A Smile

"That will be $5.45, please." I uncrumple the five dollar bill from my sweater pocket and scrape up fifty cents from the bottom of my purse. I hand it to Liam, a kid from my school who works at this McDonald's and he smiles at me. I don't smile back because why would I? 'Here, I handed you the rest of my money, let's shoot you a smile since I'm so happy about it.' Uh, no. I just look down at the grimy, tiled floor instead. He hands me my five cents in pennies, which triggers my built up anger. "Really, pennies? I can't even get a damn nickel?" The look on Liam's face is one I haven't seen before, very scared and pale. "I'm... I'm sorry... I--" I rudely cut him off, "whatever, Liam, just get my food." I feel bad for being so harsh, he didn't deserve it, and they probably don't have any nickels left, but I needed to let out my rage on someone. He turns to get my tray and realizes the fries aren't finished cooking yet, so he waits, refusing to look back at me. A few moments later, he turns, "why don't you go sit down and I'll bring your food when it's done cooking," I finally return the smile he gave me earlier, but with an obvious sense of attitude plastered on top. I sit in the farthest table from the entrance, all the way in the back corner, and open my broken phone. I am startled shortly from the tray being slammed onto the greasy table, "here." I look up furiously to see Liam standing over me after having thrown my tray of food on the table, with a look of anger on his face. He turns to walk away, when I feel obliged to ask, "what the hell was that for?" He stops in his tracks, turns, and replies, "nothing." His words pierce my skin like icicles. They carve through me like nothing I've ever heard before. Why was he so angry? Because I didn't smile back? Because I gave him some spur-of-the-moment attitude? I wasn't sure, and I didn't plan to find out, so I got started on devouring my food.

Delicious. Well, not really. Actually disgusting, greasy, and unhealthy. But I haven't eaten in days, and this silly "meal" could pass as perfect for now. I wipe my satisfied lips on the coarse napkin and lean back onto the cold, metal chair. "I guess I should go home eventually," I whisper to myself. I clear my tray into the garbage and place it on top. 'I should use the bathroom quick,' I think. Boy, what a mistake that was.

I close the heavy door behind me, and click in the lock. I stare into the mirror back at the lost face looking back at me. I go to pull down my skirt when someone taps on the door, "someone in here," I whimper. I continue to take off my skirt when someone knocks on the door a second time, "one minute!" I say a bit louder. I sit down on the toilet, barely able to hold it any longer. Then the door nob starts to go crazy as if someone is doing whatever they can on the other side to get it to unlock. "Hold on!" I shout, panicking to finish peeing and get out of there quick. As I'm pulling my skirt back up, the door slams open with an angry Liam on the other side. I'm overly confused by now, my mind racing, why is he here? He steps into the small, square bathroom and closes the door. "Liam..." I say, but before I can get out anything else he clicks the door locked. I stare into his eyes, they're screaming with intensity and anger now. I barely scream out the "he" of "help" before he slams me against the hard wall, covering my mouth with his clammy hand. He lifts my skirt with his other hand, and whispers in my ear, ever so gently, "you should've smiled back."