Work Text:
Jan sits in the diner, twirls a strand of her long blonde hair around her perfectly manicured finger and sights. She feels lonely. About a month ago she and her girlfriend broke up. It surprised her, but also didn’t. They’ve lost their spark and just existed next to each other, not with each other anymore. “I can’t do this anymore. You’re too focused on your career.” Is what her ex had said before she went out of her life. It was true. Jan always put her job first. It was important to her to be independent and to never rely on anyone else, it's what she's been told since she was a little girl. She always puts everything else behind, she needs to be successful. Sadly her love life always suffered under it. Her job in primary school and the kids meant the world to her. Working with kids was always a dream for her. The kids in her class were all so sweet and adored her. She loved to plan their lessons and grade their papers. Her last relationships could never understand why she was so passionate about it. She always tried to make them understand but they wouldn’t listen. It was always the reason why her relationships fell apart.
Since the day of the break up she comes to this small cozy diner before lessons and tries to take a little time for herself and relax. 'Brita's' was just around the corner from the school she was working at. The owner, Brita, a tall curvy woman who always dances around the tables, chatted with the customers, jokes and fills the air with a ridiculous loud laugh and gives the diner a warm and homely atmosphere. Brita’s wife Aiden works in the kitchen and cooks breakfast, makes baguettes or other things from the menu. Sometimes the small woman with short black hair and dark make up would work on the register and tease her wife about her laugh or her facial expressions. Brita always laughed about it and teases her back. Everyone would laugh with them, but the love between the two always lingered in the air. Jan loves this little establishment, but she feels out of place most of the time. This shop makes people feel happy and loved, but Jan just feels the loneliness in her heart even more. She often sat there with a frown on her face and looked out of the window. She saw happy couples on the street and everywhere around her. Maybe she wasn’t made for love. She sighed again.
Just in that moment the waitress with beautiful tan skin and wavy brown hair, Jackie, as she found out a few weeks ago, came to her table. She was the only waitress and never wore a name tag. Jan wasn't sure why, maybe she forgets it every time. Brita once yelled her name through the shop because she needed Jackie to do something for her. That’s how she found out. They chatted sometimes when there weren’t many customers. Manly just small talk. But Jan found out that the other woman was a few years older than her and came originally from Canada. “Do you want some more coffee?“ The brunette asked with a smile, swinging the coffee pot in her hand. “Sure, why not.” Jan sighed holding her cup out, so that the older one could fill some more coffee in her cup. “Everything alright?” Jackie furrowed her brows. “Yeah, just thinking about love and how I’m clearly not meant for it. Maybe I should give up on it.” The blonde said frustrated running a hand through her hair. “Don’t say that, honey. I’m sure somewhere out there is somebody who fits perfectly with you. I once was at the same point where you are right now. I wanted to quit falling in love, but I remembered that maybe I could find my future with one of the strangers on the street, the coffee shop around the corner or even in the train to work or in a passing car. Who knows which person is meant for us. Just keep on looking, because maybe the person you are looking for is closer than you might think.” Jackie winked at her and walked away, serving another table. She was right. Jan always focused on herself and her career. Never letting her heart decide, never looking around, always following her head and the things she's been taught and working her butt of. The only time she let her heart decide was looking for her job. That was years ago. But now when she listens to her heart she realized that even though she is living in New York for more than five years, it’s not home. Her family isn't the home she's searching for. Home is a word filled with love and that kind of love is missing in her life. Her head tells her to let it go and focus on the career but her heart screams that it misses home, but doesn’t know where to find it.
On her way to the school she worked at, she looked around, took in her surroundings and watched the people around her pass by for the first time. Jackie’s words didn’t leave her mind. Maybe one of them is the person she’s going to spend the rest of her life with. The thought exited Jan but her heart was trying to tell her something, she just doesn't understand what yet. Jan’s eyes caught the eyes of a tall woman with long raven hair and piercing blue eyes. She was beautiful, nobody could deny that. The woman fell into the arms of a smaller curvier woman with curly ginger hair and kissed her passionately. She wished for that kind of love. Love she could share openly and didn't have to think about what's right and what's not. Jan sight again as she entered the school ground. Maybe looking for someone was still too early, but who knows.
About a week later in the teachers lounge Jan sat on her desk and began to plan her classes for the next day. She let her eyes wander and couldn’t concentrate on her tasks, the things Jackie said still ghosting around in her head. Jackie sounded so confident that she would find someone. She didn’t go back to the diner since that day the beautiful waitress gave her the little speech. Jan needed time to think and looking at Jackie wouldn't make it easier so she took a break from going there. She knew that looking for someone new probably wasn’t a good idea right now, but she couldn’t stop herself from checking out other women every now and then, but nobody really caught her attention. They were all beautiful but she couldn't see her future with any of them. In that moment her eyes landed on Nicky, one of her closest colleagues. She was gorgeous, tall with a blonde bob and icy grey eyes, smart and outgoing. Nicky could easily be a model but she decided to become a teacher and educate the kids about her home country, France and the language there. When Jan looks at Nicky again she just sees a friend but not the woman of her future. She took a deep breath, burying her face in her palms. What was wrong with her? She wants to find someone to spend the rest of her life with, but desperately trying to find the person on the street, at work or somewhere random doesn't feel right or seem to work. Is she ever going to find the kind of love she searches for?
It was after a long evening at work that Jan longed for a strawberry milkshake and fries, so she decided to go to 'Brita's'. It's been a few weeks since her last visit. She always passed by it on her way to work but never entered, just looked through the big windows. Always seeing Jackie serve tables or making small talk. Jan tries to ignore the skipping of her heart every time she saw the brunette laugh at someone's joke.
She was really excited to go back because she missed the small shop and the people there. With a big smile on her lips and a skip in her walk she made her way over to the diner. As she reached it, she threw the door open and knocked Jackie over, because the waitress was walking past the door. The older one was now sitting on the floor looking confused. "I'm so sorry, oh my god. Are you okay?" Jan asked as she held her hand out so that the waitress could take it. Jackie looked up. Dark brown eyes meeting hazel ones. It knocked the air out of Jan's lungs. They had eye contact before but this was different. She could see everything in the other one's eyes. Confusion, curiosity and love. So much love. It's as if Jackie was radiating pure love. Jackie's aura made Jan feel warm inside. She couldn't break away from the intense gace from the other. "Y-yeah." The brunette mumbled and took Jan's hand. Jan pulled her up onto her feet. They were impossibly close now, their hands still connected. The milkshake and fries Jan wanted long forgotten. They were so entranced with each other that they didn't notice all the guests, Brita and Aiden staring at them with curious eyes. Jackie's other hand slowly went up and caressed Jan's cheek. "You're back." She smiled as if she couldn't believe the girl in front of her was real. "I am." Jan breathed back also smiling. Jackie let her hand wander to the blonds neck, pulled her closer and pressed her lips softly against Jan's. She didn't hesitate and kissed back, slinging her free arm around Jackie's waist and pressing herself even closer. It felt right, like a puzzle piece that fits itself perfectly into her life. Jan couldn't describe the feelings that rushed through her. The kiss was like a spark that went through her whole body and made her feel giddy and excited for the things that would come. She beamed as they broke apart, Jackie mirroring her expression, pulling her into a tight embrace. Everyone around them was cheering. That made them burst out of their little bubble and they both went red and looked embarrassed to the ground.
"Maybe you were right." Jan giggled into Jackie's ear. They retrieved into a small booth in one corner of the diner, just enjoying the closeness of the other. "You should never give up too early." Jackie said intertwining their fingers.