for them for a good half hour before he arrived. She told him where it was to go and paid him, already dreading the walk home as she watched him drive off with her car. She was tired and just wanted a rest. Though she knew she wouldn't be able to get to her other work today so she called them and told them she wouldn't be able to make it and explained why, apologising profusely. They were pretty surprised to say the least. After all, she had never missed a day of work since she started.
Running a hand down her face, she looked up at the clear sky before she started walking, hiking her handbag up her shoulder. She glanced down at her feet, seeing the flats she wore and cursed. Just another thing. Walking in flats. Shaking her head, she slowly started her way out of the car park.

[The Blaze]

As the waitress scribbled down his order, Lucas caught her staring into his eyes but he didn't complain. He just met her gaze, until she turned to walk away. Then he quickly looked back down at the table in front of him, not even going to attempt to study anymore. That time was done. This woman's picture danced in his head now, every couple minutes he peeked his gaze up to try and see her, which he almost always did. One time he actually managed a small smile, but bit his lip and looked back down at his backpack and pretended to go through it until he heard that woman's voice yet again. Meeting her eyes, instead of thinking about her other beauty he saw the eyes, beautiful. The emerald-green was rare now-a-days, but his color was common, which is why he hated his eye color.
When she gave him her food he smiled his unintentionally charming smile and said a quick, "Thank you ma'am." Then right as he was about to ask her name Lucas even looked at the woman's boss. Well, at least he got her name. But she was leaving. So he groaned, leaning his head back to smack against the small divider between booths. Then after shaking his head he ate his food, rather quickly actually, but he looked out of the window beside him just in time. This 'Odette' couldn't start her car, and by the sound of what the engine was sounding like he probably knew exactly what was wrong. So, he quickly waved a waiter over to him for a bill, wiping his mouth off and laying a twenty on the table in a not caring mood he ran out of the building. But he was too late. The car was gone and she was walking. Lucas then had a light bulb moment, he ran across the street, cars honking at him as he ran in their path but he kept running. His speed was rather fast being that he was on the football team before. When he reached his car though, Lucas threw his back pack in the truck and slammed his key into the ignition. After flipping the car on and revving the engine a bit, the sane part of him caught him. What the hell was he doing? This was a random stranger, not his girlfriend or anything. Why did he even care? All he even knew about her was her name! Shaking his head and making his hair accidentally fall in his face he pulled out of the parking lot, shoving those thoughts aside as he drove to catch up with Odette.
After just a moment he saw her, walking on the sidewalk in her flats which looked quite uncomfortable to any man. But he pulled over to near the curb and rolled down the window before yelling out, his deep voice (like always) defining what girls called sexy. And he wasn't even trying too. "Hey ma'am! Do you need any help? I can give ya' a ride."

((Sorry its a bit short Dx))

[Tayssi]

Odette-Rose looked down at her phone to check the time and saw it was 2:32pm. Sighing, she put her phone into her bag, trying to think how long it would take to walk to her house.. Possibly 40 minutes to an hour? It would never take that long if she had proper shoes and she wasn't so worn out. That was the one thing she hated about Saturday shifts. They were always busier that day compared to any other day. And, like today, there was always atleast one disagreement with a customer. It had been a rather large man with dark skin and a shaved head and he had made many a lewd comment towards both Odette and one of her co-workers. Odette would've let it go but she could tell her co-worker had been getting more and more uncomfortable so she had stepped up and said something. Turned out he had been slightly drunk too, so he wasn't in his right mind and wasn't very friendly. After a long argument - Odette really trying to distract him and waste time whilst she waited for her co-worker to go get the manager - he had come very close to hitting her. But luck had been on her side and the manager had come and kicked him out. Then she got lectured by the manager about confronting the man in the first place and not coming to get him sooner.
She heard car horns beeping behind her which snapped her attention to the real world and she glanced behind herself. and saw the guy in dark clothing she had served earlier was running across the car park. Her brow furrowed slightly, wondering why he was in such a rush before she shrugged and kept walking. A few moment later, a car pulled up next to her and in the corner of her eye she saw someone winding down their window. She glanced at the car and her eyes widened slightly when she saw the guy with the chocolate eyes. She instantly became utterly confused when she noticed he was looking right at her. She was about to keep walking when he spoke to her. She glanced down the road and then back at the man. She couldn't help but notice how his deep voice could only be described as.. sexy, as he spoke to her, asking if she needed any help, then going on to ask if she needed a ride.
She studied the man for a moment longer, debating what to say.. Technically, she shouldn't get into the car with this man. She didn't know him. Didn't even know his name.. Yet, he seemed harmless enough. Didn't seem like the type to drive off to some secluded bushland and murder her. And to be honest, she didn't want to walk home.. Not one bit. So she turned to the man and gave him a light smile. "I would really appreciate it if you could take me home? I can give you some money for fuel?" she said sheepishly before she explained where she lived and how far it was.

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