A bad day

Rebecca's POV

Working at the hotel was not easy, but thankfully, there were other people who worked there, and we got along really well. Especially Bridget — we clicked from the very first day I started working. This morning, she had texted me saying she wouldn’t make it because she was sick, so I had to cover her shift. That’s why I had so many customers today. The boss never hired many waiters since the place wasn’t that big to accommodate more workers. I had to take orders, serve food, and handle the billing all by myself. There was no time to rest until the shift was over.

I didn’t even get a chance to check on Carlos today. We only had a quick chat in the morning, and that was not enough for me. I wanted to talk to him every single moment.

“Hey, I did not order this food, you waitress! Why are you bringing me the wrong order?” a customer yelled at me after I served his food.

“Sorry, sir! Sorry,” I apologized, but he continued harassing me.

“I will make sure you get dismissed from this place! You’re not concentrating on your work, you silly girl!” he shouted. I felt my eyes start to well up, and I wanted to cry.

“Sorry, sir, it’s just a mistake. I will correct it right away,” I managed to say, but he kept yelling.

“What kind of mistake is this? You’re just lazy! Oh my gosh! I’ve never seen such a lazy worker. You need to be fired right now. This is so embarrassing!” he continued.

Everyone in the restaurant stared at us. I could see the manager rushing over. My heart raced — I was already counting myself jobless.

“What’s going on here? Why are you arguing with the customer?” the manager asked me angrily. His face was burning with anger as he looked at me.

“Sorry, sir. What’s the problem here?” he asked the man.

“I ordered food, but she brought me the wrong order. You should fire her right away. She’s so lazy — girls like her don’t deserve to work here,” the man said angrily.

“What are you still standing here for? Go and fix your mistake! Take the correct order now!” the manager shouted at me.

Before I could move, the man shouted back, “Don’t even bother, you lazy girl. I’m full already. I’ll just go to another restaurant with serious waiters. I’ll never step foot here again.” Then he stormed out.

What kind of day was this, I wondered. I just stood there, waiting for my punishment. I knew it would be harsh from the way the manager looked at me.

“Foolish girl! You made us lose a daily customer because of your foolishness. Where were you thinking, huh?” he finally said.

“I’m sorry, it won’t happen again,” I pleaded.

I knew he wasn’t going to listen, so I excused myself to take more orders. I promised myself to be more careful — I had already done enough damage.

When my shift was almost over, I collected the plates left on tables and took them to the kitchen. The manager followed me and started shouting again.

“You’re lucky today because the boss said not to terminate your employment. But I’ll deduct today’s salary from the money that was supposed to be paid by the man you disappointed,” he said as he handed me my pay for the day.

I was paid daily, but today I was unlucky. Half of my salary was deducted, even though I was the one who did most of the work. People are mean and continue oppressing the poor. I took the money without complaining and left. Thank God they didn’t deduct all of it. How was I going to survive today without any money?

I stepped out of the hotel and headed straight home. Usually, I’d chat with Bridget afterward, but she wasn’t around today, so it was better to just be home. I wasn’t sure if Nica would come by either, since it was Friday. I knew she’d probably be out partying with her boyfriend. She loved having fun and always talked about boys, though I’d never met her real boyfriend. I guess she didn’t want to talk about him — let alone introduce him.

I decided to cook something for myself. I was used to eating free food at the hotel, but after everything that happened today, I didn’t dare. I looked inside my small fridge and saw only snacks. I needed real food. I had to rush out to buy ingredients to cook.

“Hey Rebecca!” I heard my name as I stepped out of the house.

“Hey Mike, what are you doing here?” I asked him.

“I came out for a walk. Just that,” he said, smiling.

“Like seriously, just for a walk? I doubt that,” I thought to myself.

“Oh really? That’s really nice,” I told him.

He then offered to walk me to where I was going.

“I’ll take you. Don’t say no, please. It’s late, so let me guard you. I’ll be your guardian angel,” he winked.

How could I say no? I agreed and led the way.

“I’m looking for something to cook. I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten since the last time we were together,” I told Mike. He looked surprised.

“A pretty girl like you being hungry for that long?” he said.

I couldn’t find words to reply. We stayed quiet until we reached home.

“Come in, let’s cook,” I offered. I didn’t want him to feel bad afterward. I cared about him, anyway.

Mike's POV

I’m always studying, and I’m at the top of my class every time we have exams. My classmates sometimes say they fear me — calling me a genius — especially considering our course is one of the hardest. But I don’t think of myself as a genius. I’m just a normal person. That’s why I like helping those who don’t understand, especially Rebecca. She’s hardworking despite her difficult life. She even works while studying. I escort her every time our classes end. I like being around her.

So tonight, I decided to come to her house to check on her. But just before knocking, I got goosebumps. What would she think of me? Yes, she’s my friend, but I’ve never been to her house before. Our friendship is mostly academic. I help her when she struggles, and that’s it.

“What am I even doing here?” I asked myself, starting to walk away. But before I got far, I heard her door open, and she came out. I was delighted. I thought I wouldn’t see her tonight.

“Hey Rebecca!” I found myself shouting her name, and she immediately looked my way.

She looked tired. I guessed her work was tough today.

“Hey Mike, what are you doing here?” she asked.

I got nervous after hearing her question. I couldn’t tell her I badly wanted to see her — I didn’t want to give her a wrong impression. So, I lied and said I was just out for a walk and happened to notice her.

“What kind of lie is that?” I asked myself.

I decided to offer to walk her wherever she was going, and she accepted. I felt so good in her company. I felt free around her, and I loved it. She told me she hadn’t eaten and was looking for something to fill her stomach.

“A pretty girl like you being hungry that long?” I found myself saying.

“Oh my gosh, how can I call her pretty?” I thought to myself. She just looked at me without saying anything, and we remained silent until we reached her house.

I bet she was angry at me. I had ruined everything — our friendship and all. I wanted to apologize, but she invited me inside. I guessed my worries were unfounded after all. And how could I say no to her?

“Yes, Rebecca,” I said as she closed the door behind us.