LAURIE NORMAN

One.1.

"Here is your order ma'am. Enjoy!" I said in my nicest tone to a lady who barely answered me.

Being a waitress is not an achievement at all. Moving all around this big restaurant, taking orders from customers, dropping menus on tables, serving dishes, and receiving offensive words as compliments from plushy, rich rude annoying customers is enough to spoil one's day.

I am LAURIE NORMAN, 22 years old. I alone cater for my mom and younger brother ever since mom lost her legs and dad left us. Although I have an elder brother, I would rather not talk about him. The bookstore and the restaurant are where I got money from to feed my family. Though, the pay is meager.

A few steps into the night and I'm already tired because I had to take two shifts because I couldn't meet up yesterday.

A kind colleague covered it for me but I still had to grease her palm which doesn't make her kind after all. Smiles.

As I moved past the next booth, I noticed an old man, not too old though, boring holes through my body with his owl-liked eyes, eye-raping me. Eeew.

Men are so disgusting. I quickly moved past him before he tried something stupid that's if he's ready to lose some balls cause I'll smash his balls. I'm not a prude, I like men but not old men.

Reaching the counter, I ducked my head in between my hands and gave a deep sigh of frustration and tiredness. All these customers are fucking Frustrating me.

I looked up when something cold touched me.

"Hey, lazy bone. How are ya doing' yea?" I hissed.

It was Damien and Kira, my best friend, standing behind the counter.

"I'm so fuck'in tired Dam," I said as I yawned wildly. A significant proof.

Damien and Kira are the only friends I have, they are my besties not minding the fact that they can be a lot pesky at times.

"Big mouth. Wanna swallow everyone in here?" Damien jokes.

"Got an invitation to a party goin' on tonight at the club." He said. " com in'?" He asked with a raised brow.

"For fuck'in sake Dam, I just told ya I'm tired. You're so unbelievable. I can't party tonight." I said pouting.

Damien didn't reply to me, he only nodded, probably hurt that I always turn him down.

I'm a party freak but I can't do parties tonight.

Kira seems to behave invincibly.

Earlier on, we had a little quarrel about her boyfriend. I stared at her, expecting her to say something but she didn't even utter a word.

Her silence makes me feel guilty, remembering the other times we did quarrel over the same guy and she fumed up uttering words like 'screw you, Laurie. Go get yourself a boyfriend and leave mine to me." In her tiny voice

Though she hadn't said those words to me yet, she had a look on her face I could read it. It's not like we share the same guy, but this guy doesn't deserve my friend. He's a cheat. I'd try to let her know but she'd shun me out.

I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by the heavy clicking of heels on the tiled floor. No one needs to tell me who those belong to. My Madam.

I turned quickly to run away but was stopped by her pitchy voice.

"And where do you think you are going to and what are you doing here?"

Without thinking, I quickly picked up the paper towel on the floor and began wiping the counter table.

"Errm…… Nothing…..Nowhere Ma'am. I was just wiping off some dirt." I said, inspecting the table.

" But it's clean now, I think I should get going." I turned sharply to escape but unfortunately, I was out of luck.

"Would you stop right there you little rat, is it your duty to serve or to clean?" She fumed

"Erm…. Both Ma'am. Oh sorry, to serve, ma'am."

Kira stifled a laugh.

We are used to playing around Madam Maggie like this but the look on her face wasn't convincing, guess it's not time for play.

"I'm sorry Ma'am." I apologized trying to hold back my laugh.

"Sorry for yourself. Next time You leave your duty position, you're gonna get a salary cut. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I answered seriously this time. My salary is my life. It's meager and having a cut from it leaves me with nothing.

"Good. Now return to your duty."

"Most certainly your Highness." I gave a mockery bow which only got her more infuriated.

I bet she would have done something worse than salary slashing but she hissed loudly, greatly annoyed.

Kira burst out laughing, holding her stomach the same as Damien. I laughed too.

"Girl you're a badass," Damien said to me between laughter.

I smiled. I smiled not at what Dam said but because Kira was laughing.

Madam Maggie is a very swanky woman, her style and sense of dressing are totally out of this world. This planet.

Madam is a woman who has a thing for gross fashion. She impressed people with her off-styles, heavy lipsticks, long lashes, and artificial nails.

As I moved to serve, I began to wonder if it was my little drama with Madam Maggie or her off-styles that made Kira laugh with so much energy.

Oh God, my Kira is angry with me. Not like I did anything wrong, I only told her the truth.

Halfway to the counter, I heard my name.

"Laurie." I froze. I turned sharply, already preparing an excuse to tell her to go back to the counter I was banned from. I couldn't even speak before she cut me shut abruptly

"You should go take the orders of that man." She pointed, with so much enthusiasm buried in her voice and glittering in her eyes to a young man whose face I could not see because of the dark shade and mask he had on.

Why would anyone dress like this in a restaurant? All black. Weird. Strange.

"Try to put in your best Laurie. I know you can be crazy but don't do anything stupid." I heard Madam Maggie saying to me but I was last in my thoughts of why someone would dress like an assassin to a social place. Maybe he's not normal.

Despite her warnings, I moved to the counter to ask Damien about the strange guy. I've never seen him here before. My mind wasn't at rest.

"Hey boo, you've got any idea who that guy is?"

"What guy?" He asked, not sparing me a glance. "The guy in black." I pointed in his direction to Damien.

