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[december 19, 2004]

twenty minutes. that's how long kaden had been on the road, his hands numb from gripping the handlebars, the cold seeping through his gloves. the wind bit at his exposed skin, and his breath fogged up the inside of his visor, but he didn't care about any of that. he cared about one thing—finding food.

but that was proving to be harder than expected. everywhere he looked, every restaurant or diner he passed, was closed. the streets were practically abandoned, the few streetlights flickering dimly in the heavy snowfall. he really didn't want to stray too far from y/n's house, but at this rate, he was starting to think he might have to. to be honest, he didn't frequent woodbury more than he should so his mind was scrambled for directions, to a certain degree. breaking him out of his thoughts was a familiar blue and red logo glowing in the distance, standing out against the otherwise dark strip of closed businesses. ihop.

it was of course not his first choice, but beggars couldn't be choosers. most restaurants weren't exactly known for their quality but he was fortunate enough to find something close by.

he exhaled sharply, turning into the parking lot. only a few cars were scattered around— maybe four, five at most— which meant the inside was likely dead silent. good. he wasn't in the mood to be surrounded by people anyway. he pulled into a spot near the entrance, slowing the bike to a stop before cutting the engine. the sudden silence made his ears ring slightly, but he ignored it. he shoved the keys into his pocket and swung his leg over the bike, steadying himself before reaching up and unfastening his helmet.

he pulled it off in one smooth motion, shaking his head slightly as his hair— now messy and the ends of his brunette hair damp from the ride—fell back into place. the cold air stung his cheeks, making him realize just how warm it had been under the helmet.

without another thought, he adjusted his jacket, gripped the helmet in one hand, and made his way to the entrance. the glass door let out a soft chime as he stepped inside, the artificial warmth of the restaurant immediately hitting him, making his muscles relax slightly. it was quiet, just as he expected. only a handful of people sat scattered throughout the booths, either hunched over plates of food or scrolling through their phones.

he walked further in, already scanning for the best place to sit, his mind still running through everything that had happened that night. kaden stood by the entrance, shifting his weight slightly as he held his helmet. he expected someone to greet him right away, but as the seconds passed, no one came. he exhaled sharply through his nose, growing irritated. just as he was about to leave the place entirely, a woman about his age appeared from the back, stepping behind the counter with an easy, practiced smile. kaden blinked, a little thrown off. he hadn't expected anyone working this late to still have a good attitude, but she seemed unaffected by the time. 

she had tan skin, dark eyes, and messy black hair pulled into a loose ponytail. two simple lobe piercings glinted under the fluorescent lights. she absentmindedly played with the menus stacked on the counter before finally looking up at him. "how many for tonight?" she politely asked.