Chapter 3: HAZEL

'What the hell just happened?'

The chime on the door echoes louder than I ever remember it sounding as the man I only know as N leaves. Scanning the empty coffee shop, my focus jumps from the door to the large empty table, then down to the mess on the floor and back up to the door.

"So, what was that about?" Estelle startles me and I spin around, stepping in the spilled coffee I need to clean up. This is going to take a lot longer to clear than the few minutes I think he just gave me.

"Um, I'm not sure. He wants to talk to me outside. But - " I look down at the broken mugs again.

"But nothing. Go. You've covered for me so many times. Your shift is over. I got this." Walking to me, she takes the broom and nods for me to gather my things and I don't waste any time.

Why am I rushing? I just met the guy.

Rush hour traffic is beginning to taper off but this means I've missed my chance to study at the library so my only option is to go back to the dorm rooms after this and, as much as I love her, I hope Nina isn't there so I can study in peace before my shift at the club tonight.

"I appreciate you not making me wait. I'd like to discuss our arrangement." Mr. Stranger gets right down to business and, somehow, I feel better speaking to him among the noise from outside. The silence from inside the shop was a little unnerving.

"What arrangement? I just met you twenty minutes ago when you made me spill my drinks." While I am intrigued, I feel my patience wearing thin and, hottie or not, I don't have all day, literally and figuratively.

"I haven't made you do anything - yet." The hint of a promise in his words makes me blush. "You dropped the drinks when you ran into me. I was standing perfectly still." I feel like we're going around in circles.

"Whatever. What arrangement?" I try to make my voice sound more aloof than I feel.

N stares at me for a long minute and I know what he's doing. He's trying to make me feel uncomfortable. It's working. I feel an urge to move, to create a distraction as his eyes gaze over me and I shuffle a bit to the side then open my mouth but I have no idea what to say.

"I find you interesting, Hazel." Thankfully, he speaks, "I spend most of my days around people who agree with me. Not because they actually agree with me, but because they feel they have to. They are paid to." I barely notice his pause. I can't stop looking at his mouth. "There are two types of people in this world. People who own and people who are owned. Which one are you, Miss Masters?" I sense he isn't talking about his employees anymore.

"I, well, is there a third kind? I'm not owned." I answer cautiously.

"Not yet." There's his smile again.

"P - pardon me?" I fight against my natural tendency to use what again.

"Very good. You catch on quick. Give me your phone." He reaches his hand, palm up, toward me.

"Wha - "

"And do not say what, again. You don't want me to show you, out here on the sidewalk, how I handle disobedience." His words are a challenge, one I am not willing to take him up on at the moment.

He stays still, palm extended, waiting. I've never had anyone speak to me like this. He's charming, but at the same time demanding but I'm not afraid of him. I glance down to the phone in my hand and slowly reach it out toward him as if on autopilot.

He grumbles to himself as he presses the screen and it opens for him. While he works away, I take a good look at him. I'd say he's a couple of years older than me. His suit probably cost my whole month of wages and tips at all three jobs combined and I spilled coffee all over it. I hope he can get the stains out and there is no way I can offer to pay for it. Now that I'm looking closer, his dress shirt clings rather nicely to his chest.

Lost in my thoughts, I've forgotten to watch what he's done with my phone. As he clears his voice, I'm met with a grin as he holds my phone out to me and I quickly take it and stuff it in my bag as he watches me carefully.

"Thank you. I'm going to let you go but I'm not done with you, Hazel. I want to know more about you but it will have to wait. Your studies are important. For now, I have two rules and you will obey them. First, don't text that number until I contact you and, second, answer me quickly when I do. I don't like to be kept waiting." His words don't sound stern or demanding and I almost sense this is a formality of sorts and I nod in understanding.

He turns and walks over to the sleek black car parked at the side of the road and gets into the backseat.

The guy has a driver.

I don't make enough money to know what kind of car that even is and he has someone driving it for him. I suddenly feel so far out of my league and I have to remind myself he picked me up at my job so he's under no delusion that I am made of money.

But still, I can't help but feel he is on a completely different level than I am in more ways than one. I mean, he has his own driver. Not to mention, all of those people in the store seemed to listen to everything he said and they cleared out pretty fast when he told them to.

Who has their own driver? Criminals, that's who. And I just gave him my first AND last name and access to my phone.

I don't have time to process this. My study time is ticking away and I see the bus to the dorms turn onto the street. I'll have to cram about 20 minutes in, then I need to get ready for my shift tonight.

My stomach grumbles as I step onto the half-full bus and find a seat. It looks like I'll have to skip eating this afternoon as well. As we pull away from the curb, I fish my phone out of my bag and open my text messages.

It looks like N added his contact info and he sent a text off to an unknown number with four words that fill me with butterflies.

- - - In need of spanking. - - -

I'm falling into something I've never been in before and a dark little part of me can't wait to see where it goes. But another part is wary. His methods for asking someone out are unorthodox at best and I feel like he's sizing me up for something more.

Regardless, I have bigger things to focus on. That exam tomorrow isn't going to pass itself, I chuckle to myself at the thought then open up my messages on my phone. I'll need to know, before I get home, if Nina is there so I send her a text next.

- - - - -

HAZEL: HEY, GOT A SECOND?

NINA: WHERE WERE YOU? YOU SAID BRB.

HAZEL: SORRY. IT GOT WEIRD.