"No, not really. But he comes here rarely, mostly, not during your working hours." He nods in his direction. " He comes here dressed like that."

With a raised brow, I asked.

"Really? All black like that?"

"No Laurie, with the shades and masks."

I nodded my head.

"Ahh, Ahhn. I guess he's an important person for Madam Maggie to notice."

Exhaustingly, Damien sighed down.

"Are you interested in him?" Damien questioned, making me feel uncomfortable.

"What. No! I don't." I answered sharply.

" Then what's the question all about?" He asked with a sullen look.

"Nothing." I rolled my eyes.

I could sense a hint of jealousy in his voice. I know Damien has a thing for me but was too shy to ask me out and always professed it by acting protective and jealous.

I picked up the menu and went to the table of the so-special customer of the night. Putting my best fakest smile, I said.

"Welcome to Chop Chop Resto, one of New York's best. What are your orders?" I asked professionally.

He looked up at me but due to the dark shade he had on, I couldn't tell if he was looking at my face or my chest area which was a little open because the buttons went for a never-returning journey.

I made a quick reflex, using the menu card to cover my breast which I suppose was what he was looking at.

He didn't answer the question about what his orders were. Not like I gave him the menu. Instead, he diverted his hidden gaze to a blonde guy I never knew was sitting there. The blonde guy gave the orders and I immediately concluded that Mr mask guy is a grumpy guy.

With the orders in my hands, I walked back to the table.

On dropping the dishes I felt a slight touch on my butt but I brushed the thought of the stranger touching me aside.

Almost immediately, he touched my boobs which I failed to cover this time.

I felt a sensation run through me, which I quickly presumed to be anger.

I didn't think twice before I emptied the plate of spaghetti bolognese on him.

'How rude.' My subconscious mind condemned me.

'How dare he.' I fired back.

He stood up with a start as if to prevent the spaghetti from touching him. But I already messed up his clothes and hair.

The twat I suppose is his P. A ran to his side to clean the mess.

"Some nerves you've got there little princess." His accent was different, definitely not American. His voice sent sparks and shivers inside me. He's spooky.

He tried touching me again but I slapped him hard across the face which attracted the attention of all the customers.

I guess the slap stings, cause now, he took off his masks and shades, with a pretty smirk coming into view. Wow!

'Oh my God'. I should faint. Could someone be incredibly handsome like this?

This is a Greek god standing before me. pointed nose, pink lips, and blue eyes. So rare.

Not even Damien is this handsome.

He sucked on his lower lips and I couldn't help but drool.

Everywhere was tense. I heard people murmuring behind me, I heard gasps behind me, some recording shit definitely to upload on the internet.

As expected, Madam Maggie's voice Came up loudly behind me.

"Oh Laurie, are you not out of your mind? How could you? Do you know what you've done?" She said with her high-pitched voice, now standing in front of me.

All this doesn't make sense. Like what have I done? I only slapped someone, not killed someone.

"Ma'am I did nothing wrong, I was only being defensive," I said not batting an eyelash.

"By slapping my customer? Jeez! Laurie. You should apologize."

"For what exactly?" I asked.

Okay now I get it my madam was now being sarcastic, he should apologize not me

"For slapping him of course."

"I wouldn't have slapped him if he hadn't assaulted me," I said, my guts are not weakening a bit.

All this while the beautiful stranger stood smirking. Ugh! I shouldn't have said beautiful.

"So feeling what was there..." He said pointing to my boobs. "Is now an assault huh?" He asked, still smirking.

What kind of man is this?

"Of course it is, you daft. Who the fuck do you think you are to touch me that way?" I fired back.

I noticed his expression changed, he was no longer smirking, he had a pale but horrible expression.

Madam Maggie stared at me with mouth agape but quickly shut them to apologize to the stranger.

What is he? A god or something?

"Errm...I'm so sorry. Forgive my girl please she's sick. Please don't take her words seriously." She forced a smile and faced me, signaling me to make an apology but the stubborn spirit inside me would not yield to that. No way.

"There's no way I'm going to apologize to this twat ma'am, not like I did anything wrong," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

Madam Maggie tried persuading me but was stopped by the weirdo.

"Maggie." He called with a deep voice that got Madam Maggie frightened.

"Fire her now or I close down this place."

What!!! Fire me? My ears itched me.

Like a spell had been cast on her, she fired me.

"Laurie, you are fired. Get your things and leave." I was dumbfounded as Madam Maggie ordered me out

"What! You're going to fire me because of him?" I asked soberly, eyeing the stranger bitterly.

"Laurie out of my resto! Now. I can't afford to lose my resto because of you." She thundered.

"Wow!!" I was shocked.

Madam Maggie could be controlled. The most skittish woman I had ever known.

I looked at the handsome weirdo for the last time before dashing out.

Kira and Damien followed me out, either to console me or to talk me out of my defensive manners and stubbornness.

They tried convincing me to go back and apologize to the rude bastard, but the pride inside of me was bigger than my problems right now.

"Rye you know mom's got health issues, getting fired is only going to worsen the home situation. Why don't you just apologize." Kira said. I paused.

If not for anything aside from my mom's health right now, Kira speaking to me is enough for me to go back and say sorry to the stranger but to hell with him. I respect my self-esteem.

Like he assaulted me, he should apologize not me. And why is everyone seeing my defense as an offense?

I wouldn't apologize. I left anyway.