Until Next Time?

“Crap.”

The saucepan on the stove boils over. Kara rushes to take off the lid and turns down the heat. She throws a load of pasta into the pan.

It was her own fault; she hadn’t been paying attention at all. Kara kept thinking about the conversation she had with Clark. Or rather the argument. He was always one to butt into things that never concerned him. Now, however, there was a low rumble inside of her, small but ever growing. It reminded her of a little thought, right at the back of her mind, that he may have had a point.

For now, though, she sat back down and turned on the news. Not any real news concerning actual important events. That’d be too much for her fragile state of mind right now. Just light, casual celebrity gossip about some weird celeb hookup or whose three-year old had the best style or who was dating Lena Luthor…

Wait.

What?

There she was. On her TV screen. Lena walking around with some brown haired twerp, a superficial headline in red glaring at her: ‘LENA LUTHOR’S LATEST LOVER?’

First of all, when will these networks realise that alliteration doesn’t mean a genuinely good headline? Second of all, what the hell?

She takes a step back and considers the fact that Lena can date whoever she wants. But didn’t Kara make it obvious she was interested? Hell, they even talked vaguely about some future date…now that she thinks about it, that wasn’t concrete. Even so, there was sincere interest on Lena’s end. Perhaps she moved on, thought that Kara wouldn’t care. Maybe it was Lena who never cared, even from the beginning. Maybe Clark was right…

And that’s how it happens. Like the saucepan on the stove, that feeling in her gut, placed there by Clark, finally bubbles up to the surface.

Crap, the pasta!

First hour – 12pm

It’s only the beginning of her twelve-hour shift and already Kara is over it. She’s been tasked with laying tables along with Winn, who has already started the day with about four coffees (“It keeps me going if I just have a load of them at once,” he says. Kara’s not sure she believes that).

“I’m all for unique and interesting table laying techniques…but you’ve given this person four knives and no spoons,” Winn comments, clearly trying to hide his amusement.

“Damn it,” Kara winces.

“Woah, calm down there,” Winn attempts to extract a knife from Kara as she waves it around in frustration. He can tell her head’s not been in it since she arrived.

“I know we haven’t known each other that long, so if it’s not my place just call me out…but you wanna talk about it?” The question comes out rather high-pitched as he tries to work out whether he should’ve asked it at all.

She looks up at him and smiles. Damn Winn for being so nice and concerned.

“There is something…on my mind…” she hesitates, not sure she wants to talk about it, but she’s come this far and who knows, maybe it’ll help.

“There’s, uh, this girl and, well, I thought she was interested. It certainly seemed that way when she tried to kiss me. I told her I didn’t want to rush things, but I was definitely interested. So she said she’d ask me on a date and now I think she’s seeing someone else.” It all comes rushing out of her. Maybe the only way she can communicate her feelings is through rambling.

“Woah. That’s a lot,” Winn says trying to digest all the information Kara has just thrown at him.

“Yep, I know,” she’s looking down, not wanting to face him.

“I was into this girl for a long time and she never liked me back. It really hurt, especially when I told her how I felt and she flat out rejected me. For a long time I held onto that bitterness and anger and it took me ages to get over it. Then one day I did. I don’t know how or when, but I looked at her and none of those feelings rushed to me like they used to. I didn’t see the girl I thought I loved, I saw the girl I knew, with her imperfections and all. It was for the best. She wasn’t as perfect as I imagined and she wasn’t mine. Really that made me appreciate her more than I ever had before,” Winn confesses. It’s the first time Kara has heard him talk about anything so personal.

“So, I should try to get over her?”

“Personally? Yeah. If she’s with someone else don’t let her give you false hope,” he shrugs and gets back to work.

Before long Kara realises she ought to get back to work too, but as she’s laying out glasses and cutlery she can’t help but think about what Winn said.

Getting over Lena? That’s going to be hard.

Third hour – 3pm

Food. It’s all she can think about. There may be some perks to being an alien; super strength, super speed and super energy being three in particular. Super hunger? Not so much.