NINA: WHAT GOT WEIRD? WORK?

HAZEL: KIND OF.

HAZEL: THIS GUY CAME IN AND I DROPPED A HUGE ORDER OF DRINKS ALL OVER THE BOTH OF US.

NINA: OH, NO. DID THEY FIRE YOU?

HAZEL: NO. I THINK HE ASKED ME OUT.

NINA: YOUR BOSS ASKED YOU OUT?

HAZEL: NO. THE GUY I SPILLED DRINKS ON.

NINA: BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE.

HAZEL: UM NO.

NINA: OK.

NINA: THAT IS WEIRD. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

NINA: HOW DID HE ASK YOU OUT?

HAZEL: WELL, HE DIDN'T.

NINA: ???

HAZEL: HE TOOK MY PHONE AND SENT HIMSELF A MESSAGE FROM IT.

NINA: WELL THEN TEXT HIM AND ASK HIM.

HAZEL: I CAN'T.

NINA: WHY?

HAZEL: I'M NOT ALLOWED TO.

NINA: WHAT?

HAZEL: I TOLD YOU, IT GOT WEIRD.

NINA: #ACCURATE

NINA: OKAY, WHAT'S HIS NAME?

HAZEL: N

NINA: THAT'S AN INITIAL. WHAT'S THE REST OF HIS NAME?

HAZEL: I DON'T KNOW.

NINA: WHAT?

HAZEL: I'M HEADING TO THE DORMS NOW. ARE YOU HOME?

NINA: NO, I'M OUT WITH THE GANG GRABBING SUSHI.

NINA: PAUL IS HERE, TOO.

NINA: SPEAKING OF WHICH...

NINA: WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US?

HAZEL: I CAN'T. I'M GOING TO REVIEW A COUPLE OF CHAPTERS, THEN I'LL HEAD INTO WORK EARLY.

HAZEL: IF I'M LUCKY, THEY'LL HAVE SOME FOOD LEFTOVER FROM THEIR LUNCH BUFFET.

NINA: OK. SEE YOU TONIGHT.

NINA: I'LL SMUGGLE SOME SUSHI IN FOR YOU ;)

NINA: YOU KNOW I'LL DO IT.

NINA: CAN YOU STILL HANG OUT FOR A BIT AFTER YOUR SHIFT?

HAZEL: JUST A BIT.

HAZEL: I HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR OF STUDYING LEFT BEFORE MY EXAM TOMORROW.

HAZEL: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW MY STUFF.

NINA: DAMN, GIRL.

NINA: YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF.

NINA: YOU COULD TEACH THAT CLASS.

HAZEL: I WISH I HAD YOUR CONFIDENCE.

NINA: YOU JUST DON'T SEE WHAT I SEE, HAZY.

HAZEL: THANKS.

NINA: I MEAN IT.

NINA: OUT OF OUR WHOLE LITTLE GROUP, YOU HAD THE BIGGEST ODDS STACKED AGAINST YOU.

NINA: I KNOW WE TAKE OUR MONEY FOR GRANTED. WE ALL HAVE SAFETY NETS.

NINA: BUT YOU WORK SO HARD.

NINA: YOU DESSERT EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING TO YOU.

HAZEL: DESSERT?

NINA: ?

HAZEL: YOU SAID I DESSERT EVERYTHING.

NINA: OH.

NINA: HAHAHA

NINA: LMAO

HAZEL: ARE YOU DRUNK?

NINA: NO. PFFT.

NINA: BUT I DO FEEL FUNNY.

HAZEL: WHAT ARE YOU DRINKING?

NINA: JUST A SEC. I'LL ASK CASSIE.

NINA: SHE SAYS IT'S CALLED SAKE.

HAZEL: NINA, THAT'S JAPANESE RICE WINE.

HAZEL: THERE'S ALCOHOL IN THERE.

HAZEL: ASK FOR A BIG GLASS OF WATER AND CUT YOURSELF OFF OR I WON'T SEE YOU TONIGHT.

NINA: OK. GOOD IDEA.

NINA: I'M GLAD YOU TEXTED.

NINA: I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS UP. I FEEL LIKE SINGING KARAOKE.

NINA: I HATE KARAOKE

HAZEL: LOL.

HAZEL: ONLY WATER FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, DEAL?

NINA: DEAL.

NINA: CASSIE'S LAUGHING AT ME.

NINA: I'M STARTING TO THINK THAT LITTLE BITCH KNEW IT WAS ALCOHOL.

NINA: I'M GOING TO GET HER BACK FOR THIS.

HAZEL: OH NO.

NINA: I SAW A SHOW WHERE SOMEONE BAKED A BUNCH OF CHOCOLATE-FLAVORED POOP SOFTENER INTO BROWNIES.

NINA: I'M GOING TO DO THAT.

NINA: REMIND ME ABOUT MY DIABOLICAL PLAN WHEN I SOBER UP. K?

HAZEL: LOL, OK. OR YOU CAN JUST REREAD YOUR TEXT MESSAGES.

NINA: SEE. LOOK AT ALL OF US ASSHOLES OUT HERE WITH OUR MONEY AND SHIT.

NINA: YOU'RE THE SMARTEST ONE OUT OF ALL OF US.

NINA: I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.

NINA: I LOVE YOU, HAZY.

HAZEL: DRINK YOUR WATER, NINA!!!

- - - - -