Chapter 2: The Host

Ella Lattone’s POV

I have taken the subway to get to the NYU campus. It has been my conquest to have been admitted here as my other 3 best friends were here to continue their studies. I can always meet up with them when I will be here for my Master’s program.

I was getting off for my station as I just have my backpack for my conquest. I have told my friend, Daisy, that I used to share a room with her that I will be visiting and she was more than eager to come and fetch me in front of the station.

“You’re here. Thank God, I have been waiting,” she said as she was hugging me. I smiled at her before I was looking around the station.

“So, this is it. I will be a New Yorker, like you,” I said as I was looking at Daisy. She just laughed at me.

“No, girl. You know I will always be Midwest country girl,” she said as her southern accent was teasing in my ears. I can sense that she was a true southern belle after all.

“Okay, enough talk. We should get you home now,” she said as we were walking out of the station. I linked my arms with her as she was talking about the difficulties that she encountered when she was preparing for her admission for the master’s program as well.

“I cannot imagine that you cannot charm your way into the program,” I teased her before her face darkened.

“Sorry, I know you don’t like it when I say that. My mouth was blunt for some time,” I said as I was apologizing to my friend. She smiled at me as she turned to look at me.

“That’s good. Keep it that way, don’t change your way, Ella. You might need more than anything else in this battle after all,” she said before we were getting inside her car. I was sitting on the passenger seat before Daisy was speeding off to her house.

“Okay, so I have done the liberty that you will stay for the weekend, I have prepared this bedroom for you,” she said as she was lightning up the lights. I took in the room as I was putting my backpack on the bed. It was nice.

“Thank you, Dee. This would do it,” I said as I was yawning. She smiled at me.

“I think it’s time for you to catch up some zzz,” she said before she was switching off the lights as I was laying on the bed and I was drifting to sleep.

Sometime later, I heard some clicking outside the bedroom as I was sitting up in the bright room. The sun was up and I was still sleeping like some couch potato. I ought to be helpful for Dee.

“Christ!”

I heard someone was cursing before I went out of the room and I saw that Daisy was swearing over something that she was knocking off from the counter. I went out of the room before I was helping her.

“You never change,” I mused as I was helping her cleaned up. She chuckled at my statement.

“Well, old habits die hard,” she said as she was putting the ruin food and plates into the trashcan and dishwasher. I guess we should take out as usual.

“Pizza?” I asked as I was holding my phone before she shook her head.

“How about I show you where to get the best food after all,” Daisy said as she was smiling at me.

And right after we cleaned up good, we were walking down the pavement that Daisy was pointing out to me about New York. I laughed. I know that I used to visit them whenever I can when I was off from work but taking this stroll with my friend right now, it was even nicer.

“Ah, here we are,” she said as she pulled the door for me. We were lining up as we were waiting to be seated. It was always full, Daisy said.

“This has the best Chinese food and I know how much you like spicy food, so I thought why not,” she said as she was talking with me before a host was coming and Daisy stiffened.

“Well, well, well. I never thought that I would see you here, Daisy Dyer,” the host said as he was smirking charmingly when Daisy just merely narrowed her eyes at him.

“Windell, what are you doing here?” She said with an icy tone. He chuckled as he was leaning against the counter to look at Daisy closely.

“In case you forget, I work at the establishment,” he said as he was looking at her up and down. If I don’t know any better, this guy was checking Dee out. I cleared my throat before they jumped when they forgot that they have a spectator.

“Two of you? Follow me,” he said as he was taking the menu and we were walking to the table as he was giving us the menu. Daisy thanked him before she ignored him. He just chuckled.

“What would you like for a drink?” He asked before Daisy snapped the menu and looked at him.

“How about Sky Juice? I heard you got the best of that,” she said as the guy was smirking at her.

“As the lady wish,” he said before he went to get this Sky Juice that Daisy was talking about.

“What was that about?” I asked Daisy as she was looking at me, eyebrows furrowed.

“What?”

“That! You were like going for each other throat and I think he likes to irk you, even more when you react to him,” I said as I was talking from my mere observation. Maybe Daisy has some history with the guy. She sighed.

“He’s…my competitor for funding for our research and I think I did not know what you were talking about. He did not irk me, he likes to make me suffer,” Dee said as she was scanning the menu again. I don’t know what to make of her reaction but I think there might be more to the story.

But that was her story to tell.

“Here we go. Sky Juice. The best from our company,” the host said as Daisy looked at him again. She was irritated before she snapped at him.

“Don’t you have anything else to do? Why are you being the waiter right now?” She asked as the guy just shrugged. Yup, they have something more going on if the guy just wanted to be in Dee’s presence.

“So, what are you guys having?” He asked as he was looking at us. I scanned the menu and I thought I would like some Char Kew Tow. And it has the level of spiciness of 5. That should do the trick.

“I’ll have a wonton soup and some dumplings with noodle soup,” Daisy said as she snapped the menu before the guy was amused by my friend.

“For a small lady, you do eat a lot,” he made his note before he took the menu. Daisy was furious.

“Not that it was any of your concern, Windell. Now, go do your job like a good bloody host or waiter or whatever you call yourself these days,”

“Server, Daisy, server,” he said as he was smirking at my friend before we were left to our own devices.

“Ugh, I cannot believe that I have to meet him at all times today. I just had the misfortune of being in the same office that he was a noisy worker in the lab,” Dee said as I was sipping on the water. Turned out, Sky Juice was only tapped water.

Nothing to impress about. Just a fancy name.

“Did you ask to transfer then?” I asked her before she shook her head.

“No, I cannot risk it. It was one thing to move the work that I already established before he came crashing in and now he has the bloody nerves to—“

“To what? Please do tell,” the man came back with our food as Daisy turned to look at the man.

“None of your concern, Windell,” she gritted her teeth.

“Ah, but you see, it was since I am your lab partner and the safety of my partners are very important to me, especially yours,’ he said cheekily but Daisy’s reaction was not. She blushed and she never blushed before!

“Enjoy your meal, ladies,’’ he said as he winked at Daisy before he went away. I was amused by the interaction of Daisy at that Windell guy. Then we ate our food in silence, wondering if I would ever know what happened between them.