“Alright, coffee service everyone. Remember, this is a ‘pour, place and run’ job,” the manager announces.

“Uh, what’s that mean?” One brave newbie asks.

“Pour the coffee, place the milk, sugar and chocolates on the table and run before anyone can ask for tea.”

Everyone snickers or smirks at that.

Luckily, Kara manages to do all these things, perhaps utilizing her super speed, then gets sent down to the kitchen to polish cutlery.

She begins polishing when a chef comes rushing round the corner with steaming pan in his hands.

“Watch out!” He calls and Kara jumps out of the way to let him place the pan on a stove behind her.

“Well done, you’re quick there,” he says with a warm voice smiling charmingly at her. She smiles back and shrugs.

“I’m fast on my feet,”

“Sure are, you need any help there?”

“Nah, I’m good…”

“James, James Olsen,” he answers with another equally delightful smile.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kara Danvers,” she goes to offer her hand but retracts it when she sees it’s drenched with polishing water. “Oh uh…sorry…” she just waves at him instead.

“No problem, Kara, it’s nice to meet you too.” he’s about to leave when her stomach rumbles embarrassingly loud. James raises an eyebrow at her but says nothing as she blushes. He walks away and Kara lets out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.

That’s one way to make a first impression.

Just as she thinks he’s left her, a plate of food slides her way across the counter. She stares at it and then looks over to her left where James is innocently stirring something that smells delicious.

“Is this…for me?” She asks timidly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he answers not looking up. Kara might have believed him if he wasn’t smirking.

She starts to devour the food.

Holy cow. It’s amazing. She doesn’t know if it’s the fact she was starving or if the food is genuinely that good, but she doesn’t care. Kara finishes it in thirty seconds. She’s about to ask what to do with the plate when it disappears from underneath her and James starts to wash it. Still not looking at her.

“Thanks,” she says, it’s not very loud but she can tell he’s heard her as he gives a little nod of gratitude.

“You have quite the appetite,” he regards her, “I mean…that took less than a minute.”

“What can I say? I love to eat,” she pats her belly (she can eat far more than that but she doesn’t say so incase it sounds ungrateful).

“Plus, I’m compensating,” that she utters under the breath, hoping he won’t hear. But of course, he does.

“For?”

“Uh, just some bad…feelings, I guess,” she shrugs.

“You can stop pretending you don’t wanna tell me,” James comments, clearly seeing right through her.

“W-what? I’m not…I don’t…” Kara splutters for a while, gives up with a sigh and adds, “alright fine, I over share with strangers way too often.”

“Knew it.”

“You don’t have to sound so smug about,” she mutters. He doesn’t say anything, waiting for her to talk, so she rolls her eyes and says, plainly, “there’s this girl. I like her. She made it clear she liked me. She’s with some other guy now. I feel crap.”

“Ah, right.”

“Yeah, pretty pathetic…” Kara mumbles.

“Not at all,” she looks up at him, “look, I think we’ve all had bad days and bad situations. You know how I deal with that? Cooking. I love it. Always have. If ever I feel like I’m in a bad situation I just throw myself into my work,” he answers simply.

“It’s not like that’s gonna solve it…”

“Do you know what to do about it?” He asks.

“No.”

“Exactly. Try throwing yourself into your work or maybe your hobbies. Take your mind off it. Your subconscious will work out what to do and then, when you’re ready to face it, you will,” he goes right back to stirring.

Maybe he’s right. She should try and distract herself and then come back to the problem. Isn’t that what they tell you to do in exams?

“Thanks,” she says genuinely.

“You’re more than welcome,” he takes a look at what he’s stirring and then looks up at Kara again. “Want some more?” He offers, a mischievous look on his face.

“You’re much nicer than the other chefs who work here…” she grins and nods in response.

They chat for the next hour as Kara polishes and, as he puts it, helps James ‘test his food’. All the while she’s considering his advice. If she follows what he’s said she’ll have to distance herself from thoughts of Lena and that’s going to be hard.

