04

   "Are you really sure?” I asked Sadie for the second time again.

  Sadie sighed already tired of me asking the same question twice. 

  "Yeah, it’s fine.” Sadie responded.

  Sadie insisted on giving me a ride every day after learning that I intended to walk thirty minutes to work from school. The act made me feel like a complete loser because I wasn't used to people wanting to help me. 

  "Let me at least give you gas money every week." I said. 

  People in this town tended to tip well, but the initial part of the day was a little slow. I only spilled orders on myself, not on other people, but so far I seemed to be doing okay. 

  I was appreciative that the uniforms I was given was a  tight black pants and a black t-shirt with the restaurant's logo. The black shirt did not show any of my spills on my body. Waves of my black long hair fell down my back. 

  Our thirty-minute break had barely ended when Sadie and I returned to the restaurant. I glanced out at the restaurant after peeking through the kitchen doors. 

  Around 6 p.m., a lot more people began entering through the front door. I was counting down the minutes till I could go straight to bed once my shift ended in two hours. 

  When Knox and Curt entered the restaurant  with Dina and another stunning girl, my heart stopped beating. When I saw them a weird, stinging anguish shot through me, but I pushed that feeling deep inside. I didn't need my foolish contradictory emotions just now. 

  They went and sat down, almost close to where I stood. 

  Outside of school, Knox and Curt looked even more handsome. Knox was dressed in dark trousers, black boots, and a black sweatshirt that was rolled up to his elbows. Curt had a leather jacket thrown on top of what was essentially the same outfit. I reprimanded myself after catching myself staring at them. 

  Going all doe-eyed and playing straight into their game was the last thing I needed. Knox’s gaze darted around the room, pausing when he saw my head poking out from the kitchen doors, and I watched in disbelief. 

  When he saw me, a smirk appeared on his finely sculpted face. 

  "What's wrong?" Sadie looked out the door and scowled. 

  Sighing, I said, "Knox and Curt of course."

   "I don't know what you did to get on their radar, but I feel for you." Sadie laughed sadly and shook her head.

  "I did nothing," I said, grimacing down at my hands. “They chose to ruin my life when I accidentally ran into them once.”

   "I'd tell you to go to the principal but they seem to have everyone wrapped around their fingers." Sadie gave me a scowl.

   I let out a sigh and stopped griping. I wouldn't give them the reaction they desired. I had no desire to participate in their games. I would be leaving this small town as soon as I turned eighteen in march of next year. 

  "Do you want me to attend to them?” Sadie inquired. 

  "Nah," I said, shaking my head, "I’ll do it.” 

  When Sadie gave me two thumbs up and a supportive smile, I chuckled and sighed again. 

  "Help me God." I murmured to myself. 

  As I got closer to the table where they were seated, I could feel all four of their eyes on me. I forced a phony smile while continuing to stare at the girls. As little as possible, I wanted to glance at the twins. 

  While Curt had the stunning female on his side, Dina sat next to Knox. 

  "Hi, I'm Elisa and I'll be your server today. What do you want?” I asked.

  Grace gave me a sneer, and I almost winced. 

  "Can I get you anything to drink? Eat? What?” 

  "Elisa? What kind of weird name for a weird girl like you? Was it your mother that gave you this name or your dad?” Grace asked, laughing as the girl with Curt, also laughed with her. 

  I kept quiet while they make jest of me. I just wanted to take their order and leave. Was it that too hard? 

  "I'll take water." Dina said, "But I'm going to need something a lot stronger if I have to look at your ugly eyes for too long." 

  What was so 'ugly' about my eyes was beyond my comprehension. Was having two distinct colored eyes really so strange? Ugly no, rare yes. 

   I couldn't resist taking a quick look at Knox and Curt, nearly giggling at the foolish grins on their cheeks. 

  Dina and the girl with Curt requested water, and Curt and Knox ordered juice.

