DAY THREE

"Why do you have to give Me such eyes and am just helping you?" He asked in a rather rude sound to me. 

I didn't need his shitty conversation right now, am at work and I need to work not do conversation. 

I grabbed the tray of food from his hands and went to serve the couples that we're now sweetly talking.

"Sorry for taking long, but I know you will love the food," I said to them hoping they won't lash out at me for taking time.

The lady smiled and looked at me, "don't worry sweetheart, we appreciate your effort," she said while touching the palm of her husband's hand.

"Are you okay young lady?" Asked the man startling me from my thoughts. I hadn't realized I was standing and staring at the hands of the lady that was on top of her husband.

"Sorry, excuse me," I apologized while walking off to the counter.

I didn't see Jake at the kitchen or the counter. "Thank God, he is gone," I said to myself while wiping my forehead.

"Do you hate me that much that you want me out of this place?" Asked Jake who was behind me.

I jumped and moved away from him and headed to the kitchen pretending to get some order.

Cliff was busy, working on the pancakes and his other hand was working on the omelettes. He must be talented to have Edith employ him for this position. But why would someone like him work in a cheap dinner instead of working in a five-star hotel?

He makes good food, quite extraordinary and sweet. He doesn't spend much time when an order comes up. 

"Can I help you with something?" He asked while I was busy staring at his tricks.

"You are very good at these, I mean, you just came here thirty minutes ago but you've made enough pancakes already," I told him sincerely while picking the plates.

He looked at me and smiled, before turning his back to the pans on fire. 

Did I tell him something bad, that made him sad? He just turned around and has not talked to me. It seems everyone just hates my presence nowadays.

"Cliff I am sorry if I have opened up some memories you didn't want to come up with," I apologized even though I know I was just giving a compliment about his good tricks.

"Wait," he said as I turned my back to go back to the dinner. 

I turned around and looked at him, his face was normal and it was not like I had said something bad or woken up some bad demons that would start haunting him.

"I love being here Dee, I just finished high school am trying to make money so that I can go to a catering school and make my dreams a success," he said smiling.

Woah, his body is masculine and he looks bigger for an eighteen-year-old boy! I must have overlooked it. I need to stop overthinking and just be brave and believe in whatever I see.

"Three pancakes and omelettes," shouted make from the counter.

Why is he still here? What is he doing? I thought he had left and we were only with Cliff in here.

I placed the pancakes and omelettes and handed him without giving him eye contact. 

What Jake is trying to achieve I don't know, but if his nasty ass wants to offer an apology for calling me names inside the car am not going to forgive him, he better come up with a good way of doing it.

My phone beeped inside my back pocket. This is probably Fern trying to give an apology for the scandals she pulled up yesterday. 

I pulled my phone from my pocket and swiped it to open.

Edith: Sorry I won't make it today, please make sure you take care of everything. 

Dee: Are you okay? Is everything okay?

Edith: Just some cramps that won't allow me to walk out of the bed.

Dee: sorry, but I will make sure I take care of everything and pass by the shop to get you your favourite chocolate bar.

Edith has server cramps when it comes to her periods. The limit her activities. She used to think it's endometriosis but the doctors still can't find what the problem is. Though she is trying to get some treatment, she always takes a full headrest when her period starts.

I positioned myself now at the counter, made sure everything was arranged how it is supposed to be and waited for the other staff to the cone so that we can go on with our work for today.

The day is going well, I can't complain, I am trying to avoid Jake as much as possible. He makes a good staff member, he wore some glasses to disguise himself. He has a good relationship with the customers. He has made some good tips for our tip jar and I couldn't have asked for more.

"Did you get us a new staff?" Asked Miriam sitting next to me. It was three in the afternoon and we had few customers around. I couldn't read my novel for today because I was managing the place.

"He is a friend sitting in for Edith who is not feeling well. I told him when filling nothing inside a notebook while stealing glances at Jake who was busy flex g his muscles while talking to some girls at the table.

"A friend? Edith doesn't have a friend, except for his boyfriend who is annoying whenever h comes here," said Miriam rolling her eyes.

I didn't know which other lie to tell Miriam. I was out of lies and I didn't want to engage in any conversation.

"Hey, am Miriam," I heard Miriam saying happily to Jake who was now at the counter.

"Am Jake, Dee's boyfriend," Jake said.

"What?" I asked shocked while the water in my hand fell and furnished on the floor making the customers stare in our direction. I wanted to rush out but my body couldn't allow me to run because I will just fall or either trip, so I positioned myself below the counter and coughed nothing out of my mouth.

"Babe, are you okay?" Asked Jake while moving towards me.

"Don't," I whispered to him. 

"I want to help you, you will choke and due here," he said lifting me but I didn't want to be lifted.

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate that you use abusive names on, you call me whatever you like in front of people, your friends used abusive words to describe me but you sat down and did nothing, you were just laughing and cheering them on. You came later and apologized but this morning again, you still used those hurting names on me and here you are acting like the sweet boyfriend who is trying to help me, did I tell you that I need any help?" I finished while bursting into tears and running out of the room.

I pushed over Miriam and she fell on the floor.

I didn't even look behind me to say that am sorry. I kicked everything that was on my path. I didn't know where I was going, I just want to be free from Jake, I hates his presence and could not afford to be near him.

I settled myself behind the restaurant. I did not know why I was crying, but I know am in pain and someone acting as if he can do anything to me and doesn't consider my pain is painting me. 

I hate how Jake pretends robe cool and the next time he is acting like a monster who is ready to hurt you any time. He abused me in the morning, right now he is claiming to be my boyfriend as if he even knows anything about being a boyfriend.

I forgot, maybe he doesn't do relationships because of the money that he has. He thinks am so easy to manipulate and can easily da for his sick trap of pretending to be my boyfriend.

"Dee, Dee, please am sorry, what can I do to tell you that am sorry," I heard his voice coming year me.

The won't in his voice is authoritative and he doesn't look like someone who is apologizing, rather like someone being forced to apologize.

"If you have never apologized then don't, I don't need your sorry because you are trying to tot with me. I said to him with my head buried inside my hands.

He groaned and knelt to my level. His smell was enticing and inviting me to lean on, but my heart was aching to even look for support.

" yeah, I don't know how to apologizing... I hate apologizing to people, but let me try doing this, I want to try this on you?" He pleaded.

"Wait, you want to use me as a specimen for your trials, Jake, am not a specimen, am a human being, and don't tell me about trying this with me!" I shouted at him and walked away leaving him stranded there.

He ran behind me and grabbed my hand. 

"Dee, am sorry, it might come out as rude, but please accept this from my heart, I am sorry about my friends and this morning, I swear I won't use those names on you again." He said in a sincere voice. 

As much as it was sincere, I still couldn't believe anything that comes from his mouth, he lies and knows how to coarse people into thinking that whatever he has said is true.

I didn't know what to tell him, I wasn't even looking in his eyes, I was just listening to his voice. I knew if I look into his eyes, they will hypnotize me and I will be deceived that he is a good person and he is not.

"Just call my name, don't use words on me, I accept who I am, or am trying to accept who I am, but if you go one treating me this way, am kit going to walk past this," I said to him.