Sixth hour – 6pm

She’s been fed, had a break and now Kara’s ready for the next round of guests. This time it’s a big dinner for a load of different companies around National City. She’s been tasked with helping out at the reception and is, luckily, handing out canapés. It’s supposedly a relatively simple job.

It’s fifteen minutes in and despite trying to shift this current plate of…is it foie gras or meat loaf, she’s not sure? Kara’s not getting very far; people are way more interested in the alcohol tonight.

Heading back to the kitchen she sees James helping with the washing.

“How’s it going, Supergirl?” He asks casually.

“Supergirl? Really?”

“Well, you’re metabolism is out of this world. You’ve devoured all the food I’ve handed you.” He nods at the canapé in her hand that’s steadily moving up to her mouth. She drops it instantly.

“I’d say it’s an apt description,”

“Supergirl…” she thinks for a second, “I like it,” and pops one last canapé in her mouth.

“Go on, you can’t hide in here forever,” he points at the door.

“But it’s so dead out there. They all just wanna drink and no ones taking the food,” she whines.

“Then go bug the bar staff,” she gives him her best puppy dog eyes and he sighs, “if you’re caught bunking off in here the manager won’t be pleased.”

Kara makes a sound that’s a combination of ‘ugh’ and a scoff and James comments on her maturity. In typical Kara Danvers style she sticks her tongue out at him as she disappears through the door to the reception.

She decides to do one final round of the room, but, as predicted, no one in the entire building wants to eat these canapés anymore. Plus, they seem to be getting more annoyed the more they’re asked.

Kara leaves the canapés on a table and, taking James’ advice, heads over to the bar. There’s only one girl behind it and she seems to be serving a rather frail, old man some wine. Just as he turns to leave, she rounds on Kara.

“Five bucks that man will not survive tonight,” she whispers.

“What?”

“That’s his fifth wine this evening, I’ve seen him stumble about seven times and he’s gotta be what? Two hundred?” Kara snickers at that.

“You’ve been watching him closely then,” she says with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yeah, well, I wanna get our marriage in before this evening,” the woman rubs her thumb and fingers together, “sugar daddy.” They both try to conceal their hysterics.

“I’m Lucy, by the way,” she introduces herself and extends her hand.

“Kara,” Kara takes the hand eagerly. “So, bar work?”

“Oh yeah, my favourite,” Lucy rolls her eyes, “I’m doing the after bar tonight as well.”

“Oh cool, me too!” Kara’s relieved to finally find someone who will be there with her till the end of her shift.

“Together, we can make it,” Lucy says in a faux-brave voice and chuckles.

Suddenly, she regards the girl in front of her and Kara shrinks a little under the scrutiny. “Oh wait, are you The Kara?”

“Uh, I guess so…?” She’s a little taken aback by the idea she could already have a reputation.

“The one who eats a lot and has relationship drama?”

“Ok, does everyone have a problem with me eating? People keep offering me food? I’m gonna take it! Plus, I think it’s pretty great to see a girl who doesn’t care about diets and all thi- wait hold on, relationship drama?” She asks mid-rant.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s none of my business but James and I are…well, we’re pretty close and he just told me you had some relationship stuff you were dealing with, but that was it. No details. I swear.” Lucy says desperately trying to iterate James’ respect towards Kara. “He’s not the type to just blab about this kinda stuff.”

“Oh, good. I’m glad,” she wanted to make sure she made more friends at work; it would have been a shame to lose James. “I might as well tell you, if you’re that interested.”

“Hey, look, I am here for you if you wanna share, but I’m not looking for gossip or anything. Only tell me if you really want to,” Kara can already tell that Lucy is a good person.

“I guess, more than anything, I’m just looking for advice…” Kara trails off, “I haven’t had any romantic feelings before. At least, not this…severe.”

It’s the first time she’s admitted it out loud, it feels good to actually tell someone.