   I hurried back to get their orders at last. Sadie and another worker in the restaurant Payton, one of the cooks, asked me before I could flee again. 

  "How's it going with the them?" Sadie asked, looking out into the seating area with a scowl on her lips.

   "As usual, troublesome.” I responded, rolling my eyes. 

  "Who’s always troublesome to you El?” Payton  came up next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. I became rigid. 

  Payton  was one of those guys who has no idea what personal space is and flirts with every girl he meets. The number of times Sadie had to tell him to leave her in a single afternoon made me laugh. I never imagined that he would be interested in me. There was no denying Payton’s handsome. He had curly brown long hair and freckles all over his sharp nose. 

  "Why do you feel the need to put your grubby hands all over everyone?" Sadie removed Payton’s hands from my shoulder frowning.

  My face flushed as Payton tightened his arm around my shoulder again, trying to annoy Sadie even more.

  I smiled as Payton removed his hands from my shoulder and I take the orders to the troublesome people waiting.

  As he made his way to the kitchen, Payton grinned and said to Sadie, “ Said, you look awful when you’re jealous.” 

  "Me jealous of who? You? Oh please, shut the fv*k up." Sadie murmured back.

  My heart started pounding fast as I went over their table. Another insult I guess. I wonder why they all take pleasure in seeing me in pain when I didn’t even do them any wrong. I couldn’t wait to leave this town, and never see their faces again. But till I leave, I need to survive.

  I placed their drinks before them. At the same moment, Knox’s hand flicked forward as I reached to put his own drink down. 

  The juice landed on the floor and spilled over. His broad lips twisted into a smile, and my voice stuck in my throat. His black eyes pierced my face with a malicious twinkle. 

  "I apologize for that." I spoke as politely as I could. "I'll clean that right away and get you another drink." 

  I took out a rag to cleaned the floor, my lips pursed. But I realized to clean the place where the drink spilled, I would need to get near to Knox. Much closer than I had expected.

   "Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” Knox said. He saw the sweat on my forehead and smirked at me. 

  As I leaned over the table, I could feel my heart almost thumping out of my chest and butterflies in my stomach. I could smell Knox’s strong cologne from his body, which was inches from mine. It was the most amazing scent I had ever smelled. It had a slight hint of sweetness and was gruff and earthy. It made me wonder what Curt’s scent was. 

  "Why do you smell like this? Like a dead rat?” Knox asked making me pause. 

  I turned back and look at Knox, as Dina and the girl with Curt giggle. 

  “I…” I paused, not knowing what to say. 

  I stopped cleaning and  hurried back into the kitchen for a replacement drink, eager to escape Knox’s intense, almost angry, glares. 

  "You sure you’re fine, El?" Payton lifted a sandy eyebrow and halted me. 

  “Yes, Payton.” I sighed. “Hopefully I don’t die before they leave.” 

  I took another drink back to Knox. I was happy  that he didn’t throw this drink again.

  "What food do you all want?”  With a much more forced smile, I asked. 

  But non said anything for like two minutes, making me continue to stand.

  Then Dina and the girl with Curt murmured something to themselves and began to laugh while Knox and Curt' glares directed at me. 

  Then when they finally order food, there were complains from them. Dina said the chips wasn’t properly fried, the girl with Curt complained of the food not good while insulting me.

  I bit my cheek and smiled through every insult, acting as though I hadn't heard anything. 

  When they finally left, I sighed loudly in relief. Before retiring to the rear to clock out for the day, I hurried back to their table and picked up the check. 

  As I glanced down at the check, my eyes sprang wide. They left me a $70 tip along with their money of $50 making it $120. 

   They must be wealthy or have well-paying jobs. I already  assume they were wealthy based on their amazing appearance and arrogant manner. 

  The most worrisome aspect of the inspection was not the tip. The small note at the bottom of the receipt was what worried me the most and made me feel queasy and butterflies. 

  "See you soon, darling."