5...The Good Samaritan...

CLAIRE.

I checked my phone as I took a bite of the pancake made by Terry in Charles' kitchen. I smiled after reading the message and began to type.

'Thanks for checking up on me Dave,I hope you're fine too'

The memory of the free conversation we had yesterday came flooding to my brain and I smiled widely.

"Dave?"

I looked up and realized Charles and Terry has been watching me intently. I nodded at Charles.

"Yeah Dave. He got my number yesterday"

"Dave is a nice guy. He's really cool" Charles said.

"He is" I agreed.

"This is the first time I'm seeing you roll with cool guys" Terry threw a remark at Charles.

"Your a shithead" Charles said grinning along with Terry.

"They look matured and act older than they look" Terry comments.

"That's 'cause they're older. I'm the youngest among them" Charles said.

"Oh" I said softly.

"But I really like that Ryan dude" Terry stated.

I kept mute, waiting for his next sentence.

"He's got nice vibes" He added.

Charles took a sip of his coffee, eyeing him "I see you really got along with him yesterday"

"And that made me wonder why I'm just seeing him around you for the first time" Terry said.

I wonder why too. I've been of service to Ryan at the restaurant for a while now and I had no idea he was friends with Charles, though he looked like the type of guy Charles would befriend,you know with that playboy vibes and all.

Charles shrugged "He's just the busy type that's all,same with Dave"

"Oh. He's an expert in talking to girls" Terry said grinning like a Cheshire cat. "But he's still got a boss" He pointed at Charles forehead.

"Of course. That's me. I'm the boss baby!" Charles screamed with pride making me chuckle. My smiling face changed when Charles threw me a question "Do you know Ryan from somewhere before?"

"Of course they know each other, he's a good customer and Claire has attended to him a lot of times" Terry answered smartly for me.

"Then why does it look like Claire wanted to murder him yesterday?" Charles questioned with a tone of playfulness.

"That's 'cause she actually wanted to murder him" Terry answered and Charles bursted out laughing,soon, Terry joined him. I huffed and paid attention to my food.

"But I just don't get it Claire. You're used to grumpy customers but you couldn't stop complaining about Ryan's attitude towards you at the restaurant yesterday. The guy could be having a bad day like anyone else"

I took my time to chew my pancake letting what Terry had said to sink in.

He is right.

"Your crush turned into your enemy in just few hours" Terry said,amused.

"We both know you've always been my crush,no one else" I also joked.

"And here I am thinking you I've always been your crush" Charles chipped in.

We all laughed. Then I received a text from Dave.

'I'm fine too, thanks. I'd like to see your beautiful face another day'

That got me blushing.

*****

Ryan had come to the restaurant to eat again and I tried my best to avoid him. In the past,I'd be willing to be at his service but now I'm so reluctant to have a five seconds conversation with him.

Because of him,I had divided attention at work. My eyes were on other customers but my mind wasn't with them,it was somewhere else. I had thoughts about him on my mind. Thoughts like, 'Is he in a bad mood today also?' 'What is the cause of his bad mood' 'How long is he gonna be like that?'

I got lucky,my colleague was the one who got to attend to him today. She was smiling when she walked fashionably towards him to provide her services to him,but she was frowning after providing the services.

She mumbled about how he's got good looks but bad personality. I hundred percent agree with her at that moment,but when I thought about what Terry had said days ago about how he could be having his bad day,the percentage of agreement I had with her reduced to fifty percent. That means I don't completely disagree with her because I know how sad she must be feeling.

I raised my head to give him a last glance,but I found myself staring at him. He had a blank expression on his face, and he looked like he had been expecting my eyes on him.

We never said a word to each other. His expression remained blank.

I can't believe I almost had a crush on someone like him. I mean look at him,just take a good look at him right now,he's like a very hard, cold, stone.

I'm sympathizing with his girlfriend already.

If he's in a good mood,he's viewed as the best guy on earth,but when 'he's having a bad day', he's like the devil's kid brother. I feel like he should learn to accept other people and their behaviors,even on his bad days. No one is responsible for his misfortunes.

I didn't realize we were still staring at each other until his phone lighted up. He focused on his phone and began typing immediately with a deep frown on his face. He also looked worried and exhausted that I almost felt sympathetic towards him.

*****

I was done with my work for the day and was so tired. I quickly packed up my things to start heading to Terry's place. He called in sick at work, and Terry being Terry, would never go to a hospital. I don't know what exactly is wrong with him or how serious his illness is as I haven't even checked up on him.

The sky looked like it was pregnant. For a sec, I was reluctant to go home. What if the rain poured down on my way home?

As I started to stroll down to Terry's place the rain started but it wasn't too heavy. After some minutes,it started to get serious. My clothes got soaked,same as my sneakers and my hair. I quickened my pace, breathing in and out sharply. I can't stop walking now,what if the rain stops late at night when it's all dangerous, especially for girls like me.

Cars passed by me,and deep down I wished one of them would stop to give me a ride home. At last,one did. The car window was rolled down. When I bent my head to see the kind helper clearly,I remembered the popular saying; 'Be careful what you wish for'.

I gotta be really careful next time about my wish,you know why?

Ryan was the good Samaritan.