“Well, some people take time to develop those kinds of feelings, some people don’t feel it until they meet someone in particular and some never feel it. It always depends on the person,” Lucy says. “James wasn’t the first guy I was attracted to, but he was the first to really treat me right and that’s what matters the most.”

“So, I shouldn’t look at the fact that she was the first person I had these feelings for?” Kara asks.

“It’s like this, it’s important to figure out why she was the first person you felt that way towards, but if she isn’t treating you right then it’s important to not let that be the reason you stay.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, if you were attracted to others before James…how did you get over them?” Kara knows to handle this topic with caution; she had to when talking to Alex about Maggie.

“Honestly? It was hard; I shut myself off from a lot of people thinking that might help. What really helped was surrounding myself with friends and letting them take me out to have a good time. Being surrounded by the people who love you is a sure fire way to get over people who don’t.”

Kara hadn’t thought of that before.

“Thanks, Lucy.”

Kara supposes that after her shift she should plan a night out with Alex and Maggie. Finally get her head and heart away from Lena Luthor. That’s going to be hard.

Seventh hour – 7pm

After chatting to Lucy for another fifteen minutes, they’re finally sent upstairs to do the actual dinner service.

“Hey hey, there you are,” Winn greets Kara with a hug, “it’s been too long.”

“Far too long,”

“Ok, so this is for the guests, not you,” he hands her a bottle of wine with a cheeky grin. “It’ll all be over soon,” he says looking at his watch. He frowns.

“Yeah, I know right?” Kara says, amazed that they still have five hours left.

“This is gonna be the longest shift of my life,” he whines.

All of a sudden, the manager calls Winn. He whispers something in Winn’s ear and then they both rush off out of the kitchen.

“What’s that about?” Kara asks Lucy, who just shrugs in response.

Soon enough they both come back with an array of cutlery, plates and glasses. She sees them bolt out into the dining room. When they come back Winn makes a beeline for Kara.

“They set up two more places for some late arrivals. Looks like it’s at your table so you’re gonna be clearing twelve places rather than ten now,” Winn explains. “Sorry bud, but hey, I once cleared fourteen places…” he looks a bit sheepish, “granted I nearly passed out at the end of the shift, but it can be done.” He regards her, “plus, you’re, like, freakishly strong.”

“Winn,” she starts, placing a hand on his shoulder, “almost everyone is stronger than you…doesn’t make us freakish.” His mouth is agape as she walks away.

At last, the door opens and they all walk through. As Kara’s gaze falls to her table she nearly freezes. It’s Lena. She’s the additional guest. But what really makes Kara’s stomach turn is the person sitting next to her. Her new boyfriend.

Winn was right; this is going to be the longest shift of her life.

She serves the wine as fast as possible, without arousing suspicion. It looks like Lena’s too busy with her new guy to really notice. Kara should be happy that she’s managed to avoid her, but she just feels annoyed.

Once they’re done with wine they move onto bread. At this point Lena does actually look up.

“Kara!” She exclaims in greeting. Kara offers her a smile and some bread. “I want you to meet someone.” Kara’s in the middle of offering Lena’s companion some bread.

“Yes please,” he says and reaches for it. Once he takes it she speeds off to the next person and the next person, trying to ignore Lena entirely.

She bursts in through the door and places the leftover bread on the counter, her head in her hands.

“You alright?” Winn asks tentatively touching her shoulder.

“Lena Luthor. That’s who the new guest is,” she mumbles.

“Oh cool!” He looks at her still crumpled form, “…not…cool?”

“Not cool,” she sighs, “she’s the girl, Winn.”

“Woah! Seriously? Lena Luthor? The Lena Luthor? How?”

“We met at my first shift and hit it off. I don’t know, it just…happened,” she scoffs, “well, I thought it did.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m sure Lex was a player too,” he tries to comfort her.

“She wasn’t supposed to be like Lex. She isn’t supposed to,” Kara throws up her hands and starts to walk away. “I’m just gonna get through the shift, that’s all I can do.”

Winn watches her retreating form and quietly remarks, “that’s going to be hard.”